Shadowlands (1993)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Richard Attenborough

Writers:

William Nicholson (screenplay)
William Nicholson (play)

Release Date:

14 January 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Based on a true story.

Plot:

C.S. Lewis, a world-renowned writer and professor, leads a passionless life until he meets spirited poet Joy Gresham.

Plot Keywords:

England | Oxford | Poet | Book | Love

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Julian Fellowes	...	Desmond Arding
Roddy Maude-Roxby	...	Arnold Dopliss
Michael Denison	...	Harry Harrington
Andrew Seear	...	Bob Chafer
Tim McMullan	...	Nick Farrell
John Wood	...	Christopher Riley
Andrew Hawkins	...	Rupert Parrish
Peter Howell	...	College President
Anthony Hopkins	...	Jack Lewis
Edward Hardwicke	...	Warnie Lewis
Robert Flemyng	...	Claude Bird
James Frain	...	Peter Whistler
Toby Whithouse	...	Frith
Daniel Goode	...	Lieven
Scott Handy	...	Standish

Runtime:

131 min | Canada:115 min (Ontario)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Ireland:G | South Korea:12 | Philippines:G | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:PG (#32508) | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Christ Church Meadow, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Price Entertainment

Trivia:

In one of the scenes in which Douglas Gresham is reading in bed, you can see he is reading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien was a good friend and colleague of C.S. Lewis.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Jack and Joy actually spent their honeymoon in Greece, not that search for the "Golden Valley". Outside of his Army stint in WW1, Jack had never left England before and was unsure about traveling to Greece. He was afraid it wouldn't live up to what he had imagined. After reading Homer and Aristotle (in Greek) he had built up quite a mental image. The trip did not disappoint him.

Quotes:

Joy: Jack, don't you sometimes just bust to share the joke? Here's your friends thinking we're unmarried and up to all sorts of wickedness, when all along we're married and up to nothing at all.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Deadly Bees (#10.5)" (1998)

A Beautiful Film

This film, based on the love story of C.S. Lewis, noted author, scholar and religious apologist, and Joy Gresham, American poet, is so very haunting and beautiful. Those familiar with Lewis will know the tragic outcome of this love story for the ages and will appreciate the realistic adaptation to the screen. Sir Richard Attenborough could have been tempted to cast glamorous actors in the leads but instead he chose Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger whose characterizations more closely resembled the true life couple. Hopkins, who should have been nominated for the Academy Award for this role, plays Lewis to a T.....rumpled, vague and totally naive in the ways of the world and certainly where love is concerned. Winger, looking frumpy, is appropriately brash and out of place in the world of Oxford academia. She approaches Hopkins' character with a refreshing honesty that is sometimes hurtful but always straight to the heart of the matter. In the end, it helps him to cope. She captures his soul and therein begins the short but wonderful love story that forever changes their lives. The intensity of their relationship and the inevitable ending will make you weep and a box of Kleenex is recommended. Heavy breathing and graphic loves scenes are not what this is about.....it's about love that transcends the physical and it will steal your heart away. You will weep and rejoice at this film....see it!