Darwin (1992)

A revisionist biopic on Charles Darwin, illustrated via 18 tableaux covering details from Darwin's birth, his defining voyage on the HMS Beagle, the publication of his seminal Theory of ... See full summary »

Director:

Peter Greenaway

Writer:

Peter Greenaway

Stars:

Jacques Bonnaffé, Barbara M. Messner, Germain Pengel

Cast

Credited cast:
Jacques Bonnaffé	...	Narrateur (voice)
Barbara M. Messner	...	Crazy
Germain Pengel	...	Orphan child / indian child
Yannick Pengel	...	Orphan child
Bert Sevenhuijsen	...	Charles Darwin (as Bert Svenhujsen)

Storyline

A revisionist biopic on Charles Darwin, illustrated via 18 tableaux covering details from Darwin's birth, his defining voyage on the HMS Beagle, the publication of his seminal Theory of Evolution and his ultimate death and consequent burial at Westminster Abbey.

---

Plot Keywords:

charles darwin | science | religion versus science | one word title | religion | 

---

Details

Country:

France

Language:

English

Release Date:

September 1992 (Italy)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Institut National de l'Audiovisuel (INA), France 2 (FR2), Les Éditions Audio-Visuelles

Technical Specs

Runtime:

53 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Greenaway presents Darwin

Here's an interesting concept that puts to shame many biopics and documentaries out there, thankful to the artistic and genial efforts of Mr. Peter Greenaway. The life and work of Charles Darwin are presented as 18 tableaux that tells a little about Darwin's background, the context in which he lived in, making possible the creation of his controversial and outstanding book on the evolutionism "The Origin of the Species", considered a huge scientific advancement in explaining how life was made possible through evolution, and also regarded as an outrageous act written by an atheist who were denying the existence of God. A defying publishing that changed the world as we know it, a boundless transgression that, as said in this piece, made us free from anything.

Master of his craft and always inventive, Greenaway elaborates fascinating moments, using of a sound stage, minimally recreating 19th century's England or the Beagle ship - the one used by Darwin to travel through Brazil, Patagonia, Terra Del Fuego and make his species discoveries. One of the most spectacular sequences is when Darwin gets round a table, then he becomes God creating Adam and Eve, on a scene remind us of Da Vinci's painting on the Sistine Chapel. Greenaway's creativity has no limits, it's poetic, beautiful and pleasurable to look at. OK, it would benefit more in here with more close-up shots instead of being filmed so distant from the viewers, the images are so in the deep and so dark (too dark to see, actually, at times) that it's almost imperceivable. Jacques Bonnaffé narration - the only voice heard on screen - was good but it could be less rushed and more paused.

It's greatest accomplish is in the way it presents its information, so many things, on a rare and different fashion, and with so few words and few running time. Not one wasted moment. So much to learn from here. More like this should be made, I can only imagine the personalities that could be analyzed in such an artistic and unusual way, and also imagine other directors that could pull off with brilliance such a difficult task. 7/10