Shadowlands (1993)

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:

Oxford | England | Author | Professor | Love

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 11 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
Charles Simon	...	Barker
Giles Oldershaw	...	Marcus
Simon Cowell-Parker	...	John Egan
Roger Ashton-Griffiths	...	Dr. Eddie Monk
Pat Keen	...	Mrs. Young
Carol Passmore	...	Woman in Tea Room
Howard Lew Lewis	...	Tea Room Waiter (as Howard 'Lew' Lewis)
Debra Winger	...	Joy Gresham
Joseph Mazzello	...	Douglas Gresham
John Quentin	...	Station Acquaintance
Alan Talbot	...	College Porter
Leigh Burton-Gill	...	Mrs. Parrish
Cameron Burton-Gill	...	Parrish Children
Chandler Burton-Gill	...	Parrish Children
Kendall Burton-Gill	...	Parrish Children
Christina Burton-Gill	...	Parrish Children
Sylvia Barter	...	Woman in Bookshop
James Watt	...	Boy in Bookshop
Pauline Melville	...	Committee Chairwoman
Sophie Stanton	...	Lecture Committee
Ysobel Gonzalez	...	Lecture Committee
Ninka Scott	...	Lecture Committee
Walter Sparrow	...	Fred Paxford
Gerald Sim	...	Superintendant Registrar
Terry Rowley	...	Registrar
Norman Bird	...	Taxi Driver Witness
Peter Firth	...	Dr. Craig
Abigail Hopkins	...	Staff Nurse (as Abigail Harrison)
Julian Firth	...	Father John Fisher
Karen Lewis	...	Hotel Receptionist
Matthew Delamere	...	Simon Chadwick
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
JB Blanc	...	Undergraduate (uncredited)
Trevor Payne	...	Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Attenborough

Writing credits
William Nicholson		(screenplay)
William Nicholson		(play)

Produced by
Richard Attenborough	....	producer
Terence A. Clegg	....	executive producer (as Terence Clegg)
Brian Eastman	....	producer
Diana Hawkins	....	co-producer
Alison Webb	....	associate producer

Original Music by
George Fenton

Cinematography by
Roger Pratt		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Lesley Walker

Casting by
Lucy Boulting

Production Design by
Stuart Craig

Art Direction by
John King		(supervising art director)
Michael Lamont

Set Decoration by
Stephenie McMillan

Costume Design by
Penny Rose

Makeup Department
Christine Beveridge	....	makeup designer
Betty Glasow	....	chief hairdresser
Norma Webb	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Terence A. Clegg	....	executive in charge of production (as Terence Clegg)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Patrick Clayton	....	first assistant director
Sean Clayton	....	third assistant director
Adam Somner	....	assistant director: second unit
Michael Stevenson	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Bruce Bigg	....	property master
Brian Bishop	....	scenic artist
Doug Bishop	....	assistant scenic artist
Alan Brooks	....	master carpenter
Colin Burgess	....	stand-by prop
Ray Campbell	....	stand-by painter
George Chambers	....	stand-by stagehand
Don Clayson	....	chargehand plasterer
George Coussins	....	chargehand carpenter
Peter Dorme	....	draughtsman
Stephen Eels	....	stand-by carpenter
Kavin Hall	....	master painter
Robert Harper	....	chargehand painter
Danny Hunter	....	chargehand stand-by prop
Bryce Johnston	....	chargehand carpenter (as Bryce Johnstone)
Paul Kirby	....	junior draughtsman
Pippa Marks	....	art department runner
Jim Morahan	....	assistant art director
Alf Newvell	....	chargehand rigger
Brian Read	....	production buyer
Michael Redding	....	construction coordinator
Ian Rolfe	....	stand-by rigger
Caroline Smith	....	stand-by art director
Ted Stickley	....	chargehand dressing prop
Peter Wallace	....	chargehand rigger
Brian Western	....	chargehand painter
Kenny Wilson	....	chargehand stagehand
Tony Wright	....	storyboard artist
Gavin Gordon	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Richard Lyon	....	construction storeman (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Bateman	....	adr mixer
John Bateman	....	footsteps mixer
Jonathan Bates	....	sound
Michael Crouch	....	dialogue editor
Taffy Haines	....	sound maintenance
Kevin Holt	....	assistant footsteps editor
Peter Holt	....	footsteps editor
Dean Humphreys	....	sound mixer
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound
Simon Kaye	....	sound
Brian Mann	....	assistant sound editor
Tommy Staples	....	boom operator
Len Tremble	....	assistant dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Chris Corbould	....	special effects supervisor
Matthew Harlow	....	special effects technician
Brian Warner	....	senior special effects technician
Dave Crownshaw	....	snow effects technician (uncredited)
Steve Hamilton	....	senior special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Alan White	....	plate photography
Alan White	....	translite photographer

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Binnall	....	clapper loader: second unit (as Robert Binnell)
Fred Brown	....	electrician
Eddie Collins	....	director of photography: second unit
Chuck Finch	....	gaffer
Stephen Finch	....	electrician (as Steve Finch)
Alan Grosch	....	electrician
Keith Hamshere	....	still photographer
Simon Hume	....	focus puller
Martin Kenzie	....	camera operator: second unit
Paddy Kiely	....	clapper loader
Colin Manning	....	grip
Billy Merrell	....	best boy
Nic Milner	....	focus puller: second unit
Gary Pocock	....	grip: second unit
Mike Roberts	....	camera operator (as Michael Roberts)
Tracy Satchwell-Smith	....	camera trainee
Toby Tyler	....	electrician
Chris Warren	....	video assist
Darren Quinn	....	assistant grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Amy Allen	....	casting assistant
Clare Moseley	....	crowd casting: Oxford

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kate Carin	....	assistant costume designer
Ken Crouch	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Kenny Crouch)
Kirsten Hecktermann	....	wardrobe mistress
Mark Holmes	....	wardrobe master

Editorial Department
Tullio Brunt	....	second assistant editor
Martin Corbett	....	cutting room assistant
Jeremy Hume	....	assistant editor
Peter Hunt	....	negative timer
Joe Parisella	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
George Fenton	....	conductor
Daren Geraghty	....	soloist
Keith Grant	....	music recording engineer
Grayston Ives	....	choir director: The Choir of Magdalen College Oxford
Kevin Lane	....	music editor
The London Symphony Orchestra	....	music performers
Eliza Thompson	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Vic Floyd	....	unit driver
Colin Morris	....	unit driver
Cecil O'Reilly	....	unit driver
Stanley Sirkin	....	unit driver
John Smith	....	unit driver
Ronald Straw	....	unit driver

Other crew
Gordon Arnell	....	unit publicist
David Boardman	....	location assistant
Nikki Clapp	....	script supervisor
Gabriel Clare-Hunt	....	production assistant: Richard Attenborough
Lindsay Conner	....	legal services: Hill Wynne Troop & Meisinger
Nick Daubeny	....	location manager (as Nicholas Daubeny)
Richard Dunmore	....	location manager
John Ensby	....	laboratory liaison
Barbra Flinder	....	title designer
Kathy Goodman	....	legal services: Katten Muchin Zaris & Weitzman
Jo Gregory	....	financial controller
Alan Grodin	....	legal services: Cooper Epstein & Hurewitz
Nicki Gunning	....	production assistant: Brian Eastman
Leila Kirkpatrick	....	production coordinator
Jamice Medhurst	....	unit nurse
Zoe Moore	....	floor runner (as Zoë Moore)
Jim Schreiber	....	legal services: Leonard Dicker & Schreiber
Barry Smith	....	legal services: Richards Butler
Mark Somner	....	assistant location manager
Alan Steele	....	computer operator
Alexander Walker	....	location assistant: Oxford
Judy Wasdell	....	publicity assistant
Greg Waterfield	....	production runner
Ben Weston	....	location assistant: Oxford
Betty Williams	....	assistant accountant
Heide Wilsher	....	production assistant: Brian Eastman

Thanks
Douglas Gresham	....	acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank
Philippe Hartmann	....	acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank, The Borough of Camden (as Philippe Hartman)
Walter Hooper	....	acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank
Ellen Mirojnick	....	acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank
Malcolm Townsend	....	acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank, Thames Valley Police Oxford

Production Companies

• Price Entertainment (presents)
• Spelling Films International (in association with)
• Shadowlands Productions

Distributors

• Sandrew Film & Teater (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Savoy Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1994) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1998) (Canada) (DVD) (as HBO Home Video)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1998) (USA) (DVD) (as HBO Home Video)
• Nea Kinisi Video (1995) (Greece) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Spelling Films International
• Warner Bros. (Spain)

Special Effects

• Peerless Camera Company (optical effects)
• Computer Film Company, The (CFC) (tracking, compositing)

Other Companies

• 1st Unit Caterering  catering (as First Unit Caterers)
• Angel Records  soundtrack available from (as Angel Records on CD and Cassette)
• Armada Productions  acknowledgment: the original play was produced for the London stage in association with
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• CS Lewis Foundation  acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank
• Carnival Films  acknowledgment: "Shadowlands" was developed as a film by (as Carnival [Films and Theatre] Ltd.)
• Carnival Films  acknowledgment: the original play was produced for the London stage by (as Carnival)
• Choir of Magdalen College Oxford  music performers
• Completion Bond Company  completion guaranty provided by (as The Completion Bond Company, Inc.)
• Cooper, Epstein & Hurewitz  legal services
• Excasting  crowd casting: London (as Excasting Agency)
• Forest Enterprise - The Forest of Dean  acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank
• Great Central Railway  acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank (as The Staff and Volunteers of The Great Central Railway Loughborough)
• Hill Wynne Troop & Meisinger  legal services
• Katten, Muchin & Zavis  legal services (as Katten Muchin Zaris & Weitzman)
• Kodak Eastmancolour  originated and printed on (as Eastman Colour Film From Kodak)
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Leonard, Dicker & Schreiber  legal services
• Magdalen College, Oxford  acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank, whose hospitable collaboration made this film possible (as The President Fellows Staff and Students of Magdalen College Oxford)
• Mishcon de Reya  legal services
• National Railway Museum  acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank (as The National Railway Museum York)
• Panavision UK  cameras and lenses supplied by
• Peerless Camera Company  titles
• Richards Butler International Law Firms  legal services (as Richards Butler)
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Shepperton Studios  movie studio
• Sylvia Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting
• Thames Valley Police HQ, Oxford  acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank (as Thames Valley Police Oxford)
• The Daiwa Bank Ltd.  banking services (as Daiwa Bank)
• The London Borough of Camden  acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank (as The Borough of Camden)
• Theatre Royal Plymouth, The  acknowledgment: the original play was produced for the London stage in association with
• Twickenham Film Studios  post production (as Twickenham Studios)
• Wheaton College, Illinois  acknowledgment: Shadowland Productions wish to thank

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements

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 | Portugal:M/12 | Peru:14 | 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:

Anthony Hopkins prefers to memorize lines on his own, while Debra Winger prefers extensive on-set rehearsals. To accommodate Winger, Richard Attenborough would rehearse with her, reading Hopkins's lines.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Joy actually broke her leg at Jack's home, The Kilns.

Quotes:

C.S. Lewis:Have you got any cranberry sauce, Mrs. Young?
Mrs. Young:Cranberry sauce, what's that?
C.S. Lewis:Well, it's a sauce made from... cranberries.
Mrs. Young:Well, you find me some cranberries, Mr. Lewis, and I'll sauce them.

Movie Connections:

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

Lewis' step-son says the portrayal of emotion is perfect.

A few years ago, I had the pleasure to correspond with Douglas Gresham. (FYI, Douglas is Joy's son -- thus C.S. Lewis step-son -- played by Joseph Mazzello in this film.) I had recently seen Shadowlands, and so I asked Douglas how "true to life" the picture was. He told me that some details (dates, places) had been changed slightly for obvious dramatic/story-telling reasons, but that the "spirit" and "feeling" of all the emotions portrayed in the movie were perfectly accurate. That's exactly what it all felt like, he said.

I own the movie (and the soundtrack), and have seen it a dozen times... and I still get teary-eyed at the scene where Douglas and Jack cry in each other's arms... this movie rates a perfect 10 from me; I can't find any fault with it at all.