Hilary and Jackie (1998)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Anand Tucker

Writers:

Hilary du Pré (book) and
Piers du Pré (book) ...

Release Date:

15 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

The true story of two sisters who shared a passion, a madness and a man.

Plot:

The tragic story of world renowned classic cellist Jacqueline du Pré, as told from the point of view of her sister, flautist Hilary du Pré-Finzi.

Plot Keywords:

Concert | Jerusalem | Family Relationships | Sister Sister Relationship | Judaism

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Emily Watson	...	Jackie
Rachel Griffiths	...	Hilary
James Frain	...	Danny
David Morrissey	...	Kiffer
Charles Dance	...	Derek
Celia Imrie	...	Iris
Rupert Penry-Jones	...	Piers
Bill Paterson	...	Cello Teacher
Auriol Evans	...	Young Jackie
Keeley Flanders	...	Young Hilary
Grace Chatto	...	Teena
Nyree Dawn Porter	...	Dame Margot
Maggie McCarthy	...	Margaret
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Professor Bentley
Anthony Smee	...	BBC Nabob

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexuality.

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:R (certificate #36170) | Netherlands:6 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIA | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Abbercrombe Square, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Company:

Arts Council of England

Trivia:

The film has never been released in France to avoid any litigation from the real life Daniel Barenboim.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the Russian newspaper the title above the Jackie's photo states "About Lenin, about October"

Quotes:

Hilary: I've given you everything. Every since we were little, everything you've asked for I've said yes. Jackie listen. Jackie... Jackie... I'm sorry.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1999) (TV)

Musical genius, destroyed by multiple sclerosis

I've read the 54 reviews here, and agree with most, both positive and negative, but I have a different perspective. Of all instruments, cello speaks to me most deeply. I do not play, I sing (deep bass, centered below the bottom of the bass staff, presently studying music in college after retirement), but still the cello resonates within my soul. I grieve that I never got the chance to see Jacqueline in her prime. But more so, that MS brought her down and killed her.

My wife has MS, is about 2/3 the way through the course of the disease. Its pace for her is much slower than the 20 years it took to kill Jackie. Slower, but just as bitterly relentless. The devastation of the disease is portrayed effectively in the film even though it is compressed in the telling. Some critics challenged the portrayal of incontinence, of tremors, of puzzling mental behavior. Those portrayals were quite accurate and the challenges unwarranted.

The one portrayal I would challenge is the final scene of Jackie being fed reclining. As I understand it, at least from current writings on the subject, the manner in which that was done would guarantee (aspiration) pneumonia and death because of the damage MS does to the swallowing reflex which uses the vocal cords to keep contaminants out of the lungs. I hope that portrayal was inaccurate. Other than this one glitch, I've found the movie haunting, invading my thoughts at quiet times and while drifting in and out of sleep. Sorry critics, I give it a 10, for the ballet of bond and competition between the sisters, for the portrayal of the musical genius of both of them, for the tragedy wrought by MS, for the powerful telling of the tale.....