Sylvia (2003)

Story of the relationship between the poets Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath.

Director:

Christine Jeffs

Writer:

John Brownlow (screenplay)

Stars:

David Birkin, Daniel Craig, Lucy Davenport

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Birkin	...	Morecambe
Alison Bruce	...	Elizabeth
Amira Casar	...	Assia Wevill
Daniel Craig	...	Ted Hughes
Blythe Danner	...	Aurelia Plath
Lucy Davenport	...	Doreen
Julian Firth	...	James Michie
Jeremy Fowlds	...	Mr. Robinson
Michael Gambon	...	Professor Thomas
Sarah Guyler	...	Ted's Cambridge Girlfriend
Jared Harris	...	Al Alvarez
Andrew Havill	...	David Wevill
Theresa Healey	...	3rd Woman at Ted Hughes' Lecture
Liddy Holloway	...	Martha Bergstrom
Robyn Malcolm	...	1st Woman at Ted Hughes' Lecture

Storyline

In 1956, aspiring American poet Sylvia Plath meets fellow poet Edward Ted Hughes at Cambridge, where she is studying. Enthralled with the genius of his writing, Sylvia falls in love with him even before meeting him, and he quickly falls in love with her. They eventually marry. Sylvia quickly learns that others are also enthralled with her husband, for a combination of his good looks, charisma, fame and success. Sylvia lives in her husband's professional shadow as she tries to eke out her own writing career, which doesn't come as naturally to her as it does to Ted. She also suspects him of chronic infidelity. Both issues affect Sylvia's already fragile emotional state, she who once tried to commit suicide earlier in her life. Through her pain and her anger, she does gain minor success as a writer, with a completed semi-autobiographical novel and a few well received collection of poems. Following, she tries to regain some happiness in her life with Ted, but has an alternate plan if that...

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Plot Keywords:

poet | love | writing | infidelity | insecurity | 

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Taglines:

Life was too small to contain her...

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality/nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Focus Features

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 January 2004 (UK)

Also Known As:

Ted and Sylvia

Filming Locations:

Cornwall, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$12,583 (Hong Kong) (25 June 2004)

Gross:

$12,583 (Hong Kong) (25 June 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, British Film Council, Capitol Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During some of the filming, Gwyneth Paltrow stayed in Q staircase of Tree Court, Gonville & Caius College as this was minutes away from the mocked-up old street at the back of Caius.

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Goofs

When Sylvia Plath is crying, towards the end of the film, she raises her hand to her face in one shot, but immediately following this both hands are in her lap.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sylvia: Sometimes I dream the tree, and the tree is my life. One branch is the man I shall marry, and the leaves my children. Another branch is my future as a writer, and each leaf is a poem. Another branch is a good academic career. But as I sit there trying to choose, the leaves bring to turn brown and blow away, until the tree is absolutely bare.

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Connections

Referenced in Becoming Bond (2006)

User Reviews

Prettified and superficial biography

Rather dull and uninspired biography, even though Gwyneth does a good performance, she's unable to save a biography which probably will make your own life look exciting - Sylvia Plath is portrayed as not much more than a quite ordinary housewife that is cheated on over several years. The affairs of her husband Ted takes its toll, of course, and quite predictably drives her paranoia, but really; this is not film material. Ted Hughes comes across as a lame, rather brutal husband with little understanding of Sylvias troubled mind. Their story is told very straightforward and linear, probably wrong since there is very little story to begin with. A more adventurous structure, with glimpses of childhood, early years, etc might have added much needed lyricism to this lackluster project.