Bright Star (2009)

The three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne.

Director:

Jane Campion

Writers:

Jane Campion, Jane Campion (screenplay),

Stars:

Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Paul Schneider

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 30 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Abbie Cornish	...	Fanny Brawne
Ben Whishaw	...	John Keats
Paul Schneider	...	Mr. Brown
Kerry Fox	...	Mrs. Brawne
Edie Martin	...	Toots
Thomas Brodie-Sangster	...	Samuel
Claudie Blakley	...	Maria Dilke
Gerard Monaco	...	Charles Dilke
Antonia Campbell-Hughes	...	Abigail
Samuel Roukin	...	Reynolds
Amanda Hale	...	Reynolds Sister
Lucinda Raikes	...	Reynolds Sister
Samuel Barnett	...	Mr. Severn
Jonathan Aris	...	Mr. Hunt
Olly Alexander	...	Tom Keats

Storyline

It's 1818 in Hampstead Village on the outskirts of London. Poet Charles Brown lives in one half of a house, the Dilkes family who live in the other half. Through their association with the Dilkes, the fatherless Brawne family know Mr. Brown. The Brawne's eldest daughter, Fanny Brawne, and Mr. Brown don't like each other. She thinks he's arrogant and rude, and he feels that she is pretentious, knowing only how to sew (admittedly well as she makes all her own fashionable clothes), flirt and give opinions on subjects about which she knows nothing. Insecure struggling poet 'John Keats' comes to live with his friend, Mr. Brown. Miss Brawne and Mr. Keats have a mutual attraction to each other, a relationship which however is slow to develop in part since Mr. Brown does whatever he can to keep the two apart. But other obstacles face the couple, including their eventual overwhelming passion for each other clouding their view of what the other does, Mr. Keats' struggling career which offers ...

---

Plot Keywords:

poet | john keats | friend | passion | 19th century | 

---

Taglines:

First Love Burns Brightest

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements, some sensuality, brief language and incidental smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [fr] Official site [jp]

Country:

UK Australia France

Language:

English French

Release Date:

6 November 2009 (UK)

Also Known As:

Bright Star - Estrela Cintilante

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$8,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£207,881 (UK) (6 November 2009)

Gross:

$4,440,055 (USA) (4 December 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Renn Productions, Screen Australia, BBC Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Abbie Cornish was the first actress to audition for the part, and waited one month to hear that she got it.

---

Goofs

A boom mic is visible above Keats' head in the scene where he bids a final and constrained farewell to Fanny inside the foyer of the house on the morning he departs for Rome.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
[general chatter]
Mrs. Brawne: Hello, Joy.
Dilke Maid: Hello.
Mrs. Brawne: Is all well?
Dilke Maid: Very good, thank you.

---

Crazy Credits

Ben Whishaw recites Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale" over the closing credits.

---

Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Couples Retreat/Bronson/An Education (2009)

---

Soundtracks

"Serenade in B flat, K361, Adagio"
(1781)
Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (as Mozart)
Arranged by Mark Bradshaw

User Reviews

A brighter word than Bright

I saw this film tonight, and in my eyes, it is a perfect film. Beautifully acted by all involved, (several times during the film I found myself thinking 'Abby Cornish is amazing!", despite not being a huge fan before), and stunningly shot, it contains some of the most beautifully cinematic scenes i have ever seen committed to film. Campion does a wonderful job of communicating Fanny' emotional state through the composition, particularly in one scene where the wind is blowing the curtain in her bedroom. The light and colour are fresh and gorgeous and the costumes and design add to the overall piece without being distracting, which is just what you want from a period piece.

But in the end, it is above all a wonderful story, well told. A deeply romantic tale, the story of Fanny and Keats could easily have become a mawkish, overly sentimental piece. But through her wonderfully naturalistic dialogue, her use of humour and light touch, and her restrained story telling (she never lets a scene go on one line too long) Jane Campion has created a heart wrenching film which I cannot fault. The characters are real and fully rounded, you feel the joys and the pain with them, and where I think she really succeeds is by making their love affair extraordinary and yet at the same time deeply ordinary. It stirred up my own personal experiences of love and loss and you would have to have a heart of stone not to shed a tear at the end. Lovely lovely film, and what cinema should be all about.