Enid (2009)

Edwardian child Enid Blyton begins to tell stories to her brothers as an escape from their parents' rows before the father deserts the family. Whilst training as a teacher after the Great ... See full summary »

Director:

James Hawes

Writer:

Lindsay Shapero

Stars:

Helena Bonham Carter, Matthew Macfadyen, Denis Lawson

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Enid Blyton
Matthew Macfadyen	...	Hugh Pollock
Denis Lawson	...	Kenneth Waters
Claire Rushbrook	...	Dorothy Richards
Joseph Millson	...	Hanly Blyton
Ramona Marquez	...	Imogen Pollock
Sinead Michael	...	Gillian
Pooky Quesnel	...	Theresa Blyton
Philip Wright	...	Thomas Blyton
Lisa Diveney	...	Enid - aged 19
Alexandra Brain	...	Enid - aged 12
Samuel Hilton	...	Hanly Blyton - aged 8
James Warner	...	Carey Blyton - aged 4
Eileen O'Higgins	...	Maid Maggie
Gabrielle Reidy	...	Mrs Waters

Storyline

Edwardian child Enid Blyton begins to tell stories to her brothers as an escape from their parents' rows before the father deserts the family. Whilst training as a teacher after the Great War she sends her stories to publishers, one of whom, Hugh Pollock,takes her on and also marries her. They have two daughters but Enid is a terrible mother, letting a nanny rear them whilst she, ironically, bestows treats on anonymous children who worship her for her stories. She is completely self-absorbed,driving Hugh to drink and then to another woman. Enid uses the children as emotional blackmail to get a divorce on her terms before marrying Kenneth Waters, a weak man similar to her father. After World War Two she is as popular as ever, despite accusations of using a syndicate to pen her books and will carry on,adored by children who do not know her true nature, for another twenty years and her death in 1968.

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama

---

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 November 2009 (UK)

Also Known As:

Den sanna Enid Blyton

Filming Locations:

Barrow Hills Golf Course, DERA vehicle testing track, Longcross Lane, Longcross, Surrey, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Carnival Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film had a very tight filming schedule. Helena Bonham Carter was cast just 10 days before shooting began, the movie was filmed in 16 days and edited in eight days.

---

Quotes

[to her father]
Imogen: Do you want to come see our rabbit? We did have two, but Mummy and Uncle Kenneth ate the other one.

User Reviews

No ghost writers needed

Everybody has read at least one of Blyton's books ;it brings back good memories.

In "Enid" ,Helena Bonham- Carter portrays a malicious cold calculating writer ,incredibly selfish.when her books are lessons in moral (although a bit obsolete nowadays) ,she's only interested in the others ' children,and only because they admire her ;her own daughters do not get any love or affection (that's what the younger daughter wrote ,the other had reportedly another opinion).

She seems still in love with her father who nevertheless left the family when her siblings were young;Ken ,her second husband ,is an older ,mature man;she despises Hugh ,the first one,and she ruins his life .When WW2 breaks ,she acts as though she does not care ,still living in the Famous Five world ,on their private island ;but when business is at stake,she 's no longer a child,but a ruthless person,even a woman ahead of her time: that may be the key to the George /Georgina character to whom being a girl was a disgrace.

Bonham-Carter's excellent as ever and her performance is terrifying.