Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Julian Fellowes | ... | Desmond Arding | |
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Roddy Maude-Roxby | ... | Arnold Dopliss |
Michael Denison | ... | Harry Harrington | |
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Andrew Seear | ... | Bob Chafer |
Tim McMullan | ... | Nick Farrell | |
John Wood | ... | Christopher Riley | |
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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 |
C.S. Lewis (Sir Anthony Hopkins) is the author of the "Chronicles of Narnia" books. Known as Jack, he teaches at Oxford during the 1950s. An American fan, Joy Gresham (Debra Winger), arrives to meet him for tea in Oxford. It is the beginning of a love affair. Tragically, Joy becomes terminally ill and their lives become complicated. Written by Matthew Stanfield <mattst@cogs.susx.ac.uk>
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.