Iris

20012001
AAAA
1h 31m

Kate Winslet and Judi Dench in Iris (2001)

Trailer

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Biography Drama Romance

True story of the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from their student days through her battle with Alzheimer's disease.True story of the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from their student days through her battle with Alzheimer's disease.True story of the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from their student days through her battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Director
- Richard Eyre
Writers
- John Bayley(books "Iris: A Memoir" and "Elegy for Iris")
- Richard Eyre(screenplay)
- Charles Wood(screenplay)
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 14 wins & 31 nominations total

Videos2

Iris (2001)

Iris (2001)

Jim Broadbent and Judi Dench in Iris (2001)

Jim Broadbent and Judi Dench in Iris (2001)

Kate Winslet and Hugh Bonneville in Iris (2001)

Jim Broadbent and Judi Dench in Iris (2001)

Jim Broadbent and Judi Dench in Iris (2001)

Kate Winslet and Hugh Bonneville in Iris (2001)

Jim Broadbent and Judi Dench in Iris (2001)

Judi Dench in Iris (2001)

Kate Winslet in Iris (2001)

Kate Winslet and Hugh Bonneville in Iris (2001)

Jim Broadbent in Iris (2001)

Judi Dench in Iris (2001)

Director
- Richard Eyre
Writers
- John Bayley(books "Iris: A Memoir" and "Elegy for Iris")
- Richard Eyre(screenplay)
- Charles Wood(screenplay)
All cast & crew
See more cast details at IMDbPro

This movie is based on the life of revered British writer and philosopher Iris Murdoch (Dame Judi Dench), is a story of unlikely yet enduring love. As a young academic, teaching philosophy at Oxford, Murdoch (Kate Winslet) meets and eventually falls in love with fellow professor John Bayley (Hugh Bonneville), a man whose awkwardness seems in stark opposition to the spirited self-confidence of his future wife. The story unfolds as snippets of time, seen through older Bayley's (Jim Broadbent's) eyes. He recalls their first encounter over forty years ago, activities they enjoyed doing together, and Iris' charismatic and individualistic personality. These images portray Murdoch as a vibrant young woman with great intellect and are contrasted with the novelist's later life, after the effects of Alzheimer's disease have ravaged her. Murdoch's great mind deteriorates until she is reduced to a mere vestige of her former self, unable to perform simple tasks and completely reliant on her at times frustrated yet devoted husband. —kem

alzheimer's disease writer novelist love marriage 71 more

Taglines
- Her greatest talent was for life
Genres
Certificate
- AA
Parents guide

Trivia
This is the second movie to have two actresses nominated for an Academy Award for playing the same role in the same movie. The first was Titanic (1997). In both movies, Kate Winslet played the younger version in the dual-nominee role.

Goofs
When John gets his coat caught against the chair at the pub, a boom mic can be seen in the mirror behind him.

Quotes
Iris Murdoch: Education doesn't make you happy. And what is freedom? We don't become happy just because we are free, if we are. Or because we have been educated, if we have. But because education may be the means by which we realize we are happy. It opens our eyes, our ears. Tells use where delights are lurking. Convinces us that there is only one freedom of any importance whatsoever: that of the mind. And give us the assurance, the confidence, to walk the path our mind, our educated mind, offers.

Connections
Featured in A Look at Iris (2001)

Soundtracks
The Lark in the Clear Air
Music: Traditional tune: Caisleán U, Néill
Lyrics by Samuel Ferguson (about 1850)

Top review

7/10

Moving Experience, with Superb Dench

"Iris" is too short.

I wanted more about Iris Murdoch before she descends into Alzheimer's disease (stunningly portrayed by Judi Dench), other than a few lectures, and more explanation on why the young Iris fixed on her husband.

I haven't read the memoirs by the husband; it's possible that because the books and thence the movie are from his view point that we can't get inside Iris's head young, old, or befuddled.

The Young Iris segments mostly point up again that Kate Winslet has a beautiful naked body (was this before or after her baby?) and I didn't see how she did enough otherwise to justify the award nominations.

The Young Husband looks amazingly like the old Broadbent, so that the flashbacks are completely seamless, and both are terrific.

It's nice to see on screen a house as much of a mess as mine, filled with reading material, but I think we were supposed to react negatively at the sight and scream doesn't the British health services provide home health aides?

Altogether a very moving movie, helped by James Horner's music, especially sympathetic to what a caregiver goes through.

(originally written 3/3/2002)

helpful•8

2

noralee
Dec 20, 2005

Release date
- January 18, 2002 (United Kingdom)
Countries of origin
- United Kingdom
- United States
Official sites
- Official Facebook
- Official site
Language
- English
Also known as
- Poèmes pour Iris
Filming locations
- Southwold, Suffolk, England, UK
Production companies
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Budget
- $5,500,000 (estimated)
Gross US & Canada
- $5,594,617
Opening weekend US & Canada
- $23,144
- Dec 16, 2001
Gross worldwide
- $16,153,953

See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

Runtime
1 hour 31 minutes
Color
- Color
Sound mix
- Dolby Digital
Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1

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Kate Winslet and Judi Dench in Iris (2001)

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