Creation (2009)

Torn between faith and science, and suffering hallucinations, English naturalist Charles Darwin struggles to complete 'On the Origin of Species' and maintain his relationship with his wife.

Director:

Jon Amiel

Writers:

John Collee (screenplay), Jon Amiel (screen story)

Stars:

Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly, Ian Kelly

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Bettany	...	Charles Darwin
Ian Kelly	...	Captain Fitzroy
Guy Henry	...	Technician
Martha West	...	Annie Darwin
Anabolena Rodriguez	...	Fuegia Basket
Paul Campbell	...	Boat Memory
Zak Davies	...	Jemmy Button
Teresa Churcher	...	Mrs. Davies
Jennifer Connelly	...	Emma Darwin
Freya Parks	...	Etty Darwin
Jim Carter	...	Parslow
Christopher Dunkin	...	George Darwin
Gene Goodman	...	Franky Darwin
Harrison Sansostri	...	Lenny Darwin
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Joseph Hooker

Storyline

What happens when a world-renowned scientist, crushed by the loss of his eldest daughter, formulates a theory in conflict with religious dogma? This is the story of Charles Darwin and his master-work "The Origin of Species". It tells of a global revolution played out within the confines of a small English village; a passionate marriage torn apart by the most dangerous idea in history; and a theory saved from extinction by the logic of a child.

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Plot Keywords:

hallucination | marriage between cousins | father daughter relationship | evolution | loss of daughter | 

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Taglines:

How he saw the world changed it forever

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some intense thematic material

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bettany previously - in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) - played a naturalist who - like Darwin - travelled with ship to the Galapagos Islands in the early 19th century to make discoveries strongly indicating evolution among animals.

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Goofs

The epilogue states "He was buried with full Christian honours, in Westminister Abbey." This should read "Westminster Abbey."

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Quotes

Reverend John Innes: Charles. Charles, my old friend, there you are. May I join you?
Charles Darwin: Yes. Yes, of course.
Reverend John Innes: Mrs. Darwin has told me about the book you're writing.
Charles Darwin: Oh, no, no, not anymore, thank goodness.
Reverend John Innes: You mean you finished it?
Charles Darwin: It's been finished for me, actually. A Mr. Alfred Russel Wallace has arrived independently at exactly the same opinion. Expressed in a... in a mere twenty pages. Now there's brevity for you. I had covered two-hundred-fifty so far and have come to a dead end, so whilst having wasted twenty years ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Dedicated to the memory of ... & all those whose lives have been devastated by chronic post-infection diseases.

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Connections

Featured in Late Show with David Letterman: Episode #17.71 (2010)

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Soundtracks

All Things Bright and Beautiful
(uncredited)
Music by William H. Monk
Lyrics by Cecil F. Alexander, from "Hymns for Little Children" (1838)
Sung by Jeremy Northam and congregation in church

User Reviews

Nice Darwin family drama

I saw this film on 19SEP2009 at the Cambridge Film Festival.

The Beagle's only in a couple of short flashbacks, the whole thing is about Darwin's life from 1841 to 1859, when he was ensconced in Kent with his growing family, 200+ pages of Origin had already been drafted and he was wondering whether to complete the book.

The script is based on Randal Keynes's book Annie's Box (Annie, Charles's daughter, died when she was 10). It is mostly a family drama, but does include sex scenes - however, the participants are married, both on and off screen. Not too exciting, not much science but a well-made film that's pleasant to watch and pushes the right emotional buttons. A bit of a romantic weepie, actually. I suppose the conclusion is that you can be an agnostic free-thinking scientist from an atheist family background and still be an emotional romantic as well as an excellent father.

Some of the characters and Darwin himself state or wonder whether he "killed god" but the viewer is able to doubt that. What is beyond doubt, given the deadly struggle for survival and the web of predation on the meadow-bank (well-known before Darwin and completely uncontroversial) and the failure of Darwin's prayers is that the idea of a kind, providential god who loves "his" creatures is untenable.

I really cannot see many Americans objecting to it very much. Some may have problems with the title, which is probably the most controversial thing about the film, or with the fact that Bettany does not have horns, a tail and a pitchfork.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site (Canada)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 2009 (UK)

Also Known As:

Untitled Charles Darwin Project

Filming Locations:

Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$53,073, 24 January 2010

Gross USA:

$341,323

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,058,675

Company Credits

Production Co:

Recorded Picture Company (RPC), BBC Films, HanWay Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1