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IMDbPro

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain

  • 2021
  • PG-13
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
17K
YOUR RATING
Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
The extraordinary true story of eccentric British artist Louis Wain (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose playful, sometimes even psychedelic pictures helped to transform the public's perception of cats forever. Moving from the late 1800s through to the 1930s, we follow the incredible adventures of this inspiring, unsung hero, as he seeks to unlock the "electrical" mysteries of the world and, in so doing, to better understand his own life and the profound love he shared with his wife Emily Richardson (Claire Foy).
Play trailer2:34
7 Videos
97 Photos
BiographyDramaHistory

English artist Louis Wain rises to prominence at the end of the 19th century for his surreal cat paintings that seemed to reflect his declining sanity.English artist Louis Wain rises to prominence at the end of the 19th century for his surreal cat paintings that seemed to reflect his declining sanity.English artist Louis Wain rises to prominence at the end of the 19th century for his surreal cat paintings that seemed to reflect his declining sanity.

  • Director
    • Will Sharpe
  • Writers
    • Simon Stephenson
    • Will Sharpe
  • Stars
    • Benedict Cumberbatch
    • Claire Foy
    • Andrea Riseborough
  • See production, box office & company info
    • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    17K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Will Sharpe
    • Writers
      • Simon Stephenson
      • Will Sharpe
    • Stars
      • Benedict Cumberbatch
      • Claire Foy
      • Andrea Riseborough
    • 175User reviews
    • 116Critic reviews
    • 63Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 4 nominations

    Videos7

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:34
    Watch Official Trailer
    First Look Clip
    Clip 1:55
    Watch First Look Clip
    The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Prism
    Clip 1:41
    Watch The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Prism
    The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Mr. Cat Man
    Clip 1:00
    Watch The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Mr. Cat Man
    The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Emily Painting (UK)
    Clip 1:55
    Watch The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Emily Painting (UK)
    The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Emily Painting
    Clip 1:55
    Watch The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Emily Painting
    The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Mr. Cat Man (UK)
    Clip 0:49
    Watch The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Mr. Cat Man (UK)

    Photos97

    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
    Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
    Will Sharpe at an event for The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
    Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
    The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
    Dorothy Atkinson in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
    Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
    Claire Foy in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
    The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
    The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
    Andrea Riseborough in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    • Louis Wain
    Claire Foy
    Claire Foy
    • Emily Richardson-Wain
    Andrea Riseborough
    Andrea Riseborough
    • Caroline Wain
    Toby Jones
    Toby Jones
    • Sir William Ingram
    Sharon Rooney
    Sharon Rooney
    • Josephine Wain
    Aimee Lou Wood
    Aimee Lou Wood
    • Claire Wain
    Hayley Squires
    Hayley Squires
    • Marie Wain
    Stacy Martin
    Stacy Martin
    • Felicie Wain
    Phoebe Nicholls
    Phoebe Nicholls
    • Mrs. Wain
    Adeel Akhtar
    Adeel Akhtar
    • Dan Rider
    Asim Chaudhry
    Asim Chaudhry
    • Herbert Railton
    Taika Waititi
    Taika Waititi
    • Max Kase
    Crystal Clarke
    Crystal Clarke
    • Alicia Simmonds
    Daniel Rigby
    Daniel Rigby
    • Bendigo
    Richard Ayoade
    Richard Ayoade
    • Henry Wood
    Julian Barratt
    Julian Barratt
    • Dr. Elphick
    Dorothy Atkinson
    Dorothy Atkinson
    • Mrs. DuFrayne
    Nick Cave
    Nick Cave
    • H.G. Wells
    • Director
      • Will Sharpe
    • Writers
      • Simon Stephenson
      • Will Sharpe
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      What Emily (Claire Foy) and then later Sir William Ingram (Toby Jones) say to Wain about Wain almost single-handedly changing the public perception of cats was true. Louis Wain's pictures may have been humorous in intent but they did play a significant part in changing the way people looked at cats. Prior to this they were seen as functional creatures that were semi wild and useful for the killing of rodents. However Wain's pictures were popular amongst children and women and it led to the public viewing cats as domestic pets to the point that they would eventually challenge dogs for the public's affections.
    • Goofs
      When Mr. Wain first arrives in New York, as he walks along a city street. The year shown on the screen is 1907. As he walks down the street, he is passed by several horse drawn carriage and then an automobile of early 1900 vintage. Next, another in car passes which is from the post 1915-1925 era, later than the timeframe depicted.
    • Quotes

      Louis Wain: You make the world beautiful and warm and kind. I just wanted to say thank you for that before it's too late.

      Emily Richardson-Wain: I don't make the world beautiful, Louis. The world is beautiful, and you've helped me to see that, too. Just remember - however hard things get, however much you feel like you're struggling, the world is full of beauty. And it's up to you to capture it, Louis. To look and to share it with as many people as you can. You are a prism through which that beam of life refracts.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Graham Norton Show: New Year's Eve Show (2021)

    User reviews175

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Feline friends
    The Electrical Life of Louis Wain: a bittersweet comedy drama about the great cat illustrator Louis Wain. A sad life at times, he was left literally catatonic in an asylum but was rescued from it to live out a more comfortable retirement. From his twenties he was more or less the sole financial support to his mother and five sisters. He turned down a steady job as an illustrator with a magazine so that he could continue with his animal portraits especially cats. He was at the very least eccentric at all times, often descending in to more serious psychosis. Believing that cats and people were infused with an electrical energy and that felines would be raised to sentience. Many funny/tragic scenes with the humour triumphing as his art did eventually. A moving drama which spans 50 years. Benedict Cumberbatch puts in a great performance as Wain with Claire Foy as his wife. Quirky entertainment. Directed by Will Sharpe from a screenplay by Sharpe and Simon Stephenson. 8/10.
    helpful•10
    1
    • Pairic
    • Jan 17, 2022

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 5, 2021 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Official site
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Louis Wain
    • Filming locations
      • Coast House B&B, Deal, Kent, England, UK(Exterior, Bendigo Lodge, conservatory)
    • Production companies
      • Amazon Studios
      • Film 4
      • Shoebox Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,509,173
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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