Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Felicity Jones | ... | Nelly (as Ms. Felicity Jones) | |
John Kavanagh | ... | Rev. William Benham (as Mr. John Kavanagh) | |
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Tom Attwood | ... | Mr. Lambourne (as Mr. Tom Atwood) |
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Susanna Hislop | ... | Mary (as Ms. Susanna Hislop) |
Tom Burke | ... | Mr. George Wharton Robinson (as Mr. Tom Burke) | |
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Tommy Curson-Smith | ... | Geoffrey (as Mr. Tommy Curson-Smith) |
David Collings | ... | Governor (as Mr. David Collings) | |
Michael Marcus | ... | Charley Dickens (as Mr. Michael Marcus) | |
Kristin Scott Thomas | ... | Mrs. Frances Ternan (as Ms. Kirstin Scott Thomas) | |
Perdita Weeks | ... | Maria Ternan (as Ms. Perdita Weeks) | |
Ralph Fiennes | ... | Charles Dickens (as Mr. Ralph Fiennes) | |
Richard McCabe | ... | Mr. Mark Lemon (as Mr. Richard McCabe) | |
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Gabriel Vick | ... | Mr. Berger (as Mr. Gabriel Vick) |
Mark Dexter | ... | Mr. Augustus Egg (as Mr. Mark Dexter) | |
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Joseph Paxton | ... | Mr. Pigott (as Mr. Joseph Paxton) |
In the 1850s, Nelly Ternan (Felicity Jones) is a minimally talented actress who catches the eye of the hailed British author, Charles Dickens (Ralph Fiennes). Bored with his intellectually unstimulating wife, Catherine (Joanna Scanlan), Charles takes the educated Nelly as his mistress with the cooperation of her mother, Mrs. Frances Ternan (Dame Kristin Scott Thomas). What follows is a stormy relationship with this literary giant who provides her with a life few women of her time can enjoy. Yet, Nelly is equally revolted by Charles' emotional cruelty and determination to keep her secret. In that conflict, Nelly must judge her own role in her life and decide if the price she pays is bearable. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
If a renowned writer were to embark in an affair with a younger woman, it would make some headlines, generate some chatter but most of us will leave it at that.
That was not the case in the 1850's. When esteemed author Charles Dickens begun an affair, all sorts of efforts were put in place to stop it from becoming public. Divorce in that time, was an absolute scandal, an abomination.
So, this young, attractive, talented woman who in all certainty had a profound effect in the works of one of the most respected writers in the English language was in effect an invisible woman. Whilst she was the centre of Dickens' world, the world ought to not know her. Such were those times.
Whilst it might appear as sluggish, even flat that is not so. We get to observe the effect of the affair amongst people who had a compulsion to appear composed and reserved at all times. It is a glimpse in to a world gone by.