The Invisible Woman (2013)

At the height of his career, Charles Dickens meets a younger woman who becomes his secret lover until his death.

Director:

Ralph Fiennes

Writers:

Abi Morgan, Claire Tomalin (book)

Stars:

Ralph Fiennes, Felicity Jones, Kristin Scott Thomas

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Felicity Jones	...	Nelly (as Ms. Felicity Jones)
John Kavanagh	...	Rev. William Benham (as Mr. John Kavanagh)
Tom Attwood	...	Mr. Lambourne (as Mr. Tom Atwood)
Susanna Hislop	...	Mary (as Ms. Susanna Hislop)
Tom Burke	...	Mr. George Wharton Robinson (as Mr. Tom Burke)
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)
Gabriel Vick	...	Mr. Berger (as Mr. Gabriel Vick)
Mark Dexter	...	Mr. Augustus Egg (as Mr. Mark Dexter)
Joseph Paxton	...	Mr. Pigott (as Mr. Joseph Paxton)

Storyline

In the 1850s, Ellen Ternan is a minimally talented actress who catches the eye of the hailed British author, Charles Dickens. Bored with his intellectually unstimulating wife, Dickens takes the educated Ellen as his mistress with the cooperation of her mother. What follows is a stormy relationship with this literary giant who provides her with a life few women of her time can enjoy. Yet, Ellen is equally revolted by Charles' emotional cruelty and determination to keep her secret. In that conflict, Ellen must judge her own role in her life and decide if the price she pays is bearable.

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Plot Keywords:

charles dickens | older man younger woman relationship | based on true story | secret | actress | 

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Taglines:

Charles Dickens' greatest story was the one he could never tell.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

UK

Language:

English French

Release Date:

21 February 2014 (UK)

Also Known As:

A titokzatos szerető

Filming Locations:

Harrow School, Harrow, Middlesex, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,948, 29 December 2013

Gross USA:

$1,234,254

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,986,888

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Headline Pictures, Magnolia Mae Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ralph Fiennes and Felicity Jones, who play lovers in this movie, also worked together in Cemetery Junction (2010), in which they played father and daughter. In a 2013 interview with Jones and Fiennes on NPR, Jones said that it was "weird" and "very Freudian" to go from playing one relationship to the other, but Fiennes disagreed, saying "It's just a job. Come on."

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Goofs

Very early in the film, Dickens introduces a member of his acting troupe as "Mr. Berger" with a 'soft' g, like a j; moments later, he refers to him as "Mr. Berger" with the g pronounced as 'hard'. There's no explanation for this discrepancy.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mr. George Wharton Robinson: Our boys' curriculum is very wide. They perform a short play at the end of every term. Theater's an abiding interest of my wife... Ah, Mary, tea if you please.
Mary: [arriving late] Yes, sir.
Mr. George Wharton Robinson: Through the open door... Nelly, where were you? Mr. Benham has been here since 3:00.
Nelly: I'm so sorry. Mr. Lambourne has been organizing the boys best he can.
Mary: I lost all sense of time...

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Crazy Credits

The full cast list (in order of appearance) is presented in the style of a Dickens era theatre programme, with contemporary font and the performers' names preceded by "Mr." or "Ms."

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Connections

Referenced in Film 2017: Episode dated 30 January 2014 (2014)

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Soundtracks

Greenland Whale Fisheries
Performed by Richard Standing
[end credits]

User Reviews

A 19th Century Affair

A jewel: the 19th century and Charles Dickens come alive in this jewel directed and starring Ralph Fiennes. The heavily garbed women, great sweeps of countryside, and living in little houses "in town," and even the poor and "fallen women" on the streets of London come to life. Charles Dickens too: a entertaining man in real life, not just in his fiction and plays. An interesting plot with sympathetic treatment: how could one have an affair in the 19th century, examined from every perspective: from the great man, who also loves his public - Dickens is a superstar - his best friend, Wilkie Collins, the mystery writer, who doesn't believe in the institution of marriage, the woman Dickens loves, her mother, the great man's wife, the whispering public, a non-judgmental vicar. Dickens seems a man for our own time. No wonder Fiennes wanted to bring him to life. Felicity Jones co-stars, and she brings virginal purity, and passion and ferocity at times to the part. A good acting company as well. The kind of production one expects from the British.