Shadowlands (1993)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Richard Attenborough

Writers:

William Nicholson (play)
William Nicholson (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 January 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

He thought that magic only existed in books, and then he met her.

Plot:

C.S. Lewis, a world-renowned writer and professor, leads a passionless life until he meets spirited poet Joy Gresham.

Plot Keywords:

University | Honesty | Female Poet | Older Man Younger Woman | English Literature

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Julian Fellowes	...	Desmond Arding
Roddy Maude-Roxby	...	Arnold Dopliss
Michael Denison	...	Harry Harrington
Andrew Seear	...	Bob Chafer
Tim McMullan	...	Nick Farrell
John Wood	...	Christopher Riley
Andrew Hawkins	...	Rupert Parrish
Peter Howell	...	College President
Anthony Hopkins	...	C. S. 'Jack' Lewis
Edward Hardwicke	...	Warnie Lewis
Robert Flemyng	...	Claude Bird
James Frain	...	Peter Whistler
Toby Whithouse	...	Frith
Daniel Goode	...	Lieven
Scott Handy	...	Standish

Runtime:

131 min | Canada:115 min (Ontario)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Ireland:G | South Korea:12 | Philippines:G | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Christ Church Meadow, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Price Entertainment

Trivia:

The "Bird and Baby" pub was actually "The Eagle and Child" pub, where C.S. Lewis was a regular.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Joy Gresham had two sons, David and Douglas, but only one son, Douglas is depicted in the film.

Quotes:

[mourning Joy's passing]
Douglas Gresham: [sobbing] I sure would like to see her again.
C. S. Lewis: [also sobbing] Me too.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Deadly Bees (#10.5)" (1998)

A Different and Edifying Look at Love and Death

Two different, yet complimentary people meet and discover they have something in common: the conviction that life is a gift. C. S. Lewis, an Englishman, an Oxford don who lives the interior life, is confronted by an American writer-poet who shows him how to become a part of the world in a way that makes the imagery of his works become manifest.

Then, she dies. What does this do to his faith?

The casting is perfect.

"Shadowlands" contains the most powerful deathbed scene ever recorded on film.