Tom & Viv
| Tom & Viv | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Brian Gilbert |
| Produced by |
Harvey Kass Marc Samuelson Peter Samuelson |
| Screenplay by |
Michael Hastings Adrian Hodges |
| Based on |
Tom & Viv by Michael Hastings |
| Starring |
Willem Dafoe Miranda Richardson Rosemary Harris |
| Music by | Debbie Wiseman |
| Cinematography | Martin Fuhrer |
| Edited by | Tony Lawson |
| Distributed by | Miramax Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country |
United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $538,534 |
Tom & Viv is a 1994 period drama film directed by Brian Gilbert, based on the 1984 play by the same name by British playwright Michael Hastings about the early love life of American poet T.S. Eliot. The film stars Willem Dafoe, Miranda Richardson, Rosemary Harris, Tim Dutton and Nickolas Grace.
Plot
The film tells the story of the relationship between T. S. Eliot and his first wife, Vivienne Haigh-Wood Eliot. They were married in 1915 after a brief courtship, and separated in 1933 though they never divorced.[1]
Cast
- Willem Dafoe ... T. S. Eliot
- Miranda Richardson ... Vivienne Haigh-Wood Eliot
- Rosemary Harris ... Rose Robinson Haigh-Wood
- Tim Dutton ... Maurice Haigh-Wood
- Nickolas Grace ... Bertrand Russell
- Geoffrey Bayldon ... Harwent
- Clare Holman ... Louise Purdon
- Philip Locke ... Charles Haigh-Wood
- Joanna McCallum ... Virginia Woolf
- Joseph O'Conor ... Bishop of Oxford
- John Savident ... Sir Frederick Lamb
- Michael Attwell ... W. I. Janes
- Sharon Bower ... Secretary
- Linda Spurrier ... Edith Sitwell
- Roberta Taylor ... Ottoline Morrell
- Christopher Baines ... Verger
Reception
The film received mixed reviews, holding a 33% 'rotten' rating on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes.[2] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly praised the performances but gave the film a B-, saying '[It] is the kind of sodden, tasteful, here-are-a-few-nasty-warts-to-chew-on biography that raises as many dramatic questions as it answers.'[3] Derek Elley of Variety admired the film's artistic aspirations and production values, but called it, 'a handsomely appointed but overly starchy love story that attains real clout only in the final reel.'[4]
Awards
Despite the reception, the film was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories Best Actress in a Leading Role (Miranda Richardson) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Rosemary Harris).
See also
- Wilde - another film about a literary icon from Brian Gilbert, starring Stephen Fry.
References
- ↑ Hastings, Michael. Tom and Viv. Penguin 1985, with an introduction by Hastings.
- ↑ http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tom_and_viv/?search=tom%20and%20viv
- ↑ http://www.ew.com/article/1995/02/17/tom-and-viv
- ↑ http://variety.com/1994/film/reviews/tom-viv-1200436696/
External links
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