I am really looking forward to seeing All is True, a film about Shakespeare, directed by Sir Kenneth Branagh. The image above shows Branagh as the retired playwright with Dame Judi Dench as his wife Anne, and Sir Ian McKellen appears as the Earl of Southampton. It would be hard for this film to go wrong. The film has been released, but not yet in Australia. I can’t wait!
I’ve never been a big Tolkien fan – I loved The Hobbit but couldn’t get through The Lord of the Rings trilogy, however I am planning to go and see the new movie Tolkien, due out in May this year. Tolkien is played by Nicholas Hoult. It seems the film is about the younger Tolkien – boyhood influences, his friendships at Oxford, and his romance with Edith Bratt, who inspired Luthien in The Silmarillion. Have a look at the trailer:
And for those of us who enjoyed the Tracy Chevalier novel Remarkable Creatures about the fossil hunter Mary Anning, there’s a new film being made about her life. Called Ammonite, its cast includes Kate Winslet as Mary and Saoirse Ronan. However, some rage is being generated because the film is said to have included a lesbian love affair, for which there is no historical evidence. Mary’s story is so amazing that I’m puzzled as to why it was felt necessary to add a gay romance to the mix?
Did you read the Lord of the Rings trilogy? Are you interested in seeing any of these movies? Tell me your thoughts by leaving a comment.
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Brian Doyle
For me only a brilliant documentary filmmaker could do Mary’s story justice, her backstory is not that fascinating but she, her work, and incredible achievements are so worthy of a great film, all I can think is it’s in the hands of the wrong producer who doesn’t seem to understand her story. So many remarkable woman have had unsubstantiated salacious details added to their story’s, why aren’t their incredible achievements enough, especially when recognition in their lifetimes was hard won, if at all. It brings to mind when Julie Bishop left parliament after years of public service and all Scott Morrison could say was that she wore great shoes, in some areas little has changed for gifted intelligent women, one despairs.
Susannah Fullerton
I am in complete agreement. Mary was a remarkable woman and her achievements gained her so little recognition in her lifetime because she was female. You’d think a film maker would want to do her justice now. Mary’s love was for the fossils she dug up, not for some other woman!
Brian Doyle
I’ve read three books on Mary Anning and believe me she didn’t have time for any French tickles, it took her ten years to painstakingly remove one large fossil from the cliff face. I’m surprised that two actresses with such integrity would agree to unsubstantiated frolics amongst the fossils. Mary would be most vexed
Susannah Fullerton
I agree – she had no time, nor did she have the inclination. Why do film producers feel the need to add sexual content that is not based on any evidence at all???
Donna Fletcher Crow
Hi Susannah, I’m just back from my research trip on Jane Austen at the seashore. The movie crews were all set up in Lyme Regis–right next to 1 Pyne House where the Austens are said to have stayed–and where I stayed! My taxi driver couldn’t get me quite there for the movie barricades. You are right–the locals are very upset about the unhistorical lesbian affair.
Interestingly, when I was at Chawton House Library they were also filming there–a docu-drama set in the 1950s. They couldn’t tell us the title, but it should be out this autumn–they said to check for an announcement on the Chawton House website.
Susannah Fullerton
Oh how fascinating. Thanks so much for sharing that news, Donna. I can understand that people in Lyme were upset about the adding of lesbian content that was not accurate.
I am so curious about what was being filmed at Chawton. I’ll be there in a few months, and perhaps they will then be able to tell me the title of the film. If so, I’ll let you know.
Victoria C Leo
When you are talking about a woman scientist, you have to have some explanation for WHY she is a scientist. Either she’s a philandering wife, or a lesbian or have some weird disease or her father, whom she adored, was a scientist and died when she was 5 or SOMETHING. She couldn’t just love science, for heaven’s sake, and be a perfectly happy, normal person!
Susannah Fullerton
Well Ada was very far from normal and was encouraged to study maths by her mother as a way of squashing her imagination which might be dangerous. Her mother was convinced that maths would subdue any dangerous poetic tendencies she might have inherited from her father. But then Ada came to genuinely love science for its own sake. And I’m sure Mary Anning did too. I feel cross that in the film they have decided to make her a lesbian when there is just no evidence for that.
Ros Bradley
Remarkable Creatures is one of my all time favourite books and always thought it would make a great film. In fact after finishing reading it i announced to my family I’d like to buy the film rights. Alas, I was too late!
Susannah Fullerton
It’s a lovely novel, isn’t it. I have enjoyed Tracy Chevalier’s books. I don’t know how closely the film will follow the novel or even if the author was paid for use of her book, because there are various biographies of Mary and they might be using one of those.