OF eight nominations for best film at this year’s Academy Awards seen in Canberra to date, one resonated more than any of the others with me.
Director James March’s lovely, compassionate, credible biopic, written by Andrew McCartney with Jane Hawking’s participation confirming the screenplay’s veracity, is not the first narrative film about Stephen Hawking. In 2004 a BBC telefilm took an acrimonious view of the break up of his and Jane’s 30-year marriage.
As well as observing the scientific achievements of Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne), Marsh’s film tells an intense love story involving three people.
At the triangle’s apex is the immobilised genius passionate about seeking answers to and propounding a credible theory about questions that have exercised human minds ever since Homo sapiens took that first wondering gaze at the night sky. Including the possibility that there might be a god involved.
At the other points are Jane (Felicity Jones), who bore his children and cared lovingly for him while preparing her own doctoral thesis, and Jonathan (Brian Cox), the musician now happily married to Jane with Stephen’s blessing (the pair attended the film’s premiere.)
For Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of Stephen, capturing the courage and behavioural minutiae of a man immobilised by motor neurone disease, the only defensible description is “brilliant”.
Hawking’s intellectual achievements are too numerous and complex for March’s film to address individually but that doesn’t diminish its emotional power. The locations are as authentic as possible. The supporting players are faultless. The film manifests qualities proclaiming its worthiness to receive every peer group honour that comes its way. Which is a very good reason to see it. And for it to get Oscars for at least best actor and best film.
At Palace Electric, Dendy, Capitol 6 and Limelight
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