My wife and I are with Gavin Ayling (1 Nov) about this film. A superb series of locations, acting, and costumes, etc but no story which meant there was little sense of the passage of time.
There were subtle hints such as the appearance late on in the film of a purple dress and some Pre Raphaelite paintings which I think places us mid-century, while a reference to the king early in the film must be before June 1837. It was that subtle: fine if you know English history, but otherwise the whole film might have covered a much shorter period of time.
Probably I should have got much more from this production had I known more about Mr Turner's life before seeing the film. On the whole, though, I am glad I went, and Timothy Spall continues to rise in my estimation.
There were subtle hints such as the appearance late on in the film of a purple dress and some Pre Raphaelite paintings which I think places us mid-century, while a reference to the king early in the film must be before June 1837. It was that subtle: fine if you know English history, but otherwise the whole film might have covered a much shorter period of time.
Probably I should have got much more from this production had I known more about Mr Turner's life before seeing the film. On the whole, though, I am glad I went, and Timothy Spall continues to rise in my estimation.