In 1993 Anthony Hopkins played a similar character in two films, and he did it brilliantly.
The character was that of a bachalor in his 50's, obsessed with his work and for the first time in his life confronted with serious attention from a woman. In both films they are very frightened that a wife will disturb the peace of their bachelor existence.
In "The remains of the day" Hopkins plays the butler Stevens and he repels the female overtures, only to be sorry later in life.
In "Shadowlands" Hopkins plays the Oxford professor and fantasy writer Jack Lewis. Lewis is more courageous and allows love into his life, only to lose it a few years later.
When I write that Lewis allows love into his life, this sounds a little more smoothly than it actually was. He sees his marriage with Joy Gresham (Debra Winger) initially as a technical marriage, intended to help her obtain a residence permit in England. He even refuses to have a drink with her after the formalities are done. In reality the marriage was never a technical one, but the time Lewis needs to admit that to himself is the best part of the movie.
When we somewhat expand on the discription of the character given above and include all characters who seem to be self assured verbally but are insecure in reality, Hopkins role as the title character in "Nixon" (1995, Oliver Stone) fits in line. It is impressive how Hopkins communicates the insecurity deep inside with little gestures
In my review of "The remains of the day" I praised the chemistry between main actors Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. In my review of "Shadowland" I am only talking about Anthony Hopkins. That may sound unfair to Debra Winger, and it probably is, but for me "Shadowland" is the film of Hopkins.
Jack Lewis was an historical person. The combination of Oxford professor and writer of fantasy sounds like J. R. R Tolkein and in fact Lewis was a colleague of Tolkien. His best well known fantasy fiction is "The chronicles of Narnia" (1950 - 1956). More interesting in relation to "Shadowlands" is however his philosophical essay "The problem of pain" (1940) in which he tries to reconcile the Goodness of God with the existence of pain. In his "A grief observed" (1961) it is evident that experiencing the illness and death of his wife Joy had drastically altered his opinion about the purpose of human suffering.
The character was that of a bachalor in his 50's, obsessed with his work and for the first time in his life confronted with serious attention from a woman. In both films they are very frightened that a wife will disturb the peace of their bachelor existence.
In "The remains of the day" Hopkins plays the butler Stevens and he repels the female overtures, only to be sorry later in life.
In "Shadowlands" Hopkins plays the Oxford professor and fantasy writer Jack Lewis. Lewis is more courageous and allows love into his life, only to lose it a few years later.
When I write that Lewis allows love into his life, this sounds a little more smoothly than it actually was. He sees his marriage with Joy Gresham (Debra Winger) initially as a technical marriage, intended to help her obtain a residence permit in England. He even refuses to have a drink with her after the formalities are done. In reality the marriage was never a technical one, but the time Lewis needs to admit that to himself is the best part of the movie.
When we somewhat expand on the discription of the character given above and include all characters who seem to be self assured verbally but are insecure in reality, Hopkins role as the title character in "Nixon" (1995, Oliver Stone) fits in line. It is impressive how Hopkins communicates the insecurity deep inside with little gestures
In my review of "The remains of the day" I praised the chemistry between main actors Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. In my review of "Shadowland" I am only talking about Anthony Hopkins. That may sound unfair to Debra Winger, and it probably is, but for me "Shadowland" is the film of Hopkins.
Jack Lewis was an historical person. The combination of Oxford professor and writer of fantasy sounds like J. R. R Tolkein and in fact Lewis was a colleague of Tolkien. His best well known fantasy fiction is "The chronicles of Narnia" (1950 - 1956). More interesting in relation to "Shadowlands" is however his philosophical essay "The problem of pain" (1940) in which he tries to reconcile the Goodness of God with the existence of pain. In his "A grief observed" (1961) it is evident that experiencing the illness and death of his wife Joy had drastically altered his opinion about the purpose of human suffering.