HILARY AND JACKIE

'''Hilary and Jackie''' is a 1998 movie directed by Anand Tucker and written by acclaimed British screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce, starring Emily Watson and Rachel Griffiths^[1] as the sisters Jacqueline and Hilary du Pré, respectively. The movie is based on Hilary du Pré's book ''A Genius in the Family'', about her sister Jacqueline, an acclaimed cellist. The two actresses were nominated for Oscars for their portrayals. The film attracted controversy and criticism for distorting Jacqueline du Pré's life, and Hilary du Pré in turn defended her telling of the story.^[2][3]

Contents

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links

Plot

The movie begins with Hilary and Jackie as children being taught by their mother to dance and play musical instruments; cello for Jackie and flute for Hilary. Jackie does not take practicing seriously at first, but when she does, she becomes a virtuoso, quickly rising to international prominence. Marriage to pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim (referred to as "Danny", played by James Frain) follows. Hilary, on the other hand, plays in a community orchestra and marries Christopher Finzi (also referred to as "Kiffer," played by David Morrissey), the son of composer Gerald Finzi. The film, though focused primarily on Jacqueline, is ultimately about the relationship between the two sisters and their dedication to one another; to help Jacqueline through a nervous-breakdown, Hilary consents to Jacqueline having an affair with Kiffer.
The last quarter of the movie chronicles in painful, graphic detail the last fifteen years of Jacqueline's life, during which she is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and as a result loses control of her nervous system, becomes paralyzed, goes deaf and mute, and finally dies as a shell of her former beauty and glory. The film ends with Jacqueline's ghost standing on the beach where she used to play as a child, watching herself and her sister frolicking in the sand as little girls.
Another noteworthy facet of the film is that at one point, the film divides into two parts^[4], the first telling events from Hilary's point of view and the second from Jackie's point of view. Some of the same plot events thus receive different treatment. For example, in the "Hilary" section, in the scene in the hotel room when Jackie leaves Hilary without saying good-bye, Hilary thinks that Jackie has callously left. But in the "Jackie" section, that same scene sees Jackie wanting to say good-bye, but not wanting to wake Hilary up, so Jackie leaves quietly. Likewise, in the depiction of the affair between Jackie and Kiffer, the scenes with the two together at Kiffer and Hilary's farmhouse are fully depicted in the "Hilary" section of the film. However, there is only a quick cinematic edit at the farmhouse in the "Jackie" section.
This movie was rated R by the MPAA for language and sexuality in the USA but is a '15' certificate in the UK.

Cast

★ Emily Watson - Jacqueline du Pré

★ Rachel Griffiths - Hilary du Pré

★ James Frain - Daniel Barenboim

★ David Morrissey - Kiffer Finzi

★ Charles Dance - Derek du Pré

★ Celia Imrie - Iris du Pré

★ Rupert Penry-Jones - Piers du Pré

★ Bill Paterson - Cello Teacher

★ Auriol Evans - Young Jackie

★ Keeley Flanders Young Hilary

★ Grace Chatto - Teena

★ Nyree Dawn Porter - Dame Margot Fonteyn

★ Maggie McCarthy - Margaret

★ Vernon Dobtcheff - Professor Bentley

★ Anthony Smee - BBC Nabob

★ Kate Hetherington - Middle Jackie

★ Ariana Daykin - Middle Hilary

See also

★ Jacqueline du Pré

References

1. Howard Feinstein, "The Rachel capers". ''The Guardian'', 18 December 1998.
2. "Hilary du Pré, "The truth about our wonderful sister Jackie". ''The Guardian'', 21 January 1999.
3. Stephen Moss, "Du Pré sister defends film". ''The Guardian'', 21 January 1999.
4. Jonathan Romney, "Sisters' act". ''The Guardian'', 22 January 1999.

External links

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