Shadowlands – 1993 | 131mins | Drama, Romance | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Shadowlands is director Richard Attenborough’s biography of English author C.S. Lewis (Anthony Hopkins), Hopkins does another of his pent-up middle-class Englishman acts in the role of Lewis. The film is a beautifully acted romance, done with very British understatement.

C.S. "Jack" Lewis is living a monk-like existence at Oxford University, circa 1952, along with his fellow bachelor brother Warnie (Edward Hardwicke). Into Jack’s quiet life breezes the passionate flurry of American poet Joy Gresham (Debra Winger), with whom he has been corresponding for several years, and the two become friends. Joy brings her young son Douglas (Joseph Mazzello) to meet the Lewis brothers, and admits that she has arrived in Britain to escape her abusive husband. Unexpectedly, Jack agrees to marry Joy so she can attain British citizenship. At first, it is simply an arranged marriage, but as the film progresses, the two gradually fall in love. When Joy is suddenly struck with cancer, Jack breaks through his composure and they decide to marry formally. During a period of remission they spend a happy honeymoon together, but just as their romance flourishes – disease tears them apart when Joy dies.