Hilary and Jackie
| Hilary and Jackie | |
|---|---|
US poster for the film
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| Directed by | Anand Tucker |
| Produced by | Nicolas Kent Andy Paterson |
| Screenplay by | Frank Cottrell Boyce |
| Based on |
A Genius in the Family by Hilary and Piers du Pré |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Barrington Pheloung |
| Cinematography | David Johnson |
| Edited by | Martin Walsh |
| Distributed by |
Channel 4 Films (UK) October Films (US) |
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Release date
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $4,912,892 (US) |
Hilary and Jackie is a 1998 British biographical film directed by Anand Tucker. The screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce is often claimed to have been based on the memoir A Genius in the Family (later republished under the title 'Hilary and Jackie') by Piers and Hilary du Pré, which chronicles the life and career of their late sister, cellist Jacqueline du Pré.
In fact it was not, as the book had not yet been written; an 'Inside Film' programme, handed out at early showings of the film quotes screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce as saying,"Hilary was working on the book at the same time as I was working on the film ... it was at a very early stage when we were doing the script." The film was instead based on conversations with Hilary and Piers; unlike the book it does not claim to be the true story, and contains some made-up incidents. This is important, as the film attracted controversy and criticism for allegedly distorting details in Jacqueline's life, although Hilary du Pré publicly defended her version of the story.
Rachel Griffiths was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and Emily Watson was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.
The film is divided into two sections, the first telling events from Hilary's point of view and the second from Jackie's. It opens with Hilary and Jackie as children being taught by their mother to dance and play musical instruments, the cello for Jackie and the flute for Hilary. Jackie does not take practising seriously at first, but when she does, she becomes a virtuoso, quickly rising to international prominence. Marriage to pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim follows.
Hilary, on the other hand, plays in a community orchestra and marries Christopher Finzi, 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 and in the interest of therapy, Hilary consents to Jacqueline having an affair with her (Hilary's) husband.
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Wikipedia