I would suggest that it is not only emma thompson s most moving performance to date, which is quite a feat, but also probably the only fictional film i have seen which i am not ashamed to say i sobbed over. Death, be not proud an indepth look at wit wit is margaret edisons 1999 pulitzer prizewinning play about a middleaged woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer. In the film, it has been said that the one with the. Emma thompson, 58, shows off incredible bathing suit. Emma thompson doesnt disappoint, with a performance that is absolutely stunning in its emotional complexity, intellectual integrity, and sheer elastic flexibility. The beloved actress, 58, was photographed at the 70th annual cannes film festival on tuesday soaking up. In this magically romantic book, a young prince befriends an enchanted catqueen. She provides him with the rarities requested by his father, in a series of increasingly difficult challenges to win his kingdom. Narrating the play also allows vivian to present flashbacks of her life. Restrained and meditative themes from shostakovich and gorecki adorn the soundtrack. It is about death, something i think about regularly.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee, much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow, and soonest our best men with thee doe goe. As vivian explains in various monologues, irony is also a major theme in donnes work, which is concerned with lifes big questions like death and god, but usually ends up losing itself in its own wit and intellectual quandaries. Death, cancer, john donne, salvation, grace, humility, humanity, growth, knowledge. Wit by mike nichols emma thompson, christopher lloyd, eileen. There, john donnes holy sonnet 10 death, be not proud played a great part. Wit summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. What is death, be not proud holy sonnet 10 about and why should i care. Emma thompson john donne what links between john donnes. Even with her sharp wit, she learns that she is like everyone else. Death be not proud wit, 2001 alex jonathan poon medium. Aug 10, 2004 i have just seen wit with emma thompson. Emma thompson, english actress and screenwriter, noted for her sophisticated and witty performances and later for her awardwinning scripts.
The tale tells the story of a hardwilled english lecturer, expertly played by emma thompson, and her battle against cancer. A brief summary and analysis of one of john donnes classic holy sonnets the sonnet death, be not proud is one of the most famous holy sonnets written by john donne 15721631. In the revised edition of john donnes holy sonnets, if. In the last scene, showed here, emma s character recites again death, be not proud in the way i will always from here on hear it in my head. Death, be not proud poem summary and analysis litcharts. Sonnet x, also known by its opening words as death be not proud, is a fourteenline poem, or sonnet, by english poet john donne 15721631, one of the leading figures in the metaphysical poets group of seventeenthcentury english literature. Director mike nichols and star emma thompson collaborated on a teleplay based on the stage play by margaret edson. She won academy awards for best actress for howards end 1992 and for adapted screenplay for sense and sensibility 1995.
Find video, photos, forums, blogs and shop for some of. Based on margaret edsons pulitzerprize winning script, wit brings basically a onewoman play to life in the character of dr. Serving 19 months of a 20 year sentence does not equal justice. One of the more enjoyable points for me was the fact that the sense and sensibility of the title had a most definite 19th century feel and yet still remains very timeless and does not attempt to force twentieth century mores probably by use of a crowbar into a script where they do not belong. This paper analyzes both the play and the hbo special dramatization of margaret edsons pulitzer prize winning drama wit, inspired by her work as an. She won academy awards for best actress for howards end 1992 and for adapted screenplay for sense and sensibility. Cynthia nixon is commanding in the lifeanddeath cancer. Wit script transcript from the screenplay andor emma.
John donnes words form a constant background to the play. I teared up a few times during the movie, even though i couldnt fully. Not because its about a woman with cancer but because all of my lady friends will get something out of it. Professor vivian bearing emma thompson, an expert on the work of 17thcentury british poet john donne, has spent her adult life contemplating religion and death as literary motifs. Get an answer for emma thompson john donne what links between john donnes death, be not proud and emma thompsons wit and find homework. Throughout the play, she recites donnes holy sonnet x, death be not proud, while reflecting upon her condition. Clip from wit2001, directed by mike nichols and based on the play by margaret edson.
In wit, prickly english professor vivian bearing confronts something even more uncompromising and unforgiving than herself. Starring emma thompson as professor vivian bearing, who undergoes experimental treatment for stage four metastatic ovarian can. That intransigence which made him the great artist that he was his ineffable and cynical wit, the clarity with which he. Her story draws parallels from various parts of her academic life and the one she now finds herself living in hospital.
Many people think that donne composed them after the death of his wife in 1617, but thats just a guess. Turner classic movies presents the greatest motion pictures of all time from one of the largest film libraries in the world. In 2001, director mike nichols and actressscreenwriter emma thompson joined forces to bring this unflinchingly honest story to the small screen. They are known especially for the use of wit, which involves a lot of wordplay. In addition to the stage production, we also have in an hbo special dramatization that starred emma thompson. Mike nichols directs emma thompson in this madeforcable adaptation of the pulitzer prizewinning drama by margaret edson. Many people think that donne composed them after the death of his wife in 1617, but thats just a. Wit nhb modern plays and over 8 million other books are available for. Books by emma thompson author of the sense and sensibility. Wit is a fantastic movie full of both humour and drama. I saw the movie version made for television, despite its absolute perfection not long. The other great thing about mike is that hes terrified of dying and the whole subject of death as is. Mar 23, 2001 though death be not proud is the central poem in wit, it is another, equally famous donne line, never spoken in the play or the film, that haunts the work. She is single, 47 years old, and diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer.
One short sleep past, we wake eternally, and death shall be no more, death. Arguing over life, death, and a semicolon better living through. Although the drama is, in many ways, an uncompromisingly serious look at death, it also shows how language and humor can help deal with tragedy, even that our own impending death. This play was also turned into a great movie starring emma thompson. I feel proud and lucky to have read few of donnes love poems and divine sonnets. The only possible bad thing to be said about wit is that ive yet to find it available in region 2. I am unable to find the proper version of it online. Though death be not proud is the central poem in wit, it is another, equally famous donne line, never spoken in the play or the film, that haunts the work. One of the more enjoyable points for me was the fact that the sense and sensibility of the title had a most definite 19th century feel and yet still remains very. Read emma thompsons emotional tribute to her friend alan. Emma thompsons most popular book is romeo and juliet. But more evidence is coming to light that while they may be. In preparation for the role of vivian bearing, emma thompson shaved her head, following in the footsteps of actresses such as kathleen chalfant and judith light, who had performed the role on stage. Death, be not proud holy sonnet 10 introduction shmoop.
I know, i know, i still need to get the cast names in there and ill be eternally tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to drop me a line. A short analysis of john donnes death, be not proud. Teaching accolades of every kind, books, journal articles and the like. Finally, the wit script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the emma thompson hbo movie about cancer. Thompson plays vivian bearing, a college professor who teaches a course. Emma thompson and mike nichols adaptation of margaret edsons intellectual antiintellectual play wit, which won the 1999 pulitzer prize, movingly explores a tough but emotionally homeless scholars confrontation with a lifethreatening illness. Vivian bearing emma thompson, a professor of 17th century poetry who has a lifelong affinity for words. It was shown at the edinburgh film festival and the warsaw film festival later. This quiet and slowpaced yet intense story is almost entirely thompson s, but atkins has two effective scenes as her mentor, professor ashford. The teleplay by nichols and emma thompson is based on the 1999 pulitzer prize winning play of the same title by margaret edson the film was shown at the berlin international film festival on february 9, 2001 before being broadcast by hbo on march 24. Its not funny and sweet, like i prefer my entertainment most of the time. Death, be not proud emma thompson in wit 2001 ive watched this movie twice in the last 24 hours.
Actress emma thompson narrates this story, which is based on an 18thcentury french fairy tale. An excerpt from the holy sonnet x death be not proud by john donne as read by emma thompson in the movie wit, the song is spiegel. Find video, photos, forums, blogs and shop for some of the best movies ever made only at tcm. British actor emma thompson stars in wit, as a poetry professor dying of cancer. The imperious professor scorns the excessive punctuation used in donnes death be not proud in an. But more evidence is coming to light that while they may be directly responsible for emmas death, they are not.
Get an answer for emma thompson john donne what links between john donnes death, be not proud and emma thompsons wit and find homework help for other john donne questions at enotes. In casting the lead, colin callender, the president of films at hbo where wit will have its premiere on saturday night, turned to emma thompson, who has that seemingly indigenous british ability to register irony through the slightest sideways glance, the subtlest twitch of her lips, the merest inflection. Read emma thompsons emotional tribute to her friend alan rickman. Jan 14, 2016 read emma thompsons emotional tribute to her friend alan rickman. Over the course of the play, vivian reflects on her life through the intricacies of the english language, especially the use of wit in the metaphysical poetry of john donne. Death be not proud though some have called thee mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not soe. That intransigence which made him the great artist that he was. Get an answer for emma thompson john donne what links between john donnes death, be not proud and emma thompson s wit and find homework help for other john donne questions at enotes. Wit is a 2001 american television movie directed by mike nichols. Wit, a margaret edson play written for film by and starring emma thompson, is one of my favorite movies. No ones sure when john donnes holy sonnets were written.