Taglines: The true story of two sisters who shared a passion, a madness and a man.
Hilary and Jackie movie storyline. British sisters Hilary du Pré and Jacqueline du Pré are both talented musicians, Hilary a flautist, Jackie a cellist. With regard to their musical prowess, they have always had a friendly competitive nature with each other, fueled in large part by the want of their pianist mother, Iris, for them to achieve musical greatness. But underlying this friendliness is a deep desire to be truly better than the other. Despite or perhaps in part because of her flamboyant performance style, the younger Jackie emerges from the shadows of older Hilary’s more triumphant childhood successes to become the renowned musician in the family.
Although both continue with their music and both end up marrying (Hilary to Kiffer Finzi, and Jackie to pianist Daniel Barenboim), Hilary focuses on her home life, whereas Jackie focuses on her career. A seemingly odd request by Jackie to Hilary is later understood, but Hilary’s agreement to that request demonstrates the true nature of their loving but unusual sisterly relationship.
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.
Scenes were filmed in the Blue Coat School, the County Sessions House, George’s Dock, St. George’s Hall, and the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. Additional scenes were filmed at the Royal Academy of Music and Wigmore Hall in London, and most interiors were shot at the Shepperton Studios in Surrey. Brithdir Mawr, an ancient house in North Wales, was used for location shots of Hilary’s house.
Classical pieces performed in the film include compositions by Edward Elgar, Joseph Haydn, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, César Franck, Matthias Georg Monn, Georg Friedrich Händel, Robert Schumann, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Antonín Dvořák. Jacqueline du Pré’s cello in the movie was played and synchronised to Emily Watson’s movements by Caroline Dale.
Awards and Nominations
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Rachel Griffiths, nominee)
Academy Award for Best Actress (Emily Watson, nominee)
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama (Watson, nominee)
BAFTA Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film (nominee)
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Watson, nominee)
BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (nominee)
BAFTA Award for Best Sound (nominee)
BAFTA Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music (nominee)
British Independent Film Awards for Best Director (winner)
British Independent Film Awards for Best Actress (Griffiths, nominee)
British Independent Film Awards for Best Actress (Watson, winner)
British Independent Film Awards for Best British Film (nominee)
London Film Critics Circle ALFS Award for British Actress of the Year (Watson, winner)
Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama (Watson, nominee)
Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (nominee)
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role – Motion Picture (Griffiths, nominee)
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role – Motion Picture (Watson, nominee)
Hilary and Jackie movie trailer.
Hilary and Jackie (1999)
Directed by: Anand Tucker
Starring: Emily Watson, Rachel Griffiths, James Frain, David Morrissey, Charles Dance, Celia Imrie, Rupert Penry-Jones, Keylee Jade Flanders, Grace Chatto
Screenplay by: Frank Cottrell Boyce
Production Design by: Alice Normington
Cinematography by: David Johnson
Film Editing by: Martin Walsh
Costume Design by: Sandy Powell
Set Decoration by: Trisha Edwards
Art Direction by: Charmian Adams
Music by: Barrington Pheloung
MPAA Rating: R for language and sexuality.
Distributed by: October Films
Release Date: February 5, 1999
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