It is always fascinating to peek into the minds behind the greatest fantasies and the bio pic Tolkien offers a dream-like vision of the life of J.R.R. Tolkien! The Tolkien estate had released a statement on film, “They do not endorse it or its content in any way.” Kallum Tolkien, I was told by a film rep, appears in this movie as a soldier. Still, there are actions that Ronald Tolkien and Edith take that would make the family take pause, but this is a fantasy. This may make filmgoers take pause. There are documentaries and biographies like Humphrey Carpenter’s J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography if you want more factual accounts.
This movie brings the real life characters and places and brings a dramatic and fictional story that I quite enjoyed. I think of it as the same as Middle-Earth, there is no truth there its history or mythology with any real world equivalents, but what is presented is fascinating. The film is directed by Dome Karukoski who directed another film, Tom of Finland (2017), he discussed his research and making this film in a Q&A after the movie. It is wirtten by David Gleeson, who also co-wrote the mystery, Don’t Go (2018) and Stephen Beresford who wrote the screenplay for the bio comedy drama, Pride (2014).
This movie brings the real life characters and places and brings a dramatic and fictional story that I quite enjoyed. I think of it as the same as Middle-Earth, there is no truth there its history or mythology with any real world equivalents, but what is presented is fascinating. The film is directed by Dome Karukoski who directed another film, Tom of Finland (2017), he discussed his research and making this film in a Q&A after the movie. It is wirtten by David Gleeson, who also co-wrote the mystery, Don’t Go (2018) and Stephen Beresford who wrote the screenplay for the bio comedy drama, Pride (2014).
The film opens with images of a white and black knight against a blasted, hellish landscape. This resolves to the World War I battlefield of the Somme. This would be 1916 taking place at the River Somme in France. There is the trenches and there is the resting form of Tolkien played by Nicholas Hoult. He, played Nux in Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), starred in The Favourite (2018), and has upcoming Dark Phoenix. The film of course rests on his shoulders as the lead. He brings, Ronald, as a romantic figure, the creativity is there as artist and linguist, but this is Tolkien on the road to forming Middle-Earth.
Tolkien flashes back to his childhood, now played by Harry Gilby. His brother, Hilary (Guillermo Bedward) is also in the household, but we don’t get much from him. Tolkien’s mother, Mabel (Laura Donnelly) is his teacher and we find he is sensitive about the loss of his father and the move from South Africa to Sarehole, England. She is the storyteller at night telling him the story of Sigurd and his slaying of the dragon Fafnir. We see the shadows from a zoetrope spinning and the young Tolkien seeing the dragon on the ceiling.
Tolkien flashes back to his childhood, now played by Harry Gilby. His brother, Hilary (Guillermo Bedward) is also in the household, but we don’t get much from him. Tolkien’s mother, Mabel (Laura Donnelly) is his teacher and we find he is sensitive about the loss of his father and the move from South Africa to Sarehole, England. She is the storyteller at night telling him the story of Sigurd and his slaying of the dragon Fafnir. We see the shadows from a zoetrope spinning and the young Tolkien seeing the dragon on the ceiling.
Father Francis (Colm Meaney) speaks to Mabel Tolkien and she has told the family that they have to move to Rednal and Ronald finds that his mother has passed away. This would be 1904. Tolkien finds himself in the orphan house of Mrs. Faulkner (Pam Ferris). He is also enrolled into King Edward’s School. The class struggles with the Old English of Chaucer’s Canterbury’s Tales and Ronald proves himself by reading it without the text. This is something English majors go through, almost a rite of passage, and Gilby is impressive there.
Later, during rugby, he gets into a fight with classmate, Robert Gilson (Albie Marber). They meet with the headmaster played by Owen Teale and told they must shadow each other. It is later revealed that Robert is his son. Robert offers Tolkien to tea, but he refuses so Geoffrey Smith (Adam Bregman) has Tolkien join their group. They take tea at the Barrow’s Stores and decide to name their group the T.C.B.S., Tea Club and Barrovian Society. Geoffrey has ambitions to be a poet, Robert wants to be an artist, and Christopher (Ty Tennant) loves music. Their slogan which Ronald explains from the Norse underworld is “Helheimr!” which is basically “Seize the day.”
Later, during rugby, he gets into a fight with classmate, Robert Gilson (Albie Marber). They meet with the headmaster played by Owen Teale and told they must shadow each other. It is later revealed that Robert is his son. Robert offers Tolkien to tea, but he refuses so Geoffrey Smith (Adam Bregman) has Tolkien join their group. They take tea at the Barrow’s Stores and decide to name their group the T.C.B.S., Tea Club and Barrovian Society. Geoffrey has ambitions to be a poet, Robert wants to be an artist, and Christopher (Ty Tennant) loves music. Their slogan which Ronald explains from the Norse underworld is “Helheimr!” which is basically “Seize the day.”
The other orphan there is a girl, Edith Bratt (Mimi Keene) whom Mrs. Faulkner has play piano for her. Of course Ronald is entranced by her from a glimpse and her music. She later confides that she wants something fancy so he begins saving money in a jar. At the trenches, Tolkien is searching for Geoffrey, he is joined by a fellow soldier (Craig Roberts). He was the lead in the Richard Ayoade film, Submarine (2010). We find later that the soldier’s name is Sam Hodges, of course his name is Sam, and we now his connection to a journey in the Lord of the Rings. Now we get the older Ronald Tolkien played by Hoult. The T.C.B.S. is now good friends.
The leader seems to be Robert (Patrick Gibson), but there is also Geoffrey (Anthony Boyle) and Christopher (Tom Glynn-Carney). Boyle was in The Lost City of Z (2016) and Glynn-Carney starred in Dunkirk (2017). It was actually difficult to distinguish between the other members of the T.C.B.S. They don’t stand apart like in such movies as Dead Poets Society (1989). The members are looking to get into Cambridge and Oxford with Tolkien trying for the latter college. Ronald sneaks away with Edith, now played by Lily Collins, first to take tea. Collins was of course Snow White in Mirror Mirror (2012) and played Fantine in this year’s Les Miserables tv mini-series. She is charming in this role, there is a quality when she is dancing under the trees, which Collins explained was to listening to Florence + the Machine.
The leader seems to be Robert (Patrick Gibson), but there is also Geoffrey (Anthony Boyle) and Christopher (Tom Glynn-Carney). Boyle was in The Lost City of Z (2016) and Glynn-Carney starred in Dunkirk (2017). It was actually difficult to distinguish between the other members of the T.C.B.S. They don’t stand apart like in such movies as Dead Poets Society (1989). The members are looking to get into Cambridge and Oxford with Tolkien trying for the latter college. Ronald sneaks away with Edith, now played by Lily Collins, first to take tea. Collins was of course Snow White in Mirror Mirror (2012) and played Fantine in this year’s Les Miserables tv mini-series. She is charming in this role, there is a quality when she is dancing under the trees, which Collins explained was to listening to Florence + the Machine.
There is a moment at the tea room (seen in many clips) where Tolkien is working out his creation, Edith inspires him, we see his love of languages, and of course adoration of Edith. She has a mischievous streak. Still, they are challenged by being orphans, Edith doesn’t want to be under the control of Mrs. Faulkner, and their financial conditions. The T.C.B.S. is shooting pool at Robert’s house believing his father is away. He returns and Robert stands up to him that he promised his friends that they could stay and doesn’t want to break his promise. It is really this group of friends and creative people that may have inspired Tolkien with the Fellowship of the Ring.
Edith has always wanted to go to Das Rheingold, Wagner’s opera, but they can’t afford seats. I think there should be an adaptation that is part operatic, but also fantasy on the Lord of the Rings scale. P. Craig Russell adapted the opera for Dark Horse into four comic book limited series. Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in this story encapulating Norse mythology. Father Francis speaks to Tolkien afterwards and tells him his studies have been distracted by Edith so he must work on his scholarship to Oxford like his mother wanted and stay away from Edith. This is all contrasted with the World War I battlefield where there are pools of blood, bodies, and running in No Man’s Land. Where is Wonder Woman when you need her? It is clear that Tolkien hoped to create Middle Earth as way to take away reader’s worries from such harsh realities. There is also the appearance of Derek Jacobi as Professor Wright who is influential in defending his language and world building. Both Hoult and Collins are perfect for the romance. I would have liked to see the Inklings that were important in forming Lord of the Rings. It is a beautiful film that reveals it’s subject matter in dream images.
Edith has always wanted to go to Das Rheingold, Wagner’s opera, but they can’t afford seats. I think there should be an adaptation that is part operatic, but also fantasy on the Lord of the Rings scale. P. Craig Russell adapted the opera for Dark Horse into four comic book limited series. Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in this story encapulating Norse mythology. Father Francis speaks to Tolkien afterwards and tells him his studies have been distracted by Edith so he must work on his scholarship to Oxford like his mother wanted and stay away from Edith. This is all contrasted with the World War I battlefield where there are pools of blood, bodies, and running in No Man’s Land. Where is Wonder Woman when you need her? It is clear that Tolkien hoped to create Middle Earth as way to take away reader’s worries from such harsh realities. There is also the appearance of Derek Jacobi as Professor Wright who is influential in defending his language and world building. Both Hoult and Collins are perfect for the romance. I would have liked to see the Inklings that were important in forming Lord of the Rings. It is a beautiful film that reveals it’s subject matter in dream images.
Four Helheimrs! out of Five!
#TolkienMovie, #DomeKarukoski, #NicholasHoult, #LilyCollins
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