Movie spotlight: Shadowlands (1993), starring Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger

Shadowlands.

Drama/Biography/Romance. Rated PG for thematic elements. Recommended for family viewing, with kids of all ages. Check your favorite local and online movie rental stores for availability. Some movies may be borrowed from your local public library. 

Shadowlands is a two-hour, eleven minute, 1993 Savoy Pictures film release, in color, directed by William Attenborough, starring Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger, Edward Hardwicke and Joseph Mazzella. It is based on the play with the same title written by William Nicholson, who also wrote the screenplay. This intelligent and touching biography/drama is a story about C.S. Lewis’ personal life and his friendship with American author Joy Gresham.

In the 1950s in Oxford, England, C.S. Lewis (Anthony Hopkins) worked as a professor at Oxford and he also wrote books and gave lectures. C.S. Lewis, known as "Jack" to his friends, had been living a comfortable and predictable life on his family’s country estate with his brother, Warnie Lewis (Edward Hardwicke), who was a bachelor just like Jack. It was business as usual for Lewis when one day he received fan mail from a reader in America, Joy Gresham (Debra Winger). Mrs. Joy Gresham told Lewis she was intending to come to England for a visit and wanted to have an opportunity to meet him. 

From the moment they met, Jack and Joy found they shared an uncommon bond of friendship even though some of Joy’s brash American ways seemed out of place in the cultured academic circles of Oxford. Joy and her son Douglas (Joseph Mazzella) remained in England for a few more months after Joy had met Jack. Later, Jack invited both Joy and her son to visit for a few days at Christmas. At the Lewis’ home, Joy and her son received acceptance and unconditional love. The visit at Christmastime also proved to be an emotional turning point for Joy as she pondered a future direction for her life. Joy and her son returned to the United States after Christmas. 

Jack was surprised to discover that Joy was back in England several months later. While spending more time with Joy, Jack came to realize that he treasured his friendship with her because she challenged him to think about life in new and creative ways. In opening his heart and life to Joy and her son Douglas, Jack discovered that some of life’s most powerful lessons are not learned in the classroom but through personal experience.

Shadowlands is primarily a movie about the personal life of C.S. Lewis and not about his career as a renown writer and a Christian apologist. It is a gentle and moving drama which delivers a powerful message about love, suffering, and faith in God. Jack came to discover later in life that during the many years he had given lectures which enlightened others about how suffering shapes one’s life, he himself had not yet learned the very lessons he loved to speak on. Shadowlands also offers a refreshing look at genuine, real love—love not based on outward looks or what we can get from someone but rather love that seeks to give and lay down one’s life for the person we love.

Shadowlands is a visually beautiful movie and was filmed in many scenic locales in England. Spiritually, it is an uplifting movie because it does not shy away from dealing with painful topics but still leaves the viewer with a feeling that there is a balance between the existence of good things and bad things in this world. The cast of Shadowlands, led by Anthony Hopkins who does an excellent job portraying C.S. "Jack" Lewis, rendered moving performances. Debra Winger, who played Joy Gresham, received a 1994 Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a leading role.

Although Shadowlands will best be understood at an intellectual level by kids ages 10 and up, it is entirely appropriate for viewing by adults and kids of all ages. Shadowlands can gently introduce young viewers to some deeper and more abstract topics like faith, the purpose of suffering, and eternal life. You may want to visit your local public library and check out some of C.S. Lewis’ popular titles for young readers including: The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

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Shadowlands makes a great addition to your family movie collection!

Click here to purchase Shadowlands from Amazon.com.

Viewers residing in Portland, Oregon, can rent Shadowlands on DVD at Movie Madness, 4320 S.E. Belmont, Portland, Oregon, 97215. Tel. 503-234-4363. 

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Author and poet, columnist, speaker, and singer Jennifer Anne Messing of Portland, Oregon, is a wife, and mother of three children: one adult daughter and two still at home, ages 17 and 9. She has a bachelor's degree in Christian Education and a diploma in Journalism. A past president of the Oregon Christian Writers, Jennifer Anne has had 175+ articles, short stories, movie reviews, and poems published in 55 different magazines and books including The East County Gazette, The Christian Journal, Bible Advocate, Evangel, Live, Standard, Seek, The Gem, Christian Fiction Online, Nudges from God, and Romancing the Soul. Readers can find out more about Jennifer Anne Messing's books and speaking, and can contact her at www.JenniferAnneMessing.com.

Copyright 2010 by Jennifer Anne Fabregas Messing. Contact the author for reprint information. Email: Secretary@jenniferannemessing.com