A little trivia here: Joy Davidman's ex-husband, William Lindsay Gresham, is the author of Nightmare Alley, the basis for the film made starring Tyrone Power. Because of selling the film rights, they were able to buy a farm in the country, where Davidman wrote her second novel. I have often heard that a conflict with the estate caused the film to be withdrawn from TV showings and delayed the DVD release until 2005.
This is the 1985 version of Shadowlands shown on PBS, starring Clare Bloom and Joss Ackland. It tells the story of a tremendous friendship between the Christian and children's writer C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman, who visited England with her two sons.
The two are only friends, but Joy and Lewis marry so she can stay in England; she actually retains her name and lives separately from him. One day, running for the phone, she tripped over a phone wire and broke her leg. It was then that the doctors discovered that her bones were being eaten away by cancer, and she had a mass in her breast. At that point, Lewis wanted a religious marriage, though his religion forbade it because she was divorced. He finally found a priest who would marry them.
The acting is superb, nothing else to be said. Bloom as Joy is intelligent and direct, Ackland perfect in his containment of emotions as he deals with Joy's illness, until the scene with her younger son.
Someone commented that this wasn't as emotional as the film with Debra Winger and Anthony Hopkins. I found it very emotional and went through more than a few tissues.
Beautifully photographed and produced with a lot of care, I highly recommend this as a story of a friendship that grew into a special love.
This is the 1985 version of Shadowlands shown on PBS, starring Clare Bloom and Joss Ackland. It tells the story of a tremendous friendship between the Christian and children's writer C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman, who visited England with her two sons.
The two are only friends, but Joy and Lewis marry so she can stay in England; she actually retains her name and lives separately from him. One day, running for the phone, she tripped over a phone wire and broke her leg. It was then that the doctors discovered that her bones were being eaten away by cancer, and she had a mass in her breast. At that point, Lewis wanted a religious marriage, though his religion forbade it because she was divorced. He finally found a priest who would marry them.
The acting is superb, nothing else to be said. Bloom as Joy is intelligent and direct, Ackland perfect in his containment of emotions as he deals with Joy's illness, until the scene with her younger son.
Someone commented that this wasn't as emotional as the film with Debra Winger and Anthony Hopkins. I found it very emotional and went through more than a few tissues.
Beautifully photographed and produced with a lot of care, I highly recommend this as a story of a friendship that grew into a special love.