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| language = English
| language = English
| budget = [[Euro|£]]8.4 million{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}
| budget = $14 million<ref name=NUM/>
| gross = $22.2 million<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=mrturner.htm|title=Mr. Turner (2014)|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|publisher=[[IMDb]]|access-date=29 March 2015}}</ref>
| gross = $25.2 million<ref>{{cite web|url=V|title=Mr. Turner (2014)|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|publisher=[[IMDb]]|access-date=29 March 2015}}</ref><ref name=NUM>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Mr-Turner#tab=summary|title=Mr. Turner (2014) - Financial Information|work=The Numbers|access-date=29 March 2015}}</ref>
}}
}}


'''''Mr. Turner''''' is a 2014 [[Biographical film|biographical]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] film based on the last 25 years of the life of artist [[J. M. W. Turner]] (1775–1851). Written and directed by [[Mike Leigh]], the film stars [[Timothy Spall]] in the title role, with [[Dorothy Atkinson]], [[Paul Jesson]], [[Marion Bailey]], [[Lesley Manville]], and [[Martin Savage (actor)|Martin Savage]]. It premiered in competition for the [[Palme d'Or]] at the [[2014 Cannes Film Festival]],<ref name="Cannes2014">{{cite web|url=http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/article/60533.html|title=2014 Official Selection|access-date=17 April 2014|work=Cannes}}</ref> where Spall won the award for [[Best Actor Award (Cannes Film Festival)|Best Actor]]<ref name="2014Winners">{{cite web|url=http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/awardCompetition.html|title=Awards 2014 : Competition|access-date=25 May 2014|work=Cannes}}</ref> and [[Dick Pope (cinematographer)|Dick Pope]] received a special jury prize for the film's cinematography.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theknowledgeonline.com/the-knowledge-bulletin/post/2014/05/29/London-Film-School-celebrate-Cannes-win|title=London Film School celebrate Cannes win|date=29 May 2014|access-date=1 June 2014}}</ref>
'''''Mr. Turner''''' is a 2014 [[Biographical film|biographical]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] film based on the last 25 years of the life of artist [[J. M. W. Turner]] (1775–1851). Written and directed by [[Mike Leigh]], the film stars [[Timothy Spall]] in the title role, with [[Dorothy Atkinson]], [[Paul Jesson]], [[Marion Bailey]], [[Lesley Manville]], and [[Martin Savage (actor)|Martin Savage]]. Leigh called Turner "a great artist: a radical, revolutionary painter", and said, "I felt there was scope for a film examining the tension between this very mortal, flawed individual, and the epic work, the spiritual way he had of distilling the world".<ref name=walsh>{{cite news|last1=Walsh|first1=David|title=Toronto International Film Festival 2014—Part 1: Something different in filmmaking|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/09/18/tff1-s18.html|access-date=21 September 2014|agency=World Socialist Web Site|publisher=ICFI|date=18 September 2012}}</ref>


''Mr. Turner'' premiered in competition for the [[Palme d'Or]] at the [[2014 Cannes Film Festival]],<ref name="Cannes2014">{{cite web|url=http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/article/60533.html|title=2014 Official Selection|access-date=17 April 2014|work=Cannes}}</ref> where Spall won the award for [[Best Actor Award (Cannes Film Festival)|Best Actor]]<ref name="2014Winners">{{cite web|url=http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/awardCompetition.html|title=Awards 2014 : Competition|access-date=25 May 2014|work=Cannes}}</ref> and [[Dick Pope (cinematographer)|Dick Pope]] received a special jury prize for the film's cinematography.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theknowledgeonline.com/the-knowledge-bulletin/post/2014/05/29/London-Film-School-celebrate-Cannes-win|title=London Film School celebrate Cannes win|date=29 May 2014|access-date=1 June 2014}}</ref> The film was critically acclaimed and received four nominations each at the [[87th Academy Awards]] and [[68th British Academy Film Awards]]. [[Mr. Turner (soundtrack)|Its soundtrack]], by Gary Yerson, was also nominated for multiple awards.
The film was critically acclaimed and received four nominations each at the [[87th Academy Awards]] and [[68th British Academy Film Awards]].

Describing Turner as "a great artist: a radical, revolutionary painter", writer/director Leigh explained, "I felt there was scope for a film examining the tension between this very mortal, flawed individual, and the epic work, the spiritual way he had of distilling the world".<ref name=walsh>{{cite news|last1=Walsh|first1=David|title=Toronto International Film Festival 2014—Part 1: Something different in filmmaking|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/09/18/tff1-s18.html|access-date=21 September 2014|agency=World Socialist Web Site|publisher=ICFI|date=18 September 2012}}</ref>


==Plot==
==Plot==
The film depicts the last quarter-century of the British painter [[J. M. W. Turner]]'s life. Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by his housekeeper, Hannah Danby, whom he takes for granted and occasionally uses sexually, he forms a close and loving relationship with a seaside landlady, Mrs. Booth, with whom he eventually lives incognito in [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]], where he dies.
Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by his housekeeper, Hannah Danby, whom he takes for granted and occasionally uses sexually, painter [[J. M. W. Turner]] forms a close and loving relationship with a seaside landlady, Mrs. Booth, with whom he eventually lives incognito in [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]].


Turner travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits a brothel, is a popular if anarchic member of the [[Royal Academy of Arts]], has himself strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm, and is both celebrated and reviled by the public and by royalty.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cine-vue.com/2014/04/cannes-2014-mr-turner-preview.html|title=Cannes 2014: 'Mr. Turner' preview|author=CineVue|work=CineVue - Award-winning UK film site|date=29 April 2014 }}</ref>
Turner travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits a brothel, is a popular if anarchic member of the [[Royal Academy of Arts]], has himself strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm, and is both celebrated and reviled by the public and by royalty.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cine-vue.com/2014/04/cannes-2014-mr-turner-preview.html|title=Cannes 2014: 'Mr. Turner' preview|author=CineVue|work=CineVue - Award-winning UK film site|date=29 April 2014 }}</ref>


The story recreates the memorable occasion during the Royal Academy salon of 1832 when Turner's seascape ''Helvoetsluys'' was placed next to Constable's ''The Opening of Waterloo Bridge seen from Whitehall''. Seeing how the muted tones of his own painting paled next to Constable's vibrant work, in a quick stroke Turner adds a smear of red paint representing a buoy. Recognising Turner's genius, Constable says, "He's been here and fired a gun."
The story recreates the memorable occasion during the Royal Academy salon of 1832 when Turner's seascape ''Helvoetsluys'' was placed next to Constable's ''[[The Opening of Waterloo Bridge seen from Whitehall]]''. Seeing how the muted tones of his own painting paled next to Constable's vibrant work, in a quick stroke Turner adds a smear of red paint representing a buoy. Recognising Turner's genius, Constable says, "He's been here and fired a gun."


==Cast==
==Cast==
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{{div col}}
{{div col}}
* [[Timothy Spall]] as [[J. M. W. Turner]]: The controversial artist; he never married but had two lovers. He fathered two children with one, though he denied paternity.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/oct/23/timothy-spall-jmw-turner-mike-leigh |title=Timothy Spall to play JMW Turner in Mike Leigh biopic |author=Ben Child |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |date=23 October 2012}}</ref>
* [[Timothy Spall]] as [[J. M. W. Turner]]: The controversial artist; he never married but had two lovers. He fathered two children with one, though he denied paternity.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/oct/23/timothy-spall-jmw-turner-mike-leigh |title=Timothy Spall to play JMW Turner in Mike Leigh biopic |author=Ben Child |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |date=23 October 2012}}</ref>
* [[Dorothy Atkinson]] as Hannah Danby (1786—1853): Turner's devoted housekeeper for 40 years, whom he exploits sexually in the film. (Leigh said that the sexual relationship was "an invention not based on any historical evidence".<ref name=ManyColours>Short documentary film: ''The Many Colours of Mr. Turner''. Narrated by: Mike Leigh. Producer: Special Treats Productions.</ref>) She suffered from the skin disease [[psoriasis]] and died two years after Turner.
* [[Dorothy Atkinson]] as Hannah Danby: Turner's devoted housekeeper for 40 years, whom he exploits sexually. Leigh said that the sexual relationship was "an invention not based on any historical evidence".<ref name=ManyColours>Short documentary film: ''The Many Colours of Mr. Turner''. Narrated by: Mike Leigh. Producer: Special Treats Productions.</ref> She suffered from the skin disease [[psoriasis]] and died two years after Turner.
* [[Marion Bailey]] as Sophia Booth (1798—1875): Turner's landlady and lover, twice widowed, with one son by her first husband. After her second husband died, she became involved with Turner.
* [[Marion Bailey]] as Sophia Booth: Turner's landlady and lover, twice widowed, with one son by her first husband. After her second husband died, she became involved with Turner.
* [[Paul Jesson]] as William Turner Snr (1745—1829): Turner's father, a barber. His wife died young in a mental hospital, and their only other child died at 5. He lived with his artist son until his death, which deeply affected Turner.
* [[Paul Jesson]] as William Turner Snr: Turner's father, a barber. His wife died young in a mental hospital, and their only other child died at 5. He lived with his artist son until his death, which deeply affected Turner.
* [[Lesley Manville]] as [[Mary Somerville]], a scientist and friend of Turner. She gained renown at a time when women engaging seriously in scientific study was not condoned.
* [[Lesley Manville]] as [[Mary Somerville]], a scientist and friend of Turner. She gained renown at a time when women engaging seriously in scientific study was not condoned.
* [[Martin Savage (actor)|Martin Savage]] as [[Benjamin Haydon|Benjamin Robert Haydon]]: Turner's friend, an artist who committed suicide.
* [[Martin Savage (actor)|Martin Savage]] as [[Benjamin Haydon|Benjamin Robert Haydon]]: Turner's friend, an artist who committed suicide.
* [[Ruth Sheen]] as Sarah Danby (1760—1861): Hannah's aunt by marriage and Turner's first lover and the mother of his two unacknowledged daughters. Her husband and Hannah's uncle, a musician, had died, leaving her a young widow.
* [[Ruth Sheen]] as Sarah Danby: Hannah's aunt by marriage and Turner's first lover and the mother of his two unacknowledged daughters. Her husband and Hannah's uncle, a musician, had died, leaving her a young widow.
* [[David Horovitch]] as Dr Price: Turner's doctor
* [[David Horovitch]] as Dr Price: Turner's doctor
* [[Karl Johnson (actor)|Karl Johnson]] as Mr. Booth, a sea captain and second husband of Sophia Booth
* [[Karl Johnson (actor)|Karl Johnson]] as Mr. Booth, a sea captain and second husband of Sophia Booth
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==Production==
==Production==
The original screenplay was written by Mike Leigh with research by historian Jacqueline Riding. ''Mr. Turner'' was filmed in several locations around the UK. [[Margate]] was not used to represent Turner's Margate, which was filmed at [[Kingsand]] in Cornwall. The production visited Kent to shoot a couple of scenes. [[Wentworth Woodhouse]] in Rotherham stood in for the Royal Academy in London, with the production crew meticulously recreating the way the paintings of the era were displayed. {{HMS|Gannet|1878|6}} in the [[Chatham Dockyard|Historic Dockyard Chatham]] was used in the scene where Turner has himself strapped to the mast of a sailing ship during a storm. Stangate Creek doubled as the [[River Thames|Thames]] when Turner and his friends are rowed along the Thames and discuss {{HMS|Victory}}, then toast {{HMS|Temeraire|1798|6}}.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kent Film Office|url=http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/2014/10/mr-turner-2014/|title=Kent Film Office Mr Turner Article|date=15 October 2014 }}</ref>
The original screenplay was written by Mike Leigh with research by historian Jacqueline Riding. ''Mr. Turner'' was filmed in several locations around the UK. [[Margate]] was not used to represent Turner's Margate, which was filmed at [[Kingsand]] in Cornwall. The production visited Kent to shoot a couple of scenes. [[Wentworth Woodhouse]] in Rotherham stood in for the Royal Academy in London, with the production crew meticulously recreating the way the paintings of the era were displayed. {{HMS|Gannet|1878|6}} in the [[Chatham Dockyard|Historic Dockyard Chatham]] was used in the scene where Turner has himself strapped to the mast of a sailing ship during a storm. Stangate Creek doubled as the [[River Thames|Thames]] when Turner and his friends are rowed along the Thames and discuss {{HMS|Victory}}, then toast {{HMS|Temeraire|1798|6}}.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kent Film Office|url=http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/2014/10/mr-turner-2014/|title=Kent Film Office Mr Turner Article|date=15 October 2014 }}</ref>

== Music ==
{{Main|Mr. Turner (soundtrack)}}


==Release==
==Release==
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===Piracy===
===Piracy===
The film was leaked by the hacker group "Guardians of Peace" onto peer-to-peer file sharing websites on 27 November 2014, more than three weeks ahead of its intended U.S. theatrical release, as part of the [[Sony Pictures Entertainment hack]]. Along with it came ''[[Fury (2014 film)|Fury]]'' and three other then unreleased [[Sony Pictures]] films (''[[Annie (2014 film)|Annie]]'', ''[[Still Alice]]'' and ''[[To Write Love on Her Arms (film)|To Write Love on Her Arms]]'').<ref name="hack">{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/digital/news/new-sony-films-pirated-in-wake-of-hack-attack-1201367036/|title=Sony's New Movies Leak Online Following Hack Attack|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=30 November 2014 |access-date=2 December 2014}}</ref> Within three days of the initial leak, an estimated 63,379 unique IPs had downloaded ''Mr. Turner''.<ref name="hack"/>
The film was leaked by the hacker group "Guardians of Peace" onto peer-to-peer file-sharing websites on 27 November 2014, more than three weeks ahead of its intended U.S. theatrical release, as part of the [[Sony Pictures Entertainment hack]]. Along with it came ''[[Fury (2014 film)|Fury]]'' and three other then unreleased [[Sony Pictures]] films (''[[Annie (2014 film)|Annie]]'', ''[[Still Alice]]'' and ''[[To Write Love on Her Arms (film)|To Write Love on Her Arms]]'').<ref name="hack">{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/digital/news/new-sony-films-pirated-in-wake-of-hack-attack-1201367036/|title=Sony's New Movies Leak Online Following Hack Attack|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=30 November 2014 |access-date=2 December 2014}}</ref> Within three days of the initial leak, an estimated 63,379 unique IPs had downloaded ''Mr. Turner''.<ref name="hack"/>


==Critical reception==
==Critical reception==
''Mr. Turner'' received praise from critics. Spall's performance was lauded, along with Yershon's score and Pope's cinematography. On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has a rating of 97%, based on 196 reviews, with an average score of 8.40/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Led by a masterful performance from Timothy Spall and brilliantly directed by Mike Leigh, ''Mr. Turner'' is a superior Hollywood biopic."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mr_turner/|title=Mr. Turner (2014)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango (company)|Fandango]]|access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a score of 94 out of 100 based on 44 critics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/mr-turner|title=Mr. Turner Reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive|CBS Interactive Inc.]]|access-date=22 February 2015}}</ref>
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 97% based on 196 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Led by a masterful performance from Timothy Spall and brilliantly directed by Mike Leigh, ''Mr. Turner'' is a superior Hollywood biopic."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mr_turner/|title=Mr. Turner (2014)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 94 out of 100 based on 44 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/mr-turner|title=Mr. Turner Reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive|CBS Interactive Inc.]]|access-date=22 February 2015}}</ref>


Critic Katie Kilkenny of ''[[The Atlantic]]'' called it "a gorgeous, important film".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/12/mr-turner-more-myth-than-man/384018/|title=Mr. Turner Turns a Man Into a Myth, Beautifully|last=Kilkenny|first=Katie|work=[[The Atlantic]]|date=24 December 2014|access-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> ''[[The Observer|Observer]]'' critic [[Mark Kermode]] described the film as a "portrait of a man wrestling light with his hands as if it were a physical element: tangible, malleable, corporeal".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/nov/02/mr-turner-review-mike-leigh-biopic-great-master|title=Mr Turner review – Mike Leigh shines a brilliant new light on the great master|last=Kermode|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Kermode|work=[[The Observer]]|date=2 November 2014|access-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' reviewer Dana Stevens wrote, "Writing about ''Mr. Turner'' a few weeks after seeing it, I feel a craving to be again immersed in its world, which is rich with colors, textures, and, it sometimes almost seems, smells".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/movies/2014/12/mike_leigh_s_jmw_turner_biopic_mr_turner_starring_timothy_spall_reviewed.html|title=Mr. Turner|last=Stevens|first=Dana|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|date=18 December 2014|access-date=24 September 2015}}</ref>
Critic Katie Kilkenny of ''[[The Atlantic]]'' called it "a gorgeous, important film".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/12/mr-turner-more-myth-than-man/384018/|title=Mr. Turner Turns a Man Into a Myth, Beautifully|last=Kilkenny|first=Katie|work=[[The Atlantic]]|date=24 December 2014|access-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> ''[[The Observer|Observer]]'' critic [[Mark Kermode]] described the film as a "portrait of a man wrestling light with his hands as if it were a physical element: tangible, malleable, corporeal".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/nov/02/mr-turner-review-mike-leigh-biopic-great-master|title=Mr Turner review – Mike Leigh shines a brilliant new light on the great master|last=Kermode|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Kermode|work=[[The Observer]]|date=2 November 2014|access-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' reviewer Dana Stevens wrote, "Writing about ''Mr. Turner'' a few weeks after seeing it, I feel a craving to be again immersed in its world, which is rich with colors, textures, and, it sometimes almost seems, smells".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/movies/2014/12/mike_leigh_s_jmw_turner_biopic_mr_turner_starring_timothy_spall_reviewed.html|title=Mr. Turner|last=Stevens|first=Dana|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|date=18 December 2014|access-date=24 September 2015}}</ref>
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*[http://sonyclassics.com/mrturner Official Website]
*[http://sonyclassics.com/mrturner Official Website]
*{{IMDb title|2473794}}
*{{IMDb title|2473794}}
*{{Allmovie title|593579}}
*{{Metacritic film}}
*{{Metacritic film}}
*{{Mojo title|mrturner}}
*{{Mojo title|mrturner}}
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[[Category:Films set in the 1830s]]
[[Category:Films set in the 1830s]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of J. M. W. Turner]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of J. M. W. Turner]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Queen Victoria]]
[[Category:British biographical drama films]]
[[Category:British biographical drama films]]
[[Category:British historical drama films]]
[[Category:British historical drama films]]
[[Category:British independent films]]
[[Category:English-language French films]]
[[Category:English-language French films]]
[[Category:English-language German films]]
[[Category:English-language German films]]
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[[Category:Biographical films about painters]]
[[Category:Biographical films about painters]]
[[Category:Films set in the 19th century]]
[[Category:Films set in the 19th century]]
[[Category:Lionsgate Canada films]]
[[Category:Film4 Productions films]]
[[Category:Film4 Productions films]]
[[Category:Focus Features films]]
[[Category:Focus Features films]]
[[Category:British Film Institute films]]
[[Category:2014 independent films]]
[[Category:2014 independent films]]
[[Category:2014 drama films]]
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[[Category:English-language independent films]]
[[Category:English-language independent films]]
[[Category:Films about landlords]]
[[Category:Films about landlords]]
[[Category:English-language historical drama films]]

Latest revision as of 02:48, 24 December 2024

This article is about the film. For people with this surname, see Turner (surname).

Mr. Turner
Theatrical film poster
Directed byMike Leigh
Written byMike Leigh
Produced byGeorgina Lowe
Starring
CinematographyDick Pope
Edited byJon Gregory
Music byGary Yershon
Production
companies
Distributed byEntertainment One Films[1] (United Kingdom)
Diaphana Films (France)
Prokino Filmverleih (Germany)
Release dates
  • 15 May 2014 (2014-05-15) (Cannes)[2]
  • 31 December 2014 (2014-12-31) (United Kingdom)
Running time
150 minutes[3]
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • France
  • Germany
LanguageEnglish
Budget$14 million[4]
Box office$25.2 million[5][4]

Mr. Turner is a 2014 biographical drama film based on the last 25 years of the life of artist J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851). Written and directed by Mike Leigh, the film stars Timothy Spall in the title role, with Dorothy Atkinson, Paul Jesson, Marion Bailey, Lesley Manville, and Martin Savage. Leigh called Turner "a great artist: a radical, revolutionary painter", and said, "I felt there was scope for a film examining the tension between this very mortal, flawed individual, and the epic work, the spiritual way he had of distilling the world".[6]

Mr. Turner premiered in competition for the Palme d'Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival,[7] where Spall won the award for Best Actor[8] and Dick Pope received a special jury prize for the film's cinematography.[9] The film was critically acclaimed and received four nominations each at the 87th Academy Awards and 68th British Academy Film Awards. Its soundtrack, by Gary Yerson, was also nominated for multiple awards.

Plot

[edit]

Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by his housekeeper, Hannah Danby, whom he takes for granted and occasionally uses sexually, painter J. M. W. Turner forms a close and loving relationship with a seaside landlady, Mrs. Booth, with whom he eventually lives incognito in Chelsea.

Turner travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits a brothel, is a popular if anarchic member of the Royal Academy of Arts, has himself strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm, and is both celebrated and reviled by the public and by royalty.[10]

The story recreates the memorable occasion during the Royal Academy salon of 1832 when Turner's seascape Helvoetsluys was placed next to Constable's The Opening of Waterloo Bridge seen from Whitehall. Seeing how the muted tones of his own painting paled next to Constable's vibrant work, in a quick stroke Turner adds a smear of red paint representing a buoy. Recognising Turner's genius, Constable says, "He's been here and fired a gun."

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

The original screenplay was written by Mike Leigh with research by historian Jacqueline Riding. Mr. Turner was filmed in several locations around the UK. Margate was not used to represent Turner's Margate, which was filmed at Kingsand in Cornwall. The production visited Kent to shoot a couple of scenes. Wentworth Woodhouse in Rotherham stood in for the Royal Academy in London, with the production crew meticulously recreating the way the paintings of the era were displayed. HMS Gannet in the Historic Dockyard Chatham was used in the scene where Turner has himself strapped to the mast of a sailing ship during a storm. Stangate Creek doubled as the Thames when Turner and his friends are rowed along the Thames and discuss HMS Victory, then toast HMS Temeraire.[13]

Music

[edit]
Main article: Mr. Turner (soundtrack)

Release

[edit]

Mr. Turner had its premiere at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival,[14] where it competed for the Palme d'Or, with Spall winning Best Actor and Dick Pope winning the Vulcan Award. Entertainment One released the film in the United Kingdom on 31 December 2014. Sony Pictures Classics handled the United States distribution, with a release date of 19 December 2014. It was screened in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.[15]

Piracy

[edit]

The film was leaked by the hacker group "Guardians of Peace" onto peer-to-peer file-sharing websites on 27 November 2014, more than three weeks ahead of its intended U.S. theatrical release, as part of the Sony Pictures Entertainment hack. Along with it came Fury and three other then unreleased Sony Pictures films (Annie, Still Alice and To Write Love on Her Arms).[16] Within three days of the initial leak, an estimated 63,379 unique IPs had downloaded Mr. Turner.[16]

Critical reception

[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 97% based on 196 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Led by a masterful performance from Timothy Spall and brilliantly directed by Mike Leigh, Mr. Turner is a superior Hollywood biopic."[17] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 94 out of 100 based on 44 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[18]

Critic Katie Kilkenny of The Atlantic called it "a gorgeous, important film".[19] Observer critic Mark Kermode described the film as a "portrait of a man wrestling light with his hands as if it were a physical element: tangible, malleable, corporeal".[20] Slate reviewer Dana Stevens wrote, "Writing about Mr. Turner a few weeks after seeing it, I feel a craving to be again immersed in its world, which is rich with colors, textures, and, it sometimes almost seems, smells".[21]

The consonance between the film and its subject was addressed by Sir Nicholas Serota, director of the Tate Galleries in England: “Mike Leigh and Timothy Spall’s great achievement is showing us how the artist approached the physical business of painting. But they also convey the spirit of a man whose reputation as a curmudgeon is unwarranted, given his passionate interest in people and the world around him. There is a great humanitarian streak in Turner and Mike Leigh has found a way of capturing this on film, as he has done so often before.”[22]

Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com gave the film three and a half out of four, writing that like Leigh's 1999 film Topsy-Turvy, about the creation of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera The Mikado, "[Mr. Turner] understands creative people on every conceivable level, and translates that understanding with a deftness rarely seen outside of astute documentaries about creative people. To watch it is to feel as though you're a part of its world... experiencing tiny fluctuations in received wisdom and sudden changes of artistic direction that can only be sensed by professionals who are plugged into their art form, and completely in command of their talents."[23]

Accolades

[edit]
List of awards and nominations
Award / Film Festival Category Recipient(s) Result
87th Academy Awards[24] Best Cinematography Dick Pope Nominated
Best Costume Design Jacqueline Durran Nominated
Best Original Score Gary Yershon Nominated
Best Production Design Suzie Davies, Charlotte Watts Nominated
29th ASC Awards[25] Theatrical Motion Picture Dick Pope Nominated
23rd Britannia Awards[26] Excellence in Directing Mike Leigh Won
68th British Academy Film Awards[27] Best Cinematography Dick Pope Nominated
Best Production Design Suzie Davies, Charlotte Watts Nominated
Best Costume Design Jacqueline Durran Nominated
Best Makeup & Hair Christine Blundell, Lesa Warrener Nominated
17th British Independent Film Awards[28] Best British Independent Film Mr. Turner Nominated
Best Director Mike Leigh Nominated
Best Actor Timothy Spall Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Dorothy Atkinson Nominated
Best Technical Achievement Dick Pope Nominated
67th Cannes Film Festival[29] Best Actor Timothy Spall Won
Vulcan Award Dick Pope Won
Palme d'Or Mike Leigh Nominated
34th Hawaii International Film Festival[30] EuroCinema Hawai'i Award for Best Film Mr. Turner Won
35th London Film Critics' Circle Awards[31] Film of the Year Mr. Turner Nominated
British Film of the Year Mr. Turner Nominated
Actor of the Year Timothy Spall Nominated
Supporting Actress of the Year Marion Bailey Nominated
British Actor of the Year Timothy Spall Won
Director of the Year Mike Leigh Nominated
Technical Achievement Award Dick Pope Nominated
86th National Board of Review Awards[32] Top 10 Independent Films Mr. Turner Won
49th National Society of Film Critics Awards[33] Best Actor Timothy Spall Won
80th New York Film Critics Circle Awards[34] Best Actor Timothy Spall Won

References

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  1. ^ "Mr. Turner". Film4. 31 October 2014.
  2. ^ Foundas, Scott (15 May 2014). "Cannes Film Review: 'Mr. Turner'". Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  3. ^ "MR. TURNER (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Mr. Turner (2014) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  5. ^ [V "Mr. Turner (2014)"]. Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 29 March 2015. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  6. ^ Walsh, David (18 September 2012). "Toronto International Film Festival 2014—Part 1: Something different in filmmaking". ICFI. World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  7. ^ "2014 Official Selection". Cannes. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  8. ^ "Awards 2014 : Competition". Cannes. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  9. ^ "London Film School celebrate Cannes win". 29 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  10. ^ CineVue (29 April 2014). "Cannes 2014: 'Mr. Turner' preview". CineVue - Award-winning UK film site.
  11. ^ Ben Child (23 October 2012). "Timothy Spall to play JMW Turner in Mike Leigh biopic". The Guardian. London.
  12. ^ Short documentary film: The Many Colours of Mr. Turner. Narrated by: Mike Leigh. Producer: Special Treats Productions.
  13. ^ Kent Film Office (15 October 2014). "Kent Film Office Mr Turner Article".
  14. ^ "Cannes Film Festival: Official Selection Lineup Announced - Variety". Variety. 17 April 2014.
  15. ^ "Toronto Film Festival Lineup". Variety. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  16. ^ a b "Sony's New Movies Leak Online Following Hack Attack". Variety. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  17. ^ "Mr. Turner (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  18. ^ "Mr. Turner Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  19. ^ Kilkenny, Katie (24 December 2014). "Mr. Turner Turns a Man Into a Myth, Beautifully". The Atlantic. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  20. ^ Kermode, Mark (2 November 2014). "Mr Turner review – Mike Leigh shines a brilliant new light on the great master". The Observer. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  21. ^ Stevens, Dana (18 December 2014). "Mr. Turner". Slate. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  22. ^ Serota is quoted in Gilbey, Ryan (16 January 2015). "The Baftas vs Mike Leigh: why is our greatest auteur continually snubbed?". The Guardian.
  23. ^ Seitz, Matt Zoller Seitz (19 December 2014). "Mr. Turner Movie Review & Film Summary". RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital LLC. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  24. ^ "2015 Oscars Nominees 87th Academy Awards Nominations". oscar.go.com. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  25. ^ "ASC Awards Nominees: 'Birdman', 'Unbroken', 'Mr Turner' On Cinematographers List". Deadline Hollywood. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  26. ^ "The Jaguar Britannia Awards 2014". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  27. ^ "BAFTA Nominations: 'Grand Budapest Hotel' Leads With 11 – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  28. ^ "British Independent Film Awards Nominations 2014!". British Independent Film Awards. 7 November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  29. ^ "Cannes:"Winter Sleep" Takes The Palme D'Or; Festival Award Winners Announced". Penske Business Media, LLC. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  30. ^ "Hawaii International Film Festival". IMDb.com. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  31. ^ "Mr. Turner leads London Critics nominations". 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  32. ^ "2014 Award Winners". NationalBoardOfReview.org. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  33. ^ "2014 Awards". nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com. 3 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  34. ^ "2014 Awards". NYFCC.com. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
[edit]
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