Bright Star (film)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Bright Star is a 2009 film based on the last three years of the life of poet John Keats, and in particular his romantic relationship with Fanny Brawne. It stars Ben Whishaw as Keats and Abbie Cornish as Fanny. A British/Australian/French co-production, it was directed by Jane Campion, who wrote the screenplay and was inspired by the biography of Keats by Andrew Motion, who served as a script consultant on the film. The film competed in the main competition at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival, and was first shown to the public on 15 May 2009. The film's title is a reference to a sonnet by Keats named "Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art", which he wrote while he was with Brawne.
Several other poems are recited in the movie, including "The Eve of St Agnes" and "Ode to a Nightingale". Both Campion and Ben Whishaw completed extensive research in preparation for the film. Many of the lines in the script are taken directly from Keats's letters, which are as well known as his poems. Whishaw as well, learned how to write with a quill and ink during filming. The letters that Fanny Brawn receives from Keats in the film were actually written by Whishaw in his own hand.
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Plot
For three years, poet John Keats carries on a love affair with the girl next door, Fanny Brawne, which is cut short by Keats's death.
Cast
- Ben Whishaw as John Keats
- Abbie Cornish as Fanny Brawne
- Paul Schneider as Charles Armitage Brown, Keats's best friend
- Kerry Fox as Fanny's mother
- Thomas Sangster as Samuel Brawne, Fanny's brother
- Jonathan Aris as Leigh Hunt
- Samuel Barnett as Joseph Severn
- Claudie Blakley as Mrs Dilke
- Antonia Campbell-Hughes as Abigail O'Donaghue Brown, housemaid and mother of Charles Brown's child
Awards
Won
- British Independent Film Awards, Best Technical Achievement (for cinematography)
- Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Sound Award
- National Society of Film Critics, Best Supporting Actor
Nominations
- 82nd Academy Awards, Best Achievement in Costume Design
- British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Best Costume Design
- British Independent Film Awards, Best Actress
- British Independent Film Awards, Best Director
- British Independent Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress
- Critics Choice Award, Best Costume Design
- Cannes Film Festival, Golden Palm
- Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, Best Actress
- Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, Best Cinematography
- Chlotrudis Awards, Best Actress
- London Critics Circle Film Awards, Actress of the Year
- London Critics Circle Film Awards, British Film of the Year
- Satellite Awards, Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
- Satellite Awards, Best Director
- Satellite Awards, Best Motion Picture, Drama
- Satellite Awards, Best Screenplay, Original
Soundtrack
Lakeshore Records released the soundtrack for Bright Star digitally (iTunes and Amazon Digital) on 15 September 2009 and in stores on 13 October 2009. The film's soundtrack features original music by Mark Bradshaw with dialogue from the film voiced by Cornish and Whishaw.
Track Listing
1. "Negative Capability" – 03:55
2. "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" – 02:28
3. "Return" – 00:58
4. "Human Orchestra" – 01:48
5. "Convulsion" – 00:52
6. "Bright Star" – 01:49
7. "Letters" – 03:49
8. "Yearning" – 02:24
9. "Ode to a Nightingale" – 05:24
