Tom & Viv


Tom & Viv is a 1994 historical drama film directed by Brian Gilbert, based on the 1984 play of the same name by British playwright Michael Hastings about the early love life of American poet T. S. Eliot. The film stars Willem Dafoe, Miranda Richardson, Rosemary Harris, Tim Dutton, and Nickolas Grace.

Premise

The film tells the story of the relationship between T. S. Eliot and his first wife, Vivienne Haigh-Wood Eliot. They were married in 1915 after a brief courtship, and although they separated in 1933, they never divorced.

Cast

The film received mixed reviews, holding a 33% 'rotten' rating on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly praised the performances, but gave the film a B-, saying ' is the kind of sodden, tasteful, here-are-a-few-nasty-warts-to-chew-on biography that raises as many dramatic questions as it answers.' Derek Elley of Variety admired the film's artistic aspirations and production values, but called it, 'a handsomely appointed but overly starchy love story that attains real clout only in the final reel.'

Awards

Despite the reception, the film was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

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