fbpx

TOM & VIV

Content:

(H, C, B, L, A, D) Although T.S. Eliot is known for his Christian faith and poetry and some reference to his faith is made, the movie has a slightly materialistic worldview wherein Eliot shows more concern for reputation than for loved ones in need and has a mature theme surrounding turbulent marriage; 1 profanity & 1 obscenity; and, alcohol & prescription drug misuse.

More Detail:

TOM & VIV stars Willem Dafoe and Miranda Richardson and is the dramatic depiction of the married life of American scholar T.S. (Tom) Eliot and English aristocrat Vivienne Haigh-Wood. Eliot, a graduate student under eminent philosopher Bertrand Russell at Oxford in 1917, is seeking fame and fortune among the English populace when he meets and marries the flamboyant Vivienne. Their courtship is a whirlwind romance culminating in elopement. However, the honeymoon is a disaster. Eliot quickly finds that Viv suffers from a constant, debilitating emotional and physical condition, referred to as a “disease of the mind,” which subjects her to vast emotional swings and often results in violent temper tantrums.

TOM & VIV chronicles the rise of T.S. Eliot’s career and attempts to capture the essence of, arguably, the greatest poet of the 20th century. The movie also attempts to show the influence made on his work by the relationship with his troubled wife, Vivienne. The movie is tedious and slow, never really addressing the artistic depths of Eliot’s work and his well-known commitment to Christianity, instead concentrating more on the drama of Viv’s madness and her behavior. However, acting performances by Willem Dafoe, Miranda Richardson and Rosemary Harris do merit praise.