The Eye of the Storm (2011 film)
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| The Eye of the Storm | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Fred Schepisi |
| Screenplay by | Judy Morris |
| Based on | The Eye of the Storm by Patrick White |
| Produced by | Gregory J. Read Antony Waddington |
| Starring | Geoffrey Rush Charlotte Rampling Judy Davis |
| Cinematography | Ian Baker |
| Edited by | Kate Williams |
| Music by | Paul Grabowsky |
| Distributed by | Transmission |
Release date |
|
Running time | 119 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
The Eye of the Storm is an Australian drama film directed by Fred Schepisi. It is an adaptation of Patrick White's 1973 novel of the same name. It stars Geoffrey Rush, Charlotte Rampling and Judy Davis. It won the critics award for best Australian feature at the 2011 Melbourne International Film Festival[1][2] and had a September 2011 theatrical release.[3]
Plot[edit]
In a Sydney suburb, two nurses, a housekeeper and a solicitor attend to Elizabeth Hunter as her expatriate son and daughter convene at her deathbed. In dying, as in living, Mrs. Hunter remains a formidable force on those around her. It is via Mrs Hunter’s authority over living that her household and children vicariously face death and struggle to give consequence to life.
Estranged from a mother who was never capable of loving them Sir Basil, a famous but struggling actor in London and Dorothy, an impecunious French princess, attempt to reconcile with her. In doing so they are reduced from states of worldly sophistication to floundering life.
The children unite in a common goal — to leave Australia with their vast inheritance. Moving through Sydney’s social scene, they search for a way to fulfill their desire. Using the reluctant services of their family lawyer Arnold Wyburd, who was long in love with Mrs Hunter, they scheme to place their mother in a society nursing home to expedite her demise.
Panic sets in as the staff sense the impending end of their eccentric world. Mrs Hunter confesses her profound disappointment at failing to recreate the state of humility and grace she experienced when caught in the eye of a cyclone fifteen years earlier.
For the first time in their lives, the meaning of compassion takes the children by surprise. During a ferocious storm Mrs Hunter finally dies, not through a withdrawal of will but by an assertion of it. In the process of dying she re-lives her experience in the cyclone. Standing on a beach, she is calm and serene as devastation surrounds her.
Cast[edit]
- Geoffrey Rush as Basil Hunter
- Charlotte Rampling as Elizabeth Hunter
- Judy Davis as Dorothy de Lascabanes
- John Gaden as Arnold Wyburd
- Robyn Nevin as Lal
- Helen Morse as Lotte
- Colin Friels as Athol Shreve
- Dustin Clare as Col
- Liz Alexander as Cherry Cheesman
- Maria Theodorakis as Mary DeSantis
- Alexandra Schepisi as Flora
- Benita Collings as Lady at lunch
- Laurent Boulanger as French waiter[4]
Awards[edit]
| Ceremony | Recipient | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Asia Pacific Screen Awards | Judy Davis | Best Performance by an Actress | Nominated |
| AACTA Awards[5] (1st) | Antony Waddington Gregory J. Read Fred Schepisi | Best Film | Nominated |
| Fred Schepisi | Best Direction | Nominated | |
| Judy Morris | Best Adapted Screenplay | Nominated | |
| Geoffrey Rush | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Nominated | |
| Judy Davis | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Won | |
| Charlotte Rampling | Nominated | ||
| John Gaden | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Nominated | |
| Helen Morse | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Nominated | |
| Antony Waddington Gregory J. Read Fred Schepisi | AFI Members' Choice Award | Nominated | |
| Melinda Doring | Best Production Design | Won | |
| Terry Ryan | Best Costume Design | Won | |
| 2011 Inside Film Awards[6][7] | Antony Waddington Gregory J. Read Fred Schepisi | Best Feature Film | Nominated |
| Geoffrey Rush | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Nominated | |
| Judy Davis | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Nominated | |
| Melbourne International Film Festival | The Age Critics' Award for Best Australian Feature Film | Won | |
| Rome International Film Festival | Jury Special Prize | Won |
References[edit]
- ^ "'The Eye of the Storm' Wins at Melbourne International Film Festival". Yahoo! TV. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ^ Bulbeck, Pip (9 August 2011). "'The Eye of the Storm' Wins at Melbourne International Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ^ "Sycamore presents Fred Schepisi's, The Eye of the Storm" (PDF). Paper Bark Films EOS Pty Ltd. 18 August 2011. p. cover. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
- ^ "The Eye of the Storm (2011) - IMDb".
- ^ " Nominees for the 2011 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
- ^ " Winners of the 2011 Inside Film Awards. Inside Film Awards. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
- ^ " Nominees of the 2011 Inside Film Awards. Inside Film Awards. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
