Sylvia

Director: Christine Jeffs Christine Jeffs

Overview

"This biographical drama which chronicles the life and times of celebrated poet and novelist Sylvia Plath has been given a simple presentation for its release on DVD. Sylvia has been given a letterboxed transfer to disc in the widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1, which has been enhanced for anamorphic playback on 16 x 9 monitors. The audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1; the dialogue is in English, with optional subtitles in French and Spanish, as well as closed captions in English. The film's original trailer has been included as a bonus."

Product Details

Release Date:	02/10/2004
UPC:	0025192395826
Original Release:	2003
Rating:	R
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Language:	English
Time:	1:50:00
Sales rank:	37,431

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Gwyneth Paltrow	Sylvia Plath
Daniel Craig	Ted Hughes
Jared Harris	Al Alvarez
Blythe Danner	Aurelia Plath
Michael Gambon	Professor Thomas
Amira Casar	Assia Wevill
Andrew Havill	David Wevill
Lucy Davenport	Doreen
Liddy Holloway	Martha Bergstrom
David Birkin	Morecambe
Alison Bruce	Elizabeth
Julian Firth	James Michie
Jeremy Fowlds	Mr. Robinson
Michael Mears	Charles Langridge
Antony Strachan	Michael Boddy
Katherine Tozer	Myra Norris
Sam Troughton	Tom Hadley-Clarke
Hannah Watkins	Tom's Girlfriend
Siobhan Page	Young American Girl Student
Sarah Guyler	Ted's Cambridge Girlfriend
Derek Payne	Vicar
Sonia Ritter	Midwife
Robyn Malcolm	1st Woman at Ted Hughes' Lecture
Tandi Wright	2nd Woman at Ted Hughes' Lecture
Theresa Healey	3rd Woman at Ted Hughes' Lecture
Billie Seymour	Telegram Boy
Ben Want	Baby Nicholas,Baby Nicholas
Eliza Wade	Infant Frieda
Gabriel Yared	Composer

Technical Credits

John Brownlow

John Brownlow	Screenwriter
Alison Owen	Producer
David M. Thompson	Executive Producer
Robert Jones	Executive Producer
Sharon Harel	Executive Producer
Jane Barclay	Executive Producer
Tracey Scoffield	Executive Producer
Karen Lindsay Stewart	Casting
Jim Dowdall	Stunts
Christine Jeffs	Director
David Crozier	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Sylvia is an intelligent and respectful film that's not a whole lot of fun. It appears that the filmmakers tried to be fair-minded and avoid overt sensationalism when depicting Sylvia Plath's troubled life. But the result is a glum, staid, and emotionally inaccessible movie that doesn't offer any great insights into Plath. The acting is generally good, including fine supporting performances by Jared Harris as Plath's editor and friend Al Alvarez, Blythe Danner as her mother Aurelia, and Michael Gambon as her neighbor Professor Thomas. Daniel Craig gives an effectively understated performance as Plath's husband Ted Hughes, although the character remains somewhat enigmatic throughout the film. Meanwhile, Gwyneth Paltrow does a commendable job of absorbing herself fully into the lead role. She gives a nuanced performance and conveys Plath's fragility and volatility without resorting to excessive scenery chewing or stepping out of character to milk sympathy from the audience. Unfortunately, Plath does not come across as a particularly engaging character; it doesn't help that Paltrow doesn't have much opportunity to express warmth or humor, particularly in the latter part of the film, or that we get little sense of her relationship with her children or whatever joy she might have gotten out of her writing. The movie does a good job of showing that Plath was unhappy, but it does little more than wallow in tastefully presented misery.