Iris (DVD)

...reading anything about, or by Iris Murdoch. Of course, I remember hearing about the film 'Iris' when it came out in 2001, but the only reason it sparked my interest was down to the fact that the main character was portrayed at different stages of her life by both Judi Dench and Kate Winslet, who happen to be two of my favourite actresses. Given that I had also worked in a Nursing Home for Alzheimers sufferers, I must admit to being ever so slightly ...
...need to know anything about Iris Murdoch in order to appreciate it, as it is less about her life as a writer and more of a husband and wife story based on the memoirs of John Bayley (Iris's main carer and husband of fifty years) beginning with the time when she began to lose the battle to Alzheimers. Having said that, those who do know a little about her background, or who have read her novels may well find it insightful. In some ways, I think knowing ... more

It comes as something of a surprise to me that I spent so many years studying literature at university and strangely managed to avoid reading anything about, or by Iris Murdoch. Of course, I remember hearing about the film 'Iris' when it came out in 2001, but the only reason it sparked my interest was down to the fact that the main character was portrayed at different stages of her life by both Judi Dench and Kate Winslet, who happen to be two of my favourite actresses. Given that I had also worked in a Nursing Home for Alzheimers sufferers, I must admit to being ever so slightly curious about how such a tragic topic could be tackled by a director, especially when it centred around the true story of someone who (prior to her illness) had such a brilliant mind and wrote 26 highly successful novels. Somewhere along the line, I forgot all about this film and only thought about it again when I was given a free trial subscription to LOVEFILM and decided to add it to my list.

The beauty of this film is that you don't need to know anything about Iris Murdoch in order to appreciate it, as it is less about her life as a writer and more of a husband and wife story based on the memoirs of John Bayley (Iris's main carer and husband of fifty years) beginning with the time when she began to lose the battle to Alzheimers. Having said that, those who do know a little about her background, or who have read her novels may well find it insightful. In some ways, I think knowing less about her life prior to the onset of her illness is what makes it all the more intriguing for me. For example, I did wonder during the film about the apparent lack of any children in Iris and John's lives, although the flashbacks to Iris's lifestyle as a young woman may hint at why this is the case. Whatever the case, it motivated me to read up about her after I'd seen the film and, though some may see these gaps of knowledge as a flaw, I would say that there is just enough intrigue to capture your attention and desire to learn more.

Interspersed between scenes of the present Iris, who has odd moments of lucidity but is mainly confused, we are given flashbacks into her younger days as a student where she first meets John Bayley and their ensuing, if unlikely, love affair. The young John is depicted as a somewhat geeky and awkward scholarly type, whilst his outgoing and exuberant future wife appears to be his polar opposite. We are also led to believe that Murdoch is somewhat promiscuous with other men and that her actions can be rather trying on the young John (played with great conviction by Hugh Bonneville), but his devotion to her surpasses any jealousy he may feel and, given his staying power as she loses control of her faculties, clearly withstands the test of time.

It is the switch between the incredibly bright young Iris played by Kate Winslet (which is initially mirrored in her older self as Judi Dench), and the tragically confused and helpless Iris, which tugs at the heartstrings. However, at no point does the film become bogged down with the cloying sentimentality that you so often find in films of this nature. That is not to say that it is not an emotional film, only that director Richard Eyre somehow manages to make certain hopeless aspects seem rather positive and life affirming. There is one scene in particular where we see Iris sitting on a beach with a notebook. She is no longer able to write, but the urge to create is shown by her repeatedly tearing out sheets of paper and holding them in place with pebbles. The image is quite a powerful one both in terms of its emotional impact and the strange hope it provides. On the one hand, it is a terrible thing to witness the demise of such a great mind and yet, the audience is left with a strange hope that a part of her is still in there, fighting to get out.

It is also a film which never loses sight of the reality of trying to care for a loved one with such a debilitating disease. Whilst he never pokes fun at the tragic nature of the story, Eyre does manage to capture a somewhat humorous angle to Iris's initial forgetfulness and constant repetition. At first, we can't help but find amusement in her inability to remember the Prime Minister's name and the means by which she attempts to cover the gaps in her memory. However, the odd senior moment swiftly ceases to be humorous when the woman we watched giving lectures at the start of the film is reduced to staring blankly at The Teletubbies on the television set.

The older John (played by the amazing Jim Broadbent) is incredibly convincing as the exasperated, yet endlessly devoted husband. Having spent the majority of his life feeling overshadowed and in awe of his brilliant wife, he is forced to accept that her amazing mind will eventually fail and there is nothing he can do to prevent it. There is a particularly moving scene where his resentment gets the better of him. We witness him screaming at his wife that he finally has her to himself and no longer wants her. Yet, his adoration never dissipates and, so convincing is his performance that, we are almost able to share his grief, hope and overwhelming ability to carry on.

As always, Judi Dench is outstanding in her role as Iris. Before the film was made John Bayley did say that he felt Judi Dench was probably the best actress for the part in terms of his wife's looks and mannerisms. The fact that he accompanied both Dench and Kate Winslet to the initial screening of the film would suggest he was not unhappy about the final outcome. Personally, I've always admired Judi Dench for her versatility and timing and I think 'Iris' is perhaps one of her best performances, particularly in light of the fact that she made this film when she had very recently lost her own husband. It can't have been the easiest part to play.

I probably chose a bad time to watch this film given that I was overly emotional, pregnant, and prone to cry at anything and everything at the time, but I'm very glad I saw it. Unless you are particularly hard-hearted, this will most likely affect you emotionally. Though I didn't leave my seat feeling depressed, I did find myself mopping away the odd tear and found that it stayed with me for quite a while afterwards. I'm not sure it is right to say that I enjoyed watching it and yet it has inspired me to start reading her novels, so it has obviously caught my attention and inspired interest in me to find out about her life.

I'm not sure whether or not I would recommend this film to those who have been directly affected by Alzheimers, although it is really down to the viewer as to whether they would find a subject so close to home distressing or comforting. Having never had a loved one suffer from this disease, it is not easy to comment, although I do feel that this film has been handled in a very sensitive and positive way. It's thought-provoking and has made me think about Alzheimers sufferers and their carers in a whole new light. I think the fact that it is centred on a well-known writer makes it more interesting and accessible to the general public and also reminds us that no one is immune. It is well worth a watch. 

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