Mr Turner (2014)
Certified: 12A
Duration: 150 minutes
Directed by: Mike Leigh
Starring: Timothy Spall, Dorothy Atkinson, Marion Bailey, Paul Jesson, Lesley Manville, Martin Savage, Ruth Sheen, Sandy Foster
KRS Releasing Ltd
Mike Leigh, who delivered such socially-conscious films as Secrets & Lies (1996), Vera Drake (2004) and All or Nothing (2002), tackles the life of J.M.W. Turner, whose paintings have characterised the English Romantic period style and brought in elements of the abstract before it was being termed as such.
Turner was a controversial figure to say the least and made many an enemy in his time. The fact that Turner was from a lower social class, whose work brought him into the upper class spheres, makes his life and experiences even more interesting in Leigh’s eyes.
Mr Turner is rich in atmosphere, detail and drama. The focus is on Timothy Spall who plays the title role, delivering a show-stealing award-worthy performance.
The film, in fact, mostly succeeds as a profound, well-planned and rounded character study. Leigh has taken great pains in making sure we get to know the artist behind the art.
The film mostly succeeds as a profound, well-planned and rounded character study
We get to dig into his life and see the not-so-nice moments or qualities of Turner, without any undue shadings or embellishments.
The picture shows the great difference that lies between Turner and his paintings, which in their turn brought out a romanticised and idealised colourful depiction of the sea and the landscapes he came across.
In its own way, Mr Turner is almost a mundane depiction of the man and this is evident from the start, where we see Turner arriving back home from a painting-oriented voyage to the Netherlands. He is welcomed back by his housekeeper, Mrs Danby (Dorothy Atkinson).
We find Turner at the point when his work started becoming more and more abstract. This led to a counter-reaction, whereby his work began to be criticised. Even Queen Victoria expressed her disapproval.
Yet, in his own way, Turner was challenging the status quo, and this in a time when society was very resistant to the oncoming changes that technology was bringing as the Industrial Revolution picked up pace.
Spall completely immerses himself into his character. He is a frequent collaborator with Leigh and the two are in perfect synchronicity here.
Turner is not the only interesting character in the film. Other characters, especially the female ones, create a sense of place for Turner.
The role of Mrs Danby – here played sublimely by Atkinson – is essential to the film as she brings forth some really unsavoury aspects of Turner’s character. On the other hand, Marion Bailey as widower Mrs Booth brings to the film an almost sweet aspect.
Leigh has delivered a film that looks beautiful, one that seeks to follow Turner’s own lush use of colour. Cinematographer Dick Pope gives the picture a sense of fine texture that is very appealing and at the same time gives an ode to the landscapes and the situations in which Turner placed himself when painting his masterpieces.