There are few educated people today who would not recognize the name TS Eliot. Known for his brilliant modernist poetry, Eliot was also a prominent critic and playwright of the 20th century. Although his literary accolades are far-reaching, his personal life remains a complex, overwhelming, and emotional struggle that constantly tormented him and most certainly affected the tone of his work. In the 1994 film "Tom and Viv," director Brian Gilbert gives us a window into the complicated personal life of TS Eliot. Based on the original play by Michael Hastings, the film tells the dark story of the tragic marriage between Tom (TS) Eliot and Vivienne Haigh-Wood Eliot, spanning the thirty years from their first meeting in Oxford in 1915, until in Death of Vivienne in 1947. Vivenne, played by Miranda Richardson, initially seems to be the most notable actress in the film. Her dynamic, unpredictable and emotional character captures both sympathetic but weary attention, and her Oscar nomination for the role was not undeserved. However, in comparison, we seem to ignore the spectacular performance of Willem Dafoe, who embodies the difficult character of TS Eliot with acuity and sympathy. Dafoe's portrayal of Tom can seem flat, cold and lacking in emotion, especially in contrast to Richardson's portrayal of Viv's character. However, it is precisely this calculated restraint and emotional ineptitude that makes his portrayal of the complex poet so brilliant. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Adapted by Michael Hastings and Adrian Hodges from Hastings' 1984 London play, "Tom and Viv" is far from a love story. The beginning seems promising: Tom's infatuation with Vivienne's free spirit and vivacity leads to a whirlwind romance and a fervent elopement. The only hint of disaster comes when Maurice, Vivienne's brother, asks Tom if there is "something bestial between you and Viv?" Nothing medically? Of course, Tom, blind to Vivienne's ailments, misinterprets his brother-in-law's question and replies: “I think I can reassure you on this point, Maurice. I am in perfect health. Maurice is of course referring to the serious hormonal imbalance from which Vivienne suffered, which her doctor considered "women's problems", and the reason for her "rebellious disregard for propriety", which Tom discovers shortly after their elopement. Viv's unhealthy combination of medications, constant mood swings, and uncontrollable menstrual cycle (all resulting from her illness), combined with Tom's formal, emotionally stunted, and internally tortured attitude, prove to be a recipe for ruin. As Vivienne's condition gradually declines, Tom's position as a poet and intellectual becomes increasingly prestigious. We see less and less interaction between the two, as Tom tries to distance himself from her after multiple warnings about what she will do to his reputation. Meanwhile, Vivienne's antics increase alongside Eliot's growing literary influence: we see her insult Virginia Woolf while sitting a few seats away at the dining table, pouring gravy chocolate in Tom's workplace mailbox, brandishing a rubber knife at women in the workplace. street, and even attacking Eliot while he was driving, forcing the car off the road completely. Ultimately, Tom and Maurice make the ultimate decision to commit him to a mental institution, effectively solidifying anddefinitely the distance between the couple. Tom is left with his estate, his family's aristocratic connections, and his many literary achievements, while she is left alone to die nine years later, still yearning unrequitedly for a visit from her beloved husband that would never come. Telling a story like this, in this way, is an ambitious and extremely complex undertaking, especially considering the depth and depth of portrayal the filmmakers have chosen for the two main characters. Clearly, gaps are inevitable in a work as ambitious as this. These shortcomings are certainly obvious, but the film's achievements are essential and should also be recognized. The film does well to avoid blaming either Tom or Viv – it leaves the blame ambiguous and unpretentious. Their issues were clearly very distinct, and while we empathize with the characters at different times, the story doesn't necessarily take one side or the other. Instead, it simply shows us the deterioration of a marriage between two very complicated, tortured and quite incompatible people. Director Brian Gilbert takes a certain risk in the way he portrays Tom and Viv. The film doesn't necessarily follow the industry standard, making the characters artistic icons, showing them living famous, lavish, great lives. Instead, they are portrayed in a sadly realistic light – both miserable, confused and full of pain. On a more technical level, the cinematography is striking and the setting perfectly and colorfully captures the opulence and allure of the British aristocratic life that Eliot so desires to be a part of. The dark woods and formal gardens of the Haigh-Woods' grand country house, which hosts many of the film's scenes, are beautifully captured and provide a poignant backdrop to represent the world that Eliot so desires - even more so, seems -he, than his own wife. The luxurious, magical settings provide a stark contrast to the harsh, realistic depiction of the corrosion of Tom and Viv's marriage. Despite the many strong moments in Gilbert's film, it's certainly not the masterpiece it could have been, given its potential. There seem to be a few holes in the script and the dialogue is quite stilted: there is silence when words should fill the spaces, and even sometimes when words are spoken they are quite dry and unimaginative. Additionally, there is still tacit information that we must assume but is actually difficult to glean. This information does not seem to have any particular artistic significance and simply leaves the actors trying to compensate for their weakness. Additionally, the film tends to drag on, especially towards the end. In a film like this, with heightened and realistic emotional tensions, dragging on can make the story unnecessarily melancholy and tedious - you find yourself tired, even bored at times. Finally, a flaw that only presents itself to a viewer familiar with Eliot's life story, but is all the more frustrating, concerns the glaring omissions of Eliot's artistic influences. Although Bertrand Russell and a few other Bloomsbury types like Virginia Woolf make brief appearances, the film is noticeably underpopulated with the many famous names who so influenced Eliot and his work. It could be argued that it then maintains the focus on Tom and Viv's marriage, but even that in itself represents a disappointing attempt to confine the meaning of The Wasteland within the framework of a failed marriage, which is insane, and anyone If I read the great poem, I would recognize it. The fact is that the film fails to accurately portray the role ofVivienne in Tom's poetry. Vivienne is described as Eliot's muse, occasionally glancing over her shoulder, typing a few manuscripts, and boasts of being the first eyes to see her husband's writings. However, the audience never gets a sense of the power with which her relationship with Tom, as well as her own writings and ideas, shaped her poetry. Vivienne certainly has the short end of the stick. She is also, for the most part, presented as a scandalous and insane character, although it is well known that Eliot also went through bizarre and emotional phases. We only get small, insignificant hints of Tom's self-pity, such as the reproduction of "The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian" hanging above his desk. Despite the limitations that the filmmakers placed on his character, TS Eliot remains a deep, incredibly complex and difficult character. Tom is presented as an intelligent, immobile man with a desire for companionship, but lacking the emotional capacity to fully understand himself or the people around him. Oddly enough, one of the only real passions we see in him is his desire to leave his American past behind and become one with the British elite. His behavior changes dramatically, triggering a previously hidden emotion when he is among the Haigh-Woods and their aristocratic peers. More passion emerges for Vivienne's family, their opulent country house, and their high social status than for Vivienne. However, while he may not have explicitly expressed his passion for her, there is no doubt that he felt true love for Vivienne. Tom clearly struggles throughout the story, constantly torn between his growing literary prestige and the unfortunate impact on his reputation that Vivienne's antics reflect on him. He wants to stay by her side and care for her, but ultimately he can't, because he simply doesn't possess the emotional capacity to handle the conflict between his chaotic relationship and his growing literary career . The choice of Willem Dafoe to play TS Eliot may at first glance raise a number of questions. The fiery and passionate screen presence he usually displays in his previous films seems quite inconsistent with Tom's rigid, cold and reactive character in this film. However, all questions and reservations are dispelled within the first few minutes of the film. For example, to begin with, the physical qualities offered by Dafoe match Eliot's character perfectly. It actually resembles the poet's photographs, as they both present a kind of gaunt, withdrawn beauty. His nose is not quite refined, but it still illustrates his hawkish nature, tense and tired. As the film progresses, Dafoe appears to become more and more haggard – the gauntness of his features deepens as his sunken cheekbones become progressively more pronounced, his face becomes more rigid, and his eyes become more haunted – all of which suggests that his art, his relationship and his life in general cost him part of his humanity. Even Dafoe's calculated choice of pitch, quality and tone of voice is perfectly haunted and droning, while his accent has the force of an American who desperately wants to be British - adding to the already significant number of qualities physics that made Willem Dafoe an incredible TS Eliot. Although the physical qualities that Dafoe brings to the character of Tom are spectacular, what are even more impressive are the complex emotional characteristics that he expresses while playing Eliot. We've already established the complexity, depth, and difficulty of his character, but the nuanced restraint and reactions