Benediction

"Love is never still."

2021 2h 17m EN

😐

6.1

MID

★6.1TMDB · 90

DramaHistoryWar

Synopsis

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Poet Siegfried Sassoon survived the horrors of fighting in the First World War and was decorated for his bravery, but became a vocal critic of the government's continuation of the war when he returned from service. Adored by members of the aristocracy as well as stars of London's literary and stage world, he embarked on affairs with several men as he attempted to come to terms with his homosexuality.

“Love is never still.”

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Cast

Jack Lowden
Siegfried Sassoon
Peter Capaldi
Siegfried Sassoon (Older)
Simon Russell Beale
Robbie Ross
Jeremy Irvine
Ivor Novello
Calam Lynch
Stephen Tennant
Tom Blyth
Glen Byam Shaw
Kate Phillips
Hester Gatty
Gemma Jones
Hester Gatty (Older)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Terence Davies
Writers: Terence Davies
Languages: German, English, French
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 5 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: German, English, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Terence Davies, shot by Nicola Daley. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Alex Mackie shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jack Lowden and Peter Capaldi and Simon Russell Beale carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Love is never still.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt6852178 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Terence Davies directs. Nicola Daley behind the camera. Alex Mackie cuts. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in German, English, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 5 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: German, English, French.
3International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
4Directed by Terence Davies, shot by Nicola Daley. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Alex Mackie shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Jack Lowden and Peter Capaldi and Simon Russell Beale carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Love is never still.".
8IMDB entry: tt6852178 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 90 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 8 themes, including "world war i", "poet", "biography", "lgbt".

The technical file

Cinematography: Nicola Daley
Editing: Alex Mackie
Production design: Andy Harris
Costume design: Annie Symons
Makeup / hair: Veronica McAleer
VFX supervisor: John Paul Docherty
Sound: Rob Hughes
Runtime: 137 min · 2h 17m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $847,418
Original language: EN
IMDB: Benediction (2021)

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Terence Davies

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-04-04
★ 7/10
Whilst at times a bit messy, Terence Davies and Jack Lowden have put together quite a compelling story of the life (and loves) of acclaimed British poet Siegfried Sassoon. Though not a conscientious objector - he got an MC in France during WWI, he regaled against the wartime policies of the Government and was invalided to an hospital near Edinburgh, where under the care of Dr. Rivers (Ben Daniels) he began to explore his sexuality and to fall in love for the first time (here, with an other equally acclaimed WWI poet Wilfred Owen (Matthew Tennyson)). The film uses two timelines to tell the story. The first, more of a chronology as Sassoon meets and loves the handsome yet frequently unreliable and scathing Ivor Novello (Jeremy Irvine) and Calam Lynch's excellent portrayal of Stephen Tennant. The second, less developed, strand takes a more up-to-date position with Peter Capaldi, a somewhat disillusioned and curmudgeonly old fellow. As the young man's story is told, we begin to understand a little more about why the older is whom he has now become - and that is all told poignantly with a gentle, if sparing, contribution from Gemma Jones as his long-suffering wife. Intercut with actuality from the Somme (not for the squeamish) and with the on-form Lowden (who frequently reminds be, here, of James McAvoy) reading some of Sassoon's more potent poetry and, especially at the end reading one of Owen's, this stylishly produced film provides much food for thought. The quality of the narrative ebbs and flows a bit, but for the most part it works well with an excellent ensemble in support. The marvellously catty Simon Russell Beale as Robbie Ross and Lia Williams as a superbly aloof Edith Sitwell make for a characterful study of a class of society in which homosexuals thrived; creatives created and stress, guilt and angst were really and enduringly affecting the lives of all.

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