''Reflections'' is a 1984 British

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by

Kevin Billington Kevin Billington (12 June 1934 – 13 December 2021) was a British film director, who worked in the theatre, film and television from the 1960s. Biography The son of a factory worker,Fred Hauptfuhre''People'', 13:12, 24 March 1980 and educated ...

and starring

Gabriel Byrne Gabriel James Byrne (born 12 May 1950) is an Irish actor. He has received a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for a Grammy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Tony Awards. Byrne was awarded the Irish Film and Television Academy L ...

Donal McCann Donal McCann (7 May 1943 – 17 July 1999) was an Irish stage, film, and television actor best known for his roles in the works of Brian Friel and for his lead role in John Huston's last film, '' The Dead'' (1987). In 2020, McCann was listed ...

and

Fionnula Flanagan Fionnghuala Manon "Fionnula" Flanagan (born 10 December 1941) is an Irish actress. Flanagan is known for her roles in the films '' James Joyce's Women'' (1985), '' Some Mother's Son'' (1996), '' Waking Ned Devine'' (1998), '' The Others'' (200 ...

.''Reflections'' (1984)

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

The film is an adaptation for the British broadcaster

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...

of the 1982 novel '' The Newton Letter'' by

John Banville William John Banville (born 8 December 1945) is an Irish novelist, short story writer, Literary adaptation, adapter of dramas and screenwriter. Though he has been described as "the heir to Marcel Proust, Proust, via Vladimir Nabokov, Nabokov", ...

, who also wrote the screenplay. The budget was £502,000.

Plot

The film follows the adventures of an aspiring biographer of

Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton () was an English polymath active as a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author. Newton was a key figure in the Scientific Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment that followed ...

who rents a rural retreat in the south of Ireland to write an in-depth treatment of an obscure and disturbing letter Newton sent in 1693 to

John Locke John Locke (; 29 August 1632 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) – 28 October 1704 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.)) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of the Enlightenment thi ...

. He becomes involved with two women: Ottilie Garinger and her aunt, Charlotte. The presence of Charlotte's husband, Edward Lawless, creates a romantic triangle-plus-one.

Cast

as William Masters *

as Edward Lawless *

as Mrs. Charlotte Lawless *

Harriet Walter Dame Harriet Mary Walter is an English actress. She has received an Olivier Award and nominations for a Tony Award, five Emmy Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2011, Walter was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British E ...

as Ottilie Garinger * Gerard Cummins as Michael Lawless *

Niall Toibin Niall is a male given name of Irish origin. The original meaning of the name is unknown, but popular modern sources have suggested that it means "champion" (derived from the Old Irish word ''niadh''). According to John Ryan, Professor of Early and ...

as Mr. Prunty *

Peadar Lamb Peadar Lamb (24 December 1929 – 1 September 2017) was an Irish actor. He was known for his roles in numerous Irish-language stage productions, including playing King Fin Varra in the television series '' Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog,'' and voi ...

as Doctor * Des Nealon as Tom Mittler * Margaret Wade as Bunny Mittler * Larry O'Driscoll as Rat Man * Noel O'Flaherty as Rat Man

References

External links

* 1984 films 1984 drama films British drama films Cultural depictions of Isaac Newton 1980s English-language films Films based on Irish novels Films directed by Kevin Billington Films with screenplays by John Banville 1980s British films Films based on works by John Banville {{1980s-UK-film-stub