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Hilary And Jackie Details

1998 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 1164 members

The story of the brilliant concert cellist Jacqueline du Pre, seen from the perspectives of her sister Hilary and brother Piers. While Jackie gains international fame and fortune, she secretly longs for the stable, normal life and family Hilary has built. Watson and Griffiths deliver impassioned, unforgettable performances as .. Read more

Starring Emily Watson, Rachel Griffiths, James Frain, David Morrissey
Director Anand Tucker
Genres Drama

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Hilary And Jackie

The story of the brilliant concert cellist Jacqueline du Pre, seen from the perspectives of her sister Hilary and brother Piers. While Jackie gains international fame and fortune, she secretly longs for the stable, normal life and family Hilary has built. Watson and Griffiths deliver impassioned, unforgettable performances as the troubled sisters. Based on the autobiographical novel "A Genius in the Family."

Starring Emily Watson, Rachel Griffiths, James Frain, David Morrissey, Charles Dance, Celia Imrie
Director Anand Tucker
Studio CINEMA CLUB
Run time DVD: 1 hr 57 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Hearing-impaired English
Released DVD: 10 Sep 2001
Production year: 1998
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (6) of Hilary And Jackie

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    Emily Watson gives a mesmerising performance as the often difficult, selfish and driven cellist Jacqueline du Pré in this controversial biopic that centres on Jacqueline's unusual relationship with her sister Hilary (Rachel Griffiths). Loosely based on Hilary and her brother Piers's biography, the film is a fascinating, no-holds-barred account of Jackie's musical career and private life, beginning when her talent as a cellist eclipses the musical ambitions of her older sister. While many column inches have been devoted to the incident when Jackie asks Hilary whether she can sleep with her husband, and then does so, the film should be lauded for its fascinating realisation of Jackie's talent and almost destructive personality. You may not like her by the end of the film, but you will be glad you had the chance to meet her.

    • Radio Times
  • 2 stars out of 4

    Some excellent acting gives an emotional power and rawness to this often conventional biopic, which concentrates on the relationship and rivalry between two sisters.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • Most helpful member's review of Hilary And Jackie

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  • 5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Beautiful Music

    This film is based on a true story, although some of the things that happen seem as though they must be exaggerated, if not totally fabricated. Nevertheless, the characters are real enough to hold the attention, and you do occasionally want to shake them for being so silly. The narrative structure is interesting, trying to give different sides of the same story. It is really the performances that make the film worth watching, and there is also some lovely music, although not so much that the film becomes boring if you aren't that interested in the musical side of it.

      • A customer from London, England
  • Most recent members' review of Hilary And Jackie

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  • 5 out of 6 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    A Film About Genius

    Hilary and Jackie centers around the (real) lives of cello virtuoso Jacqueline du Pré and, as you may guess, her sister Hilary and is based on the book "A Genius In The Family", by Hilary and Piers du Pré.

    There aren’t many bad points. The structuring of the film is a little strange, with the middle and longest section being split into Hilary’s then Jackie’s experiences over the same time period. Presumably this was an attempt to lend balance between the two viewpoints, but it comes off as a little clumsy. In general though, the movie is nicely edited, well directed and beautifully shot. The music is of course fantastic, and is used to move the movie forward as well as to frame the on screen action.

    However, the film itself is really just a container for Emily Watson's incredible performance as Jackie. Rachel Griffiths is also good as Hilary, and Charles Dance puts in some brilliant scenes as the sister's slightly confused father, but this movie is all about Emily Watson. Her portrayal of Jackie is intimate, involving and in the end personal enough so that despite the many flaws of her character you still feel a connection and empathy towards her. It takes genius in a performer to portray genius in a character, and I got the feeling as I watched that Emily Watson was every bit the master of her art that Jacqueline du Pré was of hers. Compelling stuff.

      • DrGonzo from East Sussex
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1,164 Member ratings
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    • The story of the brilliant concert cellist Jacqueline du Pre, seen from the perspectives of her sister Hilary and brother Piers. While Jackie gains international fame and fortune, she secretly longs ...