| Hilary and Jackie | |
|---|---|
 UK theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Anand Tucker |
| Screenplay by | Frank Cottrell Boyce |
| Produced by | Nicolas Kent Andy Paterson |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | David Johnson |
| Edited by | Martin Walsh |
| Music by | Barrington Pheloung |
| Distributed by | FilmFour Distributors |
Release dates | |
Running time | 121 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | £3.9 million (UK/US) |
Hilary and Jackie is a 1998 British biographical film directed by Anand Tucker, starring Emily Watson and Rachel Griffiths as the British classical musician sisters Jacqueline du Pré (cello) and Hilary du Pré (flute). The film covers Jacqueline's meteoric rise to fame, her alleged affair with Hilary's husband Christopher Finzi, and her struggle with multiple sclerosis starting in her late 20s ultimately leading to her death at the age of 42.
The screenplay by Frank Cottrell-Boyce claimed in the end credits to have been based on the 1997 memoir A Genius in the Family by Piers and Hilary du Pré (later republished under the title Hilary and Jackie).[2] However, that memoir had not yet been published when Hilary and Jackie was being filmed. Cottrell-Boyce stated, "Hilary was working on the book at the same time as I was working on the film ... it was at a very early stage when we were doing the script".[3] The film was instead based on conversations with Hilary and Piers; unlike the book, it does not claim to be the true story and contains some fictionalised incidents.
The film attracted controversy and criticism for allegedly distorting details in Jacqueline's life, and several personal friends of Jacqueline du Pré publicly condemned the film. Hilary du Pré publicly defended her version of the story.[4][5]
Hilary and Jackie generally received critical acclaim, and both Griffiths and Watson were nominated for an Academy Award, for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, respectively.
- ^ "Hilary and Jackie". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ Du Pré, Piers; Du Pré, Hilary (1997). A Genius in the Family: An Intimate Memoir of Jacqueline du Pré. London: Heinemann. ISBN 0-434-00344-1.
- ^ 'Inside Film' programme, handed out at early showings of the film
- ^ Du Pré, Hilary (21 January 1999). "The truth about our wonderful sister Jackie". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ Moss, Stephen (21 January 1999). "Du Pré sister defends film". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 April 2018.