Spitting Image: Authenticity, Embodiment and Self-reflexivity in Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner (2014)
Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner—the 2014 biopic of J.M.W. Turner starring Timothy Spall—is not the first period film directed by the filmmaker, neither is it his first biographical film. Yet, the director seems an unlikely figure to tell the life story of one of Britain’s most esteemed painters, given his re...
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| Udgivet i: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/ebc, |
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| Format: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Sprog: | Anglais |
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Études britanniques contemporaines
2025
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| Online adgang: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Summary: | Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner—the 2014 biopic of J.M.W. Turner starring Timothy Spall—is not the first period film directed by the filmmaker, neither is it his first biographical film. Yet, the director seems an unlikely figure to tell the life story of one of Britain’s most esteemed painters, given his reputation as a contrarian, associated with hard-hitting social dramas. Superficially the film might seem to apply a similarly unflattering realism to costume drama, but closer analysis reveals a self-reflective engagement with the making of art. Although the film is largely characterised by historical accuracy, it uses the materials of reality to remain in dialogue with both the director’s work generally, and even to reflect on the biopic form itself. |
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