The Professor and the Madman, based on the book by Simon Winchester - 8 out of 10

The Professor and the Madman, based on the book by Simon Winchester
8 out of 10


It seems rather difficult to rate and have a definite, unequivocal opinion about this film.

Because on the most important level it is inspiring, educational, fact based and it offers at least a role model - in an age when antiheroes like Trump can elate so many delusional followers.
However, on the other hand, some aspects are not as awe inspiring as the theme, models, storyline - well, perhaps even there there are some issues and shortcomings.

The performances of the leading actors does not seem to do justice to the characters they represent.
Especially Sean Penn, as Doctor William Chester Minor, seemed somewhat exaggerated, emphatic and perhaps melodramatic in certain scenes.

Mel Gibson is more restrained as James Murray, but his shenanigans and off the set scandals of recent years may have affected the perspective of this cinephile.
The British cast, Stephen Dillane - the husband of Virginia Woolf in masterpiece The Hours, reviewed at realini.blogspot.com - the better known Steve Coogan - admirable in the recent Stan & Ollie, noted on on the same blog - Anthony Andrews and all the others act splendidly, as is almost always the case with artists from the UK.

James Murray wants to work on one of the most important- if not the most - books, The English Dictionary.
To begin with, he is dismissed by the creme de la creme of Oxford, albeit not all reject him.

He has had to abandon his education in his early teens to work.
Without a higher degree, most of the Dons look at him with contempt and haughtiness.

But when he starts listing the skills, languages he has knowledge of, seemingly speaking more than twenty and managing in quite a few other, the audience is impressed, maybe overwhelmed would be too much to say.
He is therefore allowed to proceed with the Herculean task of presenting the first volumes of a dictionary.

This would not be his accomplishment, for he obviously has to work with others and he has a very clever - this is one of the words which was explained at the so called interview- plan.
Given that the task is daunting, perhaps Sisyphean, he explains that if they enlist more than one thousand helpers, instead of centuries to completion, the dictionary would take just seven years or so.

Meanwhile, we learn the story of The Madman, after being introduced to The Professor from the title.
This is Doctor William Chester Minor aka Sean Penn.

He kills a man, we could argue that it was a tragic mistake, even if his later behavior might suggest that he could have been somewhat deranged, maybe at an earlier stage of a serious mental condition.
He is sentenced at his trial to interment in an institution for the mentally challenged.

He would have a strange relationship with the widow of the man he shot dead.
In the first place, she hates him, as is only natural.

But then, they would grow closer.
The connection of the Doctor with the personnel of the mad house is also evolving.

A turning point is the moment when one of the guards is trapped by a heavy metal gate and he is seriously injured.
The Doctor explains that the man would bleed to death within half an hour, if he is not given the means to assist him.

These would be a saw and a good knife.
Reluctant to equip a lunatic with the instruments that can cause a lot of damage, the guardians hesitate.

Finally the answer is:

You will have them, but if you try anything evil, you will be very sorry...words to that effect.

In improvised conditions, The Madman has to cut off the victim's leg and thus saves him from a certain death.

Eventually, Doctor Minor becomes a Major Player in the game of making the dictionary.
Alas, when the fact that he has been vital in delivering the first part, contributing with about ten thousand words, there is a scandal and it looks like the whole project might be derailed.

The Professor and the Madman proposes a very intriguing, fascinating and unbelievable story, that took place in reality...The Oxford English Dictionary was offered to the public with the essential contributions of these two giants.
They were the sine qua non...without them, there wouldn't have been a dictionary, at least for decades or more.