Based on the 1998 book `The Surgeon of Crowthorne' by Simon Winchester, the life of Professor James Murray is portrayed as he begins work on compiling words for the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary in the mid-19th century. As he led the overseeing committee, the professor received over 10,000 entries from one source in particular - a patient at Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, Dr William Minor.
This film came out of nowhere, and it came out with some pretty intense drama thanks to star Mel Gibson unsuccessfully attempting to sue the studio to prevent the film from being released. All because he wanted to spend millions on reshoots to add another 30 minutes to the film, and in the studio ended up cutting the film by 30 minutes, down to a runtime of 125 minutes. A three-hour runtime would certainly be excessive, so you can't help but feel that the right decision was made.
Nonetheless, with the lack of any marketing and no set time for its release in New Zealand, The Professor and the Madman looks like it will swiftly disappear into oblivion (if the release ever happens). The film is available for viewing overseas, however, and that is how I got to check it out.
Starring Mel Gibson as Professor James Murray and Sean Penn as Dr William Chester Minor, the film follows these two unlikely collaborators working to complete the first Oxford dictionary. The former man a non-English multi-linguist, and the latter a mentally unstable murderer who submitted over 10,000 entries, there is definitely an intriguing near-sitcom quality to the film. Being based on a true story, it adds some credence to the movie, but that isn't quite enough to save it.
The premise has some potential, mainly when it comes to looking at determining the requirements for how definitions are to be chosen, as well as what words are included or omitted. The idea of writing a dictionary seems like a simple idea, but when you are verifying sources and changes to the use of the word since it's inception, you can easily see how it would become difficult to remain consistent. This part of the story, despite being the main story, is not the gripping part of the film. It almost comes across as ironic when you consider the state of dictionaries nowadays; consisting of but a single sentence.
That honour falls to Murray and Minor's friendship which originates from a mutual obsession. Their friendship is both endearing and not properly developed, creating an inconsistent feel throughout the film. The drama that follows Minor and ends up affecting Murray is a curiously out-of-place arc that feels almost cartoonishly villainous at times, and really take you out of what is meant to be a somewhat educational viewing. In fact, none of the antagonists feel genuine at all, with their motivations never fully developed.
Gibson and Penn are the only pull factor to the film, which says a lot; even Natalie Dormer's role has little appeal (despite her brilliantly passionate performance in Game of Thrones). The film fills that need that Gibson seems to have; that need to make the audience think that he is a genius. But the fact remains that the film is lacklustre, and no matter what big names are attributed to it can change that.
Gibson and Penn are the only pull factor to the film, which says a lot; even Natalie Dormer's role has little appeal (despite her brilliantly passionate performance in Game of Thrones). The film fills that need that Gibson seems to have; that need to make the audience think that he is a genius. But the fact remains that the film is lacklustre, and no matter what big names are attributed to it can change that.
This is a story about trying to write a dictionary. You wouldn't expect it to be overly exciting or action-packed. And despite the efforts of the trailer to make the film feel incredibly tense, The Professor and the Madman is rather tedious. Unless dramas are the genre that you truly love above all else, the film will drag.
There is some nice cinematography, and the colour scheme feels authentic (albeit drab), but there is no hook to keep you invested in the film. It meanders too much to hold your attention, and ultimately, is a bore.