Films are a way to visually tell a story. The subjects can range from the fictional to the historical. With movies belonging in the non-fiction genre, that story can introduce viewers to a particular person, event, or time period. This is the case for the 1985 made-for-TV film, Shadowlands! I will admit I knew very little about C.S. Lewis prior to The Two Jacks Blogathon, hosted by Taking Up Room. While I was aware of his contribution to literature, creating the Chronicles of Narnia series, my knowledge of the author was surface-level. By participating in this blogathon and by choosing to review Shadowlands, I hoped to learn more about C.S. Lewis and the literary world he created! Now, it’s time to open the wardrobe door and step into this review!

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: In past reviews, when I talked about a movie’s acting performances, I’ve mentioned the believability of those portrayals. This believability comes from the actors displaying an understanding for their roles, as well as for the talents of their co-stars. As I watched Shadowlands, I could sense the believability from the cast. This element was so strong, it allowed the interactions to come across as realistic. Whenever C.S. Lewis and Joy Gresham shared conversations with one another, it seemed like they shared a mutual connection, being on the same page and even on the same paragraph. The combination of Joss Ackland and Claire Bloom’s talents allowed these performances to compliment each other! There were other interactions that appeared realistic in Shadowlands. When a medical situation takes place in the family, Douglas, portrayed by Rupert Baderman, asks C.S. Lewis about the situation itself. Douglas’ eyes display a longing look, desperate for things to get better. As C.S. Lewis reveals the answer, he has a serious expression on his face. These emotional expressions from both actors brought a sense of honesty to the interaction.

C.S. Lewis’ perspective: Because Shadowlands is based on a part of C.S. Lewis’ life, some of his perspectives are included in the script. The delivery of these perspectives and how they were incorporated into the story was insightful and thought-provoking. In a letter to Joy, C.S. Lewis explains how Narnia is a part of something bigger. From how I interpreted this statement, C.S. Lewis is pointing out how Narnia is a key component of the overarching story. It was interesting to hear Narnia referenced this way, as that world plays such a large role in its series, it seems like the star of the show. Amongst a group of colleagues during Christmastime, C.S. Lewis acknowledges how the birth of Jesus is considered a miracle. But he also points out how Springtime is a miracle, when plants are reborn and the world around the characters comes alive. Looking back on C.S. Lewis’ statement, it can be easy to take Springtime for granted, as it is a natural occurrence that happens on its own.

Historical accuracy: The historical accuracy in a historical/period drama can be found in the visual details. These details can also provide clues for the specific time a story takes place. Several scenes of Shadowlands show a rotary dial phone on a desk or on a table. The phones in the film are black, even though these types of phones can boast any colorful hue. In a scene where one of the characters is in the hospital, the bed is built with a silver metal frame. Even the knobs on a medical machine feature a simplistic design and make a loud, clicking sound. With these observations in mind, it appears that Shadowlands takes place in the 1950s or 1960s.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Sudden jumps in time: Shadowlands has a run-time of an hour and thirty-two minutes. This means progression of time is forced to be condensed for the sake of satisfying the run-time. Within the film’s first thirty minutes, however, the condensation of time was jarring, causing events to happen too quickly. After C.S. Lewis and Joy Gresham first become acquainted with each other, she tells him that she’ll return to England with her sons, in order for them to meet C.S. Lewis. In the very next scene, Joy has returned to England with her children. Several scenes later, Joy makes plans with C.S. Lewis about spending Christmas with him. A scene after that, Christmastime was already arrived.

An overshadowed brother: When I talked about this film’s sudden jumps in time, I mentioned Joy having two sons. These sons, David and Douglas, travel with their mother to England and eventually make England their permanent residence. Throughout the story, Douglas’ perspective is the one that is prioritized, as he is a fan of the Chronicles of Narnia series. The audience even sees how Douglas deals with a tragic situation. David’s thoughts about this tragic situation are referenced, but never showcased. I know there is only so much story to tell in an hour and thirty-two minutes. But I wish David’s perspective hadn’t been ignored.

Things left unexplained: In my review’s introduction, I said I hoped to learn more about C.S. Lewis by watching Shadowlands. While I did learn some things about the famous author, the story assumed the viewer already had basic knowledge about him. One example of this is how some things were left unexplained. There is a scene where C.S. Lewis is lecturing a group of students in a classroom. No explanations were provided for why he was lecturing these students or why he was teaching in the first place. It wasn’t until after I saw the movie that I learned C.S. Lewis was a professor at Oxford.

My overall impression:

A person or event featured in a movie may be so fascinating, they deserve their own documentary. Some examples are the events that inspired Over the Edge and Evel Knievel. C.S. Lewis is one of these people that deserves a documentary, as he is an interesting literary figure. In fact, I think the story of Shadowlands should have been a documentary instead of a film. Even though I learned some information about the famous author, the movie assumed the audience already knew about him. This was the cause of things within the story not being explained. If the story of Shadowlands had been a documentary, important events could be discussed and prioritized without the program’s run-time being a concern. But reflecting on Shadowlands as a film, there are aspects of the project I can appreciate, such as the acting performances and hearing about C.S. Lewis’ perspective. With all that said, I thought the movie was just ok.

Overall score: 6 out of 10

Have you seen 1985’s Shadowlands? Would you like to see me talk about C.S. Lewis’ stories on my blog? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun in Narnia!

Sally Silverscreen