EINSTEIN AND EDDINGTON
UK, 2009, 90 minutes, Colour.
David Tennant, Andy Serkis, Jim Broadbent, Rebecca Hall, Donald Sumpter, Jodhi May, Anton Lesser, Lucy Cohu, Richard Mc Cabe..
Directed by Philip Martin.
While everybody knows Albert Einstein, very few people remember Arthur Eddington. This is an interesting film, an attempt to rehabilitate Eddington.
The film is a British and American coproduction, exemplifying the way that British television films can recreate the past, establish characters well, drawing on a strong group British character actors.
David Tennant illustrates his skill as an actor with a variety of roles from Doctor Who to Hamlet. He is a rather reserved Eddington, a serious Quaker, prepared to stand up against British jingoism in World War I, even being spat on in the street, to protect an innocent German family. Rebecca Hall appears as his supportive sister, Winnie.
Eddington is commissioned by authorities in Oxford, personified in Lodge, Jim Broadbent, who has complete faith in Newton’s interpretation of the universe and the central role of gravity. He commissions Eddington to read the work of Einstein, looking down on his views as well as his seeming to support the German war effort. While Eddington gives a lecture to a select group, he has hesitations about Newton and gravity, corresponds with Einstein, goes to Africa to photograph an eclipse which may give data to support Einstein – which it does, confirming Einstein’s relativity theories.
Andy Serkis, also a versatile actor and lending his voice to a variety of creatures such as Gollum and Caesar in the Planet of the Apes series, is a jovial as well is serious Einstein, seen with his family relaxing in Zürich, persuaded by scientist, Max Planck, to come to Berlin and continue his researches – they wanting the military and the industrialists to draw on his expertise, even restoring his German citizenship with the support of the Kaiser. Which Einstein refuses. Einstein also has personal problems with his wife, a relationship with a young woman in Berlin whom he will marry, persevering during the war but eventually vindicated and going to Oxford to meet Eddington.
1. Audience interest in the two scientists? Einstein as famous, Eddington as unknown? The rehabilitation for Eddington and his work?
2. An HBO, British television production, style and class? History and memory? Recreation of England in the early 19th century? Africa? Switzerland, Germany and Berlin? The musical score?
3. Africa, the eclipse? Oxford and academia, the colleges? The countryside? World War I, deaths, gas poisoning? Zürich and Einstein? Berlin, the streets, academia, experiments for weapons for the war? The aftermath of war?
4. David Tennant as Eddington, his age, in Africa for the eclipse, his colleagues in the photography? Going back years, Oxford, his family, relationship with Winnie? His Quaker faith, saving the German family, serious? His being spat on in the street? His work, Lodge endorsing him, his position for astronomy? The commission to read Einstein, reflection on his work, preparing the lecture, delivering the lecture, the emphasis on gravity and Newton’s laws? His having doubts? Lodge and his views, impositions? His writing to Einstein, the theory, the role of the planets? Einstein’s response? The experience of the war, Lodge talking about the German war effort? Superiority of Britain? Back to Africa, the eclipse, the tests, the public lecture? Lodge and his friends walking out? His happiness to support Einstein’s theories and relativity reshaping the understanding of the universe?
5. Eddington’s personal story, his relationship with Winnie, her support? The tennis game, his friendship with Lodge, sexuality and reticence, going to the train and writing after the train to farewell Lodge? The news of his death, grief?
6. Einstein, his character, his abilities, relaxed manner, the relationship with his wife, his family, discussions with his son? Clowning? Max Planck and the visit, the proposal, leaving his family in Switzerland, promising to explain all to his son?
7. In Berlin, the University, the dinner with the industrialist, meeting the military authority, the role of Planck, the experiment with the gases, Planck and trajectories of weaponry? Einstein and financial support? His refusing German citizenship, even from the Kaiser? With the family, the daughter and the attraction? His family, the affair? His wife and children arriving, upset? Walking away from him?
8. The war experience, the defeat of Germany, Einstein returning to his family, leaving, his mistress and his new marriage?
9. Eddington confirming Einstein’s theory, the newspaper and Einstein becoming famous, the famous picture of him poking out his tongue? Going to Oxford and being well-received?
10. The aftermath, Einstein famous, Eddington forgotten?
