I loved this film. It is intelligent and deeply moving. The performances of the two leads are breathtaking.

Shadowlands is the true story about C.S.Lewis, the author of The Chronicles of Narnia. Known as Jack (played by Anthony Hopkins) he teaches at Oxford College during the 1930's.

An American fan, Joy Gresham (played by Debra Winger) travels to England with her son for a meeting with Jack in Oxford. Jack lets Joy stay in his house, which he shares with his brother.

After divorcing her husband, Jack and Joy become close friends and developes an closer relationship - which turns into a warm friendship. Jack marries Joy "technically" so that Joy can stay in England. Jack then discovers happiness in later life through his marriage. When it turns out that Joy is struck by cancer, Jack's beliefs and new found fulfillment are shattered.

However, Joy's struggle against an unexpected and devastating illness brings them closer together, and they finally marry for love. Like Joy puts it; "We can't have the happiness of yesterday without the pain of today. That's the deal. "

And I will always remember Anythony Hopkins's last words in the end of this film;

"Why love, if losing hurts so much? I have no answers anymore: only the life I have lived. Twice in that life I've been given the choice: as a boy and as a man. The boy chose safety, the man chooses suffering. The pain now is part of the happiness then. That's the deal. "

This is a film that touched me deeply and I guess I haved been as moved as this, since I saw The Color Purple the first time. I don't know whether it's the story which is true, or the dramatisation - or the characters. I only know that I know how it feels, because I've lost someone close myself in cancer.

I highly recommend this film and this is one of my personal favourites.

This is an excellent film near perfection in it's tale of the twilight years of CS Lewis played brilliantly by Anthony Hopkins and the story of how he meets a brash American (Winger) who is so obviously against his own character. This is not just a simple love story of how the two opposites come to love each other, but a fantastic feel good film set in the 1950s. The attention to detail is excellent and the feel of the movie is perfect as every component fits into place. Well worth taking the time over.

Shadowlands is a wonderful film. In this film Joy (Debra Winger) is an American divorcee, who has come to England with her son Jack to interview the authro C.S. Lewis (Anthony Hopkins). Hopkins character is reserved, polite and academic. He marries Joy in a registry office allowing her to stay in England. A marriage of convenience. She is later diagnosed with cancer. The fear of losing Joy causes Lewis to realise how much he actually loves her. Lewis transformation from the reserved acadmeic/author to a man unashamedly in love is believable. It is only so due to Anthony Hopkins brilliant acting. Debra Winger is excellent as the brash American in sharp contrast to the reserved male lead Anthony Hopkins. Repeated viewings do not diminish the enjoyment of this fine film.