DramaHistoryWar

Benediction

- Love is never still.

Poet Siegfried Sassoon survived the horrors of fighting in the First World War and was decorated for his bravery, but became a vocal critic of the government's continuation of the war when he returned from service. Adored by members of the aristocracy as well as stars of London's literary and stage world, he embarked on affairs with several men as he attempted to come to terms with his homosexuality.

Release Date : 2021-12-23

Language :GermanEnglishFrench

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Bankside FilmsBBC FilmCreative EnglandEMU FilmsBFIReiver PicturesM.Y.R.A. EntertainmentLipsync Productions

Production Country : United KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Siegfried Sassoon

Original Name : Jack Lowden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Siegfried Sassoon (Older)

Original Name : Peter Capaldi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Robbie Ross

Original Name : Simon Russell Beale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ivor Novello

Original Name : Jeremy Irvine

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stephen Tennant

Original Name : Calam Lynch

Gender : Male

Character Name : Glen Byam Shaw

Original Name : Tom Blyth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hester Gatty

Original Name : Kate Phillips

Gender : Female

Character Name : Hester Gatty (Older)

Original Name : Gemma Jones

Gender : Female

Character Name : Theresa Thornycroft

Original Name : Geraldine James

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dr. Rivers

Original Name : Ben Daniels

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rex Whistler

Original Name : Edmund Kingsley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bobby Andrews

Original Name : Harry Lawtey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stephen Tennant (Older)

Original Name : Anton Lesser

Gender : Male

Character Name : Edith Sitwell

Original Name : Lia Williams

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lady Ottoline Morrell

Original Name : Suzanne Bertish

Gender : Female

Character Name : Priest

Original Name : Jude Akuwudike

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lady Sybil Colefax

Original Name : Joanna Bacon

Gender : Female

Character Name : Wilfred Owen

Original Name : Matthew Tennyson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chief Medical Officer

Original Name : Julian Sands

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hamo Sassoon

Original Name : Thom Ashley

Gender : Male

Character Name : George Sassoon

Original Name : Richard Goulding

Gender : Male

Character Name : Alexander Fenton

Original Name : David Shields

Gender : Male

Character Name : T.E. Lawrence

Original Name : Edward Bennett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Stacey Lynn Crowe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Jamie-Lee Beacher

Gender : Female

Character Name : Young Soldier

Original Name : Paddy Rowan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Singing Girl

Original Name : Kellie Shirley

Gender : Female

Character Name : Major McCartney-Filgate

Original Name : Daniel Tuite

Gender : Male

Character Name : Army Doctor

Original Name : Mark Oosterveen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Army Doctor

Original Name : Steven Pacey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matron

Original Name : Joyce Henderson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Pianist

Original Name : Torquil Munro

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dorothy Brett

Original Name : Georgina Rylance

Gender : Female

Character Name : Robert Graves

Original Name : Jonathan Broadbent

Gender : Male

Character Name : Edith Oliver

Original Name : Olivia Darnley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Geoffrey Keynes

Original Name : Tim Delap

Gender : Male

Character Name : Conductor

Original Name : Orlando Jopling

Gender : Male

Character Name : Taxi Driver

Original Name : Bobby Robertson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Anglican Priest

Original Name : Chris Dale

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-04-04

Whilst at times a bit messy, Terence Davies and Jack Lowden have put together quite a compelling story of the life (and loves) of acclaimed British poet Siegfried Sassoon. Though not a conscientious objector - he got an MC in France during WWI, he regaled against the wartime policies of the Government and was invalided to an hospital near Edinburgh, where under the care of Dr. Rivers (Ben Daniels) he began to explore his sexuality and to fall in love for the first time (here, with an other equally acclaimed WWI poet Wilfred Owen (Matthew Tennyson)). The film uses two timelines to tell the story. The first, more of a chronology as Sassoon meets and loves the handsome yet frequently unreliable and scathing Ivor Novello (Jeremy Irvine) and Calam Lynch's excellent portrayal of Stephen Tennant. The second, less developed, strand takes a more up-to-date position with Peter Capaldi, a somewhat disillusioned and curmudgeonly old fellow. As the young man's story is told, we begin to understand a little more about why the older is whom he has now become - and that is all told poignantly with a gentle, if sparing, contribution from Gemma Jones as his long-suffering wife. Intercut with actuality from the Somme (not for the squeamish) and with the on-form Lowden (who frequently reminds be, here, of James McAvoy) reading some of Sassoon's more potent poetry and, especially at the end reading one of Owen's, this stylishly produced film provides much food for thought. The quality of the narrative ebbs and flows a bit, but for the most part it works well with an excellent ensemble in support. The marvellously catty Simon Russell Beale as Robbie Ross and Lia Williams as a superbly aloof Edith Sitwell make for a characterful study of a class of society in which homosexuals thrived; creatives created and stress, guilt and angst were really and enduringly affecting the lives of all.