The Invisible Woman

Everyone’s heard of Charles Dickens, but considerably less know of Nelly Turnan, the young woman who was to become his secret lover until his death.

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Based on the novel by Claire Tomalin, The Invisible Woman charts the complicated relationship between the iconic, celebrated Dickens (Ralph Fiennes) and burgeoning actress Nelly (Felicity Jones). The film is anchored by screenwriter Abi Morgan (Shame, The Iron Lady) around the staging of two of Dickens’ plays: a Margate high school production of “No Thoroughfare” directed by an adult Nelly in 1883; and the 1857 Manchester performance of Dickens collaborator Wilkie Collins’ (Tom Hollander) “The Frozen Deep”, directed by and starring Dickens himself and providing the lovers’ first encounter. 18-year-old Nelly is one of three daughters in a family of actresses (with the formidable matriarch in the form of Kristin Scott Thomas) but despite never achieving the success of her sisters – Nelly unfortunately just can’t act – she nonetheless catches the eye of Dickens, and through a series of ‘coincidental’ meetings their love blooms.

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The Invisible Woman charts the slow, tentative and almost overwhelmingly non-verbal build up of their relationship that would lead to the growing scandal that ultimately destroys Dickens marriage and renders Nelly trapped in a life of invisibility.

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Carrying the weight of the film on her shoulders rising star Felicity Jones was utterly sublime, showing she’s fully deserving of her leading lady status. She evidently suits period pieces, portraying Nelly with an unwavering restraint and fragility befitting of the era. However, Jones adds a core of strength and layers of vulnerability and honesty to the role that ultimately makes Nelly a likeable character, and shows how Jones manages to handle the complexity with aplomb. Jones more than holds her own in scenes consisting of innocent yet highly emotionally charged glances with Fiennes: points where she could easily have been relegated to nothing more than a spot in Fiennes’ shadow.

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Following on from 2011’s Coriolanus Fiennes once again adopts the position of actor-director, offering an interesting parallel with the film itself. Speaking at the BFI London Film Festival in October, Fiennes had discussed how prior to reading the script he was “largely ignorant of Dickens”, but his multifaceted portrayal of a universally celebrated man who craved a private life but secretly loved the attention (all the while treating his family exceedingly poorly) shows detailed research and a dedication to the character. Once again there are parallels with contemporary society and celebrity culture that highlight the film’s relevance.

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Dickens has been revered as an icon of English literature for over a century but his private life and relationship with his wife has been largely unexplored. The most touching and emotional scenes in the film are undoubtedly those shared between Dickens and his wife Catherine (Joanna Scanlan). As his relationship with Nelly grows his loveless marriage falls spectacularly apart and Dickens acts cruelly and unforgivably. Both Fiennes and Scanlan have spoken passionately about Dickens’ actions, but unfortunately the film’s depiction of them was a little tame. Two key moments stand out: when jewels intended for Nelly are wrongly sent to Catherine, Dickens forces his wife to personally deliver the gift to his lover; and completely to his wife’s surprise Dickens announces their separation in the national newspapers, citing it as amicable and mutual when it is nothing of the sort. These scenes could have been explosive, but instead fell a little flat and bellied the cruelty behind the facts. Catherine’s reaction to the announcement, however, is utterly heartbreaking, and Scanlan’s stoic and understated performance as Mrs. Dickens is simply astonishing.

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Nelly might be the invisible woman of the title – forgoing a life of her own in favour of a life hidden away as the mistress of a great author – but Catherine is equally transparent, ignored by her husband and eventually tossed aside. Scanlan praised the script for its feminist undertones, calling it a “monolithic feminist” writing. The invisibility experienced by the characters, however, could also be applied to the film itself. Despite including stand out performances from a host of outstanding actresses and being written and produced by women, The Invisible Woman is undoubtedly and frustratingly all about Fiennes. Marketing and advertising seem only to focus on Fiennes, and interview questions are always framed in the Fiennes context - what it was like to work with him, how he became attached, what were his methods etc. Having a huge star involved certainly helps films like this gain traction and support, but it’s an enormous shame that in the process the women involved have been pushed aside and are as invisible as the characters on screen.

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L-R: Abi Morgan (Screenwriter); Gabrielle Tana (Producer); Ralph Fiennes (Director, Charles Dickens); Claire Tomalin (Author); Joanna Scanlan (Catherine Dickens)

This is a confident second feature from Fiennes, and Morgan’s wonderfully penned script allows the complexity and suppression of the intense nonverbal relationship between Nelly and Dickens to be explored through carefully considered acting and stunning cinematography. The Invisible Woman is bathed by the glow of a Victorian oil lamp, showcasing the talent and diversity of some of Britain’s finest actresses whilst simultaneously exposing a vile and scandalous side to one of the world’s most beloved authors.

 ****

The Invisible Woman opens in cinemas Friday 7th February 2014