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Baby Cow Productions
BBC Film
Not part of a collection.
Because everyone loves an accurate period piece.
Steve Coogan, an arrogant actor with low self-esteem and a complicated love life, is playing the eponymous role in an adaptation of "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" being filmed at a stately home. He constantly spars with actor Rob Brydon, who is playing Uncle Toby and believes his role to be of equal importance to Coogan's.
CinemaSerf
Jun 2, 2024 · via TMDB
This isn't really a film about a story with a beginning, middle or, even, an end. It's more a film about a book being turned into a film, and about how that all pans out with the actors in and out of character throughout. It's Steve Coogan who takes on the title role in a film about a landed character from Georgian England who is determined to make his mark by writing a novel about himself. Thing is, his life is just too rich and varied. He is just so interesting that he can't fit everything it... Meantime, the production crew are facing all of the issues in trying to make the film, reconcile the ambitions and peccadilloes of the cast, the writers, visiting family, bits on the side and a particularly Darwinian sort of special effect. Jeremy Northam features sparingly as real-life director Peter Winterbottom (who always looked so completely fed up when doing publicity for this) and the story flows at it's most naturally when it's just him, Coogan, Ian Hart and the man vying for (alphabetically) top billing - Rob Brydon. It's when they decide that one of the characters - the "Widow Wadman" needs to be written back in, and they discover madam "X-files" herself (Gillian Anderson) is going to come and play the part, that Brydon gets all excitable and the film starts to become a little bit too much like a farce. Still, it's an enjoyable introspective on actors, writers, directors - throughout the ages, offering us ninety minutes of characterful fun, babies screeching and copious vodka and tonics.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Steve Coogan
Tristram Shandy / Walter Shandy / Steve Coogan
Rob Brydon
Toby Shandy / Rob Brydon
Keeley Hawes
Elizabeth Shandy / Keeley Hawes
Shirley Henderson
Susannah / Shirley Henderson
Raymond Waring
Trim
Paul Kynman
Obadiah
Mark Tandy
London Doctor
Dylan Moran
Dr. Slop
Jack Shepherd
Surgeon
David Walliams
Parson
Jeremy Northam
Mark
Benedict Wong
Ed
Naomie Harris
Jennie
Claire Keelan
Make-Up Assistant
Kelly Macdonald
Jenny
Mark Hadfield
Leo
Elizabeth Berrington
Debbie
Mark Williams
Ingoldsby
Tony Wilson
Tony Wilson
Justine Mitchell
Tony's Director
Kieran O'Brien
Gary
Roger Allam
Adrian
Ashley Jensen
Lindsey
James Fleet
Simon
Ian Hart
Joe
Ronni Ancona
Anita
Greg Wise
Greg
Paul Rider
Prop Guy
Stephen Fry
Patrick Curator / Parson Yorick
Sara Stewart
Joanna
Gillian Anderson
Widow Wadman / Gillian Anderson
Rosie Cavaliero
Rachel
Mary Healey
Midwife
Marcel Zyskind
Director of Photography
Charlotte Walter
Costume Design
Claire Keelan
Makeup & Hair Assistant
Michael Winterbottom
Director
David M. Thompson
Executive Producer
Henry Normal
Executive Producer
Andrew Eaton
Producer
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Writer
We Don't Have a Budget
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Seven Dorms of Death
2015
Preview
1982
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
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Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
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