David Lean
Alamy
movies
David Lean Documentary Set To Premiere At Cannes Film Festival
David Lean could shoot a landscape like no one else – in India, in Ceylon, in Jordan – filling the screen with stunning imagery.
“I like spectacle,” he once told an interviewer.
But he could also capture the landscape of the human face: Peter O’Toole’s crystal blue eyes against an azure sky; the dark eyes and chiseled jawline of Omar Sharif, the dreamy beauty of Julie Christie, even the less glamorous but equally transfixing visages of Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson.
Lean’s supreme cinematic gifts, expressed on both a grand and intimate scale, come into focus in the documentary Maverick: The Epic Adventures of David Lean, directed by Barnaby Thompson. It premieres Sunday, May 17 at the Cannes Film Festival in the official Cannes Classics section.
“Lean did so much to introduce the grammar of modern filmmaking,” observes Thompson. “His films are so representative of what we think about when we think about the big cinema experience.”
The film tracks Lean’s remarkable progress to the peak of the medium – an extremely unlikely ascent for multiple reasons. As Thompson reveals, Lean grew up Quaker and was forbidden from seeing movies, which were considered wicked. He was dyslexic, a condition not well understood at that time, leading his parents to gravely underestimate his talents and consider him a dunce. Thompson gained access to Lean’s private papers and found a letter Lean’s father wrote to him in his youth, telling his son, “You’re not very good.” It was signed, “Much love, dad.”
With reading a challenge, Lean gravitated towards visual images, first in photography and then as a motion picture editor, including on some of the films of Powell and Pressburger in the early 1940s. He became the UK’s most sought-after film cutter, earning a comfortable living at that métier. It was Noel Coward, the playwright and wit, who urged Lean to take on directing, first in an adaptation of Coward’s Blithe Spirit. Thompson, who directed a 2023 documentary on Coward, explores the pivotal relationship in Lean’s evolution.
Working on Mad About the Boy: The Noel Coward Story, Thompson says, “I hadn’t realized how involved they were because they seemed like two such different people in a way.” Thompson was drawn to the unexpected, even contradictory character of their individual trajectories.
Director Barnaby Thompson
Courtesy of Barnaby Thompson
“With Noel Coward, I always assumed he came from a good family and probably went to Oxford or Cambridge. The moment you find out actually he came from a poor family and left school when he’s 10 – wow,” the director observes. “And with Lean, it was finding out that he grew up a Quaker and so he wasn’t allowed to go to the movies. And he was a guy who made some of the most romantic films in the world but never found lasting happiness himself. He was married six times. Suddenly, ‘Ooh, that’s interesting.’ And then you start digging deeper. So much of these films is really about the person and about the human. Obviously, there’s the work and all that, which is important. But the thing I think gives the films their kind of heart is if you care about the person and that they’ve got an interesting story.”
L-R Omar Sharif and Julie Christie in ‘Doctor Zhivago’; Peter O’Toole in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’
Everett Collection
Maverick: The Epic Adventures of David Lean includes interviews with a remarkable cast of fellow filmmakers who analyze Lean’s brilliance and seminal role in motion picture history, among them Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Wes Anderson, Celine Song (Past Lives), Brady Corbet (The Brutalist), Steven Soderbergh, Denis Villeneuve, Joe Wright, Alfonso Cuarón, and Nia DaCosta (Hedda).
“I made an effort to get a cross-section of filmmakers from lots of different ages and backgrounds,” Thompson notes. “I was very heartened in a way that filmmakers like Nia DaCosta, who saw Lawrence of Arabia on video, never seen it on the big screen, was still captured by it… Brady Corbet makes the point — I always think about 70 millimeter being spectacular for huge landscapes — but he’s making the point that it also does something to the human face.”
Sarah Miles and director David Lean on location in the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland, shooting ‘Ryan’s Daughter,’ 1970.
Everett Collection
Lean shot both Lawrence of Arabia and Ryan’s Daughter on 70mm (producers nixed his plan to shoot what became his final film, A Passage to India, on that format). Ryan’s Daughter, a period piece starring Robert Mitchum and Sarah Miles, proved a watershed for Lean, in the worst possible way. Critics, from the New Yorker’s Pauline Kael to Time’s Richard Schickel, loathed the romantic drama. The harsh critical reception devastated Lean, and he didn’t direct anything for 14 years. Thompson believes the spurning of that film connected with something elemental in Lean.
“He never got over that feeling of inferiority,” he suggests. “And so obviously, classically, when he was given that dressing down by the critics on Ryan’s Daughter, I think it was almost like he came away feeling like, ‘My father was right, I am worthless.’ …Now, dyslexia and things like that get recognized, but then it was just like, ‘You’re stupid.’ And I think there’s no doubt that that drove him in lots of different ways all through his life.”
Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson in ‘Brief Encounter,’ 1945
Everett Collection
This year marks the 80th anniversary of Brief Encounter — the Lean film starring Trevor Howard and Celia Howard — screening in Cannes, and the 60th anniversary of the Lean classic, Dr. Zhivago, coming to the Croisette. Thompson has his own longstanding experience with Cannes.
“I was there with Cate [Blanchett],” he says of the actress, who narrates Maverick: The Epic Adventures of David Lean. “We were there with An Ideal Husband and An Ideal Husband was the closing night film in 1999. Cannes means everything to me. It’s the festival that I think stands for cinema in the biggest way. And so, to be launching the film about the guy who is cinema, in the home of cinema, it couldn’t be more perfect.”
>
Continue Reading
SPOILER ALERT! This post contains details from Tuesday night’s episode of Dancing with the Stars.
It’s another exciting night in the ballroom as 13 contestants are still eyeing the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy during Week 3 of Dancing with the Stars.
Last week, the judges reinforced just how tough they are going to be this season, once again declining to score anyone above a 7. Still, three couples — Jenna and Val, Ezra and Daniella, and Amber and Pasha — walked away tied for the top of the leaderboard with 21 points. We also said goodbye to Alan Bersten and chef Giada De Laurentiis.
Week 3 is Yacht Rock night, so the remaining couples are performing to hits from artists including Fleetwood Mac, The Doobie Brothers, and Luther Vandross.
Here is how the night went.
Olympian Amber Glenn with Pasha Pashkov danced a Foxtrot to “Hold the Line” by Toto. SCORE: 24
Actress Julia Stiles with Ezra Sosa danced a salsa to “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” by Daryl Hall & John Oates. SCORE: 19
Late-night sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez with Whitney Carson danced a Foxtrot to “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes. SCORE: 15
Actress Tatyana Ali with Jan Ravnik performed a Quickstep to “Maneater” by Daryl Hall & John Oates. SCORE: 21
Actor Harry Shum Jr. with Jenna Johnson performed a jive to “You Make My Dreams Come True” by Daryl Hall & John Oates. SCORE: 24
Musician Taylor Hanson with Britt Stewart danced a Foxtrot to “What a Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers. SCORE: 18
Reality star Maura Higgins with Mark Ballas danced a Quickstep to “Turn Your Love Around” by George Benson. SCORE: 22
Reality star Ciara Miller with Brandon Armstrong performed a Cha Cha to “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross. SCORE: 18
Savannah Bananas midfielder Jackson Olson with Emma Slater performed a paso doble to “Easy Lover” by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins. SCORE: 18
Comedian and podcaster Connor Wood with Rylee Arnold danced a Foxtrot to “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac. SCORE: 20
Actress Jenna Dewan with Val Chmerkovskiy danced a samba to “Africa” by Toto. SCORE: 21
Reality star Tyler Cameron with Sharna Burgess danced a jive to “Still the One” by Orleans. SCORE: 17
Paralympian Ezra Frech with Daniella Karagach danced a Foxtrot to “Just the Two of Us” by Grover Washington Jr. featuring Bill Withers. SCORE: 21
Who goes home?
The competition is now down to 12 as Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart were sent home. Next week is all about Mariah Carey, so the couples will perform a variety of the pop superstar’s biggest hits.
>
Another hockey book adaptation has entered the chat.
Netflix is currently building out its cast for the series adaptation of Hannah Grace’s Icebreaker book that kicks off the Maple Hill series. This in addition to their show The Sticks that is also currently in the works.
For everything we know about Netflix’s Icebreaker book adaptation so far, read on.
When will Netflix’s Icebreaker series adaptation come out?
A release date has not yet been set. The show has begun to assemble its cast.
Who will lead the Icebreaker show at Netflix?
Daisy Jelley (Poser, How To Have Sex) will portray Anastasia “Stassie” Allen, and Connor Simos (Subversion) will portray Nate Hawkins in the college hockey drama series.
Who else is in the cast of Netflix’s Icebreaker adaptation?
Gabriel Tierney (Rivals, Enola Holmes 2), Auliʻi Cravalho (Moana), newcomer and professional athlete Peter Berry, Chaneil Kular (Best of the Best, Sex Education), Devin Craig (Sex Lives of College Girls, Maize) and Aidan Shaw (We Were Liars, Heated Rivalry, Finding Her Edge) have joined the ensemble cast.
Tierney will play Aaron; Cravalho will portray Lola; Berry is Robbie; Kular will play JJ; Craig will portray Henry and Shaw is Russ.
What is Hannah Grace’s Icebreaker book about?
Stassie is a transfer athlete gunning for Olympic gold. Nate is the campus star chasing the NHL. When an accident forces their teams to share one rink, Anastasia Allen and Nate Hawkins collide—and discipline gives way to obsession, because the only thing more dangerous than wanting to win is wanting each other.
Who else is behind Netflix’s Icebreaker series?
Jade Halley Bartlett (Road House, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Miller’s Girl) created and executive produced the series. Amanda Lasher (Gossip Girl, The Bold Type, Togetherness) serves as showrunner, writer and excutive producer. Grace also executive produces along with Alex Cooper, Matt Kaplan and Mina Lefevre for Cooper’s Unwell Productions.
>
One of the biggest executive questions about Paramount following its pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery — who will lead streaming — may have been answered.
Cindy Holland is leaving Paramount where she was Chairman of Direct-To-Consumer since the Skydance-Paramount merger having served as an advisor to Skydance CEO David Ellison prior to that. She announced her departure in a company memo, which you can read below.
The move leaves HBO’s Casey Bloys as the likely streaming head of the combined Paramount-WBD.
“Cindy is one of the most exceptional executives in our industry — a force of nature whose impact on Paramount over the past year has been significant,” Paramount CEO David Ellison said. “Under her leadership, P+ reached new heights, Pluto TV underwent its most significant transformation in a decade, and we strengthened our content and sports portfolio – all while the business exceeded the ambitious goals we set. Just as importantly, she built an exceptional team and a strong foundation for the future. Cindy has been a trusted partner to me and so many others, and I couldn’t be more grateful for her leadership, her relentless drive and everything she’s done for our company.”
Here is Holland’s memo:
When I joined David’s team in January 2025, we proceeded to set three goals: i) advise on the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition, ii) integrate and transform Paramount+ & revive Pluto TV, and iii) build an unparalleled team in this industry. In just over 12 months, I’m proud to say we accomplished all three and it’s been a joy to work closely with all of you.
Together with the Product team, we drove significant strategic and organizational change across DTC — building a new foundation for growth on both services, while investing in greater depth and breadth of programming and delivering strong revenue, profit, and subscriber growth for the division.
As David readies for the next phase of his vision, we’ve discussed my role and the future of the combined businesses. David is optimizing for HBO stability as we move into this next chapter, and I fully support that. I know this team has the leadership and expertise to manage through the transition and the next phase of the company, and to this end today will mark my last day here.
As I reflect on my time here and all that we’ve built together in this short time, what stands out most to me is this team. I have never been more proud of a group of people. What we’ve accomplished together is remarkable — landing quarter after quarter while navigating extraordinary uncertainty and change with resilience, focus and ambition. We grew Paramount+ to an all-time subscriber high, delivered the best retention in the service’s history, and drove double-digit growth in both engagement and revenue. We built an extraordinary content pipeline, greenlighting more than 40 new and returning series and setting all-time records with Landman, the most-watched series in Paramount+ history, and Dutton Ranch, the service’s biggest original series debut ever. We transformed live sports into a powerful streaming growth engine, securing landmark agreements with UFC and Zuffa Boxing and expanding our WNBA and UEFA Champions League rights – with UFC Freedom 250 becoming the largest-ever audience for an exclusive live event on Paramount+ and UFC 329 setting a new platform record for peak concurrent streams for an exclusive live event. And we undertook Pluto TV’s biggest product transformation in a decade, dramatically increasing registered viewing and VOD consumption while delivering strong financial performance across the business. These are extraordinary accomplishments – but what makes me proudest is how we achieved them: together, with an unwavering commitment to our audiences, our creative partners and one another.
I joined Paramount because I believe in these businesses, and because I believe wholeheartedly that the combination of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery serves the best interests of artists and audiences worldwide. I’m looking forward to seeing what you all accomplish together in this next, momentous chapter.
Cindy
>
Sports54 seconds ago
Why Caitlin Clark was at the center of a Hawks-Hawkeyes mix-up during Senate argument
Sports8 minutes ago
USMNT beats Chile in fiery friendly; Julian Hall's stock rises, but U.S. weaknesses stay glaring
movies11 minutes ago
‘Dancing With The Stars’ Season 35, Week 3 Recap: Who Goes Home?
-
movies4 months agoSearch For Canadian TV Actor Stewart McLean Now Homicide Investigation
-
Fashion9 years agoThese ’90s fashion trends are making a comeback in 2017
-
Fashion9 years ago
According to Dior Couture, this taboo fashion accessory is back
-
Fashion9 years ago
Model Jocelyn Chew’s Instagram is the best vacation you’ve ever had
-
Fashion9 years ago
Emily Ratajkowski channels back-to-school style
-
Fashion9 years ago
9 Celebrities who have spoken out about being photoshopped
-
Anime4 months agoRurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc Manga Takes 1-Issue Break – News
-
Anime3 months agoHIDIVE to Stream English Dubs for The World Is Dancing, The Forsaken Saintess and Her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, The Dangers in My Heart: The Movie Anime – News