RADIOACTIVE : Tuesday 10th November 2020.

'RADIOACTIVE' which I saw earlier in the week is an M Rated British biographical film Directed by Marjane Satrapi, the Iranian born French graphic novelist, cartoonist, illustrator, children's book author and film maker whose previous feature film outings take in 2007's 'Persepolis', 2011's 'Chicken with Plums' and 2014's 'The Voices'. This film is based on the 2010's graphic novel 'Radioactive : Marie & Pierre Curie - A Tale of Love and Fallout' by Lauren Redniss, and saw its World Premier screening as the Closing Night film at TIFF back in September 2019, before its scheduled release due in March this year, which was subsequently cancelled due to COVID-19 and released digitally in mid-June, and in cinemas around Australia a couple of weeks ago now. The film has garnered mixed or average Reviews so far and taken just over US$2.5M at the Box Office.

The film opens up with an ageing Marie Curie (Rosamund Pike) collapsing in her Paris laboratory in 1934. Her lab assistants come to her aid and she is rushed to hospital. While being stretchered in she remembers her life going back to 1893 when she was studying physics, chemistry and mathematics at the University of Paris, France. Gabriel Lippmann (Simon Russell Beale) presided over the faculty and held the purse strings and the head strong and outspoken Curie often collided with him over funding for her research, for the interference in her laboratory, and probably because she was female in very much a mans world. She is ousted from her laboratory by Lippmann and his panel of colleagues, and so is forced to find alternative accommodation and a place to conduct her experiments and research. 

One evening by chance she literally stumbles into Pierre Curie (Sam Riley). In time the pair develop a close relationship, after Pierre invites Marie to share his own laboratory space which she agrees to albeit reluctantly, saying that she prefers to work alone without the distraction of others, or sharing the fruits of her experiments. However, she soon relents and in time the couple are married, ultimately having two children - Irene (Indica Watson as the six year old, and then Anya Taylor-Joy as the grown woman) and Eve, the younger sister (Cara Bossom).

Soon afterwards Marie announces her discovery of two new elements - radium and polonium and with it radioactivity which completely revolutionises physics and chemistry. Within a couple of years radium, which glows bright green, is being used in a number of commercial applications from matches, to toothpaste and playing cards. Pierre even takes Marie to a seance (under the guise that it's science after all) where radium is used to attempt to contact the dead, but Marie disapproves of spiritualism and any notion of a life after this one following the death of her mother in Poland

In 1903 Pierre is nominated to receive the Nobel Prize for Physics in Stockholm, and insists that it be shared in joint names with his wife Marie. On the occasion of his visit to Stockholm just before he is about to make his acceptance speech he coughs up blood, having developed a hacking cough in the lead up to the ceremony which he has been unable to shake off. Upon returning home Marie has become agitated that he attended without her (she didn't want to go) and accepted the prize in his own right (which he did not), and the pair fight. Later having made up, Pierre is becoming increasingly sick with anaemia as a result of his ongoing research into radioactivity, and one night, in the rain, while crossing the busy Rue Dauphine he slips on the cobble stones and falls under a heavy horse drawn cart. He is killed outright instantly when one of the wheels runs over his head, fracturing his skull. It was the 19th April 1906 and Pierre was 46 years of age. 

Marie is devastated by the death of her Pierre. She originally dismissed the idea that her elements are toxic, even though ever increasing numbers of people were dying from serious health conditions after exposure to radium. Depressed, she begins an affair with her colleague Paul Langevin (Aneurin Barnard). She is subsequently invited by Lippmann to apply for Pierre's Professorship at the Sorbonne, and tells the gathered panel that she will not apply and that if they choose to give her the position she will gladly accept on the basis that her work speaks for itself and that this should be their key decision making factor. She gets the job needless to say and is the first female Professor at the University of Paris. At around the same time the French nationalist press reports on the details of her affair with Langevin, including personal and intimate letters sent between the two. She is harassed in the street and at home by xenophobic mobs due to her Polish origins, with the press taunting her as a Jewish home wrecker even though Langevin had been estranged from his wife during their affair. Langevin caves into the pressure and goes back to his wife ending his year long relationship with Marie.

In 1911 she is nominated to receive the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. She defies the Committee's instructions not to travel to Stockholm because of the bad press surrounding her affair, and is greeted enthusiastically by the local dignitaries and audience in attendance at the awards ceremony, many of whom are women. 

In 1914, with the outbreak of the World War, her daughter Irene convinces her to run X-Ray units from the back of ambulances on the Western Front in order to determine whether or not amputation is needed for wounded soldiers. Marie offers to fund the X-Ray diagnostic units by selling her gold Nobel Prize medals to the government, but they reject this notion and reluctantly agree to put up the funding following a very persuasive argument. 

Irene begins dating Frederic Joliot (Edward Davis), but Marie disapproves of their relationship because they have been researching artificial radioactivity and warns Irene not to see him or research radioactivity anymore because it is so life threateningly dangerous. Although she refuses to obey her, they go to the Western Front together to run the X-Ray machine.

Throughout the film we see scenes of the negative impact of her discoveries upon humanity. First off there is the dropping of the two Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 effectively ending WWII, then there is experimental external beam radiotherapy on a young lad in a hospital in Cleveland in 1956, then a nuclear bomb test in the Nevada desert in 1961, and finally the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster. Fast forwarding to 1934 we see Marie in hospital coming round with visions of her cradled in her dying mothers arms in Poland as a young child, and the events played out in flash-forwards to those negative impacts. Pierre arrives to collect her and they leave the hospital together. She died on 4th July 1934 from aplastic anaemia from exposure to radiation in the course of her scientific research and in the course of her radiological work at field hospitals during WWI. She was 66 years of age. 

As the closing credits roll, we learn that the Curies' X-Ray unit saved over a million lives during the war, that their research would be used to create radiotherapy, and that the Joliot-Curies would discover artificial radioactivity in 1935 for which they would both receive the Nobel Prize for Chemistry that year. 

Having read the very mixed Reviews of 'Radioactive', I went into my local multiplex with my expectations set none too highly. That said, I was pleasantly surprised when the final credits rolled. Rosamund Pike gives a compelling performance as Marie Curie with her staunchly opinionated view of the world, her ahead of her time feminist beliefs and her outspoken fearless and highly educated manner with just about anyone and everyone. Sam Riley is equally on fine form here as the foil to Pike's Marie - as the put upon scientist who cannot believe he's bagged a woman more intelligent, more educated and perhaps more committed to science than he is, and is prepared to stand up for what she believes in. Whilst Marjane Satrapi has crafted a film that looks great and on the surface does contain many elements that played out in the real lives of the Curie's, there are some obvious moments of poetic license and dramatic effect that dilute the impact of the film and relegate it from what it truly could have been to what it simply is. In the final analysis the film serves as an important reminder of what a great scientist Marie Curie was, and how the influence of her groundbreaking work still radiates to this day. 

'Radioactive' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

    

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 7th - 13th January 2018.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Sam Riley does on 8th January - check out my tribute to this Actor and Singer Birthday Lad turning 38, at the end of this feature.

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or have an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 7th January

• Linda Kozlowski - Born 1958, turns 60 - Actress  
• David Caruso - Born 1956, turns 62 - Actor | Producer
• Nicolas Cage - Born 1964, turns 54 - Actor | Producer
• Irrfan Khan - Born 1967, turns 51 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Jeremy Renner - Born 1971, turns 47 - Actor | Producer | Singer | Songwriter

Monday 8th January

• John McTiernan - Born 1951, turns 67 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Sam Riley - Born 1980, turns 38 - Actor | Singer

Tuesday 9th January

• J.K.Simmons - Born 1955, turns 63 - Actor
• Imelda Staunton - Born 1956, turns 62 - Actress
• Joely Richardson - Born 1965, turns 53 - Actress 

Wednesday 10th January

• Fran Walsh - Born 1959, turns 59 - Producer | Writer | Songwriter
• Walter Hill - Born 1942, turns 76 - Director | Producer | Writer 
• Jemaine Clement - Born 1974, turns 44 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director | Singer | Songwriter | Musician

Thursday 11th January

• Jason Connery - Born 1963, turns 55 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Amanda Peet - Born 1972, turns 46 - Actress

Friday 12th January

• Kirstie Alley - Born 1951, turns 67 - Actress | Producer | Writer
• Anthony Andrews - Born 1948, turns 70 - Actor | Producer
• John Lasseter - Born 1957, turns 61 - Producer | Director | Writer | Animator | Voice Actor
• Oliver Platt - Born 1960, turns 58 - Actor
• Rob Zombie (aka Robert Bartleh Cummings) - Born 1965, turns 53 - Producer | Director | Writer | Actor | Singer | Songwriter | Composer 
• Aaron Seltzer - Born 1974, turns 44 - Director | Writer | Producer | Songwriter

Saturday 13th January

• William B. Davis - Born 1938, turns 80 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Editor
• Bill Bailey - Born 1965, turns 53 - Writer | Actor | Television Personality | Singer | Composer
• Patrick Dempsey - Born 1966, turns 52 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Michael Pena - Born 1976, turns 42 - Actor | Producer
• Orlando Bloom - Born 1977, turns 41 - Actor | Producer
• Liam Hemsworth - Born 1990, turns 28 - Actor
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Born 1961, turns 57 - Actress | Producer | Singer  

Samuel Peter Riley was born in the village of Menston, West Yorkshire, England, UK to mother Amanda, a nursery school teacher, and father Andrew Riley a textile agent. He attended the co-ed independent preparatory Malsis School, in Crosshills in North Yorkshire (which has subsequently closed), and then the co-ed independent secondary Uppingham School, in Uppingham, Rutland. He played with the National Youth Theatre for a time, and then for a few years in the early 2000's, Riley was the frontman for Leeds based band '10,000 Things' with whom he enjoyed some success, releasing their first single on an independent record label in 2002. From there the band signed up with Polydor for a self-titled album, before disbanding in 2005. Riley's brother George, played bass with the band. 

In 2002 Riley secured his small screen debut in a couple of made for television films - 'Tough Love' with Ray Winstone and Adrian Dunbar, and then 'Lenny Blue'. It would be five years before another screen appearance, with the short 30 minute made for television comedy movie 'Sound' in 2007. His breakout role came later that year, in the Anton Corbijn Directed musical biographical drama charting the early rise and untimely death of Ian Curtis (as played by Riley) the enigmatic singer of post-punk band Joy Division in 'Control'. The film was critically acclaimed picking up 31 award wins and another 34 nominations, including several wins and nods for Riley's convincing performance as the troubled lead singer who committed suicide at the age of just 23.

Next up in 2008 was the Sci-Fi fantasy drama offering 'Franklyn' with Eva Green, Ryan Phillippe, Bernard Hill, Art Malik and Susannah York seeing out the decade. 2010 launched with '13' with Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke and Ray Winstone and then that same year the remake of the classic 'Brighton Rock' based on the Graham Greene novel of the same name released in 1938 and first made into a feature film in 1948 with David Attenborough and William Hartnell. Directed by Rowan Joffe this crime thriller '60's set period piece also starred Helen Mirren, John Hurt, Andy Serkis, Andrea Riseborough and Phil Davis.

German comedy 'Woman in Love' came next in 2011 in which Riley was cast alongside his wife of then two years Alexandra Maria Lara, followed by 'On The Road' in 2012, Directed by Walter Salles based on the book by Jack Kerouac and starring Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Amy Adams, Elisabeth Moss, Kirsten Dunst and Viggo Mortensen. Neil Jordan's Directed fantasy horror drama 'Byzantium' with Saoirse Ronan , Gemma Arterton and Caleb Landry Jones was also released in 2012.

The Austrian/German Co-Produced mystery Western 'The Dark Valley' came next in 2014 picking up 26 award wins and five other nominations from around the mostly European circuit, with the Disney Studios live action dark fantasy spin on the tale of Sleeping Beauty with 'Maleficent' also starring Angelina Jolie in the title role, with Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Brenton Thwaites. The film grossed US$759M from its circa US$220M budget outlay, and a sequel is in the works apparently with Jolie set to reprise her role. 2015 saw the British/French/Belgian Co-Produced WWII romantic drama film 'Suite Francaise' with Michelle Williams, Kristen Scott Thomas, Ruth Wilson, Margot Robbie, Matthias Schoenaerts and Riley's wife, Alexandra Maria Lara once again. The film generated largely positive press, but failed to make back less than half of its production budget in Box Office Receipts, which closed at just over US$9M.

The 'romantic' action horror offering 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' followed up in 2016 with Lily James, Charles Dance, Matt Smith, Lena Headey and Jack Huston. That same year Riley lent his voice talents, together with John Boyega, to the children's animated series 'Tinkershrimp & Dutch' which has so far had a very limited run of just five episodes of five minutes each. Ben Wheatley's Boston set 1978 shoot 'em up film 'Free Fire' with Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley, Cillian Murphy, Noah Taylor, Jack Reynor, Patrick Bergin and Brie Larson was released in 2107 as was the German produced childrens adventure comedy 'Robbi, Tobbi und das Filewatuut' which also starred Riley's wife once more Alexandra Maria Lara.

Bringing us up to date is the television mini-series 'SS-GB' in which Riley stars in all five episodes of the first season so far as Douglas Archer, a British homicide detective investigating a murder in a German-occupied England in a parallel universe where the Nazis won World War II. Also starring James Cosmo, Kate Bosworth and Jason Flemyng. Currently in post-production is 'Triple Word Score' a drama about a missing son, and the fathers love of the 'Scrabble' word game that leads him on a hunt for an online opponent in the game, that just may be that missing son. Also starring Bull Nighy, Jenny Agutter and Tim McInnerny.

All up Riley has nineteen Acting credits to his name. He has so far garnered seven award wins and ten further nominations, the most of which were for his role in 'Control'. He was nominated for the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2008 too. In 2009 he married German Actress Alexandra Maria Lara and together they have a son, Ben, born in early 2014. Aside from his acting and early singing career, Riley has also carved out a place in modelling, having successfully modelled for British fashion house 'Burberry' in 2008, in 2014 for 'Ermenegildo Zegna' and in 2015 he was named as one of the Top 50 Best Dressed Men in Britain by GQ magazine.

Sam Riley - has worked across just about all genres including fantasy, horror, biographical, comedy, crime, Western, historical, musical, animation and foreign language; appears to be quite choosy about his roles and his output; is nonetheless in demand but prefers to be out of the spotlight living in relative safety and isolation in Germany. Keep up the good, albeit selective, work Sam and we'll keep watching. Happy Birthday to you, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-