Fahrenheit 451

Authors: Matt
Location: Illinois

"Fahrenheit 451”

Directed By: Andrew Adamson
Written By: Andrew Adamson
Based on the Novel By: Ray Bradbury
Produced By: Peter Jackson and Stephen Spielberg
Original Score By: Howard Shore

Principal Cast:

Viggo Mortensen as Guy Montag
Gwyneth Paltrow as Mildred Montag
Daniel Day-Lewis as Captain Beatty
Michael Caine as Professor Faber
Natalie Portman as Clarisse McClellan
Morgan Freeman as Granger
Julia Roberts as Mrs. Phelps
Kathy Bates as Mrs. Bowles
Sissy Spacek as Old Woman

Tagline: "In a society where people don't read, don't think, and start fires instead of putting them out, who wouldn't want to escape?"

Synopsis: In a futuristic American city, a war is apparent. Guy Montag is a fireman of Fahrenheit 451. However, in this society, firemen start fires instead of putting them out. Guy and his fellow firemen burn books, which are outlawed. The people in this city do not think freely, enjoy nature, spend time alone, have meaningful conversations, or read. The citizens occupy their time by driving, watching Television on wall-sized sets, and listening to the radio. Montag's life is an ordinary one, when it comes to the standards of his culture, until a night when he meets Clarisse McClellan. Clarisse is a young woman, who opens Guy's eyes to the emptiness of his life by questioning love, nature, and friendship. Around the same time that Guy and Clarisse meet, a few disturbing experiences happen to Montag. Guy's wife, Mildred, attempted suicide by swallowing too many sleeping pills. The next day, an old woman is discovered to have been possessing books. When the firemen dowse her house in kerosene, the woman refuses to watch her books burn, and she strikes a match and burns herself along with her literature. Later that night, Guy was informed that his new acquaintance, Clarisse, had been hit by a speeding car. Guy Montag began to feel even more terrible about his life, and so, he took refuge in the books that he had hidden in an air-conditioning vent. Over the years, he had been collecting books from the fires that he had started. After Montag fails to show up for work, his chief, Captain Beatty, visits Guy at his home. Beatty is suspicious that Montag had taken a book from the old woman's house and says that he can have a day to try to find anything worth-reading in the books, and then he would have to turn them in to be burned. Mildred can not see why Guy would want to read in the first place. Guy's only support comes from Professor Faber, a retired English teacher, who Guy had met in a park a few years ago. The two form a bond and Faber helps Guy become more literate. The men later conspire to reprint books and disperse them through the community. One day, following a meeting with Faber, Guy enters his home to see his wife and her friends watching the Television, as usual. He reads the women a passage, and Mrs. Phelps becomes overwhelmed. She is reminded of her husband, who is currently at war. Mrs. Bowles is equally offended. Mildred gets angry with Guy, since he had disrespected her friends and their Television date. Then, Guy leaves his home feeling sick about the women's reaction. He travels to the fire station and hands in a book to Captain Beatty. A call comes in, and the men rush to their target to burn books. They end up in front of Montag's house. Mildred had called the department and turned Guy in for all of the books he had hidden. She gets into a taxi cab and fleas. Guy is left to defend himself. He has the choice of burning his house and books or dying. Montag doesn't think that either of those options is very appealing, and he fights back, eventually burning Beatty. The now fugitive runs and eventually escapes to a river. The river leads him away from the city and to a camp of outcasts, including a man named Granger. Granger and his followers are focused on keeping literature alive, and they plan on waiting until a chance for them to restart society, with books, free-thinking, and conversation. Within a few days, enemy fighter jets fly over the groups' heads and bomb the city. The time had come for Granger, Montag, and the others to rebuild a new society.

What the press would say:

Fahrenheit 451 is the best film of the year; it has a little bit of everything. Andrew Adamson, who struck gold with The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, outdoes himself. His adaptation of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is impeccable. The adapted screenplay is a perfect mixture of social satire and conversational drama. Adamson knew what characters were essential to the storyline, and which one he could leave out. This movie is ten times better than the classic novel, and is ten times better than any other film this year. Adamson is just as great at directing as he was at writing. Howard Shore releases another beautiful score. The performances in this film are the best that any of the actors have ever given. Viggo Mortensen, who was amazing in A History of Violence, gives another amazing performance as Guy Montag. He is believable as the man who is very confused with his thoughts and how they fit into society. Gwyneth Paltrow, coming off of Proof, is dazzling as Mildred. She is hardly recognizable as the sickly, often depressed, wife. Natalie Portman is a breath of fresh air. Her performance, in the earlier part of the film, is one that requires great range and skill. Portman is so memorable, and her presence and the ideas of her character fill the rest of the film with life. Daniel Day Lewis was the perfect choice to play Captain Beatty. He was amazing as a somewhat psychotic, and controlling, chief fireman. Day-Lewis's performance sticks in the viewers head, as his character sticks in Montag's head. Sissy Spacek gives her best performance since In the Bedroom, and it is only an appearance of about 10 minutes. Her scene, however, is one of the most emotional and tragic scenes in the film. Julia Roberts and Kathy Bates really capture the characters of what society was like in the city. Morgan Freeman is the man! He is amazing in his short amount of screen time, and delivers some of the best dialogue in the film. Without Freeman and his performance, the film and its meaning would not have been the same. All of these amazing performances, the great score, and the wonderful screenplay and direction make Fahrenheit 451 the best film of the year.

Memorable Quote: "The time has come" - Ganger, Morgan Freeman

Possible Oscar Nominations

Best Picture
Best Director: Andrew Adamson
Best Adapted Screenplay: Andrew Adamson
Best Original Score: Howard Shore
Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen
Best Actress: Gwyneth Paltrow
Best Supporting Actor: Morgan Freeman
Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis
Best Supporting Actress: Natalie Portman
Best Supporting Actress: Sissy Spacek