The Imitation Game

The Imitation Game is a perfect example of the power of film. The medium has the ability to communicate universally and therefore allows for certain stories that, by necessity, must be brought to public attention. The moving story of Alan Turing is one that the world, especially Britain, needs to hear.

One of our most beloved British actors Benedict Cumberbatch plays the socially awkward, closeted homosexual mathematical genius with such blatant respect, portraying a lovable character aided by great comic timing, highlighting the character’s humanity beautifully through to the end until the conclusive typed words on the screen appear. Such a technique could be seen as tired and clichéd, but has in fact become one of the most powerful and important aspects of the truth-inspired history genre. The disturbing facts and disheartening figures presented there in white, aptly like the inescapable ghosts of our history, plunge a reminder to its audience of the atrocities our country inflicted on gay men, and women, in the past.

Keira Knightley plays the stifled female genius Joan Clarke who is shadowed and cast aside by those in authority, her talent only recognised by her male friends, ignored by her conservative parents and the rest of the men in her life. She is forced into the official, patriarchal (and in this period of history these words were interchangeable) role of a woman, while living a secret life of equal genius through the assistance and encouragement of Turing.

These characters represent the oppressed in our history, but this film is not simply to remind and demand repent for our archaism, instead its purpose is to reveal our strength in modernism. It contains the patriotic pride of the genius and capability of one of our own, the strength and importance of intelligence. It also acts as a broad message about being different and reminds us to remember and carry with us our mistakes to avoid repeat.

The Imitation Game sends an inspired message about acceptance and reminds us that greatness can come from anywhere.

Cassia Morrice

The Imitation Game is released nationwide on 21^st November 2014.

Watch the trailer for The Imitation Game here: