Eddie Redmayne plays Einar Wegener, a Danish landscape painter in 1920s Copenhagen, who poses for his wife’s portrait and discovers Lili. Tom Hooper directs The Danish Girl from Lucinda Coxon’s script, based on David Ebershoff’s 2000 novel and loosely inspired by the real Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. The film runs 119 minutes.
Trailer, via Universal Pictures UK.
Redmayne and Vikander Carry the Frame
The film’s engine is the marriage. Gerda (Alicia Vikander) is talented but unnoticed; a museum curator waves off her work. When a model runs late, she asks Einar to stand in. That single pose starts everything — the ball where Einar appears as Lili, the kiss with Henrik Sandahl (Ben Whishaw), the portraits of Lili that finally win the curator over.
Redmayne and Vikander earned the praise they got. Vikander won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Redmayne was nominated for Best Actor. The film also picked up nominations for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design at the 88th Academy Awards, and five BAFTA nominations including Best British Film.
A History That Doesn’t Hold
The trouble is the record. The Danish Girl drew criticism for its inaccurate portrayal of historical events, and the film never earns its way past that. It is a 2015 biographical romantic drama built on a 2000 novel, not on the life. The tagline — “Find the courage to be yourself” — is doing the work the script should.
The casting history shows how long this took:
- Nicole Kidman was attached to play Lili and produce through Blossom Films in 2008.
- Charlize Theron was slated for Gerda, replaced by Gwyneth Paltrow, who left over location changes.
- Rachel Weisz was reported for the role in 2011 before leaving the project.
- Tom Hooper and Redmayne were announced in April 2014.
What the Film Gets Right
The scenes between Redmayne and Vikander are the reason to watch. Gerda misreads the ball as a game; Lili tells her Henrik was kissing Lili, not Einar. Gerda sits at the table heartbroken while Lili turns back into Einar. That is the film’s real subject.
Sebastian Koch plays Warnekros, the doctor who matters most to the story’s second half. The supporting cast — Matthias Schoenaerts, Amber Heard, Pip Torrens — is solid without being asked for much.
A Portrait That Flatters Its Subject
The Danish Girl is a well-acted film about a marriage, and a weak film about a life. Redmayne and Vikander make the private scenes land. The history does not. The film opened in the US on 27 November 2015, 11 years ago, and in the UK on 1 January 2016.
The performances are worth the time. The rest is a portrait that flatters its subject.
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