Iris (2001)
Iris (2001), directed by Richard Eyre, starring Kate Winslet and Judi Dench.
score
Her greatest talent was for life.
Synopsis
True story of the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from their student days through her battle with Alzheimer's disease.
- Roger PrattCinematography
- Richard EyreDirector, Screenplay
- Martin WalshEditing
- Robert FoxProducer
Iris Collection
The other films in the franchise, in release order. 2 films — TMDb has not added this title to the collection yet.
About the film
Iris is a 2001 biographical drama film about novelist Iris Murdoch and her relationship with her husband John Bayley. Directed by Richard Eyre from a screenplay he co-wrote with Charles Wood, the film is based on Bayley's 1999 memoir Elegy for Iris. Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent portray Murdoch and Bayley during the later stages of their marriage, while Kate Winslet and Hugh Bonneville appear as the couple in their younger years. The film contrasts the start of their relationship, when Murdoch was an outgoing, dominant individual compared to the timid and scholarly Bayley, and their later life, when Murdoch was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and tended to by a frustrated Bayley in their North Oxford home in Charlbury Road. The beach scenes were filmed at Southwold in Suffolk, one of Murdoch's favourite haunts.
The film had its world premiere in Los Angeles on 14 December 2001, followed by a theatrical release in the United Kingdom on 18 January 2002 and in the United States on 29 March. It grossed $16 million on a $5.5 million budget and received positive reviews, with praise towards the performances. For his role as Bayley, Broadbent won Best Supporting Actor at the 74th Academy Awards, with Dench (Best Actress) and Winslet (Best Supporting Actress) also receiving nominations.
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Iris is a 2001 biographical drama film about novelist Iris Murdoch and her relationship with her husband John Bayley. Directed by Richard Eyre from a screenplay he co-wrote with Charles Wood, the film is based on Bayley's 1999 memoir Elegy for Iris. Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent portray Murdoch and Bayley during the later stages of their marriage, while Kate Winslet and Hugh Bonneville appear as the couple in their younger years. The film contrasts the start of their relationship, when Murdoch was an outgoing, dominant individual compared to the timid and scholarly Bayley, and their later life, when Murdoch was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and tended to by a frustrated Bayley in their North Oxford home in Charlbury Road. The beach scenes were filmed at Southwold in Suffolk, one of Murdoch's favourite haunts.
The film had its world premiere in Los Angeles on 14 December 2001, followed by a theatrical release in the United Kingdom on 18 January 2002 and in the United States on 29 March. It grossed $16 million on a $5.5 million budget and received positive reviews, with praise towards the performances. For his role as Bayley, Broadbent won Best Supporting Actor at the 74th Academy Awards, with Dench (Best Actress) and Winslet (Best Supporting Actress) also receiving nominations.
Plot
When the young Iris Murdoch meets fellow student John Bayley at Somerville College, Oxford, he is a naive virgin easily flummoxed by her libertine spirit, arch personality, and obvious artistic talent. Decades later, little has changed and the couple keep house, with John doting on his more famous wife. When Iris begins experiencing forgetfulness and dementia, however, the devoted John struggles with hopelessness and frustration. He becomes her carer, as his wife's mind deteriorates from the ravages of Alzheimer's disease.
Cast
Reception
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 79% of 110 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The website's critical consensus states, "A solidly constructed drama, Iris is greatly elevated by the strength of its four lead performances." Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 76 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
Awards and nominations
References
Further reading
Kalpaklı, Fatma (December 2017). "Representation of Old Age and Pain in Iris". Journal of Narrative and Language Studies. 5 (9): 65–72. ISSN 2148-4066.
External links
Iris at IMDb
Iris at Box Office Mojo
Iris at Rotten Tomatoes
Iris at Metacritic
Iris at Literary Fiction, BellaOnline
Text from Iris (2001 film) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_(2001_film)
Trivia
- It cost US$ 5.5 million and grossed US$ 16 million in theaters — 2.9 times its budget.
- It premiered on December 14, 2001, a Friday.
- It runs 1h31 — a typical feature length.
- It won 2 award(s) and received 5 nomination(s) on record at Wikidata — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor among them.
- As of September 20, 2026, it is available in Brazil by subscription on Looke.
- This film's quiz has 13 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosMiramax, BBC Film, Intermedia Films, Mirage Enterprises, Robert Fox Productions, Scott Rudin Productions
- CountriesUnited Kingdom, United States
- LanguagesEnglish
- BudgetUS$ 5,500,000
- Box officeUS$ 16,153,953
- StatusReleased
More about this film
Awards
- Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor 2002
- Jameson People's Choice Award for Best Actress 2002
Nominations
- Academy Award for Best Actress 2002
- Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor 2002
- Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress 2002
- Jameson People's Choice Award for Best Actress 2002
- Jameson People's Choice Award for Best Actor 2002
Based on
- Elegy for Iris
Filming locations
- Pinewood Studios
Set in
- Ireland
Where to watch
Videos
Photos
Cast
-
Kate Winslet
Young Iris Murdoch -
Judi Dench
Iris Murdoch -
Jim Broadbent
John Bayley -
Hugh Bonneville
Young John Bayley -
Penelope Wilton
Janet Stone -
Samuel West
Young Maurice -
Timothy West
Older Maurice -
Kris Marshall
Dr. Gudgeon -
Juliet Aubrey
Young Janet Stone -
Derek Hutchinson
Postman -
Juliet Howland
Emma Stone -
Saira Todd
Phillida Stone -
Stephen Marcus
Taxi Driver -
Pauline McLynn
Maureen -
Eleanor Bron
Principal - Angela Morant Hostess
-
Siobhan Hayes
Check-Out Girl -
Joan Bakewell
BBC Presenter -
Nancy Carroll
BBC PA -
Tom Mannion
Neurologist
Quiz about this movie
Questions from the whole catalogue.
Play nowIf you liked this one
-
As Pontes de Madison
7.7
-
Diário de uma Paixão Drama from the 2000s
7.9
-
Como Eu Era Antes de Você
7.9
-
Ella e John
7.1
-
Para Sempre
7.2
-
Memórias de Um Amor
6.9
-
Doutor Jivago
7.6
-
Lady Chatterley's Lover
6.3
-
Tudo Por Amor
6.7
-
Nosso Amor de Ontem
7.0
-
Um Dia
7.4
-
Nossas Noites
6.7
Tags
Crew
- Roger Pratt Cinematography
- Richard Eyre Director
- Martin Walsh Editing
- Robert Fox Producer
- Scott Rudin Producer
- James Horner Original music
- Charles Wood Screenplay
- Richard Eyre Screenplay
Questions about this film
What is Iris about?
Iris: True story of the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from their student days through her battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Who directed Iris?
Iris was directed by Richard Eyre in 2001.
Who stars in Iris?
The cast of Iris includes Kate Winslet, Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Bonneville and Penelope Wilton.
How long is Iris?
Iris runs for 91 minutes, or 1h31.
How much did Iris cost and how much did it make?
Iris had a budget of US$ 5,500,000 and took US$ 16,153,953 at the box office — 2.9 times its cost.
Where can I watch Iris?
Iris is available on Looke, Looke Amazon Channel, Apple TV Store, Amazon Video and Google Play Movies. Availability changes often: the list on this page is the most recent we received.
What is Iris based on?
Iris is based on Elegy for Iris.
What awards did Iris win?
Iris has 2 recorded awards, among them Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and Jameson People's Choice Award for Best Actress.
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Page updated on 09/13/2026.
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