Never Let Me Go (2010 Film) Mark Romanek

Development

Alex Garland, a long-time friend of Ishiguro, asked the author for the rights to the novel before he had finished reading it.[7] Before the novel was published in 2005, Garland had already written a script for a possible film. He gave the screenplay to two producers, Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich, and development started at that moment. "We are delighted to be shooting this special project, which Alex Garland first brought to us before the book's publication in 2005."[8] The script for the film was 96 pages long, and divided into chapters.[9] Director Mark Romanek was originally attached to The Wolfman, but when he was dropped from that production for an unknown reason, he accepted the offer to work on Never Let Me Go.[10] The movie was made into a dystopian drama.[11] Romanek was glad to get the opportunity to shoot this film: "From the moment I finished [reading] the novel, it became my dream to film it. Ishiguro's conception is so daring, so eerie and beautiful. Alex Garland's adaptation is sensitive and precise. The cast is perfect, the crew superb."[8] The Seattle Times observed that the project was "something of a departure" for the novelist, noting that it merges Ishiguro's signature "elegant prose with a decidedly science-fiction theme".[12]

I toyed around with filming some futuristic buildings and stuff, but it never felt right. I wanted to make a love story."

— Mark Romanek,[7] in September 2010

Garland, who has explored science fiction themes in his previous work, was a sounding board for ideas for the novel and an early reader of the book. Ishiguro stated that, despite Garland's screenwriting skills and previous experience with film, they did not discuss the idea of a film until after the novel was complete.[12] "I try not to think about things like that when writing a novel—in fact, quite the reverse", he stated. He said that he attempts to "go for something... very interior, following thoughts and memories, something that I think is difficult to do on the screen, which is essentially a third-person medium."[12] Thus he was surprised when Garland, after reading a complete version of the book, said he would like to try to adapt it. Ishiguro recalled that Garland wrote a draft very quickly and immediately asked for his opinion "as a first go".[12] Ishiguro was very satisfied with Garland's screenplay—which was changed very little from its initial draft to the filmed version—and with the final film. When asked to compare the experience with that of The Remains of the Day, he acknowledged that both were more hands-on with this film.[12] Romanek said that he did not make Never Let Me Go a science fiction film; rather, he was presenting a love story with fictional science context mixed in. He described the film as telling a "love story where the science fiction is this subtle patina on the story." The filmmaker explained that had they done the film with "science fiction-y things", it would have been more openly, with props such as futuristic structures and devices.[3]

Casting

Carey Mulligan plays the narrator, Kathy, an introverted, observant character who projects both innocence and knowingness, and who over the course of the story develops from a passionate, optimistic child to a wise and accepting young woman.[13] Prior to her casting, Mulligan had already read the novel a few times, considering it a favourite.[14][15] She recalled that from when she first read the book three years ago she had wanted to play Kathy.[9] The young actress said that she could not "bear the idea of anyone else" portraying Kathy, although she acknowledged that she thought other people would be able to do a better performance.[15] She was certain that someone would make a film adaptation of the novel and had hoped that they would wait until she would be old enough to play the character. Romanek told The Los Angeles Times that he originally was having difficulty finding the right actress to play Kathy; a tight filming deadline loomed prior to Mulligan's casting.[13] Peter Rice, the head of Fox Searchlight (the company financing the film) was watching An Education at the Sundance Film Festival in January. He wrote Romanek a four-word text message: "Hire the genius Mulligan."[13] When later asked why the message was so abrupt, he explained that he was still in the middle of viewing the film. Rice exhibited what was described as a "rare foresight" in greenlighting a film with an almost unknown lead actress. "He just knew that she was it", said Romanek.[13]

Andrew Garfield was cast as Tommy, a well-meaning, rather dim young person who struggles to find a place in an environment which values imagination and creativity above all. He said of his character, "There's a sense of anxiety that runs through these kids, especially Tommy, because he's so sensory and feeling and animalistic, that's my perspective of him."[15] Garfield was attracted to the film based on its existential questions.[15] He called the experience of being a part of Never Let Me Go a "dream come true".[16] Garfield enjoys an opportunity to let loose with his roles. He said the scenes in which his character—unable to contain his frustration—erupts with a wail, was "intense" for him. "I think those screams are inside all of us, I just got a chance to let mine out".[4] Before shooting the film, he had read the screenplay and the book.[16] In March 2009 Daily Variety reported that Knightley was signed to the project.[17] Knightley admitted that she only agreed to appear in Never Let Me Go because her friend Mulligan had asked her to.[18] She portrays Ruth, a zealous, ambitious character who behaves manipulatively out of inner insecurity. When asked what she did and did not have in common with her character, Knightley said she was unable to relate to Ruth's situation of being involved in a love triangle.[5]

The three lead characters do not have last names because "they are not normal people".[19] Romanek believed that the three main characters act with great dignity. He noted that they are not materialistic or looking for power, but just desire to acknowledge their love for each other and stay close in their friendship.[3] He cited how Ruth tries to seek redemption by attempting to set right a big mistake she had made. What he found the most moving aspect of the film was the "graceful place of acceptance that Kathy comes to at the end".[3] Child actors Isobel Meikle-Small, Ella Purnell and Charlie Rowe play the younger versions of the story's lead actors.[20] Sally Hawkins, who co-starred with Mulligan in An Education, had a supporting role as Miss Lucy, a teacher at an isolated English boarding school where the students slowly become aware that they are feared by people in the outside world.[21] Charlotte Rampling portrays Miss Emily, a schoolmaster who presides over the orphanage at Hailsham.[22] Richard was cast as the administrator, known as Madame, who is conducting a project to analyse the students' characters and psychologies, which has been compared to treating them as if they were subjects in an experiment.[23] Riseborough's casting in Never Let Me Go was announced in April 2009.[24][13]

Filming

Never Let Me Go was given a production budget of US$15 million.[1] Principal photography for the film started in April 2009 and lasted a few weeks. Production design was done by Mark Digby, and Adam Kimmel was assigned to cinematography. The commercial director was Duncan Reid, who works for Ingenious Media,[25] and the film was shot by English company DNA Films.[26] On 8 May 2009, the production moved to Norfolk for filming. The beach at Holkham was used for filming; Knightley had shot scenes at nearby Holkham Hall for her 2008 film The Duchess.[27] A location on Hill Road In Clevedon was used, and a shop was converted into a travel agency. They also filmed on the beach and the Victorian pier in Clevedon. The pier is featured on the film poster and the cover of the rereleased book. A large property on the Bexhill-on-Sea seafront was used on 12 and 13 May 2009 to act as the exterior for the residence of Madame, where Tommy and Kathy go to apply for a deferral.

Andrew Melville Hall in the University of St. Andrews was the setting for the Dover Recovery Centre.[26] Nearly thirty film extras, film producers and location scouts had to wait several hours for the sun to set so they could film the scenes there.[26] The restaurant scene, which is featured in the trailer and in promotional screenshots, was shot in the Regent Restaurant and Coffee Lounge in Weston-super-Mare in April 2009.[28] Chiswick Town Hall, a dark building in London, was also used as a shooting location. The scenes where the Hailsham assemblies were held was filmed at Forest School in Snaresbrook in May 2009.[5] Ham House, Richmond, was used for filming mostly exterior scenes at Hailsham School and a couple of interior scenes.

Romanek described working with child actors and "knowing that the first act of the film was going to have to be carried by 12-year-olds" as probably the most difficult aspect of making the film. He said that most of the rehearsal schedule was devoted to ensuring that the first act would be good.[3] At rehearsals, the film-maker would have the younger actors observe the older actors practise the first-act scenes. This had a double purpose: the older actors would have a memory of having played those scenes, while the child actors would get a better idea of how a more skilled actor would play their part. Romanek would then mix and match the actors (for example, Mulligan would do a scene with the child playing the younger Tommy).[3] He also had them spend time together doing things like playing and talking. He took them to the school location and let them play games together so they could get a better idea of the layout of the place.[3]

According to Mulligan, a problem during the production was that her role required her to drive: at the time she did not know how to drive or have a driver's licence. She did a two-week intensive course to learn how to work a manual gear change so she could eventually film the driving scenes, but failed the driving test. "I'm really bad at it", she explained. "[I have] no hand and eye coordination."[9] The production team ultimately had to shoot the scene on a private road, where she was allowed to get behind the wheel.[9] The director had a hard time making Knightley look plain in the film; "It was difficult. She was eager and happy to do it because the role called for it. But even at her worst, Keira still looks astonishing".[29]

When accessing the very deep emotions called for by her character, Mulligan stated, "I really took my cue from the book". She noted that her role did not require her to have much to say, because Kathy was more of an observer throughout most of the film. She recalled that "every time I was in a scene where I wasn't quite sure where I was going with it, I would go to the book and read through the lines because she's unreliable, in that much of the time she's not being truly honest with herself or the audience."[30] She said that her friendship with Knightley made their scenes together easier because they would both regard each other's comments helpful and would not feel "insulted or hurt" in discussion.[30]

Music

The film's score was composed by British composer Rachel Portman over a four-month period.[31] She said that because of the film's sad themes, she wanted to "put some hope" and humanity into the music; it was important that there be a "real emotional heartbeat in the midst of this story." Believing that a "huge sweeping score" would not have fit Never Let Me Go, she instead worked with a smaller orchestra of no more than 48 players.[31] The director and producers prodded her to try other approaches, so she considered using a child's voice, and what was described as a "big finale cue." In the end, they went for a simpler and more subtle approach. Stating that most of the score was written for piano, strings and harp, with solos for violin and cello, she called her score something of a "chamber piece". "If you use a solo instrument, it's like having a voice", she says.[31] "It highlights the emotion." But, she adds, "the violin is played with virtually no vibrato, because I didn't ever want it to sound sentimental". She notes that "for my own taste, I stay on the side of restraint, because I think it works better in film".[31] Her work on Never Let Me Go earned her a San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Score.[32]

The song "Never Let Me Go" that Kathy listens to in the film is from a cassette tape that Tommy gave her at Hailsham called Songs After Dark by 'Judy Bridgewater'. The album and singer are fictitious, but "Never Let Me Go" was written by Luther Dixon and sung by Jane Monheit.[33]