Does a compelling performance necessarily mean the film portrayed the disability in the correct light? Furthermore, is Hollywood’s constant casting of able-bodied actors in disabled roles hurting the inclusion of disabilities in society? We look at 5 memorable films that feature a disabled character and how they are portrayed by their actors.
The Theory of Everything – (2014)
One of the more recent films is “The Theory of Everything”, for which Eddie Redmayne won an Oscar for his intimate portrayal of Stephen Hawking’s life, beyond his contribution to theoretical physics. The film depicts the relationship between Hawking and Jane, now his ex-wife, and how the couple’s bond relationship helped him face a debilitating ALS.
Eddie Redmayne immersed himself in the role and spent four months studying Hawking’s life to prepare. To accurately mirror Hawking’s speech and movement, he walked with a choreographer and created a portrayal of how the disease advances, which he used as a guide throughout the filming process.
My Left Foot – (1989)
For this biopic, Daniel Day-Lewis won his first Oscar for his portrayal of Christy Brown, an Irishman with cerebral palsy, born into a working class family in the 1930s. The film follows Brown, who can only control the movement in his left foot, and portrays his struggles whilst he tries to find his place in the universe.
Daniel Day-Lewis has become synonymous with method acting and My Left Foot is arguably the furthest he has ever gone. Lewis remained in character as a man with cerebral palsy throughout the duration of the production. He never left his wheelchair and had to be carried across set, as well as being spoon fed by the crew. For preparation, Lewis spent several months studying and getting to know people with cerebral palsy at a clinic in Dublin.
Forrest Gump – (1994)
Disability was a key theme in Forrest Gump. This film depicted Forrest as a mentally challenged individual who was able to attain profound feats over a number of decades, becoming involved in some of the most memorable events in history.
While waiting for the bus, Forrest recounts his life’s story to strangers sitting by him. Some of the excerpts included: how he met Jenny, how he received a full-ride scholarship to college from football, how he became a Vietnam War hero, received the honour to meet several presidents, became a ping-pong champion, and became a shrimp boat captain. In turn, the audience members are persuaded to look at his story as an inspiration of sorts.
Another character with a disability, Lieutenant Dan is an integral part of the story. Instead of dying a hero on the Vietnam battlefield, he ends up wheelchair-bound, a “cripple” in his eyes. Dan believed dying was his destiny, but throughout the film, we see that destiny isn’t pre-installed. Lt. Dan eventually embraces his disability, and creates his future, becoming a part owner of the shrimping company, and investing in Apple. He eventually gets himself a pair of prosthetic legs, much to the delight of Forrest, who sees him walking towards him for the first time since Vietnam.
Born on the 4th July – (1989)
Tom Cruise got his first Oscar nomination for his role as Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic. Like Lieutenant Dan, Ron Kovic becomes critically injured in battle and becomes paralysed from the waist down. The film offers a scintillating portrayal of the agonies of adjusting to physical disability and dealing with PTSD.
Ron Kovic slowly and painfully understands his disability, discovers his anger, deals with his guilt, and battles his way toward wholeness through a prominent role in the growing war-protest movement. In a sense, Ron Kovic was lucky that the revised patriotism was there as a vehicle for his emotional recovery, that both his disillusionment with pro-war patriotism and his disability could actually become sources of cultural validation.
Rear Window – (1998)
One of Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous films, Rear Window is a timeless classic. Although the 1998 remake doesn’t quite live up to expectations, this version is about a man with an actual disability (the original character has a broken leg).
The remake stars Christopher Reeve, an actor with a real disability, confined to a wheelchair and shows his isolation from the real world. This film could easily be looked at as a commentary on how so many people feel uncomfortable talking about disabilities, meaning that those with disabilities become ostracised by society.
The rest of these films are played by non-disabled actors, and this is a big problem in most films and television shows. Film and television has the magical ability to play a role breaking down bigotry, helping to bring a segment of society in from the shadows and giving hope to the next generation. No matter how good a performance from Daniel Day Lewis or Tom Hanks may be, they can never truly capture the fine nuances of living as a person with a disability.
