The du Pré sisters are exceedingly close and musical child prodigies. Younger sister Jacqueline (Emily Watson) becomes a famous globe-traveling cellist. On the other hand, Hilary (Rachel Griffiths) struggles under a strict demeaning teacher and loses all of her confidence. She marries the charming Kiffer Finzi (David Morrissey) and lives an ordinary live. Jacqueline marries Jewish pianist Daniel Barenboim (James Frain).The sisters and their relationship are fascinating no matter how real to their true lives. They're brought to life by two of the best actresses around. To top it off, I love the Rashômon style of storytelling. The two different takes on the events are compelling and heart breaking. The last act is a bit too long. It would have been better to wrap up the movie quicker after Jacqueline leaves the country home.

True story about two musician sisters, one a cellist and one a flautist, and the mental illness that plagued the latter (played in an Academy-Award nominated performance by Emily Watson).Rachel Griffiths is the cellist, the more grounded and dependable sister through whose perspective the story is told. There's really not a tremendous lot to distinguish this film apart from the solid performances of the two lead actresses. This film came so closely on the heels of "Breaking the Waves" that I remembered thinking it was already beyond time for Watson to do some light comedy, or at least play a character who wasn't mentally unhinged. She would soon delight me in films like "Cradle Will Rock" and "Gosford Park." Grade: B

I have before me a 1965 vinyl LP record with a beautiful portrait of the then twenty-year-old Jacqueline du Pré and her cello. On it she plays the Elgar and Delius Cello Concertos, classics in her repertoire which have never been bettered. Indeed, years later, the "gran maestro" Mstislav Rostropovich on being asked why was it that he had never made a recording of the Elgar Concerto, said that a young English woman had already made the definitive version to which he had nothing to add. I also have various remastered CD recordings - with or without her then husband, Daniel Barenboim as accompanying pianist or orchestra conductor, ranging from Paradis and Saint-Saëns to Fauré, Franck and Dvorák, as well as Sir Edward Elgar's beautiful "Enigma Variations".Jacqueline du Pré was born just a few months before me and we thus celebrate 60 years on this iniquitous planet. Which is the best that can be said about the film "Hilary and Jackie" - iniquitous, "gross", vulgar............ When I learned she had got multiple sclerosis and had stopped playing her cello, I cried for a week; and when she finally died, another week. She shall be remembered for her exquisite music, not for the trashy version of a film like this one.I am sorry, but I just could not bear seeing the film to the end. It had nothing to do with the Jacqueline du Pré whom I loved as a sensitive, intelligent, brilliant musician. Everything which this film lacks.As the Spanish actor Paco Rabal once said: No god could be so cruel.This film is cruel.Even today, I show the LP recording with the beautiful portrait to my teenage students in an endeavour (mostly wasted) to persuade them to stop picking their noses.I give this film a three out of ten - ONLY because there are fragments of her own music in it; as for the rest of the film - ZERO.

Being an amateur musician I was a little shocked that, until viewing the film 'Hilary and Jackie' [1998, directed by Anand Tucker; starring Emily Watson and Rachel Griffiths], I had not had the good fortune to listen to any of Jackie Du Pre's masterful cello work, which now can be heard only through electronic means. I am sorry I never saw her in concert. The world is a poorer place when fine musicians die; for that reason I am very glad I came across this movie and gave it half a chance. My music collection will be richer in content for the Du Pre CDs I am planning to purchase.Rachel Griffiths never disappoints, and she does a splendid job in this film as Hilary Du Pre. Emily Watson's portrayal was somewhat hysterical as a professional musician suffering from multiple sclerosis. It is extremely tragic that this talented woman was cut down by this disease; however, I have trouble believing that her outlandish behavior was caused solely by the MS as the screenwriters would have us believe.Imagine this story having been written by Jacqueline instead of Hilary and Piers; it makes me wonder if Jacqueline would have described her existence as having been largely circumscribed by the MS. Probably not. Most people who have MS, even symphony musicians, maintain their dignity and manage their emotions, at least publicly. I would venture to say that musicians of Jacqueline Du Pre's caliber might develop self-centeredness as a result of precociousness or just sheer dedication to perfection, not to mention the many thousands of hours practicing, alone, with just an instrument for company. At times she must have felt as though the instrument had been permanently chained 'round her waist, with the bow simply a natural extension of her arm. Talk about love/hate relationships. If her MS actually played into the eccentric behavior portrayed in this film that would be a disappointment. I would rather imagine Jacqueline Du Pre happily performing her beautiful music to an appreciative audience, and managing her illness off-stage.Maureen Adele Compton