Sir john dermot turing, alan turings nephew and trustee of the bletchley park trust, separates truth from fiction interview by alex oconnell friday november 14 2014, 12. Whats missing from the imitation game the new yorker. Jan 06, 2020 mark is the producer of the official bletchley park podcast. Nov 28, 2014 the imitation game quotes alan turing. The imitation game was no exception to the criticism. Nov 21, 2014 the movie, starring benedict cumberbatch, depicts the life of alan turinga mathematician, computer scientist and code breaker known as a key architect of the modern computer and an instrumental. Much of mathematician alan turing s life was shrouded in secrecy for years. He needed every ounce of his courage when he was put on trial for being gay.
Whats fact and whats fiction in the benedict cumberbatch film about the man. The imitation game is a 2014 american historical drama film directed by morten tyldum and written by graham moore, based on the 1983 biography alan turing. While it was largely hailed as excellent upon release in 2014, there was still the usual voices decrying the falsehoods in the movie. There are two movies about alan turing that you can watch right now. With benedict cumberbatch, keira knightley, matthew goode, allen leech. Which alan turing movie really captures the father of. The imitation game secrets revealed by producers and more. Alan turing, in full alan mathison turing, born june 23, 1912, london, englanddied june 7, 1954, wilmslow, cheshire, british mathematician and logician, who made major contributions to mathematics, cryptanalysis, logic, philosophy, and mathematical biology and also to the new areas later named computer science, cognitive science. Screenwriter graham moore drew inspiration for the imitation game from andrew hodgess biography alan turing. The true name of the enigma machine was not christopher but victory. German submarine u505 a captured submarine now on display in chicago that yielded an enigma machine. It took place in the exact location which is benchley park in the same hut and same organization name.
The imitation game true story the real alan turing, joan clarke. Its a contentious question, says andrew hodges, author of the acclaimed biography alan turing. Turing also wrote a letter to clarke in 1952 to inform her of his impending trial for indecency, but the final scene of the imitation game, in which joan visits alan during his probation, is invented. Dec 30, 2016 as a benedict cumberbatch fan and wwii history buff, i was really looking forward to this movie. We were lucky to screen it for 26 of them and receive universal acceptance and appreciation.
During world war ii, the english mathematical genius alan turing tries to crack the german enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians. Selma is 100% historically accurate but imitation game just. The enigma by andrew hodges covers a fascinating and important subject in the life of alan turing, but i would not recommend it to a math layman like myself. Much of mathematician alan turings life was shrouded in secrecy for years. Feb 17, 2015 screenwriter graham moore drew inspiration for the imitation game from andrew hodgess biography alan turing. The imitation game is a 2014 historical thriller film about british mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst and pioneering computer scientist alan turing who was a key figure in cracking nazi germanys naval enigma code which helped the allies win the second world war, only to later be criminally prosecuted for his homosexuality. Alan turing s niece inagh payne has questioned the accuracy of the imitation game, the forthcoming biopic of her uncle, the codebreaker and pioneering computer scientist, starring benedict. Nov 28, 2014 t hough the imitation game was largely based on the biography alan turing. Nov 23, 2016 the imitation game about alan turing s work breaking the enigma code. The movie has a fairly high degree of accuracy with even some of the craziest antics, such as jonah hills donnie azoff. The machine that alan turing invents was not called christopher, but the bombe. What the imitation game didnt tell you about turings. Although, in the movie, alan tells denniston that he doesnt know german, turing did in fact study german and travel to germany before and after the war.
Based on the life of alan turing benedict cumberbatch, the mathematician who broke the nazis enigma code during world war ii, effectively changing the course of the war, the imitation game has been under fire since june for its depiction of turing s homosexuality and his relationship. Alan turing biopic accuracy questioned film the guardian. This name stood for bloody outstanding maths based eggwonk. Here are the facts and fiction at the heart of the film. Sherborne schoolafpgetty images the imitation game jumps around three time periods turing s schooldays in.
Alan turing was gay at a time when homesexual activity was. Jun 23, 20 alan turing broke the german enigma code during world war ii and devised the turing machine and the turing test of computer intelligence. Alan turing and a team of fellow mathematicians are hired by. Much of the book outlines the history of mathematical and scientific ideas of the first half of the 20th century, alans included of course, as well as describing the machines. Additionally a major theme of the movie revolves around turing. Nine facts the imitation game got wrong about alan turing. Alan turing age, bio, personal life, family and stats. Benedict cumberbatch as alan turing with keira knightley as joan. What oscar nominated film shows the life of alan turing in ww2. The portrayals of the events at bletchley park, less so. But, as good as their performances are, some aspects were not accurate of the real alan turing.
Benedict cumberbatch passes the test as alan turing in the. Oct 20, 2017 if the imitation game is an accurate portrayal of alan turing, there is little question that turing was autistic. It isnt accurate about any of them, but the least wrong bits are the 1928 ones. The 1910s represented the culmination of european militarism. Nov 26, 2014 few factbased dramas escape criticism of historical inaccuracy, and the imitation game is no exception. Alan turing did not invent the colossus machine,nor despite the claims of the imitation game, the bombe device featured so prominently in the movie and shown in the above scene. These films informed, inspired and moved its audience with its true to life dedication to its characters, setting and story.
One of them came to set and did a beautiful drawing while we were there of watching benedict play alan turing. This is accurate, but turing s devotion didnt run so deep. Nov 06, 2014 in the movie, turing is obsessed with the creation of the codecracking computer, not only to break enigma but also because it is, to him, a first step in engineering a human brain and, with that. U571 a 2000 war film involving the capture of an enigma machine. Nov 26, 2014 the eldest niece, who was 18 when alan turing passed away, said it was as she remembered and that weve done the familys legacy proud. I dont mind artistic licence in historical movies, but this sounds like. The enigma and kept the basic outline of the true story. If youve seen a beautiful mind and if you know the real events too, id say its about the same in. The movie, starring benedict cumberbatch, depicts the life of alan turing a mathematician, computer scientist and code breaker known as a key architect of the modern computer and an instrumental. Nor was turing a narcissistwith a spartan outlook on life, he was absorbed in his work and ideas but took little notice of himself.
Historical accuracy was tremendously important to us. Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine. I read the masterful biography that the screenplay is based on, andrew hodges alan turing. But you never knew if we would make this movie which will always have a life of its own, and then show it to them and they would be aghast. Is the imitation game a historically accurate movie. In fact, bletchley parkand not only turings legendary hut. The question isnt which of these is your favorite, but rather. Nine facts the imitation game got wrong about alan turing hypable. The imitation game a 2014 biopic of alan turing and his involvement in cracking the enigma. Alan turing, the imitation game and the true story of the. The title of the film quotes the name of the game alan turing proposed for. The movie version, in short, represents a bizarre departure from the historical record. The film gives him a quasiromantic foil in cryptanalyst joan clarke. Alan turing as a 16yearold at sherborne school, dorset, in 1928.
Greatly appreciate your effort on answer but if you could read again carefully, question is actually about the movie, imitation games and movie titles accuracy with real life story of alan turing. In the movie the imitation game, we saw the tale of the brilliant alan turing. In terms of historical accuracy, the movie had what it was trying to captivate, which is to show the tragic life story of alan turing. How accurate is the depiction of alan turings life in the. It is difficult to lay out all of the evidence from the film, because practically everything turing does in the film screams to the audience, i have autism. He joins us today to discuss the historical accuracy of the 2014 film the imitation game and do some fact checking on the original. Jul 16, 2019 english scientist alan turing was born alan mathison turing on june 23, 1912, in maida vale, london, england. The title of the film quotes the name of the game alan turing proposed for answering the question can machines think. The enigma, much of alan turings life is shrouded in mystery.
Historically accurate movies by pere25366 created 16 jan 2017 updated 28 may 2017 public these are the films that actually got history right. Turing is shown in the film to have been profoundly affected by the death of his childhood crush, christopher morcom jack bannon. The film stars benedict cumberbatch as alan turing, and is. These are the films that actually got history right. Nov 28, 2016 selma is 100% historically accurate but imitation game just 41. But which one does a better job of exploring his incredible achievement. Early in the movie turing is described as insufferable. Bringing you that one movie, show, book and album that you need to consume. Alastair denniston, played in the movie by charles dance.
The biggest liberty taken by the imitation game is to accuse turing of being a traitor to britain, by not. A poor imitation of alan turing by christian caryl the new york. At a young age, he displayed signs of high intelligence, which some of his teachers. Selma is 100% historically accurate but imitation game just 41. Turing was highly influential in the development of theoretical computer science, providing a formalisation of the concepts of algorithm and. Journalist christian caryl also found numerous historical inaccuracies. Nov 19, 20 alan turing s niece inagh payne has questioned the accuracy of the imitation game, the forthcoming biopic of her uncle, the codebreaker and pioneering computer scientist, starring benedict.
The imitation game, the latest movie based on world war iis enigma machine is the first to acknowledge alan turing s crucial role. Benedict cumberbatch as alan turing with keira knightley as joan clarke. Thats a weight that we really all were feeling this. Although the acting performances in the movie are fine, the storyline is not engagingsurprising, since here we have not only the cracking of the enigma code, but also alan turing s hidden homosexual life. In the movie, turing learns of christophers death afterthefact from his.
1449 387 577 523 1533 563 1252 1270 232 1332 802 496 1200 342 1482 760 1005 1465 287 1128 902 1407 676 507 397 1305 799 574 803 462 1062 700 933