Hilary and Jackie

Updated June 26, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Stirring cello sonorities frame this poignant drama of two real-life sisters navigating the vicissitudes of fame, jealousy, love and illness. Hillary Du Pré (Griffiths) is the impassioned and emotionally disturbed cellist who rose to worldwide acclaim in the 1960s and '70s. Jackie (Watson), her sibling and soulmate, happily marries into an unadorned life with musician-farmer Kiffer Finzi (Morrissey). Half of the film is shot from Jackie's viewpoint while the other half portrays many of the same scenes, albeit from Hillary's perspective. The technique clutters and confuses the strong psychological drama unfolding between the sisters.