This week sees the release of The Railway Man starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman as Eric and Patti Lomax. Based on his autobiography, it tells the story of an ex-prisoner of war, his wife and their struggle to overcome his traumatic past (read our review here). THN spoke to Patti about her involvement with the film, her memories of Eric and more:
First of all, I thought The Railway Man was an extraordinary piece of work. How involved were you in the creative process?
I have been involved since the very beginning and the whole process has run beside us all these years. It’s been marvellous to see the final version as the first time I saw it, I’d gotten so friendly with everyone involved that I got distracted from seeing the film as it was meant to be seen. I had to watch it a second time to appreciate the beauty of it and I think my husband would be very proud.
How did it feel to see yourself played portrayed on the big screen? And by Nicole Kidman no less.
Delighted. It’s an honour that Nicole would take the part and I felt that she and I had the same life experience, in the sense that she and I had both had husbands that we loved and tried to help, that was very reassuring and she’s a lovely lady. It’s been a joy. As far as seeing myself portrayed, its so strange. I know that logically, it’s supposed to be me, and my family says she’s made a very good job of me, which means a lot as they’re very cynical people (Laughs).
I suppose you have to create distance.
It’s a marvellous thing to happen and doesn’t happen to may people. I just happened to be a wife who felt her husband was worth fighting for and I’m sure there are many people who feel the same. It’s a hard life being a carer.
What are your thoughts on how Jeremy Irvine and Colin Firth represented your husband?
Both Colin and Jeremy are absolutely wonderful. They both did such a good job of getting to know my husband. I think it’s true to say that the three of them became friends and looking at Colin particularly, I have to remember that it is Colin and not my husband on screen. It can come as quite a shock in some ways and I think young Jeremy is an actor to watch, I’m sure he’s going to go a long way.
A nice chap too, by all accounts.
He’s lovely and he introduced me to his family at the premiere and they’re lovely too. I’m not surprised he is the type of person he is, his parents are very nice people and I’m sure Jeremy would hate to get too far from them. He’s a very funny young man.
It seems appropriate then that he should play Eric who, at least in the film, had a great sense of humour.
I’m glad they captured that, he was so funny in real life and the way we meet in the film is true, but it had to be reversed. In the film, they have Eric reading a book about train maps and I, sat across from him in a carriage, strike up a conversation. The director wanted to show the audience very quickly that he was a very inward looking person. In actuality, I was the one with a book about train lines from the south to Scotland and Eric got on and saw the book I was reading. We’ve laughed about it a lot since that it was the book of maps that attracted him rather than the lady who was holding it! (Laughs) He had a great passion for historical maps and historical timetables, so he must have seen this lady in the corner of the carriage with this book and thought ‘Oh goody! A kindred spirit.‘
I’m sure the film is a unique way to remember him.
Well he died just over twelve months ago and now that I can think about him clearly, I honestly don’t know how he managed to survive. When he had his water-boarding, which went on for a week, on and off, he had two broken arms and a broken hip and had been very badly beaten before and afterwards. The agony of the man must have been terrible and when he got home he found that his beloved mother had died and that his father had remarried. I don’t think anybody can top that.
I hope nobody gets the chance to.
You’re quite right too. Whatever country you’re in, war has its effects and we do not treat battle stress very seriously, even now, even in this country. People come back from Afghanistan and they’re quite ill, they need help. The film is about untreated battle stress.
And the forgiveness that may or may not come along with it.
Well, quite. The quote Colin says at the end was genuine. He and I were stood in a cemetery and I wondered if we were being disloyal to all of these young soldiers. He thought for a moment and said, ‘Sometimes the hating has to stop.’ That sums it all up.
Read our review by clicking here. The Railway Man is directed by Jonathan Teplitzky and co-stars Jeremy Irvine, Hiroyuki Sanada and Stellan Skarsgard. It hits cinemas on Friday 10th January.
