The Professor and the Madman is one of those films that has been floating around Hollywood for a long time. Mel Gibson was attached to the project from the beginning, hoping to direct it at first but eventually dropping that idea while remaining attached as one of its two main actors. After the film was finally shot in 2017 the film’s release was further delayed due to a court case over control of certain aspects of the production.
The Professor and the Madman tells the story behind the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary. While this might not sound too interesting at first, one of the things that might spark interest is the fact one of the men involved was a convicted killer (Sean Penn) with severe mental health issues.
One of the things that is unfortunate about this trailer is one of the lines ‘What are you so afraid of? That a bad man can be redeemed?’ There’s nothing wrong with the line itself but considering Mel Gibson is the one delivering it, it comes across as self-serving. That being said, a quick glance at the Wikipedia entries of the two men at the center of this story lets you know this film has the potential to tell a very interesting story.
The Professor and the Madman is directed by P.B. Shemran and stars Mel Gibson, Sean Penn, Natalie Dormer and Steve Coogan. It’s not clear when the film will be released in the U.K. or the U.S. For international release dates click here.
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