A young nurse, a visionary scientist and an innovative surgeon face opposition from the church, state, media and medical establishment, in their pursuit of the world’s first ‘test tube baby’, Louise Joy Brown.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Patrick Steptoe: Bill Nighy
- Robert Edwards: James Norton
- Jean Purdy: Thomasin McKenzie
- Trisha Johnson: Charlie Murphy
- Arun: Rish Shah
- Caroline: Cecily Cleeve
- Colin: Eoin Duffy
- Marie: Mariam Haque
- Meg (Older): Abbiegail Mills
- Sara: Olivia Sellers
- Gladys May: Joanna Scanlan
- Muriel: Tanya Moodie
- Lesley Brown: Ella Bruccoleri
- John Brown: Douggie McMeekin
- George: Miles Jupp
- Rachel: Louisa Harland
- Mr. Miller: Toby Williams
- Julio: Nicolay Shulik
- Professor Mason: Adrian Lukis
- Mr. Sandhu: Surinder Duhra
- Reverend Paulson: Robert Wilfort
- Maggie: Ruth Madeley
- Meg: Josephine Jones
- Ruth Edwards: Jemima Rooper
- Jenny: Lydia Jones
- Sarah: Lyllia-Rose Redmond
- Anna: Alice Bennett
- Alice: Carla Harrison-Hodge
- Neil Robinson: Elliot Bird
- Neil: Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins
- Gail: Harriet Cains
- Harry: David Atkins
- Kathy Gibson: Heather Agyepong
- Michael Barratt: Justin Edwards
- Sheena: Suzanne Burden
- John Graham: Mark Sainsbury
- Jan: Mairi-Clare MacLean
- Sheila Howarth: Anastasia Hille
- Sir Norman Jeffcoate: Richard Durden
- Roger Short: Pip Torrens
- James Watson: Nicholas Rowe
- Brian Baines: Simon Paisley Day
- Receptionist: Eleanor Grace
- Sally: Ashna Rabheru
- Lily: Emily Fairn
- Campaign Girl: Madeleine Shenai
- John Webster: Peter Sandys-Clarke
- Reporter 1: Michael Keogh
- Reporter 2: Glenn Cunningham
- Security Guard: Ben Crowe
Film Crew:
- Producer: Finola Dwyer
- Executive Producer: Cameron McCracken
- Producer: Amanda Posey
- Director: Ben Taylor
- Story: Jack Thorne
- Second Assistant Sound: Erin Millican
- Casting Director: Lucy Bevan
- Line Producer: Beth Timbrell
- Original Music Composer: Steven Price
- Director of Photography: Jamie Cairney
- Editor: David Webb
- Casting: Olivia Grant
- Production Design: Alice Normington
- Supervising Art Director: Thalia Ecclestone
- Art Direction: Lissa Lamona
- Set Decoration: Sarah Kane
- Costume Design: Sinéad Kidao
- Makeup Artist: Lance Breakwell
- Makeup Supervisor: Nirvana Jalalvand
- Makeup Artist: Alice Man
- Makeup Designer: Tara McDonald
- Post Production Supervisor: Polly Duval
- First Assistant Director: Angharad Batten
- Set Dresser: Andrew Balcon
- Property Master: Noel Cowell
- Standby Property Master: Neil Glynn
- Standby Property Master: Ged Henshaw
- Assistant Set Decoration: Marlow Hope
- Carpenter: Wesley Huggins
- Art Department Assistant: Henrike Knappe
- Dressing Prop: Andrew Matthews
- Dressing Prop: James Kirby
- Assistant Art Director: Imogen McGrath
- Standby Art Director: Rebecca Sutton
- Foley Artist: Zoe Freed
- Supervising Sound Editor: Glenn Freemantle
- Foley Mixer: Glen Gathard
- Mix Technician: Andrew Gaidanov
- Boom Operator: Steve Hancock
- Foley Artist: Zoe King
- Dialogue Editor: Ian Morgan
- Mix Technician: Fergus Pateman
- Sound Mixer: Nina Rice
- Foley Editor: Alex Robson
- ADR Mixer: Mike Tehrani
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Jasper Thorn
- Special Effects Technician: Mike Crowley
- Dialogue Editor: Arthur Turner
- Special Effects Technician: Danny Hills
- Special Effects Technician: Graham Hills
- Special Effects Supervisor: Chris Reynolds
- Visual Effects Producer: James Woods
- Stunts: Kye Mckee
- Stunt Double: Nikita Mitchell
- Stunt Coordinator: Roy Taylor
- Digital Imaging Technician: Shibbir Ahmed
- Second Assistant “B” Camera: Francesca Amoroso
- Rigging Gaffer: Damien Ansell
- Rigging Gaffer: William Ansell
- Electrician: Simon Atherton
- Electrician: Christopher Barber
- Camera Trainee: Maya Bell
- Still Photographer: Kerry Brown
- Best Boy Electric: Jamie Bruce
- Lighting Programmer: Shane Button
- Drone Pilot: Tom Callander
- Drone Operator: Phil Crothers
- Second Unit Director of Photography: Thomas English
- Focus Puller: Sarah Gardiner
- Video Assist Operator: Luke Andrew Haddock
- Second Assistant “A” Camera: Ruby Carmen King
- Standby Rigger: Harrison Lanigan
- Lighting Technician: Ngawang Lektso
- Gaffer: Theo Milford
- Electrician: Thomas Moss
- First Assistant “A” Camera: Ian Pearce
- Electrician: Dashnor Qarkaxhiu
- Lighting Technician: Adam Smart
- Key Grip: Luke Stone
- “A” Camera Operator: Tom Walden
- Rigging Supervisor: Tony Paul West
- Electrician: Sam Whittingham
- Electrician: Simin Zeng
- Electrician: Mo Yusuf
- Lighting Technician: Sim Zeng
- Casting Assistant: May Evans
- Costume Assistant: Ophelia Akande
- Costume Assistant: Emily Chicken
- Assistant Costume Designer: Amanda Cox
- Color Assistant: Stacey Cain
- Unit Manager: Henry Isaksen
- Location Manager: Ajay Lotay
- Orchestrator: David Butterworth
- Music Supervisor: Kle Savidge
- Music Editor: Bradley Farmer
- Transportation Captain: Brendan O’Gorman
- Cast Driver: Danny Woodland-Payne
- Production Coordinator: Emma Hazell
- Choreographer: Francesca Jaynes
- Assistant Production Coordinator: Jennie Scott
- Production Assistant: Charlotte Warn
- Story: Rachel Mason
- Story: Emma Gordon
- Story: Shaun Topp
Movie Reviews:
- griggs79: _Joy_ directed by Ben Taylor, delves into the overlooked story of Jean Purdy, a key figure in the creation of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The film not only brings to light Purdy’s often ignored contributions but also serves as a critique of the long-standing marginalisation of women in scientific breakthroughs. It aims to reclaim a narrative that has historically sidelined the role of women in such significant achievements.
- Ben Taylor’s direction chronicles the groundbreaking development of IVF with an approach reminiscent of a sports film. Though the audience knows the outcome—over two million children have been conceived via IVF since 1979—the film immerses you in the highs and lows, triumphs and failures, leading to the birth of Louise Brown, the world’s first “test-tube baby.”
- Thomasin McKenzie’s portrayal of Purdy stands out, adding depth to a character who faced significant professional and personal challenges. Bill Nighy offers a memorable turn as surgeon Patrick Steptoe, blending compassion and wit. At the same time, James Norton brings warmth to the role of scientist Robert Edwards. Together, the trio captures the tension, camaraderie, and determination needed to challenge societal and scientific norms.
- The film’s strength lies in its focus on the procedural breakthroughs and emotional and ethical dilemmas its protagonists face. It frames the IVF journey as a collective struggle against deep-seated prejudices, balancing moments of triumph with the harsh realities of rejection and scepticism. However, some aspects of the storytelling feel superficial, and the film needs to fully dive into its characters’ complexities.
- The marginalisation of women in the scientific and medical fields is an ongoing issue. Historically, many female scientists have been overshadowed by their male counterparts. For example, Rosalind Franklin’s pivotal work in discovering the structure of DNA was primarily credited to James Watson and Francis Crick. Similarly, the film _Hidden Figures_ brought to light the incredible contributions of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—African-American women mathematicians at NASA—whose work was crucial to the space program’s success but went uncelebrated for decades.
- _Joy_ is a commendable effort to highlight an important figure and the persistence required behind one of modern medicine’s significant achievements. While the film has flaws, it succeeds in shedding light on Purdy’s legacy and the crucial role of women in scientific innovation, ensuring their contributions are finally acknowledged.
Related
