Children of Men
The year 2027: the last days of the human race. No child has been born for 18 years. He must protect our only hope.
Children of Men (2006)
Production
Budget
$76 000 000
Revenue
$69 959 751
Director
Scenario
P.D. James
Author
Composer
John Tavener
Producer
Actors
Clive Owen
Theo Faron
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Luke
Julianne Moore
Julian
Michael Caine
Jasper
Pam Ferris
Miriam
Charlie Hunnam
Patric
Danny Huston
Nigel
Short description
Children of Men is set in 2027, in a Britain that has sealed itself off while the rest of the world falls into disorder. Humanity has lost the ability to reproduce, and the death of the youngest person on Earth becomes a public event. Theo Faron, a disillusioned former activist now working a dull bureaucratic job in London, is approached by his former partner Julian, who leads an underground movement. She asks him to help move a young woman named Kee out of the country. Kee is pregnant, a fact that makes her enormously valuable to competing factions, and Theo's task turns into a journey toward a sanctuary at sea.
Alfonso Cuarón directed the film, his sixth feature, following A Little Princess, Great Expectations, Y Tu Mamá También and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and preceding Paris Je T'aime, Gravity and Roma. He wrote the screenplay with David Arata and Timothy J. Sexton. Clive Owen plays Theo, with Clare-Hope Ashitey as Kee, Julianne Moore as Julian, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Luke, Michael Caine as Jasper and Pam Ferris as Miriam.
The film was released in September 2006 and runs 109 minutes. Made for about 76 million dollars, it took in roughly 71 million worldwide, a modest return against its cost. Audiences rate it highly, at 7.9 on IMDb from over 563,000 votes and 7.6 on TMDB, while its critics' score of 8.3 from 254 reviews places it at the top of that range.
What's left behind the scenes
- The film is based on F.D. James' novel "The Child in Time" (Children of Men, 1992).
- The role of Key was offered to Emma Watson, but her heavily booked filming schedule did not allow her to participate in the project.
- The role of Patrick was offered to Charlie Hunnam immediately after Alfonso Cuarón saw him in Anthony Minghella's "Cold Mountain".
- At the 17th minute of the film, a drawing of two kissing policemen can be seen on the wall. This is a work from the "Banksy" collection.
- The film features many modified car models. The most notable of these are the "Fiat Multipla" and the "Renault Avantime".
- The yellow car in which Theo and his friends leave Jasper's house is based on a "Citroen CX" produced since 1974. Its interior and part of the body were tuned in the style of the near future.
- Notably, during the film's premiere week in London, a marquee at a cinema mistakenly invited people to the film "Children of Me".
- Theo is wearing a t-shirt with the emblem of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
- Michael Caine played a master of political caricature. Several caricatures by Steve Bell, a political cartoonist for 'The Guardian' newspaper, can be seen in his home.
- The song Ki sings to his child is a Ghanaian lullaby, 'Baby kaa fo', which means 'Baby don't cry'.
- Many of the British police officers in the film are armed with 'XM8' assault rifles. Currently, only prototypes of this weapon exist. It was intended that the 'XM8' would replace the 'M16/M4' between 2015-2020. However, the joint development project by the US Department of Defense and 'Heckler & Koch' was cancelled in 2005.
- Michael Caine based his character on John Lennon.
- In an early version of the script, Jasper and Theo observed Janis participating in a mass suicide organized by the company "Quietus". This scene was intended to be at the beginning of the film. Later, Jasper was hunted by guard dogs, but he managed to help Theo, Kee, and Miriam reach Bexhill.
- Animals are present in practically every shot of the film. In most cases, these are dogs.
- According to information provided in the news report at the beginning of the film, and the date when the events of the picture begin, Diego Ricardo was born on June 21, 2009.
- The news report "The Whole World Surrendered: Only Britain Continues to Fight" shows the following cities (in order of appearance on screen): Paris, Moscow, Washington, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Brussels, Hong Kong, Berlin, Jakarta, New York, Stockholm, Rome, Shanghai, Caracas, Copenhagen, Mexico City, Amsterdam, Atlanta, Geneva, Marseille, Lisbon, Seoul, Singapore, San Diego, Naples, Boston, and Antwerp.
- Yena, a member of the "Fish" organization, can be seen behind Theo on the train shortly before bottles and stones begin to fly at the windows.
- The name Thelonious comes from the Greek words “theos” – “god” and “philos” – “friend.” Thus, this name means “friend of God.”
- The elderly woman standing next to Theo in the cafeteria is F.D. James, the author of the novel the film is based on.
- Throughout the film, many newspapers can be seen. Here are just some of the headlines from them: Raids Reveal Arms Cache of Refugees. Africa Devastated by Radioactive Fallout. Millions Perish in Seconds. Charles Must Be Dethroned. Age is Irrelevant. Immigrants Protest New Racist Government Policy. Fatalities Reported from Infertility Drug. Chaos in Refugee Camps. The Beginning of Armageddon: Russia Uses Nuclear Weapons: Kazakhstan Destroyed. The Beckhams Celebrate Golden Wedding Anniversary. 100 Cases of Suicide. Crisis in Russia: Mass Migration. Police Monitor Mosques. Rallies Banned. Saudi Arabian Pipeline Explosion Disrupts Global Oil Supplies (photo by Janis Palmer). Refugees Blamed for Rise in Terror Attacks. Date: Thursday, April 6, 2018. Cities on the Southern Coast Turned into Refugee Camps. Date: Tuesday, February 11, 2020. Prime Minister Denies Torture of British Citizens. Britain Imposes Immigration Ban. US Troops Attack. Panic in Italy: 1500 Dead. Fleet Street Bombing Blamed on ‘Fish’ Terrorist Group. Infertility Reaches 25%. Date: December 21, 2008. Two Years Since the Last Child Was Born. Scientists See No Hope for Childbirth. War and Famine Lead to Mass Migration: Jasper Palmer Discusses the Ethical Side of Britain’s Actions Regarding the Refugee Situation. Channel Tunnel Closed. All Foreigners are Outlawed from Today. Refugees Advance on Europe. MI5 Denies Involvement in Torture of Photojournalist (photo by Janis Palmer). Date: Monday, July 16, 2018.
- In one scene, Michael Caine’s character says the line “And your mother too.” This is a reference to the film of the same name by the director of this film, Alfonso Cuarón.
- The newborn baby was entirely computer-generated; Clive Owen held only a limbless doll.
- In the film, Julianne Moore plays a mother grieving the loss of a child. This is already her third such role after "The Forgotten" and "Chloe".
- In the car, shortly before the attack, Miriam is peeling an orange. In films, the appearance of oranges on screen often foreshadows tragedy or danger.
- During the scene where Jasper talks about the death of his son Theo, a composition by Gustav Mahler, "Kindertotenlieder" (Songs on the Death of Children), plays – a song about the artist's own children's deaths.
- The phrase “Shantih, shantih, shantih,” which Miriam says over Julian's body, and which Jasper also utters upon learning of Qi’s pregnancy, is the final line of T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Waste Land,” whose main theme was infertility in a world after World War I. In a literal translation from Hindi, it means “peace which passeth understanding”.
- The duration of scenes filmed in one take: the car scene where Julian dies – 3:58; the childbirth scene – 3:11; the siege scene – 6:03.
- In one scene, a car drives past a guard post and a bridge and enters a location that is actually a power plant. Between the four smoking chimneys, a pig can be seen. This is a reference to the cover of Pink Floyd’s album “Animals”.
- When Patrick kills the Romanian who was helping Theo and Kee find the boat, he sings the Newcastle song “The Blaydon Races”.
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