Christopher Nolan’s new biopic Oppenheimer is facing intense criticism over a steamy scene suggesting scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer had an extramarital affair. Oppenheimer’s grandson has publicly accused the film of slandering his grandfather’s legacy by depicting a tryst that the family strongly denies ever occurred. This latest controversy only adds to the movie’s troubled promotion leading up to its release.
Already facing mixed reviews, Oppenheimer now contends with threats of legal action by Oppenheimer’s living relatives over the inflammatory scene involving actress Florence Pugh. The film’s blending of facts with fictionalized drama has angered scientists and historians in addition to Oppenheimer’s family. This backlash underscores the risks of creative license when portraying real people.
Family Objects to Fictional Tryst
In the film, Pugh’s character has an intimate encounter with Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer. But the scientist’s grandson slammed this as fictional, saying it maligns Oppenheimer’s legacy. The family threatens legal action over the scene.
Ahead of the release of Oppenheimer, Murphy said he read the Bhagavad Gita in preparation.
“I thought it was an absolutely beautiful text, very inspiring,” he told Indian film critic Sucharita Tyagi in an interview. “I think it was a consolation to him [Oppenheimer], he kind of needed it and it provided him a lot of consolation, all his life.”
Oppenheimer’s descendants argue the insinuation of an affair never happened and irrevocably stains his reputation. They demand the removal of the scene to prevent the further spread of misinformation about his life.
Filmmakers Defend Creative License
Oppenheimer’s director and studio responded that biopics routinely take creative license and that the film intends no disrespect. They warn that libel lawsuits could chill future artistic expression based on real people’s lives.
Oppenheimer’s grandson says he really enjoyed ‘OPPENHEIMER’ but he had an issue with the poison apple.
“There's no record of him trying to kill somebody. That's a really serious accusation and it's historical revision.”
(Source: https://t.co/NVHC2c7HYv) pic.twitter.com/mN0ebspNA5
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 27, 2023
The filmmakers maintain dramatizing part of Oppenheimer’s life is protected free speech, even if some elements are unproven rumors or outright fabrications. They believe the scene captures his conflicted nature.
Read More: Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer Owes $4,980,000 to Barbie
Scientist’s Legacy Now in Question
The very public debate over Oppenheimer’s portrayal fans misinformation about the man who led the atomic bomb’s creation. Historians argue the film should acknowledge when embellishing facts into drama.
Many worry Oppenheimer’s scientific achievements are being overshadowed by the focus on his s*x life, real or imagined. They argue viewers may wrongly assume the affair actually occurred without disclaimers.
The ongoing controversy surrounding Oppenheimer underscores the complex balance between artistic freedom and responsibility when immortalizing real figures on film. While creative license allows deeper explorations of personality, invented scenarios can also unfairly rewrite legacies. By picking and choosing which version of history to present, Hollywood films wield great power over collective memory. Perhaps this debate will encourage more transparency from biopic directors over where facts end and fiction begins.
Source: Twitter
