“An astonishing, unique piece . . . Ralph Hammann’s remarkable film is a new kind of gold mine.”
-William Blakemore, Emmy winning journalist
(Richard Wilbur and the Things of This World)
About the Films
Richard Wilbur — Keeping the Difficult Balance
“ . . . the films offer proof that 'tortured' need not be endemic to artistic genius and that such an artist can lead a joyful life in harmony with nature and the things of the world - despite its considerable challenges.”
Winner, Best Documentary, The Chicago Amarcord Arthouse Awards
Official Selection, The Hague Global Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, The World Premiere Film Awards
Official Selection, The Helsinki Education Film Festival International
Silver Winner, Best Documentary, Latitude Film Awards, London
Official Selection, Amsterdam World International Film Festival
This is a 179 minute adaptation of the longer opus, Richard Wilbur and the Things of This World. Made for theatrical distribution, this version has won world-wide recognition in over a score of film festivals. It is broken into two parts, The Genie in the Bottle and The Sand in the Hourglass which place particular focus on the effects of WW2 on Wilbur’s world view — and the transcendence of age and loss to create a vast and meaningful body of work. See below for information that applies to each film.
Richard Wilbur and the Things of This World
"A master of the art of the documentary film . . . Fascinating and in the end deeply moving.”
-Brendan D. King, “The Saint Austin Review”
This is an archival 9 hour 23 minute deep dive (think Ken Burns) director’s cut available for purchase in a limited edition. It is highly recommended for serious admirers of Wilbur, educators, poets and viewers seeking a more profound and rewarding, even life-changing, encounter with the humble genius. It is well-suited to episodic viewing.
Chapters explore Wilbur’s childhood, service in WW2, miraculous translations of Molière, teaching, famous friendships (including Robert Frost), home life as a father of four, witty books for children, and work with Leonard Bernstein and Lillian Hellman on the legendary musical, Candide. Suffused throughout, is the love story of his remarkable 64 year marriage to Charlee and his years following her death as he contemplated his own mortality while in his 90s.
“ . . . the films offer proof that 'tortured' need not be endemic to artistic genius and that such an artist can lead a joyful life in harmony with nature and the things of the world - despite its considerable challenges.”
In each film, visits with Wilbur are complemented with a wealth of photographs from his family albums and revealing glimpses into his home, studio and libraries in Cummington, MA, as filmmaker and friend, Ralph Hammann, builds an elegiac portrait of an exemplary man who calls us to the best versions of ourselves.
Alternating between biography and master classes in poetry and the creative processes, the films feature Wilbur’s final readings of many of his poems and include interviews with such luminaries as Brian Bedford, Stephen Sondheim, Rhina P. Espaillat, Dana Gioia, Donald Hall, Barry Moser, Austin Pendleton, John Simon, David Sofield, A.E. Stallings, and biographers, Robert and Mary Bagg.
Worldwide Recognition for Richard Wilbur — Keeping the Difficult Balance
Critical Acclaim for Richard Wilbur and the Things of This World
“Invaluable . . . A great gift to American poetry.”
-Dana Gioia, award winning poet, former chair of the National Endowment for the Arts
“A marvelous experience! . . . Everything invites the watcher into the life and work of this incomparable poet.”
-Rhina P. Espaillat, winner of the 1998 T.S. Eliot Poetry Prize & the 2001 Richard Wilbur Award
“Beautiful . . . in Ralph Hammann’s extraordinary documentary, Richard Wilbur comes alive, almost as a friend.”
-C.L. Stark, critic
"A master of the art of the documentary film . . . Fascinating and in the end deeply moving.”
-Brendan D. King, “The Saint Austin Review”
“An astonishing, unique piece . . . Ralph Hammann’s remarkable film is a new kind of gold mine.”
-William Blakemore, Emmy winning journalist
“A magical film that offers rare insights into a master poet’s words and life.”
-David Livewell, winner of the 2012 T.S. Eliot Poetry Prize
“Elegant and riveting - in the manner of a Richard Wilbur poem.”
-Rachna Ramya, performer, choreographer, educator & author
Wilbur's manuscript for "Love Calls Us to the Things of This World"
Richard Wilbur fetching the mail
Richard Wilbur with his biographer, Robert Bagg, Cummington, MA
Wilbur with Ralph Hammann, Cummington, MA
Wilbur with Justina Trova, Cummington, MA
Pianist, Michael Fennelly; Coloratura Soprano, Meghan Picerno; Director, Ralph Hammann — Recording session, NYC
Wilbur's home and studio, Cummington, MA
Wilbur at work in his studio
Richard Wilbur and Ralph Hammann at Wilbur's home in Cummington, MA
Wilbur with Leo
Rhina P. Espaillat with her translations of Wilbur, at home in Newburyport, MA
Donald Hall viewing video message from Wilbur at Eagle Pond Farm in Wilmot, NH
Screening
For a limited time, persons interested in reviewing the film, Richard Wilbur and the Things of This World, or its shorter iteration, Richard Wilbur . . . Keeping the Difficult Balance, may apply to screen it. Persons with similar professional standing or interests, may also view it with an eye to providing input that might be of use in promoting the film before it is made available for purchase or it is acquired by a distributer or broadcast enterprise. At present, the film (in both forms) is being submitted to festivals and there are certain limitations in permitting screenings. Interested parties should also register for notification of the availability to purchase the limited edition.
It is to be understood that anyone granted the right to pre-screen it, agrees not to download, copy or share the film with any other parties.