The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, was released five years ago on the 29th August 2014. The film tells the true story of Alan Turing, who secretly decoded German intelligence during the Second World War, saving countless lives and shortening the war by a number of years. The film is widely praised for honouring the legacy of Alan Turing, despite some complaints about historical inaccuracy.
The film highlights Turing’s tragic lack of recognition for his work. Because of the Official Secrets Act, Turing’s work was unknown by the public for many years, and in 1952 he was charged with ‘gross indecency’, due to the criminalisation of homosexuality in the UK at the time. The positive portrayal celebrates him in a way that the society in which he lived never did, which makes The Imitation Game such an important film in honouring the late scientist. It pays him the respect he never got in life. His death was ruled as suicide, after two years of chemical castration that he was forced to undergo following his arrest. Turing only received a Royal Pardon in 2013, a year before the release of The Imitation Game.
The film was a tremendous success, not just in the box office but also in teaching the general public about an important and mistreated historical figure. Its success is undoubtedly bittersweet; with celebrations of Turing’s work coming decades after his tragic death. The Imitation Game shows us the positive impact of the film industry in telling important stories.
Watch the trailer for The Imitation Game here.