Creation

Charles Darwin is a brilliant and deeply emotional man who lives in a tranquil English village with his wife Emma and their children. He is devoted to his family, especially his eldest daughter Annie, and teaches her about nature, sharing stories of his travels and his evolving ideas. The home life feels intimate but tense, simmering beneath the surface of their differences over science and faith.

Annie, a bright ten-year-old, is entranced by Darwin's stories of Jenny, the young orangutan brought to the London Zoo. Her favourite tale ends sadly, yet it fuels her curiosity about life, death, and the natural world. The stories foreshadow Darwin's later ideas about evolution and natural laws operating beyond divine intervention.

A local clergyman punishes Annie by forcing her to kneel on rock salt for contradicting him about dinosaurs. Darwin is furious at the clash between science and dogmatic authority. The incident exposes the growing rift between his scientific beliefs and the community’s rigid beliefs.

Having returned from his Galapagos voyage 15 years earlier, Darwin is still trying to finish a manuscript about his findings. His anxiety about Emma's devout opposition to his ideas slows progress, fueling procrastination and self-doubt. The manuscript represents the life-changing work he hopes to complete.

Emma's devout faith and fear that Darwin's ideas threaten their marriage create emotional distance between them. She worries about heaven and the fate of their souls, and this tension makes their relationship feel fragile. Their distance heightens Darwin's sense of isolation in his scientific quest.

In 1851 Annie becomes seriously ill, and Darwin takes her to Malvern for James Manby Gully's water cure therapy, despite Emma's objections. The journey marks a turning point in their family saga, with illness becoming a catalyst for new emotional and philosophical upheaval. Hope for recovery clashes with the harsh reality of Annie's condition.

Annie's condition worsens and she dies after Darwin tells her Jenny's story once more, reinforcing his belief in natural laws without divine intervention. Darwin is devastated, and Emma is overwhelmed with grief and guilt. Annie's death becomes a focal point for the couple's conflict and their sense of purpose.

Back at home, a box in Darwin's study holds the notes and observations that will become On the Origin of Species. The death of Annie intensifies his resolve to complete work that challenges established beliefs. The manuscript work begins to take shape as a tangible project.

Darwin's friends Joseph Hooker and Thomas Huxley encourage him to persevere, recognizing the significance of his ideas. Huxley bluntly tells him that with his theory he has 'killed God,' a provocative remark that fills Darwin with dread and self-doubt. The conversation underscores the dangerous social impact of his work.

Darwin receives a letter from Alfred Russel Wallace detailing a nearly identical set of findings. He experiences a mix of relief and anxiety: relief that someone has independently reached similar conclusions, and worry that his own life’s work might be duplicated. The moment strengthens the case to publish a comprehensive treatment.

Having undergone treatment himself, Darwin makes a pilgrimage to the hotel where Annie died. The journey becomes a symbolic turning point as he reconnects with Emma and faces their shared grief. The experience fortifies his resolve to finish and publish his theory.

Emma reads Darwin's manuscript and quietly returns it to him, addressing it to John Murray and acknowledging herself as an accomplice. She hopes for divine forgiveness, yet accepts that she must support the controversial work. Their renewed partnership allows the project to advance toward publication.

Darwin walks down the lane with the manuscript, almost handing it to the postman for mailing. The postman departs unaware of the earth-shaking idea he carries to the world. The moment signals the imminent publication of a theory that would redefine science.

As Darwin returns home, a small figure of Annie appears beside him, guiding his steps toward finishing the work. The film closes on a note that Annie's influence helped propel him toward a discovery that would alter humanity's view of life on Earth. The culmination is both personal and monumental.