Einstein and Eddington

Albert Einstein is a renowned physicist whose theories challenge Newtonian certainty and imperial zeal. He is pulled back from Zürich to Berlin to aid the war effort by discrediting Britain’s Newtonian dominance, even as his personal life becomes strained by an affair with Elsa. He resists changing citizenship and refuses to sign the Manifesto to the Civilized World, choosing to pursue his ideas despite pressure. He advances general relativity, whose implications underpin the eclipse observations and the plot’s scientific core.

Arthur Eddington is a Cambridge astronomer and conscientious objector who defends Newtonian order while exploring Einstein’s ideas. He shelters a German family and confronts anti-German sentiment and wartime restrictions on science. He navigates grief and duty as casualties mount, yet remains central to organizing the 1919 eclipse expedition to test relativity. His faith in science and humanity shapes the film’s moral landscape.

Winifred Eddington is the devoted sister and housekeeper who provides steady support for the household amidst the turmoil of war. She aids in Quaker relief efforts in war-torn Germany, showing a compassionate, humanitarian side beyond scientific circles. Her presence offers moral ballast and a human perspective on the era’s suffering and hope.

Elsa Einstein is Einstein’s wife and cousin whose arrival in Berlin exposes his affair, straining their marriage. The marriage suffers under the weight of personal indiscretions and professional pressures, leading to separation and emotional turmoil. She remains a complex figure whose decisions intersect with the scientific and political currents of the time.

Sir Oliver Lodge is a conservative Cambridge physicist who clings to Newton as universal order. He opposes Einstein’s ideas and advocates expelling German scientists, reflecting nationalist tensions within the scientific community. His grief for a war loss deepens his desire for order, even as the scientific paradigm shifts around him.

Max Planck is a German physicist who consoles colleagues amid wartime hardship and supports the collaboration with Einstein. He contends with personal tragedy from the war while facilitating dialogues between scientists across national lines. Planck represents the human dimension of scientific ambition facing moral challenges.

Fritz Haber is the chemist associated with chemical warfare during the war. The film portrays his work on gas as a turning point in military history, raising questions about the ethics of scientific discovery. His actions provoke condemnation from peers while underscoring the tension between scientific progress and human cost.

William Marston is Eddington’s love interest who goes off to war as an officer, prompting a poignant farewell when he misses his train. His departure marks the era’s personal sacrifices and the toll of war on intimate relationships. He serves as a narrative catalyst for Eddington’s emotional and moral reflections.

Eduard Einstein is Albert Einstein’s son who appears in the film, representing the family dimension amid the era’s upheaval. His presence underscores the personal costs and generational impact of the scientists’ pursuits.

Hans Einstein is one of Einstein’s sons depicted in the Berlin and Cambridge sequences, illustrating the impact of his father’s career on family life. The scenes with Hans help convey the personal toll of intellectual labor during wartime.

Uncle Rudolf is a relative drawn into the era’s web of scientific prestige and wartime loyalty. His presence helps contextualize the social and family dynamics surrounding the main figures.