Heath Ledger's Last Film Screened at Cannes

390961 03: Actor Heath Ledger poses for a photograph as he attends the Spanish premiere of his new movie 'Destino de Caballero' June 22, 2001 at the Hotel Villamagna in Madrid, Spain. (Getty Images)more pics » DON'T MISS

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Heath Ledger was halfway through filming The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus when an accidental overdose lead to his untimely death. That was at the start of 2008, but audiences didn't see the finished film until this morning in Cannes. 

In the film, Heath portrays a smooth-talking salesman who starts hanging out with members of a London theater troupe, who introduce him to a magic portal that allows access to fantasy worlds in other people's imaginations. Not wanting to replace Ledger in the film, director Terry Gilliam instead cast actors Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell to complete his role in a sort of shape-shifting, mysterious alternate reality. Depp, Law and Farrell also donated their salaries from the project to Ledger's daughter Matilda.

Matilda and mom Michelle Williams.
Despite what Gilliam intended with the movie, Ledger's death has given it an entirely new meaning. E! News looks at the opinions of some reviewers, who can't seem to separate the finished product itself from the tragedy surrounding the late actor.


From the Hollywood Reporter:
The three stars that came to Gilliam's rescue also make amusing contributions, but it's hard not to wonder how much better the film would have been with a complete performance by the charismatic and adventurous Ledger. From the Guardian:
The whole thing is rather sad. I don't think Terry Gilliam's film was intended as a tragedy, but that's how it plays. See more pictures of Heath Ledger (click any photo):

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Source: Extra