As his life draws to a close, film director James Whale (Ian McKellen, in an Academy Award-nominated role) -- the openly gay genius behind The Bride of Frankenstein and The Invisible Man -- befriends a gardener (Brendan Fraser), and both men learn from their unexpected but platonic bond. Bill Condon's fictionalized drama also won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and earned Lynn Redgrave a nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.