‘The Imitation Game’ Arrives March 31

 
Winner of the Academy Award for Adapted Screenplay. During the winter of 1952, British authorities entered the home of mathematician, cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to investigate a reported burglary. They instead ended up arresting Turing himself on charges of “gross indecency” – an accusation that would lead to his devastating conviction for the criminal offense of homosexuality. Little did officials know they were actually incriminating the pioneer of modern-day computing. Famously leading a motley group of scholars, linguists, chess champions and intelligence officers, he was credited with cracking the so-called unbreakable codes of Germany’s World War II Enigma machine. An intense and haunting portrayal of a brilliant, complicated man, “The Imitation Game” is the story of a genius who under nail-biting pressure helped to shorten the war and, in turn, save thousands of lives. Vitals: Director: Morten Tyldum. Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Allen Leech, Charles Dance, Mark Strong. 2014, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 114 min., Bio-Drama, Box office gross: $51.674 million, The Weinstein Company/Anchor Bay Entertainment. Extras: “The Making of The Imitation Game,” deleted scenes, commentary. Blu-ray adds “Q&A Highlights.”