Synopsis: Based on the worldwide best-selling novel by Simon Winchester, The Professor and the Madman is an extraordinary true tale of two remarkable men who created history with the writing of the Oxford English Dictionary. The compilation of the Oxford English Dictionary began in 1857 and was one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken. Professor James Murray (Mel Gibson) took on the challenge, but knew that it would take him and his team over a century to compile all known definitions. However, by enlisting definitions from people all over the world, the dictionary could be compiled in mere decades.

As definitions were collected, the committee discovered that one man, Dr. W.C. Minor (Sean Penn), had submitted more than 10,000 words. When the committee insisted on honouring him, a shocking truth came to light: Dr. Minor was a convicted murderer, who was being held at an asylum for the criminally insane.