Though Clarke is the clear protagonist, Claflin is the star of the film’s first reel. Here he’s cast as Will Traynor, a debonair London financier from a family rich enough to own its own castle, who spends his spare time skiing, windsurfing, cliff-diving and bedding flashy women. In spite of these high-risk pursuits, he’s horribly injured the one time he tries to play it safe: Opting against taking his motorcycle to work on a rainy morning, he’s hit by a bike while crossing the street and left paralyzed.