Hello folks! Today I am bringing you another Retrospective Review, this time of a film. I’ve been aware of The Edge of Love for a few years, and finally got around to picking myself up a copy on DVD earlier this year.
The film tells the story of two women in the life of the poet Dylan Thomas (played by Mathew Rhys), his childhood sweetheart Vera (Keira Knightly) and his wife Caitlin (Sienna Miller). When Dylan and Vera meet for the first time since their childhood in war-time London they feel the sparks once more, but Dylan’s wife Caitlin is less than happy about this new development. Despite this, the two women begin a close friendship while Vera starts a romance with a soldier named William (Cillian Murphy) whom she meets while working as a singer in the underground stations during air raids. When William goes to war, the relationship between Vera, Dylan, and Caitlin becomes closer and even more complicated, with consequences for all when William returns.
I found The Edge of Love very enjoyable for a quiet evening in, and although I personally found the plot interesting enough, I know the star of the show for many viewers on the retrospective scene is the styling of both Vera and Caitlin. Right from the opening scenes we are treated to beautiful hair, makeup, and outfits, providing some great realistic inspiration for those of us who like dressing in a 40s style. Vera is often seen wearing stunning floral dresses which I’d love to have in my own wardrobe, while Caitlin wears a lot of pastels and muted tones, and both characters are seen in a range of cardigans that I might actually sell my soul for. I also really enjoyed seeing the realistic hairstyles on the characters, which are polished and coiffed in some scenes but more undone and windswept when the trio move from London to blustery Wales. For those of you who’ve seen the film or who might be familiar with some of the more well-known images from it, I’m sure you’ll understand my sudden urge to wear wellies and wool socks with everything – but especially delicate dresses and lightweight skirts.
If you’re less interested in the fashions, you might find the plot runs a little thin at times, and I also couldn’t help noticing that some of the Welsh accents could have used a bit of work at times, but overall I would recommend the film. I don’t know much about Dylan Thomas so I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the story, but it nonetheless makes an entertaining and visually very beautiful piece of cinema.
