THE EDGE OF LOVE
UK, 2008, 110 minutes, Colour.
Keira Knightly, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy, Matthew Rhys.
Directed by John Maybury.
The edge of love can mean the sharp edge or it can mean being on the outer rim of love. Both meanings are relevant to this World War II memoir. With Dylan Thomas as a central character, one might expect it to be a portrait of the prolific Welsh poet who also wrote Under Milkwood. However, while he might be the pivotal character of the drama, he is not central. Rather, the two principal women in his life are centre screen, Vera his childhood friend and Caitlin, his wife.
John Maybury directed the portrait of artist, Francis Bacon, Love is the Devil. It was a wry portrait, Bacon himself not being particularly likeable despite his talent. Maybury is an artist himself. This is evident in some of the visual flourishes and swirling colours to indicate memories and moods. While Maybury loves Thomas’s poetry and admires his talent, he communicates the unpleasant aspects of Dylan Thomas’s character. The screenplay seems to have something of a set against the poet, so obnoxious does he seem at times – reinforced by the clever performance of Matthew Rhys, a blend of raffish charm with childish petulance.
Sienna Miller as the outgoing Caitlin, a mixture of wilfulness and moods, is very good indeed, somewhat overshadowing Keira Knightly as Vera. (The screenplay is by Knightly’s mother, Sharman Macdonald.) Knightly can always get by on her pretty presence and this time she sings (quite strikingly) a number of songs, especially to people taking shelter in the London underground during blitzes.
Caitlin is quite a match for Dylan Thomas in zest and irresponsibility yet both seemed protective of the other despite their frequent infidelities. Being an artist was his excuse. Hers was her nature.
The fourth character in the group is William Killick (played with quite some intensity by Cillian Murphy) who is infatuated with Vera, marries her before going to war in Greece – shown with some graphic detail, an amputation intercutting the delivery of Vera’s and William’s child. Vera is lonely during the war even though she stays with Caitlin and Dylan in Wales. She and Caitlin are best friends but Dylan is flirtatious. When the damaged William returns, he is suspicious of Vera, alienated from his child and disgusted with the pub chatter of BBC writers (Dylan was one of them during the war) who had never experienced the horrors of battle. He takes a gun to them and finds himself in court. Vera supports him but Dylan acts in a mean and resentful manner. (Vera and William’s marriage in fact was long-lasting.)
While there are excerpts from Thomas’s poetry inserted into the film, The Edge of Love is not always very interesting although it perks up dramatically at the end with the return of William from war and his erratic behaviour and the trial. The whole film is a mood piece, a portrait of the women and a recreation of a period where the future and relationships were uncertain.
1.The impact of the film as a period piece, a war story, romance?
2.As a portrait of Dylan Thomas and his wife Caitlin?
3.The title, on the outskirts of love – or the sharp edges of love?
4.London as a character, the city, the war background, the people in the Underground, the singing, life in the pubs, BBC and propaganda?
5.Wales as a character, the countryside, the houses, the cliffs, the beauty?
6.The range of songs, wartime rhythms? The musical score?
7.Vera, her singing in the Underground, her being alone, her being afraid of commitment because of the war, meeting Dylan Thomas again, the memories, their childhood together, the introduction to Caitlin and her reaction? The two becoming friends, the edges at first, the relationships with Dylan Thomas? Their talking, life in wartime London? William and his following her, admiring her in the Underground, the discussions, the drinks? The bombing of the pub? The bonding with William, his love for her, her not being able to say that she loved him, wanting him to come back? His going to war, the wedding? Caitlin and Dylan as late? The aftermath, the war experience?
8.William, as a person, military, his attraction towards Vera? Following her, meeting Caitlin the Dylan? The period together? Parachuting, the war in Greece, the fighting, the amputation (and the cross-cutting to the birth of his child)? Deaths? The effect on him, his return, the lack of correspondence during the war, his bitterness, his suspicions about Vera and relationship with Thomas, the baby, inability to hold it? The group talking about the war and the broadcasts, his slapping Anita, her reaction? Drinking, taking the gun, shooting into the house? The trial, his statements in court, his accuracy as a sniper and not wanting to kill people? His freedom? Holding the baby – and the beginning of a new life?
9.Vera, the war experience, her singing in the Underground and its effect, the marriage, her pregnancy, going to Wales? The friendship with Caitlin? Caitlin and her pregnancy, discussion of the abortion, Vera getting the money from the bank, Caitlin’s experience of the abortion? Buying food for Dylan and Caitlin? The drinking? The birth of the child and her pain? Thomas in the bath, his flirting, the liaison? The aftermath and Vera’s attitude? Talking with Caitlin, Caitlin not wanting her to lie? Her anger at Vera’s behaviour? William’s return, her love, in a narrower world, with her baby? The effect of the shooting, supporting William at the trial, asking Thomas to intervene and his failure? A happy ending with William’s freedom?
10.Caitlin, as a character, outgoing, her arrival in London, teasing Dylan, leaving the child with her mother? The meeting with Vera, suspicions, friendship? Dylan and his poetry, her anger, helping with words, her anger, putting the poetry in the toilet? Her love for Dylan? Yet her sexual drives? The pub life? Going back to Wales, finding life hard, liaisons, permissive, yet her demands on Dylan? The issue of lies? Her behaviour at the trial, her reaction to Vera and the truth?
11.Dylan Thomas, his background, Wales, his friendship with Vera in the past, going to the BBC, working with the group, discussing the war, his BBC voice, the poetry, meeting Vera again, introducing Caitlin, boarding at Caitlin’s sister’s? His dirty behaviour? The pubs, reaction to William? His love for Vera and memories? The bond with Caitlin, the work in Wales, trying to write, awkward with his child, Vera and the flirting and the sexual encounter?
12.Dylan Thomas as poet, his talent, as different from his personality, the insertion of his verses throughout the film, audiences disliking him?
13.The visuals of the memories, John Maybury as an artist and his visuals of war, painting style?
14.The crisis, the BBC group, Anita and her arrogance, William’s anger, the slapping? The trial? Vera asking for Dylan’s help, his refusal, her not forgiving him? Turning away from him? The reconciliation with Caitlin, Caitlin and Dylan leaving, Vera and William remaining in Wales? Caitlin’s final wink?
15.An atmosphere of the period, British style, characters, the experience of war
