Terence Davies rewrote some of "The Deep Blue Sea" for this film adaptation, released in 2011 and starring Rachel Weisz and Tom Hiddleston.
Set in the 1950s, Weisz plays Hester, a young woman married to an older man (Simon Russell Beale). In the beginning of the film, we see her attempt suicide, and then we see what led up to it and beyond.
We don't know much about her relationship with her husband. She seems fond of him, but not in love, and it's not clear why they married. In this film, he has a perfectly awful mother (Barbara Jefford) - she's not in the play, as I recall.
Hester meets a returning air force pilot, Freddie Page (Hiddleston), and the two fall in love, or seem to -- clearly, like Anna Karenina, the physical side of the relationship is something all-encompassing and new to her, and she revels in it. She becomes obsessed with him and ultimately leaves her heartbroken husband, who refuses to give her a divorce. She moves in with her lover.
It turns out the object of her affection is very self-involved, very shallow, and very restless for the good old days, loving to spend time in the pub with his cronies singing. "His favorite year is 1940," she tells her husband. He can't love her the way she needs to have him love her. "I can't be Romeo all the time!" he screams at his friend. Her suicide attempt is the last straw. He can't stay with her.
This film has the look of the '50s, with his deep colors, and the hairstyles and clothing and mores are perfect. This is England after the war, trying to find its place in an altered world, like Freddie, who thinks being a test pilot in South America is just the ticket.
I saw Rachel Weisz recently on stage with her husband Daniel Craig in Betrayal. The play was badly directed but I loved both of them. Weisz is so stunning in person -- absolutely gorgeous. Here she gives such a beautiful, gut-wrenching performance as a woman who can't live without passion. Hiddleston is excellent as a charming, upbeat man who doesn't delve deeply into things and when the going gets tough, runs out the door to the pub. He embodies this perfectly. Simon Russell Beale is a brilliant actor. Here it's obvious his character cares so much for Hester that he feels her pain and in the end, just wants her to be happy. But it's too late for that.
The last scene is shattering -- Hester, desolate, looks out her window and sees life going on -- people on their way to work, children playing, people beginning their day...and the camera stops at a bombed out shell and stays there.
Sounds like I loved it. I loved the emotion in it. I loved the acting. I actually wasn't crazy about the movie. First of all, I don't really understand the necessity of rewriting Terrence Rattigan. Seems a little presumptuous to me. Also, the filmed moved very slowly. Too slowly and seemed too long. Of course that could have been avoided if Davies hadn't added material.
Because this is based on a play, the film has a theatricality about it, but Davies has opened it up. Definitely worth seeing for the acting.
Set in the 1950s, Weisz plays Hester, a young woman married to an older man (Simon Russell Beale). In the beginning of the film, we see her attempt suicide, and then we see what led up to it and beyond.
We don't know much about her relationship with her husband. She seems fond of him, but not in love, and it's not clear why they married. In this film, he has a perfectly awful mother (Barbara Jefford) - she's not in the play, as I recall.
Hester meets a returning air force pilot, Freddie Page (Hiddleston), and the two fall in love, or seem to -- clearly, like Anna Karenina, the physical side of the relationship is something all-encompassing and new to her, and she revels in it. She becomes obsessed with him and ultimately leaves her heartbroken husband, who refuses to give her a divorce. She moves in with her lover.
It turns out the object of her affection is very self-involved, very shallow, and very restless for the good old days, loving to spend time in the pub with his cronies singing. "His favorite year is 1940," she tells her husband. He can't love her the way she needs to have him love her. "I can't be Romeo all the time!" he screams at his friend. Her suicide attempt is the last straw. He can't stay with her.
This film has the look of the '50s, with his deep colors, and the hairstyles and clothing and mores are perfect. This is England after the war, trying to find its place in an altered world, like Freddie, who thinks being a test pilot in South America is just the ticket.
I saw Rachel Weisz recently on stage with her husband Daniel Craig in Betrayal. The play was badly directed but I loved both of them. Weisz is so stunning in person -- absolutely gorgeous. Here she gives such a beautiful, gut-wrenching performance as a woman who can't live without passion. Hiddleston is excellent as a charming, upbeat man who doesn't delve deeply into things and when the going gets tough, runs out the door to the pub. He embodies this perfectly. Simon Russell Beale is a brilliant actor. Here it's obvious his character cares so much for Hester that he feels her pain and in the end, just wants her to be happy. But it's too late for that.
The last scene is shattering -- Hester, desolate, looks out her window and sees life going on -- people on their way to work, children playing, people beginning their day...and the camera stops at a bombed out shell and stays there.
Sounds like I loved it. I loved the emotion in it. I loved the acting. I actually wasn't crazy about the movie. First of all, I don't really understand the necessity of rewriting Terrence Rattigan. Seems a little presumptuous to me. Also, the filmed moved very slowly. Too slowly and seemed too long. Of course that could have been avoided if Davies hadn't added material.
Because this is based on a play, the film has a theatricality about it, but Davies has opened it up. Definitely worth seeing for the acting.