My sister and I went to see this over the weekend…….
I loved it…while critics have slammed the movie,for me it was a visual feast, with beautiful clothes, people and interiors! I know I sound shallow and perhaps I should demand slightly more from a cinematic experience…. the direction was not the best I have ever seen, but the story line was an interesting take on the classic “love story”of Wallis and Edward.
I also loved the addition of the modern-day love story which plays a part in the telling of the tale….
Wallis Simpson’s magnificent jewelry also features prominently throughout the whole movie, and I remember seeing the catalogue for the Sotheby’s auction back in 1998 ,and browsing through it with absolute wonder…..The Duke showered her with jewels throughout their life together and her Latin cross bracelet was one of my favourite pieces, along with the pearl necklace featured above. You can see the cross bracelet on her hand….
And also here on her wedding day.
And also in this image……
The interior decoration was also wonderful….this was one of the few stills I could find with an good interior background. I think the mustard yellow wall with the portraits is fabulous…
I LOVE this shot of the very civilised cocktail hour…..as for the peonies….and need I mention the graphic print dress? I thought the costumes were absolutely breathtaking and I read that Andrea Riseborough had to make 60 costume changes while playing the Duchess….I can imagine that was quite true….every shot was more elegant than the next. It is not surprising that Wallis is considered one of the most stylish women in the world.
A very charming portrait of Wallis.
I, like so many other people, have always been fascinated by the story of these two people, who very sadly, never ever returned to live in England, but lived the rest of their lives in exile. This comes across very strongly in the film and I felt very sad for this poor man, who gave up his entire future as King of England, for a woman he was obsessed with. The other surprising fact which came across was the fact that Wallis was not as besotted with Edward, as he was with her. In fact , several of her letters to friends and notably, her ex husband Ernest, relate how terribly lonely she was. This fact really fascinated me and one gets the feeling that she regretted the path she had chosen but she seemed to make the best of their life together and was an excellent partner to the Duke.
I researched several blogs and sites and discovered a few documentaries on Youtube…one in particular: Secret Letters: Wallis Simpson discusses her very personal letters to her ex husband Ernest and reveals the fact that she may have still been in love with him…even after marrying the Duke.
See the link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMk13YaDVBg
Two small issues about the film worried me a little – the actor, James Dárcy, was a lot taller than the Duke was…he was apparently quite a short man and he and Wallis were the same height. Also , Adrea Riseborough is a lot prettier than Wallis was….it is well known that she made the best of her looks and was never considered to be a beauty.
All in all though, I highly recommend the film …even if only for the clothes!
A Decorator's Notebook 