:The Edge of Love

{{Infobox film

| name = The Edge of Love

| image = Edge_of_love.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| alt =

| director = John Maybury

| producer = {{unbulleted list|Rebekah Gilbertson|Sarah Radclyffe|Mritunjay Waghmare}}

| writer = Sharman Macdonald

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = Angelo Badalamenti

| cinematography = Jonathan Freeman

| editing = Emma E. Hickox

| studio = BBC Films

| distributor = Lionsgate{{cite web|title=The Edge of Love (2008)|publisher=British Board of Film Classification|access-date=16 April 2021|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-edge-of-love-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc00mtk0mje|archive-date=16 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416040235/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-edge-of-love-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc00mtk0mje|url-status=live}}
Capitol Films

| released = {{Film date|df=y|2008|06|18|Edinburgh International Film Festival|2008|06|20|United Kingdom}}

| runtime = 110 minutes

| country = United Kingdom

| language = English

| budget =

| gross =

}}

The Edge of Love is a 2008 British biographical romantic drama film directed by John Maybury and starring Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy, and Matthew Rhys. The script was written by Knightley's mother, Sharman Macdonald.{{cite web|last1=McCartney|first1=Jenny|title=Film reviews: The Edge of Love and Adulthood|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3554717/Film-reviews-The-Edge-of-Love-and-Adulthood.html|website=The Telegraph|access-date=5 October 2017|date=19 June 2008|archive-date=5 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005000522/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3554717/Film-reviews-The-Edge-of-Love-and-Adulthood.html|url-status=live}} Originally titled The Best Time of Our Lives, the fictional story concerns Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (played by Rhys), his wife Caitlin Macnamara (played by Miller) and their married friends, the Killicks (played by Knightley and Murphy). The film premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

The story is loosely based on real events and people, drawing on Rebekah Gilbertson's idea and David N. Thomas' 2000 book Dylan Thomas: A Farm, Two Mansions and a Bungalow.{{cite web|last1=Dargis|first1=Manohla|title=Matthew Rhys, Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller as Dylan Thomas's Circle|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/movies/20edge1.html|website=The New York Times|access-date=5 October 2017|date=19 March 2009|archive-date=5 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005000841/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/movies/20edge1.html|url-status=live}} He has since written further about Dylan and Vera, highlighting the several deceits in the film that trivialised their friendship. He has described how Dylan and Vera were related as cousins, and the extent to which their families inter-married, farming together as neighbours on the Llansteffan peninsula in Carmarthenshire.Thomas, D. N. (2013) Dylan Thomas and The Edge of Love: the Real Story in Cambria, February and online at [https://sites.google.com/site/dylanthomasandtheedgeoflove/dylan-thomas-and-the-edge-of-love-the-real-story?authuser=0 Dylan and Vera] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123145229/https://sites.google.com/site/dylanthomasandtheedgeoflove/dylan-thomas-and-the-edge-of-love-the-real-story?authuser=0 |date=23 November 2021 }}

Plot

During the London Blitz, nightclub singer Vera Phillips runs into her first love, charismatic Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Although Dylan is now married to Caitlin Macnamara, with whom he has a son, he and Vera rekindle feelings for one another. The two women, initially rivals, become best friends. Drinking heavily in wartime London, the three come to get along.

William Killick, a British Army officer, begins to pursue Vera. Both Vera and Caitlin are intrigued by his steadfast, gallant personality despite its contrasts with Vera's rebelliousness. William notices Vera's closeness to Dylan, but doesn't appear concerned; he and Vera even lend the struggling poet some of their savings. William and Vera fall in love and marry. Soon afterward, William is called up to fight against the German invasion of Greece after the Italians failed.

Shortly after William's departure, Vera discovers she is pregnant. Upset that motherhood will take away her independence, she contemplates aborting the child but cannot bring herself to do so. She gives birth to a son and moves to the Welsh seashore with Dylan and Caitlin to raise their children in two small neighbouring cottages. Vera and Caitlin's friendship grows stronger while Dylan and Caitlin's marriage becomes distorted by multiple infidelities. Dylan draws Vera into an affair with him.

William returns a captain, scarred by the horrors of the war. Vera notices his emotional distance and instability. William suspects his wife of infidelity and confronts her. Vera confesses to both William and Caitlin, who are furious with her. One evening, while severely inebriated and angry with Dylan's friends for their ignorant remarks on the war, William wanders outside and fires multiple shots into Dylan and Caitlin's home. He does not hit anyone, and Vera calms him down. The next morning, William seems to have returned to his former self. However, he is arrested and taken to trial.

During the trial, Dylan testifies against William and distorts the facts, claiming that William was sober and intended to kill Dylan, Caitlin, and their child. The jury finds William innocent of intent to murder. After returning home, William accepts his new role as a father, and he and Vera forgive each other. Their relationship improves. Dylan and Caitlin move out of their cottage. During the farewell, Vera restores her friendship with Caitlin, but she never speaks to Dylan again, unable to forgive him for testifying against her husband.

Cast

The cast included:{{Cite web|url=http://www.theedgeoflove.co.uk|title=The Edge of Love – The Official Movie Website [archived site]|date=2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114072142/http://www.theedgeoflove.co.uk/|archive-date=2010-01-14|access-date=2018-05-18}}

{{Cast listing|

Keira Knightley as Vera
Sienna Miller as Caitlin Thomas
Cillian Murphy as William Killick
Matthew Rhys as Dylan Thomas
Lisa Stansfield as Ruth Williams
Graham McPherson as Al Bowlly
Camilla Rutherford as Nicolette
Alastair Mackenzie as Anthony Devas
Richard Dillane as Lt Col David Talbot Rice
Huw Ceredig as John Patrick
Simon Armstrong as Wilfred Hosgood
Rachel Essex as Mel
Geoffrey Beevers as Registrar
Ben Batt as Sergeant
Paul Brooke as Mr. Justice Singleton
Nick Stringer as PC Williams
Anthony O'Donnell as Jack Lloyd
Rachel Bell as Midwife
Anne Lambton as Anita Shenkin
Karl Johnson as Dai Fred
Richard Clifford as Alastair Graham
Rick Cord as ARP warden

}}

Distribution

The film made its world premiere opening at the Edinburgh Film Festival on 18 June 2008. It was released in London and Dublin two days later, with a Welsh premiere taking place in Swansea (the birthplace of Dylan Thomas) on the same night, attended by Matthew Rhys. A national release followed in the UK and Ireland on 27 June 2008.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/jun/22/film.review1|title=Review: The Edge of Love|last=French|first=Philip|date=2008-06-21|website=The Guardian|access-date=2018-03-24|archive-date=11 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411014145/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/jun/22/film.review1|url-status=live}} An exhibition of costumes, scripts and props from the film was on display at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea until September 2008. The Edge of Love has earned {{US$|3,238,922}} in gross revenue since its June 2008 release.{{cite web|title=The Edge of Love (2009) – Financial Information|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Edge-of-Love-The#tab=summary|publisher=The Numbers|access-date=7 October 2017|archive-date=7 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007070230/http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Edge-of-Love-The#tab=summary|url-status=live}}

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes the film received a 38% rating based on 58 reviews, with an average rating of 5.10/10. The site's consensus reads: "Despite effective performances from Knightley and Miller, The Edge of Love lacks a coherent narrative".{{cite web |title=The Edge of Love |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/edge_of_love/ |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |date=14 July 2009 |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-date=27 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127154316/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/edge_of_love/ |url-status=live }} Metacritic, which uses a weighted average score, gave the film 39 out of 100 based on reviews from 13 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".{{cite web |title=The Edge of Love |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-edge-of-love |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=22 March 2022 |archive-date=31 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031011054/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-edge-of-love |url-status=live }}

In Variety, Leslie Felperin commented: "While the period drama has several redeeming features, tonally it's all over the map, veering between artsy stylization and hum-drum, sometimes almost twee melodrama."{{cite web|last1=Felperin|first1=Leslie|title=The Edge of Love|url=https://variety.com/2008/film/markets-festivals/the-edge-of-love-1200508944/|website=Variety|access-date=30 September 2017|date=18 June 2008|archive-date=1 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001074909/http://variety.com/2008/film/markets-festivals/the-edge-of-love-1200508944/|url-status=live}} Mark Kermode described the film as "inert" and said that the script was "flawed but not without some form of admirable merit".{{cite AV media |title=Mark Kermode reviews The Edge of Love|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRIFXrlEbEI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/wRIFXrlEbEI |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|via=YouTube|access-date=30 September 2017|date=20 June 2008}}{{cbignore}}

The Independent felt that "Maybury's stylisation makes the film more interesting than it would have been if directed by your average British journeyman, but it finally adds up to earnest heritage romance."{{cite web|last1=Romney|first1=Jonatahn|title=The Edge of Love (15)|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/film-reviews/the-edge-of-love-15-851886.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/film-reviews/the-edge-of-love-15-851886.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=The Independent|location=London|access-date=30 September 2017|date=22 June 2008}} In The Guardian, reviewer Philip French said, "This is a fascinating story, its chronology somewhat muddled and its dramatic thrust rather obscure."

The Hollywood Reporter critic Ray Bennett commented that The Edge of Love is a "wonderfully atmospheric tale of love and war" and stated about Knightley and Miller; "the film belongs to the women, with Knightley going from strength to strength (and showing she can sing!) and Miller again proving that she has everything it takes to be a major movie star."[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=11261 Film Review: The Edge of Love] Hollywood Reporter, 17 June 2008 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090812065951/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=11261 |date=12 August 2009 }}

Sienna Miller received a nomination as Best Supporting Actress at the 2008 British Independent Film Awards.{{cite news|title=Hunger dominates nominations for British Independent Film Awards|url=http://metro.co.uk/2008/10/28/hunger-dominates-nominations-for-british-independent-film-awards-78627/|access-date=2 December 2017|work=Metro|date=28 October 2008|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201132037/http://metro.co.uk/2008/10/28/hunger-dominates-nominations-for-british-independent-film-awards-78627/|url-status=live}}

Soundtrack

{{Infobox album

| name = The Edge of Love (Music from the Motion Picture)

| type = Soundtrack

| artist = Angelo Badalamenti

| cover =

| alt =

| released = 24 June 2008

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Soundtrack

| length =

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{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score =

| rev2 =Discogs

| rev2score = 5 / 5

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Jurek |first=Thom |url={{AllMusic|class=album |id=r1390912/review |pure_url=yes}} |title=The Edge of Love (Music from the Motion Picture) – Angelo Badalamenti : Songs, Reviews |publisher=AllMusic |date=16 June 2008 |access-date=27 June 2012}}

| rev2Score =

}}

The Edge of Love soundtrack by Angelo Badalamenti includes songs by Keira Knightley, Siouxsie Sioux, Suggs, Patrick Wolf, and Beth Rowley. Siouxsie performs the second version of "Careless Love", while Wolf performs "Careless Talk".

The composer performed the soundtrack live with Siouxsie and Beth Rowley at the World Soundtrack Awards in Ghent in October 2008.{{Citation|last=Siouxsiepedia|title=Careless Love – Siouxsie Sioux – World Soundtrack Awards on 18-10-08 (Erasercuts)|date=2012-12-15|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyCOpFUc9YA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/SyCOpFUc9YA |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|access-date=2018-03-24}}{{cbignore}}

; Track listing

"Lovers Lie Abed"
"Overture/Blue Tahitian Moon"
"Underground Shelter"
"Hang Out the Stars in Indiana"
"After the Bombing/Hang Out the Stars in Indiana"
"A Stranger Has Come"
"Fire to the Stars"
"Careless Talk" (vocals by Beth Rowley)
"Careless Love"
"Love Me"
"Careless Talk"
"Drifting and Dreaming"
"Home Movies"
"Under Fire"
"Maybe It's Because I Love You Too Much"
"Vera Begs Dylan"
"Vera's Theme"
"Holding Rowatt"
"Careless Love" (vocals by Siouxsie Sioux)
"Caitlin's Theme"

References

External links

{{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20100114072142/http://www.theedgeoflove.co.uk/}} (archived site)
{{IMDb title|0819714|The Edge of Love}}
{{rotten-tomatoes|edge_of_love}}

Category:2008 films

Category:2008 soundtrack albums

Category:2008 biographical drama films

Category:2000s historical romance films

Category:2008 LGBTQ-related films

Category:2008 romantic drama films

Category:BBC Film films

Category:Biographical films about poets

Category:British biographical drama films

Category:British LGBTQ-related films

Category:British romantic drama films

Category:Cultural depictions of Dylan Thomas