One artist tackles another in Terrence Davies’ considered biopic of Emily Dickinson. As if to evoke the poet’s famous use of dashes, ellipses and commas, the film manages to be an exercise in controlled fitfulness. Unlike Dickinson’s beloved poetry, however, it doesn’t quite work.
Cynthia Nixon takes on the lead role, beautifully conveying the seemingly paradoxical traits of this complex woman. Dickinson was a writer who railed against gender roles while literally hiding her face because she believed it to be ugly; a woman who cared passionately about her friendships yet became a recluse; and a quick wit who delighted in mischief while being tormented by despair.
If the film were just Nixon’s performance, there would be a clear and chronological character arc; sadly, Davies attempts to jump genres as he jumps through time, confusing his vision.
Dickinson’s deep love for her sister Lavinia (Jennifer Ehle) and brazen friend Vryling Buffam (Catherine Bailey) is the focus of the first half. Shot in Easter egg hues with quip-a-minute dialogue, Davies seems to be embracing the manner-based comic stylings of other period films like Pride And Prejudice and Love & Friendship. These interactions can feel vapid and overly mannered, clashing with Nixon’s plaintive voiceover where she reads Dickinson’s poetry, her words becoming the film’s score.
As Dickinson becomes more emotionally and physically brittle, so does the film. Pastels are traded for pallid tones, and Davies uses revolving cameras and unnervingly still framing to evoke images of death. However, while the dark gothic atmosphere is beautifully rendered, it jars utterly with the film’s earlier aesthetic. The transformation feels erratic rather than organic.
A Quiet Passion is trying to be a truth told slant, but could have done with some straightening up.