A Quiet Passion Burns Brightly
Last night, on a whim I went to see Terence Davie's indie film A Quiet Passion, about the life of Emily Dickinson at my local Sundance theater, and was completely blown away. I'd read a couple of reviews online, so I knew to expect witter banter, lyrical recitations of Dickinson's poetry, and a look at Dickinson's relationship with her family and religion. What I did not expect was how much I would feel watching it. I laughed my way through the first half and cried my way through the second. I haven't experienced that kind of catharsis in a long time. First of all, the film is hilarious. It capture the clever, irreverent charm of Emily Dickinson and her siblings in a way I've never seen translated to screen. The dialogue is masterfully written and superbly acted. Most of us familiar with Emily know her through her poetry, which has led to a perception of her as morose and somber. Her reputation as a recluse who never left her house in later years rounds out the picture of a sad, isolated woman who probably felt little joy and was likely decidedly dull. Yet, her letters reveal her as a highly intelligent and witty woman with a remarkable sense of humor and light about her that, once recognized, shines through in her poetry as well. [caption id="attachment_273" align="aligncenter" width="630"] I want to be bffs with these ladies and snark with them all day. Pictured (left to right): Vryling Buffam, Emily Dickinson, and Vinnie Dickinson.[/caption]