We turn not older with years but newer every day.
— Emily Dickinson
You Will Find Me in a Bookstore Tomorrow
A Quiet Passion pictures the life of Emily Dickinson — one of the most famous American poets. But it is not only the brilliant poet we see. We get her passions, her struggles, her strength, her character in the making. Davies gives us a full portrait, with all its curves and sharp edges.
Davies introduces us to Emily when she is still a teenager at school — beginning with scenes of rebellion against the headmistress, making clear immediately how important independence of thought is to her. That independence will define everything that follows and cost her almost as much as it gives her.
Emily Dickinson was unfortunate enough to be born at a time when all that was expected of women was to marry and give birth. It was common knowledge that women could not possess ambition, intelligence, or talent — and if they did, they were obliged to forget all that nonsense the moment they married. For a driven and gifted woman with a mind of her own, ready to question everything and everyone and with the intellectual capacity to do so, it must have been relentlessly challenging.
She understood that no husband would let her write during the night — as her father allowed. Since poetry was her first love, she stayed devoted to it.
Emily was deeply religious, her morality carved in stone. She was stubborn, and recognised herself as being blessed — but only with intelligence and not with looks. Believing strongly in her destiny, she worked hard, writing every night, finding happiness in words, epithets, and metaphors. Giving up on any chance of romance and the widely accepted life of a wife.
Davies beautifully blends the personal life of the poet with her work, never letting one overwhelm the other. Reaching an effect like that was possible thanks to both actresses playing Emily at different stages of her life — Emma Bell and Cynthia Nixon — who give truly great performances. The transitions between them are handled with remarkable care.
After watching the film I could almost feel like I knew her. And the poems — you will find me in a bookstore tomorrow, buying Emily Dickinson's books of poetry.
That is the highest compliment I can pay a biographical film — that it sends you somewhere after it ends. A Quiet Passion sent me to poetry. That is Davies at his best.
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