W.E. movie

[VintageBaroness]

While reviews of W.E., the Madonna-directed film about Edward "the Abdicator," and Wallis Simpson, have been far from laudatory, the 30s clotheshorse in me needs to see those costumes. Of course, one could also ogle the clothes via a recent photospread in Vanity Fair. Have a peek! http://http://www.luxinteriordesigns.com/2011/08/costume-designer-arianne-phillips-for.html More images over here: http://www.queensofvintage.com/vintage-style-icon-wallis-simpson/

 

[VintageBaroness]

Trailer for the film [video=youtube;hbrh4OA-IYs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbrh4OA-IYs[/video]

 

[Miss Golightly]

Why can't I see any Youtube videos anymore that people post?!

Anyway, I've heard the movie is very stylish but that seems to be as good as it gets - to be honest the only reason I would watch it is because it was fillmed in Villefranche-Sur-Mer where I got married. I saw a clip on YouTube of them removing any modern items from the port of Villefranche - digging up plaques and covering shop and bar fronts - I would have loved to have seen the transformation.

 

[rue]

The trailer makes it look pretty good. I'll watch it when it comes out.

 

[Edward]

I've read quite a lot about this. By all accounts it entirely whitewashes out the couple in question's Nazi sympathies (both before and after the war when we all knew about the death camps) in favour of the laughable "romantic love story" angle. Still, by the sound of things it could well be such a stinker that it'll be worth t for the comedy value. They do seem to have gone for a fair level of period accuracy in the wardrobe, though don't expect a traditional period piece. The darling Sex Pistols are on the soundtrack... (Pretty Vacant, I am told, makes an appearance - though I was hoping for the sublime God Save the Queen... but I suppose that doesn't apply to Eddy VIII or his brother. So far as we know, anyhow. ).

 

[VintageBaroness]

Yes, I think Coco Chanel's history and Nazi entanglements have been similarly whitewashed/erased in recent films about her, too. As for W.E., it's not a straight up bio-pic (it flips between Edward and Wally's relationship/England in the 30s and the story of a Wallis-obsessed American gal in 21st century America....assuming the Sex Pistol tune plays when the story flips back to present day??). Sigh, I'm not hoping much in terms of substance in plot, character, etc., so may have to wait for DVD that I can then watch for costumes while the sound is turned down? LOL

 

[VintageBaroness]

Not sure what happened with that youtube vid, either. It was working when I first created this post. Darn...will try again!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... and the story of a Wallis-obsessed American gal in 21st century America....

I would run away screaming from a Wallis-obsessed American gal in the 21st century.

 

[Edward]

I would run away screaming from a Wallis-obsessed American gal in the 21st century.

I'd be worried if you didn't. Frankly, I'd find a Wallis obsessed girl much more disturbing than Wallis herself.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I would do her...a favour and run away too. I wouldn't mind if she had clothes like wallis though. Mid thirties was the best style ever.

 

[Miss Golightly]

Yes, I think Coco Chanel's history and Nazi entanglements have been similarly whitewashed/erased in recent films about her, too. As for W.E., it's not a straight up bio-pic (it flips between Edward and Wally's relationship/England in the 30s and the story of a Wallis-obsessed American gal in 21st century America....assuming the Sex Pistol tune plays when the story flips back to present day??). Sigh, I'm not hoping much in terms of substance in plot, character, etc., so may have to wait for DVD that I can then watch for costumes while the sound is turned down? LOL

I believe the people currently in charge of Chanel gave Coco Avant Chanel their approval as it was a rather sanitised version of her life (the movie Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky was much the same) and left out the more, perhaps unsavoury aspects of her life. All in all it was a rather dull and safe movie - nothing relevatory.

I know WE is all about their love affair and how passionate it was but whenever I look at photos or footage of the two of them together I am hard pressed to see anything passionate or even that loving. Perhaps I'm wrong but the impression I get was that she was a complete social climber and marrying him would have opened many doors and given her access to abundant wealth. He seems to have been quite hen-pecked by her and very much under her thumb.

 

[TheNewClassic]

With the white washed history and heavy focus on wardrobe it sounds like it might be along the lines of Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, which featured more style than history. This isn't necessarily a bad thing if you love historical dress, but it'll probably seem a bit weak plot-wise compared to The King's Speech.

 

[Edward]

With the white washed history and heavy focus on wardrobe it sounds like it might be along the lines of Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, which featured more style than history. This isn't necessarily a bad thing if you love historical dress, but it'll probably seem a bit weak plot-wise compared to The King's Speech.

I never saw the latter - simply didn't appeal to me. Based on trusted reports, it does sound as if it too was rather sanitised.

I believe the people currently in charge of Chanel gave Coco Avant Chanel their approval as it was a rather sanitised version of her life (the movie Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky was much the same) and left out the more, perhaps unsavoury aspects of her life. All in all it was a rather dull and safe movie - nothing relevatory.

I know WE is all about their love affair and how passionate it was but whenever I look at photos or footage of the two of them together I am hard pressed to see anything passionate or even that loving. Perhaps I'm wrong but the impression I get was that she was a complete social climber and marrying him would have opened many doors and given her access to abundant wealth. He seems to have been quite hen-pecked by her and very much under her thumb.

The impression I always had was that she wasn't even that bothered about marrying him at all, but was rather rushed into it. Of course, the marriage had to go ahead from the pov of the establishment who were rather desperate to find some reason (other than, of course, telling the truth) to keep a Nazi sympathiser off the throne.

 

[Miss sofia]

I agree, what with Edward and other prominent aristos, like some of the Mitford girls being pro Nazi, i do think the government definitely had their hands full. So the marriage and subsequent abdication was most definetely engineered to stop Edward from succeeding.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Plus inbred royals are easier to control.

 

[VintageBaroness]

I agree with Flat Foot Floey re: mid 30s clothing being the best! I also agree with Marc et al. re: a Wally obsessed American gal being a fearful thought . All in all, it does sound like a film only set on romanticizing the Edward-Wallis alliance is simplistic and misguided. That zigzag moderne- suit still makes me weak in the knees, though

 

[VintageBaroness]

Then there are these recently found letters of Wallis's which she wrote to her ex-husband. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8713438/Wallis-Simpsons-secret-letters-to-her-ex-husband.html. I'm guessing Madge left those out of her movie (or were they discovered after production had finished?).

 

[VintageBaroness]

Article is apparently a companion piece to this two part show:

[video=youtube_share;IMk13YaDVBg]http://youtu.be/IMk13YaDVBg[/video]

[video=youtube_share;uPD8nZI_XHc]http://youtu.be/uPD8nZI_XHc[/video]

 

[Mrs Chaddsley_Corbett]

Thanks for posting, very interesting

My favourite book on the subject, letters to Aunt Bessie, who kept them, wallis sadly did not keep Aunt bessies Letters

 

[Edward]

Plus inbred royals are easier to control.

True, true. If only the English had more of the French about them.