6: Dickinson & Thelma & Louise
Kathleen Norris on Emily Dickinson on Film, Part Two
Like many people who fall in love with Emily Dickinson I struggle with the temptation to become possessive. One reason I avoided seeing The Belle of Amherst, with Julie Harris until recently was that the title seemed a disservice to Dickinson, implying a feminine fragility and weakness in a woman who was remarkably determined and strong-willed. Directed by Charles S. Dubin and released in 1976, the movie is clearly the filming of a play and lacks cinematic charisma. Its power comes from the script: its words are Dickinson’s own. Playwright William Luce made good use of her vast store of letters and poems, making it possible to hear her voice throughout: witty, demanding, questioning, and half-amused at Amherst’s designation of her as “Squire Dickinson’s half-cracked daughter.”
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