This is a fictionalized tale of how famed poet Robert Browning fell in love with aspiring poet Elizabeth Barrett, Barrett is depicted as a kind woman of intelligence, but poor health and, along with her siblings, is trapped in a household under the thumb of an emotionally abusive father. It was made once in the 1930s, but this is me talking about the 1954 version.
The Barretts of Wimpole Street is also about how writing gives people an escape and brings them together. The overbearing Mr. Barrett, played by John Gielgud, refuses to provide the healthy environment his favorite daughter Elizabeth (called Ba by the family), played by Jennifer Jones, to overcome lifelong illness. He keeps his daughters and sons in fear of his whims and their love for Ba seems to be the only thing that gives them some courage to argue with their father. The obsessive behavior Mr. Barrett shows towards his invalid daughter gets downright creepy at times.
Being bedridden, every knows about and encourage’s Ba’s poetry, even her doctors and the household staff. The movie sprinkles her poems between scenes so this writing acts as the narrator, showing that the film makers respected their subject as a poetess, not just a good dramatic topic.
Ba corresponds with local poet Robert Browning (played by an over zealous Bill Travers) for writing advice. Eventually, they fall in love first through letters then by Browning insistently coming to visit her. The movie still insists how being writers is so important to the pair and how Browning wants her continue to be a poet even as his wife.
Spoiler alert: A very true historical moment in the movie is Ba’s doctors insistence that as she shows more strength she needs to get away to Italy. There was a belief that dry air and warmth helped with tuberculous. Naturally, when her father refuses to let her go, it’s Browning who takes her Italy through elopement. And bring her dog, Flush, without question.
Hopefully the Brownings leaned Italian
In reality, I really did admire Barrett Browning because she was a woman who was confined to a bed for much of her life. Yet even from that position, she used her smarts and later her fame to fight against the oppression of women, child labor, and slavery. Of course, what really endeared her to me was her love for her dog, Flush (first I watched this I was probably 10, but that dog is so sweet).
Something that this melodrama gets full marks on it the idea of seeking criticism especially (in the same theme as Devotion) as a woman in a time when it was hard to be taken seriously as a writer. But in this case that criticism comes a healthy, mutual, and equal relationship between Ba (Barrett) and Browning.
In reality, Elizabeth Barrett Browning did not become famous until after her death, despite her husband’s support and promotion. Once again, society questioned whether he secretly wrote or heavily edited Elizabeth’s work. Despite knowing this truth, as a movie about a writer I love how everyone encourages her (save for her dick dad, of course).
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