14/05/2007

Director John Maybury’s The Edge of Love has begun filming on location in Wales before moving on to locations in London and Pinewood Studios. The film unites the talents of Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy and Matthew Rhys for the first time and was formerly titled The Best Days of Our Lives.

“This will be a modern take on the extraordinary life of Dylan Thomas. By no means a biopic in the traditional vein, the story explores the collision of the bohemian underworld of war-torn London, and the intimate complexities of two young couples whose lives and loves become dangerously intertwined,” said Maybury.

The film is a romantic drama based on iconic Welsh poet Dylan Thomas’ (Rhys) complicated relationship with his feisty lady friend Vera Killick (Knightley), who was said to been involved in a triangle with the married poet and his spirited wife Caitlin (Miller).

The film is based on a 1945 incident where Thomas got into an argument with Vera’s husband William (Murphy) at the Black Lion pub, following which he reportedly fired a machine gun and threw a hand grenade at the poet’s house. The matter went to court and William Killick was acquitted. According to industry rumour, the relationship between Vera and Caitlin has lesbian undertones. Lindsay Lohan who was originally slated to play Caitlin pulled out at the last minute and was replaced by Miller.

Written by Sharman Macdonald (Knightley’s mother), the film is being shot in picturesque locations like New Quay, Laugharne and Penzance. The production has proved to be a boon for the Welsh economy by employing local talent.

Maybury is best known for his Francis Bacon portrait Love is the Devil (1998) and the thriller The Jacket [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2005), starring Knightley and Adrien Brody. Knightley will be seen on screen soon in Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End while Murphy and Miller will appear together in Beeban Kidron’s Hippy Hippy Shake, which begins shooting in autumn.