The House of Mirth (2000)

Director: Terence Davies
Writers:   Edith Wharton, Terence Davies
Cast:       Gillian Anderson, Dan Aykroyd, Eric Stoltz

A woman risks her chance of losing her happiness with the only man she ever loved.

It is an adaptation of Edith Wharton's 1905 novel set in New York. It is about the tension among the upper class about social status, jostling by the newly rich and the perils of thinking independently in such a set up. It is an unforgiving environment and the protagonist, played excellently by Gillian Anderson, finds it out for herself that conformity is the only option. The theme is universal and applicable for almost all the societies of the world.

Rating: 3.5/5

Of Time and the City (2008)

Director:   Terence Davies
Writer:      Terence Davies
Narration: Terence Davies

A filmmaker looks at the history and transformation of his birthplace, Liverpool, England.

It can called either as a documentary or a biography film and is an ode to Liverpool by Terence Davies. It depicts the transformation of the city of Liverpool in the post world war era and is told in sometimes angry and sometimes satirical way. It is put in the overall context of declining English empire and takes us through the phase of "Managed Decline" of Liverpool under Margaret fucking Thatcher and finally to the modern times.

Rating: 4/5

The Deep Blue Sea (2011)

Director: Terence Davies

Writers:  Terence Davies, Terence Rattigan (play)

Cast:      Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston, Simon Russell Beale

The wife of a British Judge is caught in self destructive love affair with a Royal Air Force pilot.

It is a very simple story set in 1950 London and is based on a play from Terence Rattigan. The initial part of the film contains heavy music reminiscent of old films and it takes a bit to figure out the relationships. Once it is done the film is very engrossing.

Rating: 3.5/5