Wicked Little Letters (2023) | Dir. Thea Sharrock
Anjana Vasan as Gladys Moss, Joanna Scanlan as Ann in 'Wicked Little Letters' Image: Parisa Taghizadeh. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
Written by: Belle McIntyre
In the spirit of full disclosure, this black comedy mystery film contains many of my favorite elements: small town British eccentrics, a preposterous mystery (based on actual events), marvelous ensemble acting. In fact it could almost be a program on Masterpiece Theater (PBS), combining a Mrs. Whistledown-like character (Bridgerton), who writes scurrilous, anonymous poison pen letters, but for the fact that the raunchiness of the language in the letters is way beyond the pale of civilized television fare.
Hugh Skinner as Constable Papperwick, Paul Chahidi as Chief Constable Spedding, in 'Wicked Little Letters' Image: Parisa Taghizadeh. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
With a first rate British cast headed by Olivia Colman as Edith Swan, a righteous, do-gooding spinster who still lives with her parents, a nasty domineering father, played with sinister delight by Timothy Spall and a sweet, acquiescent mother, Victoria (Gemma Jones). Colman’s character is counter-balanced by the new arrival in town from Ireland, the loud, trash-talking Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley), who swears like a sailor, a single mother of a young girl, and her black live-in boyfriend. They live next door to Edith in 1920’s Littlehampton, England, a small town with a dysfunctional police force and so little going on that gossip and judgmental behavior are a blood sport.
Olivia Colman as Edith Swan in 'Wicked Little Letters' Image: Parisa Taghizadeh. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
Edith, however, is one of those relentlessly cheerful and kind “church ladies” who takes a keen interest in helping Rose adjust. They become unlikely best friends, suggesting some sort of vicarious pleasure for Edith, who could barely imagine exhibiting such unbridled behavior. Rose pushes the envelop of Edith’s tolerance when she dares to show disrespect to Edith’s monstrous father, now a sworn enemy of Rose’s. This is where the “crimes” begin with Edith receiving insulting letters with foul accusations of all-manner of sexual deviation, (including animals), promiscuity, and hilariously florid name-calling. As the letters continue and begin to appear in other villager’s mail Edith’s father calls in the local Police Constable Papperwick who arrests Rose and sends her to jail.
Anjana Vasan as Gladys Moss, Lolly Adefope as Kate, Joanna Scanlan as Ann in 'Wicked Little Letters' Image: Parisa Taghizadeh. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
Misogyny raises its ugly head in the investigation which follows, both in the town, the court and the police force which includes a young well-educated woman, who is pushed around by the bumbling male officers and disbelieved when she produces evidence. the exposing of the crime raises the bar on credibility with “Mrs. Marple”-esque civilian meddling in the crime investigation. The ending is quite satisfying with the guilty party laughing heartily as she heads off to jail, relieved of all of the repressed rage she had been carrying for her whole life. It is a delight.
Olivia Colman as Edith Swan, Jessie Buckley as Rose Gooding in 'Wicked Little Letters' Image: Parisa Taghizadeh. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
