Carol

Over 60 years since The Price of Salt was first published – a story of two women, both from different warps of life who ultimately fall in love. It has now been adapted for the big screen in the form of Carol. Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara play the leading ladies, with both actresses earning themselves numerous award nominations for their performances; and to be honest I’m not surprised.

 

 

Hollywood is screaming out for films that make a statement, films that having something to say other than the typical rom-com or action packed war blockbuster. It’s almost as if Carol has been watching and waiting, ready for the perfect moment and what better time than after a year of great female-led films such as Sicario, Mockingjay Part 2 and The Suffragettes to name but a few.

“It would be Carol, in a thousand cities, a thousand houses, in foreign lands where they would go together, in heaven and in hell.”

Based in the 50s Therese and Carol’s relationship was frowned upon – in a society that put its men to work and its women in the kitchen, when many thought that one could not function without the other, these ‘alternative’ types of love threatened the way of life they had become accustomed to. The fight and struggle for freedom in the LGBT+ community is one that should be, and is starting to be documented.

 

But it’s not just the storyline that makes this film so great, every single aspect of this film has been beautifully crafted; from the styling, cinematography, colour grading, direction and acting this film is a masterpiece, and each frame is as if it were a photograph taken by Therese’ very own camera.

When Patricia Highsmith first published The Price of Salt under the pseudonym of Claire Morgan, due to her having to hide her sexuality, there was no way she could have predicted how important this story would become in today’s society. Now an infamous love story and major motion picture, Carol is one of the biggest films of 2015 and one that you simply must watch.

Watch the trailer for Carol here.