when i saw 'dance with a stranger' i had no idea who ruth ellis or miranda richardson were. in this tragic tale, where once again we are reminded of greta garbo's 'camille', in that we don't make our own hearts, miranda played real life, 'ruth', the last woman to be executed in england for murder. ruth said at her trial, 'it was obvious when i shot him that i intended to kill him.' that trial was in 1955. thirty years later her story was brought to the screen.
back when patti smith redesigned my life i walked around wearing pins with her pictures on them that i made myself. though i didn't make any 'miranda' pins, i was wearing them in my mind. the 'pal' award for best performance ever by a female in a lead role goes to her for this film. she gave one crazily exquisite performance of a deeply unhinged person.
rupert everett played her lover 'david', half schoolboy from harrow, half dreamboat from hades. there was a time in rupert's life when he was simply too good looking. he 'is' the bane of ruth's existence who dances in and out of her life until their last tango finds him on the receiving end of her bullets.
the film was written by shelagh delaney, whose 'a taste of honey' is considered one of the greatest kitchen sink dramas.
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