Naomi Weisman is a Canadian, Australian and mother of three, who loves to ramble with her dog, cook for family and friends, and laugh whenever possible.
The other day, I stumbled upon a film called The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy.
My streaming services know that I am a sucker for a British period piece. I will watch anything that Benedict Cumberbatch is in, yes, even Dr. Strange from the Marvel Multiverse. Claire Foy is also exquisite, in my humble opinion. She is the best as Queen Elizabeth in The Crown series.
This film is set in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century. It is the true story of an artist named Louis Wain, whom I had never heard of.
Wain is an eccentric man who has been prematurely saddled with caring for his five sisters when his father dies. His main fascination is with electricity and inventing, but he is also a very talented artist. So, he makes a modest living as an illustrator for a magazine to support his family.
A love affair develops between him and his beloved Emily, and they adopt a stray kitten together before cats were considered household pets. I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that the art he became famous for happened organically from observing their cat Peter who was happy to play the muse.
I found this film to be well-acted, albeit slow-moving. I found a few spots tedious, but that can sometimes be the case with British period dramas. Overall I was happy to learn about this quirky person who contributed so much to the art of illustration and, more importantly, to the trend of owning a cat in the middle and upper classes of England and beyond.
I recommend this little gem if you like quiet dramas that teach and entertain. It won’t be the best movie you’ll ever see, but I am glad I watched it.
Thumbs up!
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