On Swift Horses is a new romance film from director Daniel Minahan, based on the book of the same name by Shannon Pufahl. Set in the 1950s, the story centers on Muriel and her husband Lee, who begin building a life together in California after his return from the Korean War. Things change as Lee’s brother Julius enters the picture, with Muriel and Julius eventually finding love in places they don’t expect.
One of the movie’s highlights, at least according to ScreenRant’s On Swift Horses review, is its cast. Daisy Edgar-Jones (Twisters, Normal People) leads as Muriel, and is joined by Diego Calva (Babylon), Jacob Elordi (Saltburn), Will Poulter (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), and Sasha Calle (The Flash). Together, they bring to the forefront love both platonic and romantic in a story that challenges each character’s perceptions of what they thought the word could mean.
ScreenRant’s Joe Deckelmeier interviewed Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sasha Calle, Diego Calva, and director Daniel Minahan about their work on On Swift Horses. They talked about the inspiration that was Shannon Pufahl’s book and what it was like to embody the transformative experiences characters like Muriel had throughout the story. Plus, Minahan explained the deeper metaphorical meaning behind the movie’s many gambling scenes.
Director Daniel Minahan Explains How His Own Life Inspired On Swift Horses
“A Love Story Is Only As Good As The Restraining Forces That Keep The Lovers Apart”
Daniel Minahan is no stranger to romance stories, having directed and produced series including Fellow Travelers, but one of the central relationships in On Swift Horses–that between Muriel and Jacob Elordi’s Julius–spoke to a platonic romance he himself experienced. “The Shannon Pufahl novel described it so beautifully,” said Minahan. “I’ve actually been trying to write something about that relationship, because I thought it was so unique.”
“When I was in film school,” Minahan continued, “Two things that [my screenwriting teacher] said always haunt me. One was, ‘Just because it happened to you doesn’t mean it’s interesting,’ and the second one was, ‘A love story is only as good as the restraining forces that keep the lovers apart.’ And I felt like Muriel and Julius have this bond and kind of love that [even] transcends Sєxuality. It’s this platonic relationship that’s very intense, they’re almost like twins in the world.”
“I thought my experience was very different, but Shannon and our screenwriter, Bryce Kᴀss, described it so beautifully that we just had to get the scenes up and let them play.”
On Swift Horses Stars Explain Bringing The Movie’s Complicated Relationships To Life
“The Film Explores Love In All Its Forms”
In Daisy Edgar-Jones’ words, “The film explores love in all its forms in a really interesting way.” These forms of love are explored even within the life of Muriel, who is married to Lee, has an intense platonic relationship with Julius, and finds herself falling for a neighbor woman named Sandra. Edger-Jones weighed in on that dynamic: “Her love of Lee, her love of Julius, her love of Sandra, her love of herself, and how she starts to develop that… I found the script so beautiful, and her arc so beautiful, and I found it incredibly lyrical.”
Muriel is also a character who is introduced in the midst of a very domestic life. “I loved the ways in which we see her quietly start to push the boundaries when it comes to her gambling, but then also in her exploration of her Sєxuality,” Edgar-Jones said on the subject.
“I’ve always loved stories which show the people that come into your life that fundamentally change the course of it.”
“That moment that she goes to the party at Sandra’s fundamentally changes [the] entire rest of her life, and I just love stories that explore that.”
While Sandra changes Muriel’s world, Henry, played by Diego Calva, changes Julius’. Calva reflected on working with Jacob Elordi on developing that chemistry: “Jacob is such a dedicated actor. I like more to improvise [and] he really likes to rehearse, but at the same time, he’s really brave. I think if you don’t feel safe, you can’t explore, and I found a perfect partner with Jacob.”
On the subject of safety, Sasha Calle said that “Sandra creates a very safe space for Muriel,” which is key for Muriel’s exploration of her Sєxuality. “I think she sees something different around her,” Calle continued, “and I think she also wants to embrace Muriel. Even though there’s complications within that relationship, she really wants to embrace her, not judge her, and allow her to explore that love and that connection.”
“At the same time,” Calle said, “I think that Sandra’s very much herself, is brave, and sets a boundary when it gets too far [and] starts hurting. I am very proud of her for that as well. I find it to be a very strong thing to stand up to someone that you’re starting to love and with the potential of losing the one that you love.”
Gambling Is A Code For Queer Love In On Swift Horses
“This Is A Film About Characters Who Are Hiding Themselves”
Director Daniel Minahan has previously stated that On Swift Horses’ emphasis on gambling was a metaphor for queer love in the film. Elaborating on that, the director shared that “This is a film about characters who are hiding themselves, and about people who are finding each other. So, they spend a lot of time watching each other. Henry and Julius are in the catwalk watching cheaters down below, but they have this connection.”
“Muriel’s watching her neighbor Sandra,” Minahan continued, “and we get to see Muriel’s transformation when she meets Sandra for the first time. She says, ‘So you live here alone,’ and the second time she goes to the book party and they have their romantic moment on the back porch, she says, ‘So you’re not afraid of being alone.’ I think there’s a lot of danger in what they’re all doing, and then it’s literally gambling with their safety and their happiness to be who they really are.”
Daisy Edgar-Jones touched on Muriel’s involvement with that world as well: “I find the gambling scenes really interesting. When she first goes, she’s really hiding herself–she’s got her glᴀsses or her scarf on, and she’s really just feeling what it’s like to be there–and by the end, you see her dress in this elegant way, completely own her power, and really step into it. I just love the way she pushes the boundaries and I like characters that kind of teach me [that] it’s good to do that.”
Source: ScreenRant Plus
On Swift Horses is in theaters now.
