John Gore Studios has released a first look at The Bitter End, a gripping new biopic starring Dame Joan Collins as Wallis Simpson, the American socialite and Duchess of Windsor.
The film is written by novelist Louise Fennell and directed by multi-award-winning director Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral). The Bitter End explores the haunting and largely untold story of Simpson’s final years following the death of her husband, Edward VIII, the British king who abdicated the throne for her in 1936.
This psychological drama delves into the disturbing relationship between Simpson and her lawyer and self-appointed guardian, Suzanne Blum, portrayed by Isabella Rossellini. Blum, a powerful and enigmatic French attorney, became increasingly controlling over Simpson’s affairs – both legal and personal – in her final years.
You can read all about Wallis’ life in our in-depth explanation here.
The film presents a depiction of how the once-dazzling life of the Duchess of Windsor descended into isolation and psychological torment under Blum’s influence.
Fennell’s screenplay explores the chilling true story of the deeply complex and sinister relationship between Blum and Simpson and how as a result Wallis’s once-glamorous life spiralled into terror and desperation in the last years of her life.
John Gore said, ‘We are thrilled to announce the exceptional cast and creative team joining Joan Collins and Isabella Rossellini in The Bitter End. Assembling a team of this calibre—under Mike Newell’s direction, from Louise Fennell’s sharp script to the extraordinary talents of Sandy Powell, Nadia Stacey, Gemma Jackson and Mike Eley—speaks to the strength of the project. It’s an exciting project for John Gore Studios as we commit to producing distinctive British stories for global audiences.’
Dame Joan Collins said: ‘In production for The Bitter End, I’m delighted to post the official first look photograph of Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, and her scheming lawyer, Maitre Suzanne Blum in the garden of her villa in Paris. Under Mike Newell’s legendary direction, this is a truly exciting production.’
The film will be produced by John Gore, Richard Holmes and Francis Hopkinson and executive produced by Hilary Strong, Michael Foster and Percy Gibson.
Filming will take place in the UK and marks the first production to shoot on the stages of Ealing Studios following its recent expansion and renovation.
