In the aftermath of Forster’s biography, Daphne fell once again into another category - that she was ‘queer’, whether that meant that she was a lesbian, had bisexual tendencies, or perhaps was what we would now refer to as transgender or non-binary. Before Daphne’s complicated relationships with some of the women in her life came to light, Daphne was concluded to have been a cisgender, heterosexual woman, and appeared to fit well into that category, given her successful marriage to her husband and overall family situation. My issue with much of the discussion of the nuances of Daphne’s gender and sexuality - aside from being unsure whether or not she’d particularly enjoy people nosing into her business, as, after all, much of the content from the biography was not originally shared with the public - is that any discussion ends with a certain conclusion. It isn’t until later that I realise exactly what it is.

But still, there is something niggling at me, unsettling me, as I take down my notes in preparation for this blog post. Indeed, I find that a lot of the movie’s dialogue is lifted straight from the excerpts of Daphne’s letters that are quoted in the biography, which pleases me at least the movie has not fabricated Daphne’s choice of words to express her feelings too greatly. Knowing that much of Daphne is rooted in Margaret Forster’s biography, Daphne du Maurier, I find myself returning to my rough paperback copy as soon as the credits start to roll. It makes me feel intrusive, and like a bit of a traitor for finding parts of the film touching.

But as a du Maurier fan, there is something uncomfortable about the movie’s representation of one of my favourite writers. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself*, I find the ambiguities of sexuality and gender explored in it undeniably interesting (and I must admit, the general presence of Elizabeth McGovern does have a strong bearing, too). When I first watch Daphne, I am unsure about how I feel towards it. Online, the movie has since attracted both praise, for its open representation of LGBTQ+ themes, and criticism, with some du Maurier fans dubbing the biography-based movie as an invasion of Daphne’s privacy. The 2007 television movie, Daphne, exposed the seemingly sapphic inclinations of Daphne du Maurier’s life on screen in almost excruciating detail, despite her overwhelmingly successful attempts at hiding those parts of her life when she herself was alive. Blog Post: On Exploring Gender and Sexuality in Daphne du Maurier’s Life and Works

The breakthrough daphne du maurier