No doubt finding love is all shades of exhilarating, but it’s also dangerous to be completely blinded by it. Agreeably, the emotion makes it harder to see what lies beneath, and that message is at the heart of Crimson Peak. Directed by Academy Award winner Guillermo del Toro, the story follows an inspiring writer, Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), and her love for English inventor Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). However, Thomas and his sister Lucille Sharpe (Jessica Chastain) have other motives tied to Edith’s inherited wealth.
The film delivers a startling revelation into what people would do for money, regardless of whether they hurt others in the process. The concept of Crimson Peak also digs into the consequences of selfishness and all-around greed. Released in 2015, this film is still regarded as one of del Toro’s best.
What Is Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Crimson Peak’ All About?
Crimson Peak‘s plot revolves around Edith Cushing, an ink-stained dreamer, who falls in love with the dashing English baronet, Sir Thomas Sharpe. As an inventor, Thomas hit a rough patch financially but is now out to revive his family’s clay-mining business. Unfortunately, Edith’s father isn’t willing to part with a dime, so he hires a private investigator who unearths unpleasant details about Sharpe and his sister. Edith gets caught in the ricochet of these events, and that’s where the “fun” begins.
Set in two contrasting locations, the narrative unfolds in Buffalo, New York, where the younger Edith Cushing (Sofia Wells) begins her life, and in Allerdale Hall, England, where her adult drama plays out. Both settings are significant to the film’s two main elements, gothic romance and horror, equally serving a thematic and symbolic purpose. Here, Buffalo symbolizes wealth, modernity, and parental protection, while the second Allerdale Hall represents isolation, trauma, and decay. In addition, these two locations highlight Edith’s transition from an innocent, young girl enjoying her father’s wealth and protection to a bruised woman facing deceit, manipulation, and horror alone.
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‘Crimson Peak’ Blends Gothic Romance with Horror Elements
Guillermo del Toro’s dexterity with gothic romance and horror themes shines brightly in Crimson Peak. The film incorporates supernatural and psychological horror elements to create an incredible love story and a ghostly mystery, teaching the audience a vital lesson… that beauty and terror coexist. Gothic romance often emphasizes dark, brooding settings, doomed love, and deep-rooted secrets. Needless to say, this film brings these features to life through the heroine, Edith. Despite her intelligence and independence, she’s vulnerable to manipulation.
The morally ambiguous Thomas is genuinely in love with her, but his dark past and hidden family secrets put him on the opposing side. What about the deception? The fact that the secondary plot starts off as a beautiful love story before revealing a web of manipulation, betrayal, and murder shows the audience that sometimes, darkness can taint love.
Regarding horror elements, the director uses them to elevate tension and suspense. For instance, the ghosts in Crimson Peak are there to warn Edith, not terrify or threaten her, as seen in most films within the genre. In one scene, a ghost leads her to a closet, then a cellar, and finally to a locked trunk containing the Sharpe family secrets. Also, Allerdale Hall isn’t just an old, collapsing house. The red clay leaking through the floors and the constant noises make it feel almost alive. The place reflects the people in it, and their bad decisions are evident in the state of the building itself.
How the Ghosts Enhance the ‘Crimson Peak’s Emotional Impact
If one thing is clear, it’s that the ghosts in Crimson Peak are not just there for scares. They are more metaphoric than anything else. These spectres highlight the decay, trauma, and dark secrets of the characters, especially the Sharpe family. All in all, five ghosts appear in the film, each representing a powerful element of the narrative. Basically, the film’s emotional impact lies in the ghosts’ roles.
There’s no love like a mother’s love, as exemplified by the ghost of Edith’s mother, who, even in death, still wants to protect her daughter. Meanwhile, Thomas and Lucille Sharpe’s mother, Lady Sharpe, symbolizes the Sharpe family’s dark secrets as well as their shared trauma. Enola Sciotti’s ghost represents the ups and downs women face in their relationships. Then, there are Margaret McDermott and Pamela Upton’s ghosts, representing the pain, scars, and betrayal occasioned by Thomas’s violent past. Despite being handsome, he is a haunted rogue, though he wins over the audience at the end. His arc suggests that no matter how shiny appearances may seem at the surface, something dark may lie beneath.
For a peek at the perfect juxtaposition of horror and romance, Stream Crimson Peak on Apple TV.
