On Swift Horses: A Dangerous Gamble of Love, Lust, and Liberation

There are three things in life that are certain: death, marriage and taxes. However, in the aftermath of the Korean war, life is nothing but for charismatic Julius (Jacob Elordi) who always seems just out of reach for viewers, and for Muriel (Daisy Edgar-Jones), whose hunger for life leads her to grow tired of her housewife status, desiring so much more. 

On Swift Horses is a film that explores the transgression of boundaries and the desperate lengths one will go to in order to satisfy a deep, consuming urge. It’s a story of personal liberation, a breaking free to pursue raw, unfiltered desire, driven by the weight of sexual frustration.

Led by Daniel Minahan’s directorial eye, this historical film reveals the nuanced complexities of its characters and offers a thoughtful exploration of intentional gender performance. It illustrates how mid-century queerness manifests uniquely in each person: from those who find solace in the dimly lit clubrooms, where whispered taboos are temporarily suspended, to the ones who wear their ruffled debauchery with ease, to those still experimenting, trying to see what clothes fit them best.

The level of intimacy is erotic, voyeuristic, and as the viewer, you become innately taken by the parallel lives of Julius and Muriel as they exist in the same timeline, yet are seemingly zones apart, each wrestling with their own personal struggle. 

Muriel, trapped in the confines of subservience and acquiescence, seeks a release through the high-stakes world of horse racing, while Julius finds his escape in the flickering lights of casino tables and the shuffle of cards. Both forms of gambling serve as a lifeline, a way to feel something real and alive amidst the weight of their sexual repression. Whereas Muriel’s husband, Lee (Will Poulter), is a soldier returning from Korea on leave, embodying the societal expectations of the time. He yearns for the traditional nuclear family dynamic and the elusive American Dream, values that clash sharply with Muriel’s pursuit of financial independence and personal liberation.

Daisy Edgar-Jones and Jacob Elordi exude a timeless, old-Hollywood charm, with an effortless glamour that transcends eras. There’s a magnetic quality to them, a sense of timelessness that makes you want to linger in their presence and observe their gaze, their gestures and the unspoken tension in their silence and the way they simply move across the room. 

This slow-burn romantic drama unfolds at a deliberate pace, which may feel languid, but is clearly a choice by Minahan to allow the audience space to absorb and reflect on the unfolding events. 

On Swift Horses is unapologetically sincere, sharpening the revelation that sometimes gambling with your life is a price worth paying for true individual freedom.

On Swift Horses

★★★★☆

On Swift Horses is playing at Palace Norton St Cinema on Friday June 13 as part of the 2025 Sydney Film Festival (SFF).