Gwyneth's waves of passion

On the beach, in the sea and in bed, these pictures show Gwyneth Paltrow as we have never seen her before, playing tormented poet Sylvia Plath with a sexuality bound to take her fans by surprise.

Filmgoers are more used to seeing Paltrow play slightly prissy, precious characters in films such as Sliding Doors and Shakespeare In Love. But here she lets loose her passions in scenes with Daniel Craig, who plays her poet husband Ted Hughes.

Plath killed herself, leaving behind a bitter debate about Hughes's culpability for her torment. But as these exclusive pictures show, the film portrays their relationship as passionate and tender. These scenes were filmed on location in Devon and Cornwall, with others shot in Cambridge and London.

Last month Paltrow, who had not acted for almost a year following the death of her father Bruce last October, returned to the stage for a royal gala performance at the Globe Theatre.

Her father had advised her to play Plath. "He thought it was a part that would make her grow as an actress," said a friend. The film Sylvia premieres in London next month.