BENEDICTION

 Peter Capaldi     Tom Blyth     Jack Lowden

Simon Russell Beale     Ben Daniels     Gemma Jones

         This is not your usual war story.  It starts out in London in 1914 with a poem about war written by Siegfried Sassoon (played by Jack Lowden as the younger and Peter Capaldi as the older), the protagonist whose life is chronicled beginning with his years as a young man when he and his brother are going off to WWI.  We see him three years later after his brother was killed and he has become at the same time a decorated British soldier and an anti-war activist, based on his “Soldier’s Declaration.” He is refusing to return to the battlefield on the basis that the conditions for peace have not been stipulated by government and the powers that be are guilty of “political errors and insincerities.”  

         He is fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on your point of view) in that a mentor with influence, Robbie Ross (Beale) sees that he is referred to a hospital for traumatized soldiers in lieu of being court martialed.  He is outraged by this “help” because he had wanted to publicize his protest.  Nevertheless, he concedes, and uses his time in a military hospital to develop more insight into himself with the help of therapist Dr. Rivers (well characterized by the script and performed by Daniels).  

         The plot takes a turn after Sassoon is discharged from the army and focuses on his life thereafter when he has acknowledged his attraction to men and becomes involved in ambivalent relationships with a number of them when, after a particularly painful period, he decides to marry a woman, Hester Gatty (Jones).

         Writer/Director Terence Davies has created a moving and interesting work on the life of the poet Siegfried Sassoon, although he has chosen not to adhere strictly to historical accuracy.  Presumably his interest was more in the direction of illustrating the lives of homosexual men during that period of time not only in the military but in everyday social life as well.  And perhaps just as much to validate anti-war sentiments. His depiction captures the passion against war and the advocacy for freedom of identity, which could be seen as related causes.

         Jack Lowden seems perfectly cast in the starring role, showing the interiority of the main character with subtle charm on the outside and depth of feeling on the inside, most particularly captured in the last scene.  Peter Capaldi as the older Sassoon with obvious bitterness and closed off emotions is aptly personified.  All the cast members are well chosen and help to give us a poignant impression of the people in Sassoon’s life.

 

An unusual war story that depicts international struggles mirroring internal conflicts.

 

Grade:  B                    By Donna R. Copeland

A QUIET PASSION

Cynthia Nixon   Jennifer Ehle   Duncan Duff   Keith Carradine   Jodhi May   Catherine Bailey

     A quiet passion is not always so quiet, although it is an apt title to signify a woman whose passions ran so deep, her family had to calm her down repeatedly, after which she would try valiantly to keep those passions quiet.  In the end, she was always a stricter judge of herself than of others, and was praised for the depth of her soul and her honesty.

     The American poet Emily Dickinson is stunningly captured by Cynthia Nixon in Terence       Davies’ dramatization of her life in A Quiet Passion.  As a female in the late 19^th Century, she was sassy even as a child; but her cheek came from her intelligence and thoughtfulness.  The aim always seemed to be to gain knowledge rather than to be simply rebellious.  Her father (Carradine) was remarkably patient and permissive with her, yet he too felt like he had to set firm limits on her.  It was her sister Vinnie (Ehle) who was most effective in countering her arguments and mollifying her.

     Terence Davies’ dialog in the film, helped along with Dickinson’s poetic inserts, is smart and sometimes wittily funny, such as this conversation between Emily and her friend Vryling (Bailey):  [Vryling] “In the long term, honesty is not the best policy.”  [Emily] “Is dishonesty?”  [Vryling] “I prefer to call it diplomacy.”

     In his writing and direction, Davies gives us a vivid picture of the poet.  In addition to her pugnacity (Emily was outspoken about religion and her belief in God, marriage, male/female relationships, and death, for instance), she became increasingly reclusive as she got older and became more mystified about social manners and interactions.  She could be rude, but she clearly had a conscience, as when her sister Vinnie called her on it and when her father scolded her for being rude to the housekeeping staff.  “They’re our employees; not our servants”, he tells her.  She kisses him on his head, and he asks, “What’s that for?”  She answers, “For telling me the distinction”, after which she apologizes to the help, and tells them to keep the prize money for her loaf of bread that she’d won.  She became increasingly disillusioned with the world, referring to herself as a “no-hoper” who “knows best how to starve.”  She would say to Vinnie, “I long for something, but I’m afraid of it.”  In short, Emily Dickinson was a bundle of contradictions, yet had considerable insight about herself.

     As noted, Cynthia Nixon gives an award-worthy performance in fitting herself so thoroughly and neatly into the poet’s character.  Supporting cast members, Jennifer Ehle, Keith Carradine, and Catherine Bailey add dramatic flavor to this fascinating story.  The artistic cinematography by Florian Hoffmeister shows many scenes which could be framed and stand alone as paintings.  One in particular is a view of a window with a vase of flowers, curtained by a fine, sheer fabric, behind which we can see and hear the minister giving his sermon. 

A poetic rendering of images, dialog, music, and movement to convey the essence of Poet Emily Dickinson.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

SUNSET SONG

Agyness Deyn   Peter Mullan   Kevin Guthrie   Ian Pirie   Daniela Nardini   Jack Greenlees   Douglas Rankine

         This beautifully filmed and well written film is like a dirge, a slow mournful composition, although there are segments that are happy and joyful.  The story opens in a schoolroom, and as two of the girls jostle their way home, one predicts for the other how her life will be, including her first kiss from a boy.  However, presently, at home Chris’ (Deyn) circumstances are radically different from the forecast, as the head of the household (Mullan) is a religious tyrant who forces his wife Jean (Nardini) to keep bearing five more children when she feels two are sufficient and mercilessly beats his son Will (Greenless) for the slightest infraction.  All this takes place just before the outbreak of WWI, when women had few rights.

       After Chris’ mother finally rebels, her brother becomes so angry with his father he leaves home never to return.  Instead of going to college to become a teacher, the intelligent Chris stays home to help her cantankerous father with the farm.  The benefit is that she learns all about the trade, and when she is eventually left to run it, she is well prepared.  We have seen her transform from a fearful, compliant female pre-twentieth century, to a young woman who knows her mind and what she wants.

       Next comes the segment where it looks like everything is going to work out well for Chris.  She has developed some spunk, and let her relatives know that she is fully capable of staying on the farm and managing her affairs.  She develops a relationship with Ewan (Guthrie), who is devoted, loving, and energetically helpful with the farm.  They have a whirlwind courtship and a celebratory wedding on New Year’s Eve, after which they settle into married bliss and welcome a new baby.

       Then comes the war, and although Ewan and his friend Rob (Rankine) plan to stay out of it, they are taunted so badly as cowards, they end up enlisting, along with another friend Chae (Pirie).  The story goes dark again; Chris manages very well on the farm with her son and the help of a male friend.  But when Ewan comes home for a visit, he is a changed man, presumably an effect of war experiences—brutal, demanding, and boorish.  When he leaves to be shipped off to France, they do not say goodbye to each other.  He does not return, but his friend Chae informs her of what happened to him, which gives her some comfort.

      Sunset Song is based on a well-known Scottish novel by Lewis Grassic Gibbon with screenplay and direction by Terence Davies (The House of Mirth, The Deep Blue Sea).  It is typical of Davies’ work in its characterization and referencing important issues of its time, such as women’s rights, pacifism against war, family dysfunction, and the ongoing modernization of society.  Gibbon meant for the title, Sunset Song, to reflect the end of an era giving way to a new.

      The acting, cinematography (Michael McDonough), and music (Gast Waltzing) contribute significantly to the value of this film.

An in-depth look at life in Scotland pre-WWI, as shown through the eyes of a brave young woman.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland