HOUSEKEEPING

US, 1987, 115 minutes, Colour.
Christine Lahti, Sara Walker.
Directed by Bill Forsyth.

Housekeeping is based on a popular novel by Marilynne Robinson. It was adapted for the screen and directed by Scots filmmaker Bill Forsyth. Forsyth had great success with his Scottish films: That Sinking Feeling, Gregory's Girl, Local Hero, Comfort and Joy. This is his first film made outside Great Britain.

British Colombia was used for the Rockies locations of the north-western U.S. states. The Rockies country is filmed beautifully, not only nature but the North American town during the seasons, especially winter.

The film focuses on two girls who eventually are looked after by their eccentric Aunt Sylvie. Sarah Walker is excellent as Ruth, the girl who resembles her aunt. The role of the aunt is a tour de force performance by Christine Lahti (And Justice for All, Whose Life Is It Anyway, Swing Shift).

The film focuses on women. In fact, except for the sheriff at the end, men are virtually absent from the film. However, the perspective is not feminist but feminine. The portrayal of feminine sensibility is both moving and insightful.

The film is not highly dramatic, but Forsyth brings his warmth and charm. to the portrayal of eccentric but humane characters.

1. The work of Bill Forsyth? Scottish background? Interest in characters and situations? Insight and warmth?

2. The adaptation of a popular novel? Location and period?

3. The Canadian locations for the north-western U.S. states? The Rockies? The opening with the plains, the mountains and the lakes, the seasons? The town and its life? Authentic? Period? Musical score?

4. The prologue and Ruth's story, her perspective on the events and characters? The family story of the grandfather, the plains, the house in the plain, the flat world, the train, his discovery of the mountains, painting them? The paintings throughout the film? The use of the Rocky Mountains? Establishing his family at Fingerbone? His death, the accident? The legends about the accident? The bridge, the lake, the train disappearing? The deaths of the people - especially those unknown on the train? The few relics, including the lettuce? The significance of the flashback, the people watching, storytelling, photographs?

5. The girls' mother, the introduction to the girls, packing, driving from Seattle, the quest for the family home, their arrival, the mother's attitude, leaving them at their grandmother's house, her goodbye to them, making sure everything was ready? The girls and the memories of the significant journey? Their mother leaving, her sitting on top of the car, getting the boys to push her out of the mud, the present of the handbag, her driving into the lake to her death?

6. The grandmother and her looking after the girls? The police and the search? The funeral? The girls surrounded by 60-year-olds? The passing of the years? Their growing up? The two sisters thrown together and growing together?

7. Their grandmother's death, the coming of the aunts from Spokane and their dislike of the situation, the girls out skating, worrying their aunts, the hazards of the winter? The decision to let Sylvie know after receiving the letter?

8. Christine Lahti's portrait of Sylvie: her arrival, eccentric, dress? Strong and gentle? Strange? Her arrival and the eating, talking, her travels, the stories about her husband and separation? Her memories, the girls eager to bear from her? The family home, going throughout the house to the familiar rooms? The strange feelings? Early rising, walk in the town? The girls frightened she would leave?) Her relationship with the girls, the aunts leaving, her eccentricities in the house: the papers, the tins? Her wandering, on the bridge, her not reprimanding the girls for staying away from school? Her telling of the grandfather's story? The memories of their mother and her wedding? Some information about their father? Her meeting people, the woman going to the hanging? Meals at home, the girls' study? Notes for Lucille? The change in Lucille? Sleeping on the park bench etc.? Lucille leaving? Thrown together with Ruth? The kinship between the two? Eccentric behaviour and sharing? The boat, the forest, the house and hearing the children? Under the bridge, the train? Singing songs? The train ride home? The sheriff and the delegation of the women? Their questions and her answering? Cleaning the house at night, her tidying everything? The threat to taking Ruth? Burning off, the decision to burn the house? Venturing off, wandering, across the bridge? An intelligent woman, emotional, her sense of family? Her sanity, living in her own world?

9. Ruth and Lucille together, their age, who exercised leadership? Closeness? In the town community, isolated from it? Especially with the flooding of the house and their being together? The effect of this? Their rooms, talk, games, the truancy?

10. The change, especially in Lucille? Self-assertion? Her stances against her aunt? Her doing her hair and Ruth's hair, the Coke and talking with the girls in the town? The patterns and her sewing? Separation from Ruth? Embarrassment at going to school, speaking on behalf of Ruth? her response to the teachers, to friends? Dressing up and going to dances? Ignoring Sylvie? Her being adopted by the schoolteacher? Her remaining aloof and leaving Ruth?

11. Ruth thrown back on herself, introspection, reading, shy, her head down? With Sylvie? The new experiences and sharing the day in the boat with Sylvie? The tidying of the house? The prospect of her being taken away?

12. The visit of the women, their questions and concern? The intervention of the sheriff? The end and the emotional effect on the audience? Concern about Sylvie and Ruth's future?

13. The women's perspective: women central, the generations, the absence of men, the memories of dead men? The sheriff and his presence and his upholding the law?

14. The strength of the characters drawn? The sense of warmth and humanity?