LOVE, MARY

US, 1985, 90 minutes, Colour.
Kristy Mc Nichol.
Directed by Robert Day.

Love, Mary is a telemovie based on a true story. Mary Lewis herself acted as a consultant for the film.

There is enough material in this telemovie of 90 minutes for a whole mini-series. Actress Kristy Mc Nicoll is excellent as she moves from a teenager, through early adulthood into middle age. She portrays a juvenile delinquent developing into a competent and responsible doctor. While the film might seem far-fetched as it moves quickly through Mary's life, it uses the technique of focusing on particular years of her life and showing the development, allowing the audience to fill in the gaps. Matt Clark and Piper Laurie are her parents. The whole film is very positive in its approach to human nature, the American dream, giving people the opportunity to develop their talents.

1. The portrait of a woman? Through the decades? True story?

2. The scope of the film, from the '60s to the '80s? Sense of period, dress and atmosphere? The range of locations of states in the U.S.? Musical score?

3. Kristy McNicoll's performance as a tour de force, persuasive, credible?

4. The structure of the film, the glimpses of Mary at various periods of her life, the passing of time, audience filling in the gaps?

5. The opening and Mary as a runaway, the car crash, going back to the reformatory, discipline, rules? The attitudes of the staff and their treatment? The other girls, tough? Mary's reading and her identifying with Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'? her friendships, the girl who killed her baby, her suicide? Her own tough attitudes? The visit of her parents
and their desperation in trying to explain what had happened? The support from Rachel?

6. The opportunity to go to college, her surliness, her eyes being tested and getting the glasses, the diagnosis of dyslexia? Her response to the tutors and learning to read? The effect on her ambitions and goals in life? her parents' support? Her achievement in a few short weeks? The news of
her friend's suicide? The return, the staff speech, the gift of the camera and her giving it away? Her seeing herself as a victim because of her success?

7. The sketch of her parents, the large family, Mary as a mystery to them, their exasperation, their support, the mother as nurse and supportive?

8. Her getting the job, going to college, studying and working? The groups and her speech about her history? The baby in the papoose and no explanation given? Her working for the war effort, signing the toilet paper for the G.1s, 'Love, Mary'? Losing her job? Pregnancy, the difficulty of the birth,
her parents' support, her stroke?

9. The stroke, her father's support and making her draw circles and squares, her having to start again?

10. The passing of the years, her study, the children, applications for medical school, interviews and rejections, the effect on her, on her work? As a nursing assistant? Her skill in treating the patients’ personally? Doctors' admiration?

11. Meeting David, being open to him, wondering about the future, the bond between the two, his being a journalist and intending to write about 'Love, Mary'? Engagement, the problems of money, their falling out, the passing of the year, meeting again, the proposal? The wedding, sharing life, the children? The applications for medical school?

12. Mary's success, going to classes, new university friends? The passing of the years, her study, reading, difficulty with her eyes, anger with the children? David's support? The exams? Study and her being so demanding with the girls? Arguing? In the ward, the emergency and her diagnosis, looking at the book, her success?

13. Iris and her problems at home, clashes with her mother, running away, history repeating itself, her return and the bond between mother and daughter?

14. Her father's stroke, Mary helping him with circles and squares?

15. The build-up to the exam, her hopes? The support of the doctors? Her success. medals, scholarships? The family meeting about going to Youngstown?

16. Her graduation, the comedy with her parents' delay with the car, their acclamation, success? A journey of life? The postscript about her work in Youngstown?

17. An involving telemovie, for the widest audience? Hopes and dreams? Feelings, talents? A stirring ....