BETWEEN STRANGERS
Canada/Italy, 2002, 96 minutes, Colour.
Sofia Loren, Mira Sorvino, Deborah Kara Unger, Pete Postlethwaite, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Malcolm Mc Dowall, Gerard Depardieu, Wendy Crewson.
Directed by Edoardo Ponti.
Between Strangers is the directing debut of Eduardo Ponti, son of Sophia Loren and producer Carlo Ponti. In this film, he directs his mother.
The film focuses on three women and their crises and decisions. Sophia Loren plays Olivia, an artist who transfers the images from her dreams into her art. Katherine, Deborah Kara Unger, is a cellist who is in search of her father and has left her husband and daughter. Natalia, Mira Sorvino, is a photojournalist whose father was a famous photographer. Her photo appears on the cover of Time magazine – but at a cost.
Each of these women has an experience that opens their eyes to greater possibilities in their lives.
It is a pleasure to see the three central women in their roles. But there is a very strong supporting male cast, a wide variety of actors from Malcolm Mc Dowall to Gerard Depardieu. The film is an international collaboration.
1. A "women's film"? Its tone? The quotation about kindness?
2. The Toronto settings, the apartment block, the parks, supermarkets, offices?
3. The role of music, the Preisner score, the cello? Artwork in Olivia's sketches, Amanda's sculptures?
4. The title, the alienation, the chance encounters, possibility of friendship?
5. The three stories and the way that they were interconnected, people passing one another, the little girl in each of the three women's lives, especially at the end?
6. A portrait of three women and their pain, the relationship to fathers, to children, their own or the little girl in Angola? Mother and child?
7. Sophia Loren's portrait of Olivia, waking in the morning, at the service of John, preparing his meals, her disturbing dreams, married for thirty years, helping him, wanting to help him? Co-dependence? Her unhappiness, her age, her memories? Beginning to sketch, the history of her dream of being an artist and going to Florence? The reality of her pregnancy and giving away the baby? At the supermarket, doing the work, the young men and their knocking things over? The little girl drawing in the aisle? Her friendship with Max and talking with him? John's reaction to her drawings, his obtuseness? The poker players and having to serve them, his holding her up to ridicule? His showing her the television and Amanda with the sketches? Her going to the book launch, lining up, making herself up, the embrace of love for her daughter? The history of her giving the daughter up and explaining it to Max? Explaining to John? The final meal and John arguing, hurting her? Her opening the window? Decision to go to Florence, the money she had saved, his putting the book on the bed and his money inside? At the airport with the other women?
8. Mira Sorvino's portrait of Natalie: her return, her father's flowers, her father and his pushiness, their memories of the past, her childhood and the camera, her mother? On the cover of Time Magazine? The friendship with George? Her worry about the photo, not remembering taking it? The stall, the bracelet from Angola, the woman making a gift of it? Her being upset, wanting to see her shots, examining them closely, remembering the fire, her conscience and the photo of the girl instead of saving her? Her meeting with the editor of Time Magazine and her backing out? Discussions with her father about her future, leaving photography go, going to Angola with Ewan? At the airport?
9. Deborah Kara Unger's portrait of Katherine, depressed, with the gun, the phone call from her daughter, at the prison, following her father, seeing him in the street, seeing him bashed, firing the gun at the thugs, taking him home, confronting him about the reality of the death of her mother? Her wanting to shoot him? Ralph and his arrival, Allan leaving? Her going back to the shop, asking for help for where he was? Her cello-playing, the practice, the tours, the recordings, Ralph as her manager? Her husband's phone call and its harsh attitude? Her daughter recognising her voice on the phone when she said her mother was out? Cancelling the concert? Her having to identify her father's body? At the airport?
10. John, crippled, the athlete, his bitterness, taking Olivia for granted, obtuse in his sensitivity towards her dreams, drawings? His hurt, the poker players and his cheating, giving her the money?
11. Alexander Bower, the professional man, memories of his wife, the demands on his daughter, expectations and pride? His plans for her, the dinner and the failure? His farewell to her?
12. Allan, coming out of prison, 22 years, murdering his wife, visiting the cemetery, his visiting his old home, on the streets, his being bashed, not afraid of death? With Katherine, her confrontation? Watching her going to the old home? His death and her identifying him, the story of his helping the two in the shop?
13. Max, the gardener, genial and listening to Olivia?
14. The couple in the shop and their helpfulness?
15. Ralph and his support of Katherine?
16. The three young men, the game, cheeky to the supermarket manager, knocking things over, pursuing people in the street, the leader and his brutality towards Allan, getting the others to kick him, running way at the gunshots?
17. The background of Angola, Natalie's presence, the war, the burning village and the house, her going back?
18. Amanda, adopted, the artist, her vision? The book-signing and the sense of recognition of Olivia?
19. The finale at the airport, the interconnectedness, the three women, the little girl and their being able to laugh and hope for the future?
