WIDOW'S PEAK

UK, 1993, 97 minutes, Colour.
Mia Farrow, Joan Plowright, Natasha Richardson, Adrian Dunbar, Jim Broadbent.
Directed by John Irvin.

Widow's Peak is a tall story, an Irish tale set in the mid-'20s. Filmed in beautiful Irish locations, water and sunlight, the film is set in a village where the hill and the aristocracy live is Widow's Peak. Most of the women who live there are, in fact, widows. They are lorded over by Joan Plowright as Mrs Doyle- Counihan. She enjoys herself in this grande dame role. Also on the hill is the bedraggled Mia Farrow, a poor woman who is allowed to be part of high society in the village. She has a mysterious past. Into the village comes British widow, Natasha Richardson, a ball of style who sets her cap at the grande dame's son, played by Adrian Dunbar. Jim Broadbent is the dentist who is in love with Mia Farrow.

Things go along quite swimmingly for Natasha Richardson, except that she clashes, sometimes quite viciously, with Mia Farrow. However, when Mia Farrow disappears, the ladies all turn on the unmasked Natasha Richardson, eventually accusing her of murder. There is a humorous twist at the end where the townsfolk live unhappily ever after and Mia Farrow and Natasha Richardson go off on a world cruise with money gained from slander suits.

Director is John Irvin, whose films range from action shows like Dogs of War to more gentle dramas like Turtle Diary. The story and screenplay are by Hugh Leonard, author of Da.

1. An entertaining Irish tale? The period? The twist in the tale?

2. The location photography, beauty, the season, the period setting, costumes? The musical score, Irish songs, songs of the '20s?

3. The title, the hill, the widows and the description of them?

4. A women's story, the focus on the women, the men on the sidelines? The twists, comic and serious?

5. Mrs Doyle- Counihan and her presiding over the town? Her car and her driver, her haughty manner with the people, her hold over her son Godfrey, the other women of the village, her committees, her control? With the church and the canon? Her taking Catherine under her wing, supporting her? The arrival of Edwina, the possibilities for Godfrey? Her drinking and being tipsy? On the boat, the race, the fair? The dinner for all the relatives? The announcement of the engagement, the unmasking of Edwina?

6. Catherine and her infatuation with Mr Clancy, at tea with him, the tea in the saucer for the cat, her roses and winning competitions, her dependence on Mrs Doyle- Counihan, the arrival of Edwina, claiming that she saw right through her, the overt hostility, the visits and the destruction of the roses, the dance and her claiming the prize and Edwina tripping into her, the open enmity? Her talk about murder? The boat, its going aground? Finally on the boat with Edwina and her disappearing?

7. Edwina and her style, arrival, engineering the puncture, Godfrey passing by, her story, her husband with the VC, the south of France? Patronised by Mrs Doyle- Counihan? Godfrey recommending the maid, the maid and her hiring, her rules, the maid reading her letters and gossiping? Godfrey and the picnics, the car going down the hill, the dance and her enjoying it, the Irish dancing, the crowd of characters at the dance, her visit to Catherine, destroying the roses, the build-up to the engagement, on the boat, racing, setting Catherine and Mr Clancy aground, at the fair, the sailor and his denouncing her?

8. Godfrey and his niceness, dependence on his mother, not working, pretending to be ineffectual? Needing to break free, falling in love with Edwina, even though she was unmasked, his still being devoted, his not being able to bring himself to follow her, sinking in the boat?

9. Mr Clancy, the teeth, Godfrey, his visit to Catherine, his playing in the band, his shock at Catherine's disappearance and her reappearance? Part of the happy ending?

10. The Mass, Catherine not going on her bike because of the brake, praying, confronting Edwina, the anonymous letter after Edwina interrogated the maid, going to the dinner, her story, with the sailor and his back-up, Edwina coming from a brothel, the made-up story? The revelation of her own secret, her daughter and her death?

11. The boat, Catherine's disappearance, the police investigation, the crowds, the hysteria, Mrs Doyle- Counihan leading the crowd against Edwina? The lawyer and his visiting Mrs Doyle- Counihan and revealing the slander? Catherine's reappearance, her story?

12. The ending on the boat, the revelation of the truth about the relationship between mother and daughter? The sting in the tale/tail?