THE WAR BRIDE

Canada, 2002, 105 minutes, Colour.
Anna Friel, Brenda Fricker, Aden Young, Molly Parker, Loren Dean.
Directed by Lindon Chubbock.

A Canadian- British co-production that takes audiences back to the 1940s, first of all to the Blitz in London and then to the open and isolated prairies of Alberta. The pressbook notes that there were over 40,000 war brides who migrated from Britain, a great number of them to Canada which had an open and generous policy of bringing to this new world many of the brides married in the UK by Canadian servicemen. This story is based on the memories of the daughter of a real-life war bride.

The opening looks familiar from many a film: the factory girls walking through the bombed streets, going to a dance hall, flirting with the troops, one of them attracted to a lonely soldier, quickly marrying him and giving birth to their daughter while he is away on active service. Anna Friel brings a cherry and cheeky presence to her role as Lily but it is often hard to see what she sees in Aden Young's rather dour Charley Travis

It all changes when she gets to Canada (with an extraordinary set for Montreal station which looks like a mini train stop in the middle of nowhere). But Lily has to go much further west only to be greeted (no, that is not the right word), no, just met by an adamantly severe Mrs Travis (Brenda Fricker) and a sullen Sylvia, Charley's sister (Molly Parker). The ramshackle farm is not what Lily had been told or dreamed of. It takes her longer than we were expecting to bring the Travis family round. Brenda Fricker is reticent though forceful as the mother and we can always feel the resentment in Molly Parker's polio-victim sister. Loren Dean is the local delivery man.

Anna Friel sustains her performance so that we share her hardships, her concern for her daughter, her attempts to be kind to the Canadians and her dismay when Charley returns. It is a nostalgic memoir.

1. Memoir, an exploration of the past, its relevance to the present?

2. The atmosphere of London, the Blitz, the streets, the bombed homes, the underground station? Canada by contrast, the railway, the towns, the isolated farm?

3. The re-creation of the period, costumes, décor? The range of songs, memories of wartime, the dances?

4. The title, the reality of the war brides, the thousands coming from Britain to Canada, Canada's policy of welcoming them?

5. The bomb site, the Blitz, the girls in the street, laughing, their work, going to the club, flirting with the men, the dancing, the soldiers there, the atmosphere of the times?

6. Lily, her orphanage background, her friendship with Sophie? At the dance, her reticence, flirting, meeting Charlie, the dance, the kiss? His loneliness and attraction? Preparations for the wedding, making the dress, the ceremony?
7. Her pregnancy, Charlie's visit, the birth, the daughter, her going to work, the news about Canada for Sophie and herself?

8. The voyage, Canadian policy, in the hammocks on the boat, going on the train, Sophie and her being met in Montreal, the comfortable stop, the opposite for Lily, going further, the plains of Alberta?

9. The Travis family, the lack of welcome at the station, the family story, Frank and his grave on the property, Betty and her toughness, survivor? Sylvia and her hostility, the polio, using her leg as an excuse, urging Lily to cover up, stopping her wearing red? Prim, puritanical? Their anger at Charlie, wanting his pay cheque, suspicious of Lily, Peggy and her being jilted by Charlie?

10. Lily and the baby, the room, her clothes, cups of tea, talking, her being bright, not wanting to cover up, not getting any letters from Charlie, giving Betty the money, the gesture of making the apron for Betty, the slip for Sylvia, the rejection? Meeting Joe, dancing with him? Her wanting to leave, getting him to drive the car, kissing but reluctant? Peggy and her getting her hair done, the clients of the Travises and their criticisms? Her going shopping, Peggy refusing the thread, getting the eggs, the farm? Sophie and her visit, talking things over? Making the record for Charlie?

11. Her being kind, making the clothes, gradually thawing out the family, Sylvia and the dress, teaching her to dance, teaching her to drive the car? Sophie's second visit, deciding not to leave? The importance of the English dinner, the family, the criticisms, the enjoyment?

12. Charlie's sudden return, in himself, the experience of the war, his coldness, sexual frigidity, reading his journal? Building the outside toilet, Joe helping him? The party, the dancing, Peggy's anger, his fight with Joe?

13. Peggy and her hurting Lily, her spite? Joe, his not being able to go to war, his dreams? The dance, Sylvia in love with him, his talking with her, the proposal, a future together?

14. Betty's harshness, her telling the story, her changing, being able to laugh? Sylvia, her leg, her bitterness, learning to drive the car, the meal, the dance, Joe's proposal?

15. The war's end, listening on the radio, the celebrations in the town, the joy, hope for the future?

16. A film of sympathy, understanding, history?