POSSESSION
US, 2002, 102 minutes, Colour.
Gwyneth Paltrow, Erin Eckhart, Jeremy Northam, Jennifer Ehle, Lena Heady, Toby Stevens, Graham Crowden, Anna Massey, Tom Hollander, Trevor Eve.
Directed by Neil la Bute.
Possession is based on the novel by A.S. Byatt. It was initially adapted for the screen by prolific screenwriter Laura Jones (The Well, Oscar and Lucinda, Portrait of a Lady, Angela's Ashes). It was then adapted by playwright David Hwang and the director of the film, playwright Neil La Bute.
In the mid 90s, Neil La Bute directed a film which seemed to its audiences extraordinarily misogynistic, In the Company of Men. He then went on to explore relations between men and women in Your Friends and Neighbours. He changed pace with the amusing satire on modern television consciousness in Nurse Betty, with Renee Zellwegger, Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock. His move into writing and directing Possession seems quite a large step away from his more contemporary concerns.
Watching Possession, audiences might think of the two parallel worlds in The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles, a picture of a 19th century novel and the contemporary actors who were performing in the film of the novel. Here, the focus is more literary. The contemporary characters are investigating the writings of a 19th century poet and rediscovering the secrets of his life and relationships as these are dramatised on screen.
In the Company of Men brought Aaron Eckhart to audience attention. He has also appeared in all of La Bute's film as well as being Erin Brockovich's boyfriend and the sheriff in The Pledge. Here he is joined by Gwyneth Paltrow, once again playing British so effectively as she did in Emma, Sliding Doors and Shakespeare in Love. The other central character in the contemporary story is a deceitful academic played by Toby Stevens. In the 19th century world of poetry, Jeremy Northam (familiar to this kind of role with An Ideal Husband and The Winslow Boy) and Jennifer Ehle (Elizabeth in the television version of Pride and Prejudice). Lena Headey portrays the artistic companion of Jennifer Ehle.
The film parallels the two stories in terms of relationships and discoveries. It shows the genteel world of 1859 and the secrecy of the Victorians, especially in their relationships, but revealed in the elegant poetry and letters that they wrote. The 21st century is much more go-getting and much more openly blatant in its relationships and ambitions.
Some readers who value A.S. Byatt's novel were disappointed in this film version, stating that it simplified the characters and the issues, making the parallels too obvious. For those who have not read the novel, it is a very entertaining study of human nature as well as an absorbing look at two different British worlds.
1. The adaptation of A.S. Byatt's novel? The visual and verbal interpretation of the novel? The use of poetry, letters, the voices blending from the 19th century into the 21st?
2. The 19th century, the Victorian era, costumes, décor, music, manners? Blending into the 21st century, the university atmosphere, the apartments, transport? The settings in London, in Lincolnshire, in Yorkshire? The musical score?
3. The title, the reference to the manuscripts and who owned them, possession of each other by the different characters? The two stories of possession, the establishing of the parallels, the editing of one story into the other?
4. The focus on Randolph Ash, 1859, his reputation as a poet (the 21st century exhibition)? Ash and his relationship with his wife, no children? The dinner and meeting Christobel, chatting with her about reputation, the beginning of the correspondence, Blanche and her disapproval, their sharing their analyses of poems, the self-revelation? At home with his wife, playing chess, gentle with her? Explaining to her different kinds of love? Yet, Christobel as his muse? Christobel referring, in her letter to his wife, as his being the unwitting cause of all this? Grief? The visit to Yorkshire, the train, the hotel, the talk in the bedroom? His visiting France, Christobel keeping him out, the séance and her referring to his making her a murderess, his reaction? His dying? The finale and the audience knowing that he had seen and recognised his child?
5. Christobel and her reputation as a poet, at the dinner, talking with Ash? Her pre-Raphaelite look, cherishing his letters, Blanche and her jealousy, sharing her poems? At home with Blanche, their special relationship, playing the piano with her? Asking Ash for his letters back so that the letters could be together? Blanche and her saying she burnt the letters? Her going to Yorkshire, no regrets, in the town, the waterfall, her poem about the waterfall? The bedroom talk, their relationship, tearing up the poem and scattering it from the train? Going to France, her harshness towards her cousin, the birth of the child? The séance, saying she was a murderess - and saying later that it referred to Blanche killing herself? Her letter to Ellen, the confrontation? Christobel and the quality of her love with Ash, the effect of her pregnancy, the child, keeping it a secret, its being adopted, her being the aunt and not loved? Burying her letters under the dolls, the souvenirs in her grave? Her never receiving Ash's letter?
6. The world of the university, Professors Cropper and Blackadder, their lectures, research, their assistants, work in the libraries, auctions? Fergus and his career, using Maud, spying on Blackadder and Roland, the deals with Cropper? Professors and their rivalries, styles? The discovery of the documents, taking them from libraries? Secrecy? Cropper and the information from Fergus, going to Sir George, offering him money, digging up the grave?
7. Roland, his being assistant to Blackadder, the questions that he had to research about Mrs Ash's cooking, his interest in Ash? His clashes with Fergus, the discovery of the letter in the British library, taking it? Discussing the repercussions with his lawyer friend? Finding the dinner letter, the contact with Maud, her rebuking him, his rough, flush and brash style? Yet his writing poetry, his wariness about relationships? The encounter with Maud, visiting the Bailey house, the discussions with the Baileys, seeing the rooms where Christobel lived, the finding of the letters and reading them, Sir George's reaction? The decision to go to Yorkshire, the hotel, going to the shop and discovering the truth about the rings, the bedroom talk with Maud, the failure of the relationship, walking along the coast? His diving into the pool and finding the cave behind the waterfall? Taking the faxes that Fergus had sent? Maud and Roland going to France, the secretary, taking the documents? Reading them, finding out the truth about Christobel, the baby? The stealing at the grave, their routing Fergus and Blackadder? The relationship between Maud and Roland, their limitations, reserves, reluctance, willing to take risks? A future?
8. Maud, her relationship with Fergus, her academic background, prim and proper English? Meeting with Roland, sceptical, anti-Americans? Going to the Baileys, the dolls, working out the meaning of sympathy, finding the letters and reading them? The abrupt ending? Her own reserve, difficulty with compliments? Saying she was empirical? The possible relationship with Roland, especially in Yorkshire and their going to the waterfall, the shops? The reserve, her reluctance with him? His later return, her being glad he was back, their going to France, taking the manuscript, discovering the truth? The final self-assessment, the farewell to Fergus, commitment to Roland?
9. The Baileys, their welcome, Sir George's reaction about the letters, his irritation with Fergus on the phone, Cropper offering him money?
10. Blanche, her relationship with Christobel, love, jealousy? Her paintings and their all destroyed? Saying she burnt the letters? Her sending the letters to Ellen? Keeping them, her reaction to Cristobel’s pregnancy, drowning herself?
11. Ellen, the Victorian wife, devotion to her husband, childless, his reassurance? Her being hurt by Blanche and the letters, Cristobel’s letter?
12. Fergus, ambitious, unscrupulous, using people? The relationship with Cropper, the grave, running away?
13. The final image of the little girl, the encounter with Ash, the daisy chain, his recognising her, giving her the letter, her dropping it as she went to play? The poignancy of the closeness and yet the separation of Ash and Christobel?
14. Themes of poetry, imagination, creativity, inspiration and love?
