THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS

US/Denmark, 1993, 140 minutes, Colour.
Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Jeremy Irons, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas, Vanessa Redgrave, Maria Conchita Alonso, Armin Mueller- Stahl, Teri Polo, Vincent Gallo, Jan Niklas, Sarita Choudhury.
Directed by Bille August.

The House of the Spirits is Isabel Allende’s well-known and respected novel. It is a panoramic tale of Chile for almost half a century, from the old-fashioned class differences of the 1920s to the overthrow of the Allende government and the torture and oppression of 1973.

Danish-born Bille August (Oscar winner for Pele the Conqueror, director of Ingmar Bergman’s memoir, Best Intentions, director of the Liam Neeson-Geoffrey? Rush Les Miserables) seems an unlikely choice for the adapter of this Latin-American? novel. He has made a somewhat stately epic of a vibrant culture, always interesting to watch.

This is complicated by the international cast and European locations (Portugal for Chile, Copenhagen studios for interiors). Jeremy Irons (age and accent, covering the fifty years) takes some getting used to in the central role of the self-made landowner and eventual conservative senator, though by the end of the film he seems to have grown into the role.

Meryl Streep has less to do as his spirit-psychic wife, though, of course, she does it well. Glenn Close, however, is most impressive as the oppressed and repressed sister-housekeeper. Winona Ryder does well as a representative of the modern generation caught up with the reform and revolution, stirred by her lover, played by Antonio Banderas in an early Hollywood role. Vanessa Redgrave brings dignity to the role of the mother, Armin Mueller-Stahl? as the father.

Fans of the novel will have much to comment on and criticise but those who see the film without reading the novel will probably find it a dramatic opportunity to understand a little more of the social and class history of 20th century Chile.

1. The work of Isabel Allende, literary work, adaptation for the screen?

2. Chile in the 20th century, the conservative decades, the movement to the left? The election of Salvador Allende? The CIA and the conservatives moving with the army to overthrow the government? The consequent repression? Audience attitudes towards the political stances?

3. The scope of the film: family saga, the 1920s to 1970s, the range of politics, economics, mores, the different generations? South America and the rest of the world, southern hemisphere issues?

4. The recreation of Chile, the countryside, the hacienda, poverty, the mines, the towns, the cars and changing fashions? Indications of change? Buildings, crops, wealth? Peasant life? Post-war Chile, prosperous, the changes? The political world? The army? The musical score and its moods?

5. The title, the focus on Clara, her gifts, her prophecies, her clients, her life and her indicating dangers to come, the link between one world and the other, the interventions of spirits in the ordinary world?

6. The opening, 1973, Esteban and Blanca travelling through the desert, their relationship and tensions, going to the house, the memoirs of the past?

7. Blanca, her voice-over, the story of herself, Clara, her parents? The story of Esteban and his achievement?

8. Esteban’s story, his age at the beginning of the film, his appearance, young and energetic, courting Rosa, Clara as a little girl in attendance, her love for him, his work, hard work in the mines, discovering the silver, his return, Rosa’s death and Clara’s prophecy? The parents and their receiving Esteban? Esteban, the money, going to his property, building the hacienda, his working with the peasants, over the twenty years, prospering, his hard work – and demands on the peasants?

9. Clara, her life, her gift of prophecy, sense of the spirits, a sense of death, Rosa’s dying, her blaming herself? Keeping silent, not speaking? The portrait of her parents? The sadness of their death? Her love for Esteban, his coming to court her, her speaking, happiness, marriage?

10. The new life, Esteban and his working the peasants harder, Clara and the birth of Blanca? The school, her work with the peasants, Segundo and his support? Esteban his reaction, banning her from teaching? Closing the school? Blanca running to the river, the swim, with Pedro, Esteban exiling Pedro?

11. The portrait of Ferula? With her mother, her mother’s size and illness, Ferula serving her? Esteban and his visit, going away and avoiding his mother? Her mother’s severity? Her mother’s death? Ferula as the poor spinster, the insults from Esteban? Her coming to the house, her attitudes, suspicions of Clara? Meeting her for tea and cakes and changing attitude? The bond between the two women? Her work in the house, the aunt, with Blanca? Her love for Clara, her tenderness? Her observing Clara and Esteban in the bedroom? Her going to confession, talking about herself, the sexual pressures? The reaction of the priest? Her comforting Clara? On the bed, Esteban’s reaction, banishing her? Her going away, the sadness of her life, the loneliness of her death? A portrait of an unhappy woman?

12. Post-war Chile, Blanca and her teenage, going away to the convent? The holidays, coming home, meeting Pedro secretly? Their trysts together? Her pregnancy? Esteban and his banishing Pedro? Pedro’s return, Esteban shooting at him? His reprimanding of Segundo?

13. Pedro as an adult, his life with the peasants, his speeches, the revolution? Esteban and the peasants, the confrontation, Pedro’s escape?

14. Esteban and his being invited to become a senator, his conservative attitudes as he grew older, his attitudes towards the country, patriotism, the rights of the aristocracy, their privileges? His oppressive attitudes? His not understanding the 1960s?

15. The election campaign, the results, the victory of the Left? Joy and celebration? Blanca and her happiness, watching the television?

16. The backlash by the conservatives, US help, the CIA? The generals and their army takeover? The coup? The brutality? The arrests? Their coming to the home, arresting Blanca? The torture? Her half-brother and his torturing her, her not knowing this? Esteban trying to influence the government, the army taking his car, his having to deal with the soldiers? Admitting he was so wrong about what could happen?

17. The subplot about Pancha Garcia, Esteban and his sexual frustration, his assaulting her, her pregnancy? Her son, his coming to the house, tampering with Blanca, her being stopped? Esteban dismissing him? His coming to the house, wanting help to join the army? Esteban’s help? His getting power, his torture of Blanca? Double motivation?

18. Clara, the years passing, separating from Esteban, refusing to speak to him, using a mediator, the meals? Her being alone, supporting Blanca? The birth of the daughter? The love for her husband, his finally coming home, her death?

19. Blanca, her pregnancy, the daughter, relationship with Pedro, his being sent away? Her asking Esteban to help him? Hiding in the basement, Esteban organising his escape? The embrace?

20. The 1970s, disaster for Chile, oppression, poverty, Blanca and Esteban finally returning to the hacienda?

21. Two and a half hours and the scope of the film, at the level of the family, at the level of the nation of Chile?