LIFE CLASSES
Canada, 1987, 117 minutes, Colour.
Jacinta Cormier, Leon Dubinsky, Francis Knickle.
Directed by William D. Mac Gillivray.
Life Classes was written and directed by William Dean Mac Gillivray. A small-budget director and an artist, his films include Stations and Understanding Bliss. This is his most straightforward feature of the '80s. Set in Nova Scotia, it focuses on Mary, a young woman from the Gaelic region of the island who leaves her home town and goes to Halifax. She is pregnant, wants to care for her daughter by herself. She works in a store, gets an invitation to pose for art classes. She learns to move from drawing and painting by numbers to work in her own creative way. She also participates in a media happening televised for Canada - and seen by all her relatives and friends on Nova Scotia through a new cable channel.
The film focuses on the journey of Mary, her growing in self-awareness and self-esteem. Finally, she asks the father of her daughter to pose for life classes and is able to mount an exhibition of her drawings and paintings.
The film is an excellent portrait of Mary, played by Jacinta Cormier. It is also an interesting study of an isolated community coming to terms with the 20th century and its technology. It also highlights life in the city - especially in the art world. However, it is very strong on Mary's interior journey, her relationship with her family, her grandmother, her father - and Earl, the father of her daughter and her daughter. It is a film of insight.
1.The work of William McGillivray? Small budgets, Canadian perspective? Sensitivity and insight?
2.The Nova Scotia locations, the countryside, Halifax and the modern city? The world of apartments, stores? Art classes, the media? The musical score, the songs, the Gaelic songs?
3.The title and the film as a life class? Mary and her painting, Mary as the model for the life classes? Her own discovery of her artistic flair, Earl becoming the subject of her own life classes for her exhibition?
4.The opening, the store, the video screen and the interview with the actress - a framework for the perspective on the portrait of Mary and of her journey?
5.Mary, the portrait of a woman, seeing her at home, the details of her daily life, the household, the timetables, her father? Care for her grandmother? Her relationship with Earl, being pregnant, the birth of the child? Seeing her at work in the town? Her decision to leave her home town?
6.The detail of life in her town, at home with her grandmother, the men and work, Earl and his setting up the receiver saucer for television?
7.Mary in the city, her child, renting the apartment? Making ends meet? Going to work, her friend in the store? The decision to accompany her to the life classes?
8.The life classes, the focus on Mary as she posed, the audience seeing her from the perspective of the artists? Drawing Mary, responding to her - not just physically but her soul? The television happening, the eccentric style, the self-revelation in the story - especially about Earl and the irony that it was transmitted to Nova Scotia? The impact for her life of these experiences?
9.At home, everybody watching the television, the variety of responses?
10.Earl and his background, his work at home, his relationship with Mary, not marrying her? Not knowing much about the child? His coming to Halifax, meeting Mary, the child and his tenderness? Staying with Mary? The bond between them, his willingness to commit himself? Mary demanding that he pose for her? Her drawings of him?
11.The exhibition, Mary and her skills - society coming, admiration, critics? The irony of the woman who interviewed her for the job coming to the exhibition? Earl and his arrival, embarrassment? Mary's success?
12.Mary and her return home, the effect on her, the daughter, connecting with her family? With Earl? Her ability then to return to the city? The Gaelic song - symbolic of Mary and herself and her journey?
13.The portrait of a woman, a woman of potential, self-discovery, creativity and achievement?
