THE GODSEND
UK, 1980, 90 minutes, Colour.
Malcolm Stoddard, Cyd Hayman, Angela Pleasence, Patrick Barr, Wilhelmina Green, Joanne Boorman.
Directed by Gabrielle Beaumont.
The Godsend is an effective grim little thriller in the vein of Rosemary's Baby and The Omen genres. It focuses on a mysterious pregnant young woman who gives birth and leaves her malevolent child to wreak havoc on an ordinary family in England. The film relies on atmosphere and touches of violence rather than gory special effects - and is the better for it. There is a competent English cast with Angela Pleasence as the mysterious pregnant girl.
1. The irony of the title? The highlighting of good and evil - who sent Bonnie to Kate and Alan? The malevolence of the godsend?
2. Audience response to this kind of occult chiller? Eerie atmosphere, nightmare aspects, the presence of supernatural evil? The influence of the Exorcist trend? The tradition of English horror films? The use of suggestion, atmosphere, touches of violence? A successful example of its kind?
3. The effectiveness of the British setting? The countryside. London? Kate and her television celebrity way of life? Alan and his drawing work? The picture of family life with which audiences could identify? The plausibility of the plot and the encounter with the young woman. the birth of the child and the mother's disappearance. the adoption of the child? The musical score for atmosphere?
4. The film's quick delineation of Kate and Alan? Credible characters? Detail of their way of life. style? The bond between the two? The children and Kate's retirement to look after them? Bonnie and her presence in the family and its disintegration?
5. Angela Pleasence and her appearance and manner as the strange young woman? Her insinuating way? Her imposing on the family and their accepting her? The mystery of the birth and her disappearance? The quick pace and mystery of the birth and the audience caught up in it? Their agreeing with Kate and Alan to adopt the child?
6. Bonnie and the irony of her name? The sweet baby? The plausibility of adoption? The ugly deaths of the two boys? The violence attempted on Lucy? The passing of the years and Bonnie's malevolent presence? Kate's doting on her? Alan and his illness? Kate and her miscarriage?
7. Bonnie as coming between husband and wife? The return to the city? Alan trying to protect Lucy? The violence and Lucy's death? Alan's attempt to kill Bonnie? The theme of her being a cuckoo in the nest?
8. The irony of the return of the pregnant woman and Alan seeing her? His rushing to warn the mother? His failure - and the ominous presence of Bonnies in the world?
9. A satisfying fable of malevolent evil in the world via the eerie thriller?
