SWEPT FROM THE SEA

UK, 1997, 115 minutes, Colour.
Rachel Weisz, Vincent Perez, Ian McKellen?, Kathy Bates, Joss Ackland, Tony Haygarth, Fiona Victory, Tom Bell, Zoe Wanamaker.
Directed by Beeban Kidron.

SWEPT FROM THE SEA

Swept from the Sea is based on a Joseph Conrad short story, Amy Foster. It has been filmed on the magnificently rugged Cornish coast and is set in 1888. Amy is an outsider in her village, a servant who befriends the Ukrainian survivor of a migrant ship dashed on the rocks.

This is a widescreen, beautiful but tragic 19th century romance, played for emotional response - which it should get from a wide audience, including those who enjoy cinema luncheon screenings. Conrad knew what he was writing about in the outsider, speaking no English, who is stranded in an isolated and unfriendly community and Vincent Perez communicates the suffering and joy of the Ukrainian. Rachel Weisz is a beautiful Amy. This is a lush and emotional production with a strong supporting cast including Ian McKellan? as the local doctor, Joss Ackland as the local squire and Kathy Bates as his sister. Director, Beeban Kidron, made Oranges are not the Only Fruit and To Wong Foo…

1. A 19th century story? British story? From Joseph Conrad, the adaptation of his short story? Conrad’s own Polish background and his similar experiences to that of Yanko?

2. The Cornwall settings, the rugged coast, the village, the farms, the landscapes, the rural lifestyle, the community? The visual impact? The musical score?

3. The title? The focus on Yanko? Conrad’s story focusing on Amy Foster?

4. The presentation of the hard life, human nature, harshness, unkindness, xenophobia?

5. Amy as the focus of the story, her background, her mother’s later revelation about her father being her mother’s father? The effect on Amy? Explaining her mother’s antipathy towards her daughter? Her father and his harsh attitudes, the explanation? The attitude of her father, the explanation of the hostility? Her love for her siblings? Her being considered retarded? The doctor, his examining her as a child, her inability to read and write, then her sudden change? Her going into service of the Smith family? Her explanation of her silence, disdain, protecting herself? Her visits home? Reputation in the village? The children taunting her as a witch?

6. Doctor Kennedy and his caring for Miss Swaffer? Amy and her coming in to help, the doctor rejecting her? His stances against Amy? Miss Swaffer asking him to tell the story? His voice-over and the recurring of the story throughout the film? Miss Swaffer’s final observations about the doctor’s own love for Yanko?

7. Amy, being seen on the cliff, with her little boy, explaining that her father came from the sea?

8. The Carpathian Mountain sequences? The celebration, Yanko, the enthusiasm, the dance, his mother, the farewell? The journey to Hamburg? Getting the boat, the storm, the suffering of the people on board, the wreck, people landing on shore, dead? The local mother thinking it was her son’s ship? The doctor and his caring, the laying out of all the bodies, the building of the monument? Yanko not knowing – thinking the rest of the people were in America? His grief when Amy explained what happened?

9. Yanko’s sudden appearance, seeming wild, Mr Smith and his apprehensions, reaction, hitting Yanko, putting him in the barn? The difficulties of language? Amy and her compassion, washing and feeding him? Yanko’s appreciation? Going to find her, asking her permission to walk out with her?

10. Swaffer as the local squire, his sister and the story of her accident? Their comparative wealth? The Smiths? Taking Amy in? The Fosters and their hard life, work, being disowned? Isaac and his taunts to Yanko, their working in the fields, the sewage? Yanko and his diligence? Swaffer and his admiration for him?

11. Amy and Yanko, walking out, his visit to the church and the people staring him down? The hostility and his experience of it? Amy finding him, going to the cave, the mementos from the wreck? The later fire and Yanko rescuing her from the fire?

12. Doctor Kennedy, playing chess with Swaffer, Yanko and his abilities with chess? Swaffer’s change of attitude, inviting him to the house, the meal? The friendship with Doctor Kennedy? Getting Yanko a suit? Going to the market, buying the ribbon for Amy and presenting it to her?

13. The Swaffers and the gift of the cottage, the land, bringing the celebrant for the marriage ceremony? The love of Amy and Yanko? The baby? People and their hostility – and the children attacking Amy?

14. Yanko’s illness, the language difficulties, Amy not knowing what to do, the simplicity of his wanting a glass of water and she couldn’t give it? Her search for people to help, the rain, her mother’s angry rejection of her, the snobbish woman in the coach, her going to the Swaffers’? Returning, finding Yanko dying, the doctor, his final words of love to her?

15. Kennedy, the hostility, the explanation, Miss Swaffer’s explanation? The scene of mutual forgiveness?

16. The final dance, the little boy dancing like his father? On the cliff? The protection of Doctor Kennedy?

17. The themes of Joseph Conrad, his life, his literature, the Polish migrant making good in England after a life at sea?