BED AND BREAKFAST
US, 1990, 88 minutes, Colour.
Roger Moore, Talia Shire, Colleen Dewhurst, Nina Siemaszko, Ford Rainey, Stephen Root, Jamie Waters.
Directed by Robert Ellis Miller.
Bed and Breakfast is a light romantic comedy, a star vehicle for Talia Shire from her producer husband, Jack Schwartzman. (And the musical score is composed by Talia Shire's former husband, David Shire.) The film is a showcase for Talia Shire, Colleen Dewhurst and Nina Siemaszko, three generations of women who are living in a Maine bed and breakfast. They have fallen on hard times, Shire a widow whose senator husband has been exposed as a womaniser, Ruth her mother-in-law getting older, Cassie her daughter wanting to leave home with her boyfriend to study music in New York. Into this household comes a stranger, Roger Moore.
The film is similar to those which have a stranger coming into a household or a community and transforming people's lives. This he does, the older woman coming to terms with her ageing and relationships, the middle-aged woman forgetting her husband and the past and finding new love in her life, the young daughter getting her mother's permission to leave. There is a melodramatic subplot concerning Moore and his identity which, ultimately, is easily disposed of. The strength of the film is in the performances, the strength of the dialogue which is light (and sometimes more sexually explicit and frank than this kind of comedy usually has) and has some serious undertones.
Direction is by veteran Robert Ellis Miller, who made a number of quite interesting films in the 1960s as The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Sweet November.
1. A popular film of romance and comedy? The serious undertones?
2. The setting in Maine, the coast, the town, the house? Scenic? Attractive? The brisk and bright musical score? The title of the film?
3. The three women, their relationships, the mother-in-law, the daughter-in-law and widow, the daughter and granddaughter? Their interactions amongst themselves, loving, friendly? The clashes? Especially mother and daughter?
4. Each character in herself: Ruth, widow, mother of a successful man who turned out to be a personal villain? Her bringing her daughter-in-law and granddaughter back to her house in Maine? Her description of herself as a tough old broad? Her declaration about age, relationships? Her hiring Adam after throwing the mud through the window? Her friendship with Amos, the dances, the attraction to Adam, resignation to a relationship with Amos? Her thinking of moving out? Her bringing peace to the household, support of Cassie? Clare, her breakdown, her marriage, the biography of her wayward husband and her angers, her gifts for sale at the shop, Randolph and his support? Her irritation with Cassie and giving her lectures? Her timidity, not having any boarders? The arrival of Adam, her initial hostility, not wanting him there? Wanting him to do the work, buy the pipes? Her gradually understanding him, seeing him with her mother-in-law and daughter? The talks, the walks along the beaches? The sexual relationship and its effect on her? His words of advice? Cassie finding her in her bedroom, their frank talk together? Her change of heart and letting Cassie go? Cassie, her age, her skill at the violin, her anger with her mother, going off with Mitch? Her wanting Adam in the house, her threatening him if he hurt her mother, her friendship with him, his advice about making decisions? Her not wanting to hurt her mother? The change, her ultimately leaving for New York?
5. Adam, the melodrama of his going overboard, the background of his womanising, con tricks and getting money? The vengeful antagonist, his young yuppy henchman? The arrival at the house, the threats? Adam's shrewdness in pretending to phone their boss, finding a way for them to save fact? The characters, their ambitions, their fears, the man who exercised and did not want smoking - and the other blowing smoke in his face after hitting him?
6. Randolph, the store, helping Clare, coming to the house, disappointment with Adam being there? Amos, called(?), talking about lobsters and fishing, friendship with Ruth, their relationship?
7. The touristic couple, Adam and his devices for making their bed and breakfast upmarket, full of antiques, higher prices? The couple who enjoyed being there?
8. Popular comedy, portrait of relationships, portrait of women? The stranger who transforms their lives?
