SERENA

US, 2014, 109 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Rhys Ifans, Toby Jones, Sean Harris, Sam Reid, David Dencick, Christian McKay?,
Directed by Suzanne Bier.

On paper, this film has a lot going for it. It teams Oscar-winner, Jennifer Lawrence, for the third time with Bradley Cooper (The Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle). Rhys Ifans is unrecognisable as the villain and there is an interesting supporting cast of British actors. And the director is the Oscar-winner, Susanne Bier. However, it seems that very few people are interested in the film or like it.

Actually, it is very much like one of those 1930s or 1940s melodramas, possibly with Barbara Stanwyck in the central role as Serena. This kind of film is out of fashion now, better appreciated on television, Turner Classic Movies and other similar channels.

Having said it that, it is best to look at Serena for what it is rather than what audiences might want to be.

The film is very colourful, often beautiful, to look at, set in the forests and mountains of the Carolinas during the Depression. It recreates the mood of a logging town and its activities, hard work, sometimes hard lives, Bradley Cooper is George Pemberton, an enterprising man, who wants to exploit the forests – and we have several scenes of the chopping down of the trees, the logging, the rail carriages to carry the wood, and some accidents. George is a businessman who has dreams of owning property in Brazil and exploiting the forests there.

When he goes to the city and sees an elegant young woman doing dressage and sitting elegantly on her horse, he decides to, literally, pursue her and very soon they are married. This is Serena, played by Jennifer Lawrence in different mode from all her other films, not reminding us of Katniss Everdene in The Hunger Games films, nor the brassy wife in American Hustle. Serena has survived severe fires as a girl of 12, but has lost her family. When she arrives at the logging town, she instantly shows that she is a strong woman, a partner in the business with her husband, critical of the men getting snakebites and determining that they should buy an eagle who will swoop on the serpents. And she impresses the men by training the eagle herself.

There are some strange characters in the town, especially a former prisoner, Galloway, played by the unrecognisable Ifans, devoted to Pemberton, devoted to his Serena, especially when she tends him after a severe accident with an axe. There is also Pemberton’s partner and accountant, Buchanan (David Dencick) who is certainly attached to Pemberton, the screenplay raising questions about his sexual attitudes.

The screenplay of the film is topical when the townspeople, led by the sheriff (Toby Jones) discuss environmental issues – which don’t persuade Pemberton at all.

Serena seems unconcerned with the fact that her husband has sired a son with one of the local maids. But, when Serena rides a horse after helping Galloway with his wounds, this becomes more important because the melodrama starts with a miscarriage and a growing jealousy by Serena of the young mother.

And, melodrama it is, moving away from the dramatic history of the early part of the film, bringing up tensions between Serena and her husband, Serena using Galloway as an instrument of vengeance, and flights and murders.

Part of the melodrama is Buchanan and his envy of George Pemberton and the temptation to betray him. There are other members of the team who are suspicious of the bookkeeping and the entries and are willing to make deals with the authorities.

Throughout the film there has been a symbolic image, a panther wandering the mountains, mostly unseen, but deadly. George Pemberton and his friends are eager to hunt the panther, which, when the eventual confrontation takes place, we appreciate is an image of Serena herself.

1. A piece of American history, the 1920s, logging, industry, employment, environmental issues?

2. The Danish director, social interest and concern, personal interest, melodrama?

3. The touches of traded tragedy, memories of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? Motivations, madness, violent deaths? The symbol of the panther – and ultimately representing Serena?

4. The title, the focus, Jennifer Lawrence as Serena, aged 12, the fire, her running away, the death of her family, the burn on her back? The later suspicion that she lit the fire? On the horse, George, the attraction, following her, the proposal, the quick marriage, Serena loving George? Her supporting his wanting to buy land in Brazil? The house, seeing the pregnant woman, her wanting to start the marriage with no past, forgiveness? Their sexual relationship, intense? As a partner in the company? Her speech to the men, wanting to buy the eagle, the eagle’s arrival, her training it, the men and their admiration? Galloway, his interest in Serena? Buchanan and his alienation, from George, from his job? Serena’s pregnancy, happy? Galloway’s accident, the binding the wounds and saving his life, riding the horse, at home, reluctant to go to hospital, in the hospital, the baby stillborn?

5. The change in Serena, depression, morose behaviour and talk? The relationship with George, going to the party, the dress, her drinking, dancing? Discovering George’s money for Rachel and the child? Her evil motivations, using Galloway, the murder of the woman caring for the baby, the threats, preparing for a party with George and his return, George’s death, the arrival of the sheriff? Her burning the house and herself? Her madness?

6. George, his company, exploiting logging, Buchanan as his right hand man, Campbell and his role, hunting for the panther? The chopping of the trees, the logging, American exploitation of the environment, the meeting about the environment, the sheriff, George and his supporting jobs and prosperity? The railcar getting loose, the injuries, George running and getting on and braking, saving the injured man’s life on the rail? George’s visit to his sister, the discussions about his work, marrying, seeing Serena, following her? Buchanan and his alienation from Serena? His betrayal with the books? The shooting, witnesses?

7. Buchanan, his love for George, indications of homosexuality? His going to the sheriff, doing deals, the meetings and the money, with the bankers? His death?

8. Galloway, having been in prison, the prophecy about the woman who would help him, admiring Serena, the accident to his leg, attending him, his gratitude? His killing for her? The confrontation with George and Galloway’s death?

9. Campbell, the books, taking them to the sheriff, his being murdered? The background of the bribe to the politician? No money for buying the land in Brazil?

10. Rachel, serving the meals, George in his own quarters, her pregnancy? The photos, the album? George and the envelopes with the money? The lady
caring for the baby and being murdered? The role of the sheriff, the threats?

11. Serena, confronting George about the baby, wanting the baby killed, assuming that George would do this for her?

12. Rachel, her child, Vaughan and his care for her, the future? Trying to escape, going to the railway station, hiding, Galloway and his pursuit of her?

13. The role of the sheriff, attitude towards George, at the environmental meeting, suspicions, giving George the deadline, finding George dead because of
the panther? George dying, Galloway and Campbell, Serena and her disappointment, setting the house on fire? The film as a heightened melodrama?