DOLORES CLAIBORNE

US, 1995, 132 minutes, Colour.
Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judy Parfitt, Christopher Plummer, David Strathairn, John C.Reilly, Ellen Muth, Eric Bogosian, Bob Gunton.
Directed by Taylor Hackford.

Dolores Claiborne is psychological drama at its best. Interestingly, it is based on the Stephen King novel, not a horror story, but more in the dramatic tradition of The Shawshank Redemption, Stand by Me…

The setting is Maine in the 1970s and the 1990s, capitalising on the coastal beauty and the way of life in Maine. It opens with an old woman falling down a staircase and her servant, Dolores Claiborne, standing over her with a rolling pin to kill her. Needless to say, appearances are not exactly the full truth.

Kathy Bates, Oscar-winner for her role, quite maniacal, in the film version of Stephen King’s Misery, is Dolores, who has worked for many years for a selfish and autocratic woman, Vera, played most effectively by Judy Parfitt. It is she who is dead at the beginning of the film. Dolores is held for murder, being pursued by a lawyer who had interrogated her 14 years earlier at the death of her alcoholic husband, David Strathairn, whose death was found to be accidental. The lawyer is played by Christopher Plummer, intense on getting a conviction this time. His assistant is played by John C. Reilly.

Jennifer Jason Leigh portrays Selena, Dolores alienated daughter, suspicious of her mother, idealising her dead father – though it is later revealed that she has suppressed memories of his sexual molestation. An ambitious journalist, dependent on drugs and alcohol, she comes to defend her mother even though not believing her. Ultimately, listening to Dolores’ story and gradually remembering the past, she comes to the defence of her mother.

The scenes between Jennifer Jason when Kathy Bates are intense. The clashes with Christopher Plummer also very intense. And the film has the advantage of the main action taking place in the present but frequently making transitions to the past, changing colour, Kathy Bates looking younger, Selena at 12-year-old, and revelations about Vera and her death. In fact, a number of sequences with Vera are shown after the sequences her death, especially as regards Dolores’ behaviour towards her husband, Vera, from intense personal feelings, inciting Dolores to kill her husband.

The film was directed by Taylor Hackford, who had a successful career for more than 30 years with a ride wide-ranging number of films, including the Oscar-winning Ray.

1. The character study, murder mystery, themes of sexual abuse, consequences?

2. From a Stephen King story? The Maine setting, locations, the town, the island, the ferry and the sea, the home and the grounds, the mansion and its grounds, interiors, police offices? Authentic feel? The musical score?

3. The present in the flashbacks? Change of colour, the insertion of the flashbacks, the occasions, explanations, cumulative effect – yet revealing key points before others and their place in the narrative?

4. The opening, the stairs, Vera falling, Dolores and the rolling pin, her being discovered? The reaction, the arrest? The police, Mackey and his attitude, Frank as assistant?audiences believing Dolores or not?

5. Selena at work, the office, the newspaper, the editor and her relationship, his wanting to cut her article, the smart remarks, wanting to go to Arizona, his refusal? The tension? The fax, the story about her mother, the covering threat?

6. Selena’s arrival, after 15 years, and memories, hiring the car, going to the police, the memories of Mackey, knowing Frank, seeing her mother, her mother’s surprise, welcoming her, her reaction to her mother, not believing her?

7. Mackey, in himself, the 14 years after the investigation of Joe’s death, the investigation at the time, interrogation of Dolores, her being acquitted? His waiting, his aggressive manner, presumption of guilt? His criticisms of Dolores, in Vera’s house, collecting the evidence, nasty remarks and slights, the will and his not believing Dolores not knowing, his reconstruction of the death, writing the report, delivering it? Selena reading it on the ferry, her reaction?

8. Vera, her fall, her appearance, her request? The memories of Vera, her arrival, imperious, with her husband, opening up the house? The interviews and her intimidation, Dolores response, being hired, the conditions? Visualising the washing, the cleaning, Dolores’ voice-over describing it, Vera’s demands? Her husband and the visit, his ignoring her? His death? Seeing herself as a bitch? And the use of this description by Vera, Dolores and Selena about themselves? The years passing, her age, Dolores’ reasons for staying, her relationship with Joe, needing the money for Selena’s education, working full-time, the passing of the years, Vera ill, ugly, touches of hatred, soiling her bed, forced to the toilet, Dolores bringing the food, Vera in the wheelchair, her going to the stairs, the reality of her falling down, wanting Dolores to kill her?

9. Dolores’s flashbacks to her husband, working with the boats, his drinking, his looking down at her, insulting her, spoiling Selena, his affection? Hitting Dolores, her pain, continuing to cook? The joke about his splitting his pants? Dolores finding the hole?

10. The flashback to weeping with Vera, Vera’s reaction, getting the story, her own experience, insinuating ideas for Dolores, inciting her to kill, the justification? The episode of the eclipse, the guests, Vera letting Dolores go home? Dolores and worry about Selena, Vera’s condemnation of Joe? Going home, the bottle of whiskey, Joe and his being jovial, yet aggressive, chasing her into the grounds, his falling, holding on, Dolores taunting him with the truth,
his falling?

11. Selena, staying with her mother, drinking, the pills, the phone calls, going shopping? In the house, in the room? Her attitude towards Dolores, towards her father, blaming her mother? Going to the house, Dolores’ possessions, the information about the will?

12. Selena wanting lawyers, her leaving, warning her mother to say nothing, reading the report, finding Dolores’ tape, listening to it? Selena on the ferry, suddenly seeing her father, the memories of his sexual behaviour, realisation of the truth? Her working at the hotel? The opportunity for her to come to terms with her past, her parents, her self-image?

13. The background of the money, Dolores banking her money every week, saving it over the years for Selena, at the bank, the manager and his stern behaviour, discovering the Joe had taken the money? Her later confronting him, his excuses?

14. The hearing, the officer presiding, Dolores telling the truth, Mackey and his demands, his reconstruction of the death, getting angrier? Selena explaining her mother’s behaviour, the fact that the two women loved each other? The issue of the will, Dolores not knowing, waiting all those years, the implausible time for allegedly killing Vera?

15. Frank, his testimony to Dolores’ reaction to knowledge about the will?

16. The presiding officer, listening, questioning Mackey and his motives, Selena’s challenge, Mackey giving in? Admitting his motivations?

17. The theme of memories, their importance, repressed memories?

18. The irony is about the truth and Dolores being responsible for Joe’s death, not Vera’s?

19. Victims, perpetrators, responsibilities and consequences?