THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS
UK, 2016, 133 minutes, Colour.
Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Florence Clery, Jack Thompson, Thomas Unger, Jane Menelaus, Gary Mc Donald, Anthony Hayes, Bryan Brown, Emily Barclay, Leon Ford.
Directed by Derek Cianfrance.
This is a genteel, often gentle, romantic story that takes its own time to unfold over more than two hours. it is obviously not a drama for adrenaline junkies.
The setting is Western Australia at the end of World War I and into the 1920s, based on a bestseller by M. K, Steadman. The filming actually took place in New Zealand and on the north-west coast of Tasmania, some beautiful and some disturbing rugged scenes as well as of seas and storms.
Tom, Michael Fassbender, who had served on the Western Front during the war and had experienced the harshness of the trenches and the killing, returns to Australia and takes a temporary job on an isolated lighthouse out in the Indian Ocean. It gives him a chance to recover, to recuperate some of his physical and psychological strength, and he welcomes being alone.
Before he goes, he has a meal in the coastal town with a local family, with Gary Mc Donald and Jane Menelaus as the parents of Isabel, Alcia Vikander.they where there He is a local teacher. Isabel is attracted to Tom, going on a picnic with him, sharing thoughts and feelings, and beginning a letter correspondence which, in a quiet way, leads to proposal, acceptance, marriage, and the couple going to live at the lighthouse.
Th in e are not completely isolated as a boat brings them supplies, captained by Jack Thompson doing his old rough and ready lag performance. The couple are at home on the island, loving, he very much a duty-bound and conscientious about his job, logs and reports. Isabel becomes pregnant but, during a storm scene, she has a miscarriage.
It is a bit difficult to review this film because of the complications of the plot so, let it suffice to say that it does become more complicated, especially for Isabel and her desire to be a mother, for Tom and his being prepared to do anything for his wife.
The other central character Hannah, is played by Rachel Weisz who has experienced tragedy in her life, especially with the disappearance of her husband and young daughter. She has been disowned at the time of her marriage by her wealthy father, played by Bryan Brown.
The latter part of the film is not easy, tensions between Tom and Isabel, a sympathy for Hannah and her plight.
Michael Fassbender has played quite a range of roles, some sinister, some very complex. But his performance as Tom communicates the personality of a decent and conscientious man, a loving man, sometimes torn between duty and love. And Alicia Vikander has shown what a strong screen presence she has from A Royal Affair to Ex- Machina, to Testament of Youth and her Oscar-winning role in The Danish Girl.
Director Derek Cianfrance has made few films, the interesting Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines.
This is a film to recommend to an adult audience interested in drama and characterisation and not worried about the measured pace in which the plot unfolds.
1. The title, the lighthouse and its light? The child and its light?
2. New Zealand in Tasmania locations for Western Australia? 1980 into the 1920s? The town, the island, the lighthouse? The rugged scenery, the scenes, the cliffs? The beauty? The musical score? 1918, the end of the war, the memories of the war, attitude towards the Germans, hostility? The experience of the Western front, deaths and killings? Tom and his wanting to be alone, to recuperate? The life of the lighthouse urging him?
3. Tom, a decent man, war and death, his strict father, the return from the war, the interview, the job, for a short time, the request to stay longer, his predecessor ill and mad? His meeting the family in the town, the encounter with Isabelle, the meal, going on the picnic, sharing ideas and emotions, love, the writing of the letters, the tenderness, Tom accepting the contract for three years? Proposal, marriage, going to the island, married life, the passing of time, Isabelle pregnant, the storm, the miscarriage? Her grief?
4. Isabelle, in her family, proper, love for Tom, the picnic, the letters, the effect of the marriage, happiness, life on the island, pregnancy, the storm? The gift of the piano? Her second pregnancy?
5. The second miscarriage and its effect? Tom Berry burying the children, the crosses?
6. The boat, Tom and Isabel running to the beach, getting the boat, the dead man, saving the baby? His coming so soon after the death of the child, Isabelle’s reaction, wanting to keep the baby, Tom any sense of duty? Isabelle pleading, her sense of loss? His sending the signal, that the baby was there is? The consequences?
7. Life continuing, Ralph and Louis, the boat on the visits? Accepting the story? Julie? Bill and violet, the characters, teacher, the love for Isabelle, happy grandparents? The importance of the rattle from the boat – and Louis later seeing it?
8. The passing of time, the child growing, walking, talking?
9. The preparation for the christening, the absent vicar, the ceremony? Tom in the cemetery, seeing Hannah, looking at the grave, the debt husband, her sister telling Tom and Isabel about what it happened? Tom writing the note and leaving it to reassure Hannah? Her going to the police, putting file?
10. Anna, her story, the flashbacks, her father being hostile, her meeting Frederick, the decision to marry, her being cut off? Her happiness? Fred and his being taunted, the German? In the boat, with the baby, his death?
11. The celebration for the 40th anniversary of the lighthouse, the gathering, Tom seeing Hannah, his being asked to make a speech, his awkwardness? The social, the two families meeting? The effect? Anna and her grief? Tom and his self-sacrifice?
12. Anna, the rattle, going to the police, Tom second letter? Tom and Isabel returning, Tom accepting his fate, Isabel not, Ralph and his return?
13. Tom in prison, the interrogation, the police investigator, the accusation of murder? Isabelle and her parents, the resentment towards Tom? Ralph and his exhortation? Tom and his sense of fatalism?
14. Hannah, getting the baby back from Isabelle, her reluctance? Her name of grace? Grace with her grandfather, horseriding?
15. Anna, her being hurt, remembering her husband is talking about forgiveness and resentment last lifetime? Her becoming willing to give up the baby to Isabelle – thinking only of the baby is good?
16. Grace, riding with her grandfather, and a teaching her to make daisy chains, Grace moving to accept her mother? Hannah going to Isabelle at the wall?
17. The postscript in 1950, Isabel dead, Tom and his life, the visit of the young woman – and saying that her name was Lucy Grace, wanting to come again to visit her father…?
