MOTHERS OF THE BRIDE
US, 2015, 89 minutes, Colour.
Gail O' Grady, Betsy Brandt, Daniela Bobadilla, Frank Capello, Roy Werner.
Directed by Sam Irvin.
Mothers of the Bride was made for television, especially for a women’s audience, younger women and their reflections and plans for marriage, older women, mothers, marriage plans and hopes.
The key thing for this film and the meaning of the title, Mothers, is that the central character, Jenna, Daniela Bobadilla, was adopted immediately after her birth. Fortunately, she grew up in a very loving family, Gail O’ Grady is the mother, Roy Werner as the easy going farther.
Now the daughter, Jenna, is engaged and thinking of marriage preparation. But she does want to find out something about her birth mother, the adoptive mother agrees but is, though they had met the actual mother at the time of the adoption. Betsy Brandt is effective as the birth mother.
The birth mother is now a successful entrepreneur at organising celebrations and wants to organise the wedding and the wedding reception, the mother willing, but becoming more worried as the birth mother starts taking over everything.
The theme of the two mothers and their warmth as well as their clash is important, a scene coming towards the end when Jenna asks her birth mother what she is really after and she replies that it is her one opportunity to something for her daughter. With that, the conflict is resolved, the daughter makes decisions, has respect for the suggestions of her adoptive mother, and is very glad that the birth mother is able to undo a number of the arrangements – and in fact, proceeds going to support her adoptive mother’s charity.
Happy ending – and an image of a child looking at how to interact with her parents and the parents able to work together for the wedding of their daughter.
1. A film for mothers, a film for daughters, mothers and daughters? Impact for fathers? For husbands?
2. American city life, families, home, meals? Weddings, planning, preparation is, details? The musical score?
3. The title, the issues of adoption, the role of the birth mother, the role of the adoptive mother? Father? The effect on the child?
4. Happy family, the mother and father joking, their work for the foundation, charity? Their daughter, studying, the meal, the proposal, the song and dance?
5. Jenna, her age, engaged to Chris? Her knowing her story? The bonding with her parents? Her wanting to meet her birth mother? The family agreeing? The processes? The appointment?
6. Haley, her story, teenage, pregnant, the father abandoning her, the reaction of her parents, hospital, the birth, meeting prospective adoptive parents, her choice? The only option she had?
7. Haley, her manner, her success, arranging marriages, all her contacts, people owing her? Her offering to prepare the wedding? Taking over? Debra’s reaction, participating, feeling out of it? Jenna’s choices?
8. The details of the preparation, the initial choice of the range, the fashionable club, Debra rejected at the door, lavish? The dress on the fittings, the shoes? Music? Jenna enjoying it? Haley wanting to do the best? Debra and her appointments, being late, feeling down? Her husband’s reaction?
9. The foundation, Debra’s friend and her joking, support? Going to Elaine, the cutting off of the funding? Debra’s decision to return, confronting Elaine, restoring the funding?
10. Jenna, asking Haley why she was doing all of this, Haley reviewing her past, saying that this was her only opportunity? Her gratitude to Debra and her husband?
11. The change of heart, Jenna’s choices, going to the ranch, cancelling the wedding at the fashionable club, the proprietor, giving the money to charity and Debra able to continue?
12. The happy wedding?
13. The focus on women’s issues, women’s characters, dealing with them? Audiences identifying?
