THE MEMORY-KEEPER'S DAUGHTER

US, 2008, 93 minutes, Colour.
Emily Watson, Dermot Mulroney, Hugh Thompson, Krystal Hope Nausbaum, Rob Stewart, Gretchen Moll, Jamie Spilchuk.
Directed by Mick Jackson.

This film raises many emotional issues, but also a number of moral issues.

The core of the film is the birth of twins. Dermot Mulrooney portrays the father, also a doctor who discovers that the second twin he is delivering, has Down Syndrome, keeps information from his wife, and trusting the baby to the assisting nurse, Emily Watson, to take the child to an institution. In fact, the nurse keeps the child, brings it up with the help of a friendly truck driver, Hugh Thompson.

Eventually, the mother, Gretchen Moll, wants to find out the truth and goes in search of the child.

All kinds of family issues, the deception of the husband, the anguish of the mother, the healthy twin, the Down syndrome twin, the role of the nurse.

The film was directed by veteran English director, Mick Jackson, A Very British Coup, moving to Hollywood and having great success with The Bodyguard. He directed many episodes for television and the films, Temple Grandin and the film about Holocaust-denier, David Irving, Denial.

1. The title, the focus?

2. A humane story, joined sadness, made for television?

3. The period, the recreation, costumes and decor, the musical score?

4. The American litigations, Kentucky, the town, homes, Hospital? The two homes? The doctor and his life? The nurse and her life?

5. The situation, the pregnancy, the doctor and his concern, the nurse, the time of labour? The family fears? The twins? Paul and Phoebe? The decision to say that Phoebe was stillborn?

6. Carolyn, in herself, her involvement with Al, assisting in the labour, admiration for the doctor, taking the baby, feeding it, her decision to keep it, the years of rearing, her life and happiness?

7. The doctor, home, the 10 tense relationship with his wife, her character? Not knowing the truth? Paul, growing up? Changes, the details?

8. Phoebe, her disabilities, yet are overcoming them? With Carolyn’s help? Paul and his problems? The comparisons with the two growing up?

9. David, his character, his life? Nora, tensions? Finding of the truth?

10. The drama of the intersection of the lives, the effect?

11. Serious choices, consequences?