BUTTERFLY
UK, 2018, 140 minutes, Colour.
Anna Friel, Emmet J Scanlan, Callum Booth- Ford, Sean Mc Ginley, Millie Gibson, Lorraine Burroughs, Alison Steadman. Amy Huberman, Colin Stinton.
Directed by Anthony Byrne.
Butterfly is a British and miniseries, three parts. It was created by Tony Merchant, a writer of many television series and programs, and directed by Anthony Byrne, also a prolific director for television.
The focus is a young boy, Max (Callum Booth Ford), who in the past has identified more as female than male. By the time he is 11, he is completely identifying as a girl (with severe consequences for bullying and mockery from children at school). His sister, Lily (Millie Gibson) is very supportive. Anna Friel portrays his mother, very concerned about her son, wanting to do the best for him. She is separated from his father, Emmet J.Scanlon, who was unwilling to face the reality at all.
Quite a deal of the film shows the conflict between mother and father, the arguments pro and con, decisions about surgery for sex change and a trip to America, the mother taking money from her own mother (a quite brutal Alison Steadman) and taking Max to the United States without the husband’s permission. He is a new in a new relationship – with a woman who shows great sympathy and understanding for the mother.
The father decides to take his wife to court. There are interviews with each of the parents by social workers, and a decision in favour of the father.
In the third part of the series, there are frank talks between the mother and father and moves towards some kind of understanding and for Max to become Maxine.
Many audiences, concerned about gender identity and gender change, will find the story emotional and, perhaps, enable them to understand the situation better.
1. The contemporary issue of gender and identity? Dramatised, the focus on Max/ Maxine, boy/girl?
2. The issue and the impact on audiences, on sceptical audiences, unsympathetic audiences?
3. The British setting, the ordinary home, schools, authorities and the school in their offices, doctors and interviews, care organisations? The visit to Boston and the sympathetic doctors?
4. The film is a drama, the home situation, the absent father, the worried mother, the sister and her brother? The visits from the hard grandmother, not sympathetic to Max and his behaviour? Stevens father, the visits, more sympathetic?
5. Vicki, her marriage to Stephen, love for him, resentment of his behaviour towards Max, his leaving, harshness towards Max, yet visiting and wanting to be a father figure, his relationship with Gemma? Vicki and her concern about Max, awareness of his femininity, attitudes, clothes, behaviour? Encouraging him? Her relationship with Lily – and Lily eventually feeling that she had been neglected by her mother? Her part-time work, at the school, wanting to keep an eye on Max? Yet with her friend, and the making of the soap, selling it?
6. Stephen, his character, with Gemma, the weekends with his children, kicking the ball with Max and Max complying, Lily’s comments? Their observations about Gemma? Max wanting his father to come home? His eventually agreeing for the sake of Max? Max and his wanting his parents to sleep together, to be real parents, real family? Stephen and his hesitations, Vicki and her hesitations?
7. Max, his age, his experience, reticent, complying with his father, the clothes, the toys and dolls, going to school, the bullying, called gay and his denial, Stephen later confronting the bullies and Vicki’s negative reaction?
8. The teachers , reactions? Sympathetic after the principal send out the letter for Max to come as Maxine to school? The children’s reactions? The effect on Maxine?
9. The interview with the carers, close questioning of the parents, close questioning of Maxine? The negative response about treatment?
10. Vicki, signing her husband’s name, taking her mother’s money, taking her partner’s money, going to Boston, the sympathetic doctor, the interviews and the treatment, the expense? Maxine and hopes?
11. Stephen, his reaction, going to the police, the courts, the airport and both being apprehended, interrogated? The appointment of the supervisor, her interviews, the details? Sympathetic – but, suspicious of Vicki and her moods and behaviour, Stephen and his negative approach?
12. Gemma, her meeting with Stephen, understanding the situation, yet upset, giving him sound advice, her encounter with Vicki, sympathetic?
13. Maxine, hoping for Boston, and the treatment, puberty blockers, the past experiences, thus losing the wrists in the bath, wanting to cut her penis? The effect? And her honesty in and string all the interrogations?
14. The tension between Vicki and Stephen, the advice that there must be some kind of reconciliation, their talking together, admitting their failings and limitations? Going back, making their case, permission to go to the initial question is, successful application?
15. The effect of this kind of drama to of the contemporary gender and sexual issue – and a drama as a way of appreciation and understanding over and above discussion of principles?
