OLIVE KITTERIDGE
US, 2014, 4x 50 minutes, Colour.
Frances Mc Dormand, Richard Jenkins, Bill Murray, John Gallagher Jr, Zoe Kazan, Brady Corbett, Jesse Plemons, Ann Dowd, Peter Mullan, Rosemarie De Witt,
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko.
This four-part miniseries is an adaptation of a novel by Elizabeth Strout, written by Jane Anderson (How to Make an American Quilt, The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio, The Wife). Jane Anderson won the Emmy for her screenplay. The film has been directed by Lisa Cholodenko (Laurel Canyon – with Frances Mc Dormand – and The Kids are all right).
The setting is a town in Maine and the action takes place over 25 years. There is a focus on homes, a pharmacy, school – and some contrasts with New York City in the latter part of the series. It is a piece of Americana.
Olive is played by Frances Mc Dormand, one of her many tour de force performances and an award-winner. She plays a rather misanthropic woman, disappointed in her past, finding it difficult to love, finding it difficult to be loved, always critical. She is married to Henry, a very sympathetic Richard Jenkins, a local pharmacist, enjoying his job, returning home for meals, able to put up with his wife and her criticisms of their son, Christopher. He employs a vivacious young woman, Zoe Kazan, is attracted to her in rather a paternal way, urging his other employee, Jerry, Jesse Plemons, to support her after her husband, Brady Corbett, is killed accidentally in a hunting expedition.
Time indications of days, months, years are seen on screen and the action moves to the wedding of Olive and Henry’s son, now a podiatrist, marrying a doctor, Olive finding this all difficult, not liking the bride-to-be nor her mother. This is evident during the meal before the wedding as well as during the ceremony itself.
Time passes. Henry is retired. Olive loves working in her garden. And then Henry has a stroke and, for four years, Olive is absolutely devoted in her care for Henry. Their son’s marriage breaks up and he visits and has some confrontations with his mother. Then she receives news that he has married again and that his new wife already has children and is pregnant. She visits New York, is received well, but cannot adapt and leaves. She returns home to find that Henry has died – and she upbraids the hospital staff for their lack of care and interest.
A local character has been previously introduced. His played by Bill Murray. Olive encounters him collapsed on the ground and takes him home – forming something of a bond but finding him somewhat obnoxious at times in his dealing with people as well as having very right-wing views.
While she had contemplated suicide (and the series opens with the scene and the rest is flashback), in her loneliness, she finds some solace in his companionship.
A piece of Americana, portrait of a family and a marriage, warts and all.
1. A piece of Americana? Small town in American life? A marriage? Love, personalities? Clash?
2. The portrait of the town, over the years, homes, interiors, exteriors, gardens? The streets, the traffic, the pharmacy, the school? The sea? Drives, the woods? The contrast with New York City, streets, homes and apartments? The musical score?
3. The opening, Olive going into the woods, the children, the gun, the thoughts of suicide? The flashbacks within this context?
4. The timespan of the action, over 25 years, indication of passing days, months, years? And the return to the scene in the woods?
5. The portrait of Olive, performance by Frances Mc Dormand, age and ageing? Misanthropic, crotchety? Sarcastic in her talk, critical in her attitudes? The story of her father, death, heritage? Her expectations in life? Her capacity for love and not loving? Her capacity for being loved? The sequences at home, her marriage to Henry, treatment of him, ordinary days, her responses? Christopher, the criticisms and demands on him? The scenes at the meal? Feeling put down? Her work in the school, interested in the students, picking and choosing? Her interest in Kevin, her attitude towards Rachel, visiting Rachel, challenging her? Her interactions with the staff? The friendship with O’ Casey, the infatuation, driving with him, his picking up the children, not the full affair? His crash, death, the effect, her hard weeping?
6. The portrait of Henry, Richard Jenkins’ performance, a good man, simple man, loving, his marrying Olive, putting up with her, at home, the meal scenes, her harshness, his reactions, the cooking, his response to her criticisms? At work, his enjoying his work, rapport with the customers, refusing Rachel the drugs, his pride in his work, his assistant and her death? The interview with Denise, her ideas, bright, young, attractive, his interest in her? Her husband, their love, the invitation to hunting, his hunting in the past, the guns, the accidental death? His reaction? The funeral? Denise and her grief? Jerry working in the shop, Henry asking him to help Denise? Jerry and his ambitions? Olive accusing him of infatuation?
7. Chris, his age, at school, the brunt of the criticisms in the house? Driving with O’Casey?, throwing the stones? His growing up, his career as a podiatrist? Meeting Susan, the courtship? The family coming to the wedding? His moving away from home?
8. Time passing, Olive mellowing, her interest in Kevin, the girl on the cliff, urging Kevin to rescue her, her memories of O’ Casey? More at home with Henry? With herself? The prospect of the wedding, Christopher and his career, and retiring, the work in the garden? Kevin and urging him to stay in the house, the dinner before the wedding, Kevin leaving?
9. The wedding, Christopher and Susan, her parents, Olive making her dress, later being mocked for it? The dinner in preparation, Olive and her seeming detachment, preoccupied with eating? Not liking Susan, nor her mother? Her arrival for the wedding, going to the kitchen, interfering, places at the table, her wanting to clean up, going upstairs for the nap, overhearing the criticisms? Henry, present, always nice and supportive? His happiness with the wedding?
10. The visit by Denise and Jerry, the family, Denise and her excitement, Jerry and his being completely bossy, olives criticisms?
11. The importance of the garden, the reality and themes of flowers?
12. The reaction to Christopher and Susan separating, the effect, Christopher and his visit, the discussions with his parents, with his mother?
13. The news of the new wife, her pregnancy, Olive going to New York, meeting her, being well treated? Her reaction to the young boy, bossy, his reaction, her being made to apologise? Her inability to adapt, the clash with Christopher, deciding to leave? And the phone call to Henry?
14. Henry, in retirement, lifting the bag, his collapse, the stroke, going into care, in the hospital, Olive always with him, the visits, talking, her bossing the staff? The phone calls? Her return, discovering that he had died, angry with the staff and telling them off?
15. Jack, Henry meeting him and his wife? The wife’s death? Jack, his collapse, Olive helping him, the drive, taking him home? The differences in opinion, his right-wing stances, going out for the dinner, the continued clashing?
16. Olive, the suicide sequence, the children? Her concealing the gun? Returning home? Her loneliness, going to visit Jack, finding solace in his companionship?
17. Portrait of a woman? Portrait of a life?
