SUMMERLAND

UK, 2020, 99 minutes, Colour.
Gemma Arteton, Gugu Mbatha -Raw, Penelope Wilton, Tom Courtenay, Lucas Bond, Dixie Egerick, Sian Phillips, Amanda Root, Martina Laird.
Directed by Jessica Swale.

Where you, we might ask, is Summerland? Not an immediate name. for anywhere in Britain! It is a mythical land, pagan land, where those who have died can go to rest, reaching out in natural phenomena to those they have loved in life. This Summerland is the subject of study and investigation by a reclusive writer, Alice, whose house by the cliffs of Dover is filled with books, illustrations, photos phenomena of Fata Morgana and mirages in the desert, manifestations of this other world.

In fact, the audience first sees Alice sitting at her desk, typing, a grouchy older woman (Penelope Wilton) gruffly warding off children appealing for charity! 1975. However, the audience is immediately taken back to the early 1940s. This is a World War II film.

Alice, played vigorously by Gemma Arteton, is grouchy, obsessed by her work, considered by the children in the village near the cliffs of Dover as a witch or as a Nazi spy. They play practical jokes on her. However, what happens to her next is not a practical joke at all. A woman from the village arrives and tells her that and evacuee boy from London has been allotted to her care. Needless to say, she does not want a bit of it – but is forced to have him for a week. This is Frank, a genial boy, prone to forever asking questions about everything that is said, played by Lucas Bond.

The atmosphere of the war comes across in the life of the village, especially at the school, where the kindly principal is played by Tom Courtenay. Frank is allotted a seat next to Edie (Dixie Egerixkx who was so forceful as Mary in The Secret Garden and continues so forceful here). Edie does not want a partner in studies and chalks a line across the desk, demarcation line. Nevertheless, they do become friends.

There is some delight to be had by the audience as they see Alice trying to deal with Frank, treating him as an adult, answering his questions straightforwardly, the audience realising that she is mellowing somewhat because she actually has somewhat to talk to. Her care for Frank is rather peremptory but she begins to care, taking him on her expeditions, helping him to find driftwood to build a toy plan because his father is in the air force.

But, there is another layer in the story. Frank asks Alice if she had been married – which leads to a number of flashbacks of events 15 years earlier, her days of study, her encounter with fellow-student Vera (Gugu Mbatha- Raw), the growing bond between them, a forbidden love at that period, broken because Vera wants to have children more than anything else. So, there are different layers to the character of Alice.

There is a dramatic episode where Frank gets the train to London, Alice pursuing him, experiencing the blitz, the bombed homes, taking refuge in the Underground.

Then comes a huge coincidence which audiences will not have been anticipating. And it adds to the emotional dimensions of the story and Alice opting to continue to care for Frank during the war.

The film ends back again in 1975 – an emotionally nice happy ending.

1. The title? A land of mythology? Pagan mythology? The background of mirages, visions and the skies, a land where people go when they die? And the capacity of the dead to contact and influence those they loved?

2. A World War II film, children leaving London for the countryside, guardians, school? The fear of Nazi spies in the countryside? The visit to London, the visuals of the destruction of the blitz, shelter in the underground? The aftermath?

3. Ramsgate, Kent, Dover and the cliffs, the sequences in the countryside? The trains travelling there? The town, the streets, the school? Alice’s house, on the cliffs, the interiors? The musical score?

4. The opening, 1975, the crusty Alice at the typewriter, growling at children? The reprise at the end, Alice still determined, the audience wanting Frank to arrive, for Vera to arrive? The completion of the book, the dedication to Frank? Three decades on?

5. 1940s, Alice, her personality, writing, publishing, interest in mythologies? Not interested in people? Her reputation in the town as witch, as a Nazi spy?

6. The flashbacks, her memories of the era, the 1920s, studying, the growing friendship, Alice and her dependence, Vera and her wanting children, attitudes of the public and of the law courts and towards lesbian relationships? Vera and her leaving, going to marry, Alice feeling abandoned? The insertion of these flashbacks throughout the film, with Alice’s discussions with Frank and getting his opinion and explaining situations and love?

7. Alice being asked to take Frank, the refusal? Being landed with him, for a week? Her treatment of him, the meal? His wanting to go to school but not knowing where, her taking him to school, the discussions with the principal?

8. The School, the principal, kindly, welcoming Frank, to the classroom, the happy teacher, his sitting next to Edie, her demarcation line in chalk, not wanting to be a partner? Yet their talking, getting to know each other, developing the friendship? Edie and the death of her parents, living with her severe grandmother?

9. Frank, his age, personality, always asking questions? Alice always answering? Explaining the books, her research, her library, the diagrams and maps, the photos, Fata Morgana, mirages in the desert? The details of her answers, interests? The existence of heaven and where souls go? Frank going with her to the cliff top, his seeing the Castle, her not seeing it? Her anger, leading him there, seeing the castle with the green flag, her returning, bringing him home?

10. Alice, changing with someone to talk to, someone to look after, answering all the questions, her discovering some affection?

11. Frank, his father in the air force, making the planes, Alice’s comment on playing with planes, suggesting he get the driftwood, building, flying, the plane over the cliff and its crash?

12. The news of Frank’s father’s death, the day before his birthday? Alice finding it too difficult to tell him? The principal thinking that he knew? Edie and her working things out? Confronting Alice and calling her a liar? Letting it out to Frank? His response?

13. Frank and Edie, the friendship, Edie even venturing into the house to have her injury tended? The buildup to the birthday party? Frank going to school, his cap, joyful?

14. The impact of the news of his father’s death, Alice’s apology? His going to the train, Alice with the principal, her travelling to London, the blitz, her search for Frank, finding him, his grief, taking him to the Underground, returning home? Frank going to the cliff, into the water, Alice swimming to rescue him?

15. Frank to go to the guardians, Edie’s grandmother, Alice and her upset? Taking Frank home?

16. Going through his things, the photos of him with his mother, the shock for Alice (and the coincidence for the audience) of Vera, marrying, her husband and the air force, her advice for the ministry?

17. Vera arriving, the reunion with Frank, the meeting again with Alice? Her appreciation of Alice’s care?

18. A memoir of the war, of the children sent out of London, their life and education during those years, the guardians, school, affection and bonds?