HEAVEN/ VC ANDREWS HEAVEN
US, 2019, 88 minutes, Colour.
Annalisa Basso, Chris Mc Nally, Julie Benz, James Rittinger, Jessica Clement, Chris William Martin, Matthew Nelson-Mahoood?, Todd Thomson.
Directed by Paul Shapiro.
This is the first in a series of adaptations of one of VC Andrews’ series of novels. Three were made into television films, each running 88 minutes.
Which leads to an initial difficulty, how a novel can be compressed into 88 minutes. Fans of the novels have been practically unanimous in their condemnation of the television adaptations, compressions of plot, changes in plot, and, for the diehards, lots of condemnation for the colour of the heroine’s hair! Annalise Basso plays the central role of Heaven, a teenager brought up in a hillbilly family, condemned by everyone as trash, disliked by her father, trying to take care of the rather would-be promiscuous sister, caring for the younger children, the stepmother who dies in childbirth. There is a sympathetic grandmother.
The sympathetic grandmother reveals the truth about Heaven, about her mother and her death, the grief of her father who blames Heaven for the death in childbirth. The grandmother also reveals that there is a story behind heaven’s mother, coming from a wealthy Boston family. In fact, Heaven’s return to this family is the subject of the second film in the series, Dark Angel.
The first part of this film shows Heaven at home, the death of her stepmother, the dispersing of the children to different families, including the younger sister, Fanny, to the care of the local Minister who impregnates her. Heaven herself is sent to care of a neurotic woman, Kitty, who had been in love with Heaven’s father but had lost him. Kitty is obsessive, housecleaning, domination, revealed her suffering from terminal cancer. Her husband, Cal, is trying to write a novel. He protects Heaven and begins an affair with her. In the meantime, she has been treated very well by a fellow-student, Logan, who proposes to her but she tells him the truth.
One of the difficulties with the film for those who have not read the books is that the situations, so compressed, are highly melodramatic, with some questionable credibility of characters and behaviour. Perhaps it is the dialogue, perhaps it is the performances, but they are not always convincing. This is particularly the case with Cal and his writing his novel, the seeming improbability that he would have married Kitty or she him, and the quick relationship with Heaven and the credibility of her acquiescing so quickly, betraying Logan.
And, Heaven herself seems to be the charming young innocent, the victim, but easily moving into a sexual relationship – as happens in the second film, Dark Angel.
Which means then that these films work, or do not work, at the level of soap opera.
