MOTHERING SUNDAY
UK, 2021, 105 minutes, Colour.
Odessa Young, Josh Lawson, Colin Firth, Olivia Coleman, Glenda Jackson, Sope Dirisu, Patsy Ferrin, Emma D’Arcy.
Directed by Eva Husson.
Back in 1924, servant were given a Sunday off to go to visit their families or for some free time. The first part of this film takes place on such a Sunday – however, there are many flashbacks, and a number of flash-forwards, making the narrative quite complex. And, within small scenes, the flashbacks occur, a kind of meandering of memories, not quick dramatic cuts, but rather the central character, Jane Fairchild, experiencing, remembering cherishing… She is a servant in the house of the Niven family, with strong performances by the always reliable Colin Firth, a kind and rather mournful man, giving the story some gravity. And there is Olivia Coleman as his wife, more than a touch of the neurotic.
This is a British story, based on a novel by Graham Swift (Last Orders) and adapted for the screen by Alice Birch, responsible for quite a number of television series including Succession. Strong credentials. However, in its storytelling, in its style, in its photography, in its pacing, it is not particularly what we are used to as British filmmaking. And, the director, Eva Husson, is, in fact, French. Mothering Sunday does seem a very French kind of film, Impressionist storytelling and character drawing, and a straightforwardness with the presentation of the central characters in what the French, not the British, would describe as ‘deshabille’.
On the Mothering Sunday, Jane goes on her day off to visit the son of a neighbouring wealthy family, Paul, played by Josh O’Connor (God’s Own Country, Prince Charles in The Crown where Olivia Coleman plays his mother, Queen Elizabeth). A great deal of time is spent with Jane and Paul, the families meantime waiting for him at a picnic at Henley. The relationship between the two is played quite languidly, with those memory flashbacks from Jane, and her wandering the house after Paul has left for the picnic.
We have not been prepared for the surprise in the second part of the film. And, while there are scenes from the 1924 Mothering Sunday, we move into the 1930s, Jane working in a bookshop, encouraged to write, encountering a sympathetic philosopher, Donald (Sope Disiu who has a considerable career in British television). There is joy and sadness in this part of Jane’s life. Because she is an orphan, she has been told by Mrs Niven that she has had all her bereavement, comprehensive bereavement, at birth, all her losses – and should only look forward to happiness. Not true.
Audiences will be pleased to see Glenda Jackson’s name amongst the cast. She is glimpsed early but her main seen, a cameo, is at the end of the film, a pleasing and welcome scene, a tribute to Glenda Jackson in her mid-80s, memories of her powerful stage and screen career, two Oscars, an MP for many years. But, the film belongs to Sydney-born Odessa Young (The Daughter, Looking for Grace and an American career since 2016). In fact, she is 62 years younger than Glenda Jackson – who knows what her CV might be like and 60 years time!
- The writings of Graham Swift? British stories? The past? Events, memories, the fluidity of time?
- 1924, the Sunday, the Niven home, mansions, grounds, the countryside? Bicycling? The railway station? Costumes and decor? The musical score?
- The title, servants, having the day off? The attitude of the families? Mr Niven giving Jane the coin? The other servants, free time?
- Jane’s story, background, orphan, orphanages, fostering, having all her bereavement is comprehensively at her birth? In service, the details of her work in the house, relationship with Mr and Mrs Niven? The phone call, revelation of her relationship with Paul? The two servants, cycling, the railway station, her going to the house, Paul waiting for her?
- The central part of the first half of the film, her character, her telling her story and remembering, Paul, his remembering, his brothers, the happy games of the past, and listing, their deaths in the war? The sensuality of the relationship, sexual experience, naked, walking through the house? Confiding in each other, the plans? Paul and his engagement, his fiancee, the family is waiting at Henley, the picnic? Paul and Jane, the languid time together? His leaving, instructions for her to lock up? Her wandering the house, the books, her love of books, the food, leaving the house?
- Jane and her memories, going back to the past, 1918 and the end of the war? Her slipping in and out of memories?
- The flashforwards, the 1930s, the bookshop, the writing, the relationship with Donald, the domestic scenes together, his philosophy, encouragement, his illness, her accompanying him, his death, the secrets?
- The flash forward to the end, Glenda Jackson as Jane in old age? And at the end of the film, winning awards, her talking to the media, the satisfactory and of her life?
- Mr and Mrs Niven, he rather melancholic, quiet, some gravitas? She neurotic, her behaviour, erratic, at the table, at the picnic? Outbursts? Sadness of those killed during the war?
- Paul’s fiancee, getting ready, her manner, attitude, make up, concerned about herself, the engagement, at the picnic? The others members of the family, their bereavement with the other deaths during the war? Paul and his being late?
- Mr Niven with Jane, the news of Paul’s death, the visuals of the accident, the car, from above and the fire? Jane, hearing the news, her grief in the kitchen? With Mr Niven, going to the house, letting the servants know? The servant their talking about how the house was left and Jane hearing this?
- Jane giving notice, Mr Niven commending her, going to work on the bookshop? In the bookshop, the gift of the typewriter from the proprietor, her beginning to write? The scenes of her writing, her reading?
- Writing the memoir of her time with Paul? The time with Donald, love? Two deaths?
- A portrait of the period? Portrait of a character from the lower class, downstairs, the encounter in love with the man from upstairs? Her talent for writing? The influence on her life?