THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW
Canada, 2020, 93 minutes, Colour.
Catherine Walker, Jared Abrahamson, Hannah Emily Anderson, Geraldine O'Rawe, Don McKellar, Sean McGinley, Jessica Reynolds, Tom Carey.
Directed by Thomas Robert Lee.
As the title suggests, this is a rather grim and eerie film. The focus is on a group from Ireland who have set up a community in Canada, away from towns, living a rural life, a religious life, in this vein of the Amish and the Mennonites. The film creates the atmosphere for the surrounding countryside, the homes, the church.
There is a prologue in 1956, an eclipse, its devastating effect on the community, plagues, deaths, and most of the farms unable to produce enough food – except for the farm of Agatha Earnshaw. Agatha also gives birth at this time but for 17 years conceals the existence of a daughter, Audrey.
The action takes place in 1973, Audrey 17, always concealed in the house from any visitor, travelling in a box on a carriage if Agatha has to move around the countryside. But, Audrey is somewhat restless, upset at being concealed, wanting to assert herself, confronting her mother, running away and encountering other members of the community.
However, she has harsh effects on the members of the village, a man begging for food for his family, confronting Agatha and Audrey killing him, the concealing the body. Audrey confronting a man grieving the death of his child, offering her hospitality, but harsh effects on his wife and her pregnancy. And, ultimately, the same for the religious leader of the community and the almost possessed behaviour of his brother in church, having seen Audrey, promising to conceal her existence, mouthing pessimistic attitudes to life and shooting himself in the church.
In the background, there are religious rituals of witches, the taking of blood, the drinking of blood – and Agatha’s revelation that there was no father and that she was a virgin.
This is eerie, uncomfortable viewing.
1. The title? Expectations? Witches? Disasters and plague? Blood rituals?
2. Canadian production, the locations, the village, 1973, the isolated farms, homes, the countryside? The musical score?
3. The introduction, the group and the move from Ireland, respect for the ancestors, set up in Canada, a kind of Amish existence, isolated, nothing modern? 1956, the story of the eclipse, the effect on the people, the farms, deaths? Agatha Earnshaw and the birth of Audrey, keeping it secret, for 17 years?
4. Agatha, her farm, prosperous, hiding Audrey? Audrey growing up? Lochlin Bell and his visit, the plight of his family, begging from Agatha, her stern rejecting him? Hiding Audrey in the box, travelling, the encounter at the funeral, Colm and his attack? Seamus, his religious leadership role, helping Agatha?
5. Bell, desperate, food, poisoning his family? The consequences?
6. Bernard, on the road, seeing Agatha and Audrey, Agatha trying to bribe him, the food, the effect on him, with his wife, at home, infected? Getting desperate, his standing up in the church, pessimism on the human condition, shooting himself? The consequences for his wife, wanting an investigation? The effect on her, seeing him at the end instead of Seamus? Her shooting?
7. Colm and Bridget, the death of their child, cold and his attack on Agatha? Seeing Audrey, bringing her into the house, looking after her? The consequences for Bridget, the pregnancy, her not wanting it, her mental state, physical anguish, attempting the abortion, the doctor helping her, her fits on the bed, her collapse? Colm, drinking, concerned for Bridget, upset at her wanting to kill the child, supporting her, telling Seamus the truth?
8. Audrey, being seen, Bernard, her wandering away, through the woods, found by Colm, getting shelter, the effect of her presence, the curse on Brigid?
9. Audrey, Bell and his confronting Agatha, Audrey stabbing him, the burying of the body?
10. Audrey, hiding in the house, her decision not to hide, confronting her mother, taunting her about the death of Bell, her mother going back to the witches?
11. The sequence with the witches, the rituals, the drawing of the blood, the drinking of the blood?
12. Agatha going to the witches, their blind folding her, taking her into the town – and her declaration that there was no father for Audrey?
13. Audrey, Seamus seeing her, her power over him, the drinking of the blood? The meal with Colm and Deirdre, Seamus and his change, Deirdre shooting?
14. A seeming piece at the end, Colm and Bridget, but the curse of Audrey hanging over the community? The audience seeing the utility, Audrey getting in – to what?
