THE MIRACLE CLUB
Ireland, 2023, 91 minutes, Colour.
Laura Linney, Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates, Agnes O'Casey, Mark O'Halloran, Mark McKenna, Eric D.Smith, Stephen Rea, Niall Buggy.
Directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan.
This is an Irish tale set in 1967 Dublin. As the title indicates, miracles, there is more than a Catholic tone to this drama with touches of comedy. And, it will play more extensively around the world because of the star power of its cast, Maggie Smith, in her late 80s, Lily, a Dublin housewife (a long way from Downton Abbey), Kathy Bates, Oscar winner for Misery, Eileen, and the always versatile Laura Linney, Chrissie. They are supported by an Irish cast led by Stephen Rea as Eileen’s husband.
Looking back to 1967, in the Catholic Church, this was the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council at the beginning of many changes in the church, and the dialogue with what were called “the signs of the times”. However, there was a long Catholic tradition in Ireland, cheerful in many ways, but rather harsh in others. At the opening of the film, the local parish puts on a talent show to raise money for a charity, down at the parish hall, and the two older ladies dressing up, along with the young mother, Dolly (Agnes O’Casey) who is sad that her young boy, Daniel, has not yet spoken, Eileen singing He‘s So Fine and Lily and Dolly as the backup singers (who would have thought they would have seen Maggie Smith as a backup singer!). The prize is two tickets to Lourdes. (And the second prize is a cut of bacon.)
So, the introduction of the theme of Lourdes, the story of Bernadette and her experience in apparitions in southern France, 1858, and the stories of miracles and cures, the screenplay telling us there have only been 62 verified cures since 1858. Eileen recalls the film of The Song of Bernadette (1943), Based on the book by Jewish Author, Franz Werfek, an extraordinary Impact about Lourdes in Its time. This all has the support of a quite genial parish priest, Father Dermot Byrne,( Mark O’Halloran). But, there is a sadness in the town, the death of an elderly woman, her estranged daughter, Chrissie, Laura Linney, returning to the town after 40 years for her funeral. There is a sad story here, a reminder of much Catholic harshness, the unmarried pregnant girl, the severity of judgements, the effect on the young father, silence and alienation for decades, and sad secrets for both Lily and Eileen.
With some manoeuvring, everyone sets out for Lourdes, the bus, the ferry, the mountains of the Pyrenees, the vista of the basilica and the shrine of Lourdes.
And here is the challenge for the audiences. The believers in the audience will have no difficulties (perhaps not quite right because some of the pilgrims voice a number of difficulties, the brunt of scepticism, high expectations of miracles, disappointments…. For many, this Catholic story will smack of another world of which they are not part. And, as voiced in the screenplay, there are always the suspicions of superstition, presumptuous faith.
The pilgrims go through the rituals, the visit to the grotto, stories of Bernadette and the apparitions, devotion to Mary, statues, and the important process of immersing oneself in the waters, coming from the spring that Bernadette herself dug in the soil and which has flowed ever since. It is in the baths that there are expectations of miracles and consequent disappointments. (Surprisingly, the ever-popular at him is not included.)
And, there are some entertaining scenes of how everyone is managing back home, Lily’s husband taking to bed and enjoying eating, Eileen leaving her husband and six kids, a sceptical husband and, as a neighbour says, a miracle already because he actually has to do the shopping! And he does some cooking! Dolly leaves behind her young husband and daughter, his being angry at her going.
Towards the end, there is a lot of talk about forgiveness and reconciliation and, as we are anticipating, and probably hoping, the past angers surface, upsets, misunderstandings, the scars of hurt. And, as is so often said, as well as the statistics indicating, healings from illness are not the norm at all of miracles in Lourdes. Rather, it is the effect of making the pilgrimage, reflections on life and relationships, the possibilities of reconciliation and new directions in life. Dolly and the whole group also hope for a miracle when Daniel, will begin to speak. It is a tribute to the writers and the director how this is handled with reticent delicacy.
In only 90 minutes, we immerse ourselves in the Ireland of the Catholic past, go on pilgrimage to Lourdes, and experience a bit of challenge to where our own lives might need some healing and reconciliation.
(A French film, Lourdes, 2009, winner of International Catholic awards as well as critics’ awards, is another perspective on pilgrimages, miracles and the church.)
1. The title? Expectations? Lourdes? Belief in Lourdes, the Marian apparitions, the experience of Bernadette, the pilgrimages, the healings?
2. An Irish tale, Dublin in 1967, the suburb, the houses and streets, the church, the parish hall? Homes, shops? Realistic atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The introduction to the older ladies, Lily, visiting the cairn and the plaque for her drowned son, her grief, 40 years on? At home, her age, her husband, elderly, his food? Eileen, busy, the six children, the pregnant daughter and her disapproval of the boyfriend, her husband, taking her for granted as wife and mother, the rest of the children? The introduction to Dolly, the two children, George and his hard work, Rose and her playfulness, Daniel, his age, not talking yet? Their taking him to doctors?
4. Chrissie arriving in the town, meeting Father Dermot, her mother’s death, the gradual revelation about the estrangement, 40 years, the keys to the house, the impact of her return, the letter from her mother, asking forgiveness? The reaction of Lily and Eileen? Hostility? Dolly liking Chrissie, Daniel liking her?
5. The preparation for the competition, the women getting dressed, raising money, an alternate to the wake because of the dead woman’s organising of the competition, He’s So Fine, Eileen singing, Lily and Dolly as backup singers? The little boy winning? Giving his winning ticket to Lourdes to Dolly to take Daniel to Lourdes?
6. The issue of Lourdes, pilgrimages, so popular, from Ireland, bus, ferry, the Pyrenees, the town of Lourdes, the vista of the basilica and the shrine? Catholic audience response? Secular response?
7. The tensions, Eileen getting the dead woman’s ticket, the priest intervening, Chrissie giving it up? Dolly and George’s hostility, rushing away, getting the bus? Chrissie and her decision to come?
8. Lourdes, the atmosphere, the pilgrims, the hotel, Eileen and the luggage carried to her room, the sharing of the rooms and the consequences? The meals, the singing on celebrations at the end of the day?
9. The gradual emerging of the truth about Chrissie, 17, pregnant, Eileen her best friend, Declan, Lily’s son, the pregnancy? Chrissie’s mother, Maureen? Eileen telling about the pregnancy, loving Chrissie, hating her? The pressure on Chrissie, banished from Ireland, going to the United States, her later story about the abortion?
10. Lily and Chrissie sharing the room, talking, Lily’s leg, Chrissie getting the wheelchair, taking her to the baths? The immersion and the effect? Chrissie deciding to go to the baths? Yet her scepticism?
11. Eileen, the lump in her breast, the reassurances, keeping to secret, not going to the doctor, her faith in the baths, her disappointment at no cure? The anger, calling it a scam? Her drinking, outbursts, the attitudes towards Chrissie with an eye to Father Dermot? Apologising for drinking? Outbursts? Later telling Chrissie the truth about the relationship?
12. Dolly, her disappointment, getting Daniel into the water? The globe of Lourdes and his enjoyment, shaking it, holding it? Dolly’s fear returning home, George and Rose waiting to meet her, Daniel with the bowl, and only the audience hearing him say “Home”?
13. The scenes of coping at home, Eileen’s husband, having to do the shopping, the neighbour saying this was a miracle, his cooking the meal, the children’s reactions? Her return home and his appreciation of her? George, having to deal with Rose, the nappies, cleaning up? And Lily’s husband content to lie in bed eating!
14. The point about the number of miracles, 62 since 1858, verified? The talk about the other miracles, the point of going on a pilgrimage, reflecting on oneself, understanding, the need for forgiveness and forgiving, reconciliation?
15. And the finale with Lily taking Chrissie to see the memorial to her son, Chrissie looking at the photo of Declan?
16. A satisfying religious story, a satisfying allegory about hatred, harm, estrangement, forgiveness and reconciliation?
