JULIE WALKING HOME

Canada/Poland, 2002, 118 minutes, Colour.
Miranda Otto, William Fichtner, Lothaire Bluteau, Ryan Smith.
Directed by Agnieszka Holland.

Julie Walking Home was written by writer-director, Agnieszka Holland. Agnieszka Holland had begun to directs films in 1970 in her native Poland. She worked with some of the major directors in Poland including Kzrisztof Zanussi. One of her major works in Poland at the end of the 1980s was To Kill a Priest, starring Ed Harris, the story of the Solidarity Priest who was killed by the communist regime, Jerzy Popolesko.

She made films at a European level at the beginning of the 1990s including Europa, Europa and Olivier, Olivier. She then made The Secret Garden and had an entrée into British and American film-making with such films as Total Eclipse, with David Thewlis and Leonardo di Caprio as Verlaine and Rimbaud, as well as a version of Henry James’ Washington Square. She finished the 90s with an interesting exploration of faith, sainthood and the Vatican with The Third Miracle, also starring Ed Harris. In the following years she spent a lot of time directing television films as well as television episodes.

This is a strange film – which doesn’t quite click. The focus is on Julie, played by Australian actress Miranda Otto. She finds that her husband is unfaithful to her as well as her son with terminal cancer. She decides to go to Poland where there is a reputation for a faith healer. He is played by Lothaire Bluteau, the star of Jesus of Nazareth and Black Robe. She finds faith for herself, a cure for her son – but the faith healer becomes infatuated with her and follows her back home to Canada.

The film explores themes of relationships, family love, children and illness, death, healing. However, it does not quite jell in the way that one expects it to given the talent making the film.

1. The prologue, the people, in the accident, the hospital, deaths, the man screaming, the young boy and his standing on him and healing him, wanting to go to raise people from the dead? The indication of faith and miracles?

2. The transition to Canada, the Halifax settings, the homes, the wharves, the sea? The contrast with Poland and the places where the people gathered for the healings? The musical score, heavy, orchestrated, light?

3. The title and the focus on Julie: her relationship with her children, love for them, coming home to surprise Henry, finding him in bed? The emotional impact of her reaction, taking the children, driving, Henry pursuing? Her going to her father? The decision she had to make? Going back for her son? Henry and his apology, her refusal? Talking with her friend in the bar, singing? The selling of the house, the visitors coming to look at it, Henry's outburst? Nicholas saying that he should be ashamed of himself? Her relenting, laughing?

4. The possibility of reconciliation? Their backgrounds, her Catholicism and giving it up? His Jewish background but training in science? The decision to live together, their love for the children? Henry and his relationship to his parents? Scientists and doctors? Julie and her relationship to her father, reminding him of his infidelities, his age, the woman coming from Poland? Her arrival, the night together, her father's happiness?

5. Nicholas and the ski holiday, the accident, his illness and collapse, going to the hospital, the diagnosis, the tumour? The possibility of chemotherapy, the discussions with the young boy in the ward, playing the video game? His blunt talk about death? Nicholas's violent reaction to the chemotherapy?

6. The Polish woman and her talking about the healer? The discussions about whether they should go, the family's stances, the scepticism on the part of Henry, the scientist who wanted everything proved, the suspicion of superstition? Julie and her desperation? The question of baptism and her going to church, listening to the priest praying, her disgust when he mentioned the possibility of death? The baptism of the two children? The decision to go to Poland?

7. Julie in Poland, the people gathering, the crowds, Alexy and his touching people, the assistants discerning whether it was spine or head? His seeing Julie, inviting them to come forward? Touching Nicholas, the different meetings? His being healed? Alexy and his attraction towards Julie, her response to him? Together, falling in love, out on the mountains by themselves? The kiss? His decision to go to India, her sending the shirt, the address? In India, opening the present, ringing (with Henry listening in)? His arrival in Canada?

8. The portrait of the two children, Nicole as very strong-minded, Nicholas and his illness? Their doing everything together? The effect of the initial fight, the possibility of selling the house? Nicholas and his experience in Poland, wanting to teach the young man baseball? Nicole at home? Their return and the joy?

9. Henry and Julie and the possibility of a reconciliation, their love for each other, his asking forgiveness? His double standards with anxiety about Julie's relationship to Alexy? Julie's double standards in falling in love with Alexy?

10. Their being together, going to the holiday home, in the woods? The sexual initiation? Her pregnancy?

11. Coming back to town, Nicholas being sick again, Alexy's hands being cold and not able to heal? His departure - and not heard of again?

12. Julie's pregnancy, her going back to Henry, her being with the children?

13. The ambiguity of the ending - so many themes opened up but not resolved? The relationship between Julie and Henry, whether Nicholas would get well again, the child to be born - if Nicholas could not be saved, Alexy giving her another child?