WOMEN TALKING DIRTY
UK, 1999, 98 minutes, Colour.
Helena Bonham Carter, Gina Mc Kee, Eileen Atkins, Kenneth Cranham, James Nesbitt, James Purefoy, Richard Wilson, Freddie Highmore.
Directed by Coky Giedroyc.
Women Talking Dirty is based on a novel by Isla Dewar who wrote the screenplay for the film. It begins with a touch of brazenness, women talking dirty, but gradually transforms into a film about women’s friendship, women and their relationship with men, love and betrayal, friendship.
The film is set in Edinburgh, a very Scottish touch with the actresses and their accents.
Helena Bonham Carter portrays Cora, an immature young girl, ready to face the world, but not really grown up. She has to children by different fathers including, without her realising it, the husband of her best friend, Gina McKee?. Gina McKee? is Ellen, a cartoonist, who is more repressed, but focuses on her love for Daniel, James Purefoy. She completely misreads him.
There are some character cameos from friends, a gay couple, Kenneth Cranham and Richard Wilson, and Eileen Atkins as a grande dame of music and culture. James Nesbitt is Ellen’s co-worker. Freddie Highmore who appeared later in Finding Neverland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory portrays one of Helena Bonham Carter’s sons (and his younger brother the other son).
The film is blunt at times in its dialogue, makes one wonder how real these characters are – but, as symbols of contemporary life, people struggling to make sense of their life, love and betrayal, it is at times quite insightful, especially with the strong performance from Gina McKee?.
1. The impact of the title? Fulfilled? Women talking dirty? Women talking true feelings? Women talking depth?
2. The Edinburgh settings, the use of the city, the streets and the scenic value? The coast and the beaches? Buildings, homes, workplaces? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score (by Elton John)?
3. The initial focus on Cora and Ellen, their talk, bonding, their love for each other? The going back six years? The coming back eventually to the present? The prelude to the clash?
4. Cora’s story, young, irresponsible, her loving parents, going off to Edinburgh, her relationships, her parents’ warnings, with Claude? Flirting, together, her pregnancy and her parents’ reactions? Claude and his exasperation and leaving? The meeting with Ellen, Ellen sketching her? Their becoming friends? Her reliance on Ellen, her giving birth, delight in the child? Her bringing up the child, hanging out the washing, hard work? Her parents’ help, her living in Edinburgh, Ellen’s continued help? The chance meeting with Daniel, his lying about his name? Their night together? Hurrying home so her mother would not find out? Her pregnancy? Her meeting Daniel with Ellen and her shock, talking with him afterwards? Her keeping the secret, should she have revealed it to Ellen? Her friends, the discussions with Emily Boyle and Emily’s support? The years passing, the birth of the second child? Her friendship with George and Ronald and their helping out? Her continued friendship with Stanley, platonic? The build-up to the evening party, her seeing Daniel in the street, confronting him? The party and the preparations, Emily and her finesse? The guests, talking, laughing? Drunk and telling the truth? The emergence of the truth about Daniel and the child? Ellen’s dismay, ordering them all out? Cora and her being upset? Her approach to Ellen, calling out, apologising? The bond and the friendship again? Her punching Daniel, Daniel coming for the sofa? Ellen and Cora and their walk along the beach? The reconciliation – and the permanence of friendship? Ellen and her care for the children?
5. Gina Mc Kee’s presence as Ellen, her background, sketches and designs? Working with Stanley and their friendship? Chance meeting with Cora and sketching her? Their becoming best friends, sharing, beach visits, Ellen and the presence at the birth? Her meeting Daniel, his charm, his spiel? Going home with him, the marriage, the gift of the sofa? Finding him taking money, his betting? His promiscuity, talking about giving himself completely to her when he was with her? His expectations? The clash with Ellen, his going to Barbados? His return, the confrontation with Cora? The divorce and its effect on Ellen? His visit, the arguments? The night together? His coming to take the sofa? This being a symbol of the break between the two? The dinner party, the happiness, the drinking, friendship, the truth, her being upset? Her having wanted a child? Her being more repressed? The reconciliation with Cora? A future?
6. Daniel, his spiel to Ellen about the drinks, charm, her succumbing, her idealising him, the marriage, the gift of the sofa, his promises? The true Daniel, taking the money, gambling, losing money? His double-dealing, his lies to Cora, Cora’s pregnancy and his reaction, to get an abortion? Cora punching him? His leaving the country, the return, the divorce? Cora seeing him in the street? His coming to see Ellen, the night with her, her kicking him out? His taking the sofa? Ellen taking his money, giving half to Cora, gambling the other half?
7. Ronald and George, their manner, their friendship, helping out? The dinner, the story of their relationship? Emily Boyle, her sympathy for Cora, listening to her, giving her good advice? The meal? Her observations on everyone?
8. The background characters, life in Edinburgh? An authentic feel?
9. Stanley, his work with Ellen, friendship with her, admiration for Cora, in love with Cora? His continued support?
10. Insight into women’s psychology, woman writer, woman director? The performances of the actresses? And the attitude towards men?
