MARRIED LIFE
US, 2007, 90 minutes, Colour.
Chris Cooper, Pierce Brosnan, Patricia Clarkson, Rachel Mc Adams, David Wenham.
Directed by Ira Sachs.
What more straightforward title could you get for a film? And, yet, how much possible ambiguity!
The novel on which this film is based is the 1953 Five Roundabouts for Heaven by John Bingham. That title is a little more indicative of what we find in the film.
First of all, the story is set in late 1949 and the way that it is filmed is very much in the style of those times: the setting of scenes, the costumes and décor, the more ample dialogue than we have now – and a visual reticence in portraying relationships. The film is all the stronger for that.
But, the question comes up: how serious is it, how comic and sardonic, how moral (or not)?
We are guided in our response by a voiceover throughout the film. It is that of Pierce Brosnan, who delivers it most agreeably. He plays Richard who emerges, even from his own descriptions of himself, as something of a cad. He is the best friend of middle-aged grandfather, Harry (the excellent Chris Cooper) and finds himself listening to the seemingly staid and upright Harry telling him how he is going to leave his wife for a younger woman. Nothing particularly new here as life goes. However, Harry does not want anyone, especially his wife, to be hurt. He feels he couldn’t possible divorce her. The solution: murder. And a very genteel and loving method (straight out of Agatha Christie or her then American equivalent) through poisoning, quick and not leading back to him.
You will have to see the film (or read one of those ‘spoiler’ reviews or blogs) to find out whether he succeeds or not.
Kay, the young woman Harry is smitten with is played with great sympathy by Rachel Mc Adams, coiffeured and dressed like Lana Turner in movies of the time. She will play a crucial role in the murder situation though she does not know it.
The wife, Pat, is played by the always impressive Patricia Clarkson. We find that Harry has read her correctly only partially and that there is more to her than we think if we listen solely to Harry and Richard.
The strength and interest of the film is in the screenplay and the performances. It is the character portraits of the four protagonists that keep the interest and it is their dialogue which intrigues us.
1.The blend of the serious and the comic? Sardonic dialogue? Allusions to Hitchcock style and content? Moral/amoral/immoral?
2.The title, straightforward? The title of the original novel?
3.1949 and its look? In colour rather than black and white? The staging of the scenes, the visual style? The nature of the dialogue, talk, verbal emphases? The voice-over? Manners? Clothes, behaviour? Not explicit? The musical score, the songs of the period? The movies of the time?
4.Richard and his voice-over, Pierce Brosnan’s tone? Observing, his friendship Harry from schooldays, Kay and Pat? His comments, editorialising, moralising? Revealing himself as a cad? His intentions? Leading the audience and slanting their perspectives?
5.Harry, his age, at work, serious, his admiring secretary? Phoning Richard, the restaurant, the quiet discussion, telling Richard about his intentions, explanation for leaving his wife, rationalising? His being unable to tell his wife (and the flashbacks visualising this)? His radical decision, wanting some happiness? Kay’s arrival, her charm, in love with her? Richard and Harry’s decision? Harry at home, his interactions with Pat? The discussions about love and sexuality? Their own experience in their marriage? The long marriage? Their daughter, son-in-law, grandchild? Going to visit, the talk at the table, the reactions of their daughter, sullen? The boy and playing?
6.Harry and his visits to Kay, leaving the Sunday dinner for Kay? His giving her gifts, her comforting him? The romantic aura of the relationship?
7.Richard and his visiting Kay, their discussions, her being a widow, talking about her marriage, the death of her husband? Harry picking her up, her love for him, hopes?
8.Harry and his decision to kill Pat, his frequent travels, arriving home late after meetings? Their discussion about marriage and break-up? Pat weeping, her convulsions, getting the doctor? His not wanting to hurt her and so death being the only way out? The irony of his not knowing about her relationship with John O’Brien? Reading the article, the nature of the poison, going to buy it, the camera issue, signing a false name, the irony of his picking up the hitchhiker, discussing the hitchhiker’s sister’s death, the possibility of poison? Using his name? Forgetting to pay? Testing out the poison on their dog, Pat’s grief? His digging the grave, burying the dog? His changing the poison bottle? Buying the new one? The plan, being away, the phone calls home, their being busy, the businessmen’s meal and his going to call? Ringing Mrs Walsh (and his earlier dislike of Mrs Walsh and her dog when he and Pat were on their walk)? Pat calling him back, her saying she was going to a film?
9.Richard, his life and style, womanising, unscrupulous? His visit to Kay, their discussions, her story, going out, the meal? Their talking about Harry? Further going out, to the movies? The growing bond between them? His discussion about the burdens of morality and unhappiness?
10.Richard going to the cabin, seeing Pat and John, awkward, the discussion, coffee, the cover-up, the lies?
11.Pat and John, the relationship, not wanting a divorce, Pat feeling that Harry needed her?
12.Harry visiting Kay, the slow revelation that they should break up? His being hurt? His return, discovering Richard there? His manner in covering it over, not wanting to discuss it?
13.Harry and his rush home, being held up by the police, their having nothing else to do? His arrival, the window, seeing John leaving? Pat’s lies about the film? Not taking her medicine? His hurriedly changing the poison?
14.A year later, the charades, John and his performance, having a girlfriend? Richard and Kay together, Harry and Pat, their daughter and her family, everyone together? The happiness of the evening?
15.Richard, summarising, everybody using the lines about morality, burdens, not hurting others? Not building relationships on the hurt of others? The issues of truth and lies?
16.The final scene of Harry and Pat cleaning up? Happily married – after a blip in their lives, and now a deeper relationship?
