WHITE NIGHT WEDDING
Iceland, 2009, 94 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Balthasar Kormakur.
Balthasar Korkamur is one of Iceland's most noted directors. He charted Icelandic life in 101 Reykjavik, went international with A Little Trip to Heaven and Inhale but did serious Icelandic themes with Jar City. White Night Wedding is comic but has strong elements of tragedy as well.
1.Icelandic comedy, the work of the director? Iceland, landscapes? Characters and moods?
2.The Iceland settings, the island of Flatey? The coast, the hills, barren, the cliffs? The small islands? The contrast with the interiors of the homes, the guesthouse, the university? Realism?
3.The surreal touch, the jokes, the opening joke at the wedding rehearsal, the farcical elements, especially at the end? Eccentric characters? The veil, the chase, the wedding in the water? Quirky?
4.The musical score, the blend of classics and modern, contemporary songs and changed lyrics?
5.The parallel story structure, each commenting on the other? Initial attitudes towards the characters, judging them, learning more about them, changing opinion?
6.Jon, his age, as a professor, philosophy, the lecture, the bored students, his talking about Kant, absolutes, morality, breaking morality to help others, issues of love, ends and means? His withdrawal from the university to help his wife? Trying to rethink his life? His return, the final lecture, attentive students, temporary happiness?
7.The opening sequence and the marriage, the rehearsal of the vows, Thora and Jon, the priest and his disapproval, the mobile phone going off, Jon’s parents lost and ringing, the revelation that this was only the rehearsal? Thora’s mother and her anger? Jon unable to kiss Thora – the flashbacks?
8.Jon’s memories of Anna, Anna in herself, her hitting the swan with the car, upset, phoning Jon, the meal – and the dead bird in the rubbish? The tension between them, Jon’s decision to go to the island, her art, the seaweed, her compositions? The pastor and his liking Anna, the arguments between Jon and Anna, her jealousies, depression, throwing her tablets in the sea, her sexual attitude, the midsummer romp? Her seeing Jon and Thora together, upset? Thora’s provocative kiss – without Jon knowing?
9.Jon on the island, trying to rebuild the house, the interactions with the pastor? His friend and the idea for the golf course, surreal and idiotic? Sissie and Lallie, persuading them to lend the money? Meeting Thora, her being his student? Her coming on to him? In the guesthouse, the singing, her advances? Discussions, seduction, her kiss – and his not knowing? Anna’s death and the engagement?
10.The scheme for the golf course, the friend, his interest in Thora’s aunt, the golf and the hitting the balls into the sea, the singing, taking the tourists around the island, the vigil before the wedding, hitting the balls into the church, taking the woman out, the banquet, trying to get the shoes for the organ player?
11.The organ player, best friend, arrival, big, testing the organ, the golf course, the clash with the pastor, the phone calls to Jon, preparing the dinner outside, the furniture? His losing his shoes, late for the wedding, playing the organ?
12.Thora’s parents, her mother as a bully? Her retiring father? Memories, the father wanting to be an opera singer, bossed about by his wife? The plan for the golf course, the wife wanting the money back, her threats to forbid the wedding, the father and his singing for the tourists? Giving his own cash to Jon? Finally singing before the wedding?
13.The pastor, the story of his becoming bald, his being upset in his ministry, looking for the money for renewal? His friendship with Anna, anti-Jon? The rehearsal and his hostility? The night before the wedding, his being disturbed, the organ playing? The money blowing about and his catching it – and the comment that he was a priest because of this activity? His finally conducting the wedding?
14.Thora in herself, her age, studies, falling in love with Jon, her treatment of Anna, her clashes with her mother, especially before the wedding?
15.The glimpse of the tourists, the comic touch with their tour, the singing in the guesthouse?
16.Malli, different, in the family, in the shop, bullied by Sissie, in love with the man with the plan?
17.Jon’s hesitation before the wedding, visiting his wife’s grave, coming into the church, Thora going out, the loud argument, everybody listening, the veil blowing away, the chase, Jon getting in the boat, the same in which his wife had died, its sinking, in the water, Thora pursuing him, the friends carrying the pastor – and the wedding with the happy ending?
