THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE
US, 1945, 91 minutes, Black and white.
Dorothy Mc Guire, Robert Young, Herbert Marshall, Mildred Natwick, Spring Byington, Hillary Brooke.
Directed by John Cromwell.
The Enchanted Cottage is a film with both charm and depth. It is also a film of magic realism, long before the term was used.
Dorothy Mc Guire portrays a young maid, a particularly plain young woman. She has to board with an older lady in what she calls an enchanted cottage because she is awkward and shy. Mildred Natwick is the old lady who rents the cottage. Into her life comes a young man, a GI who had intended to come to the cottage for his honeymoon. However, he has been injured during the war, especially his face which is disfigured. He wants to hide from his former fiancée (Spring Byington). As the two disfigured people encounter each other, learn to live with each other, touches of quietness, gentleness and kindness, something transforms them.
The interesting aspect of the film is that, with the help of the makeup artists, the two central characters are very gradually changed into looking more of their natural selves. This means that they see more deeply into each other rather than merely the surface although the changing of the surface enables the audience to understand how deeply they appreciate each other and fall in love with each other.
Dorothy McGuire? and Robert Young were very popular at this period of their careers. The perspective is given by a blind neighbour, Herbert Marshall, a veteran of many films. Spring Byington interestingly plays a fiancée – from this time on she was to play mothers.
The film was directed by John Cromwell. He began his career in the late 20s and during the 30s made a number of significant films including Of Human Bondage, Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Prisoner of Zenda, Algiers, Made for Each Other and Abe Lincoln in Illinois. He made only a few films during the wartime but resumed with The Enchanted Cottage and the war film, Since You Went Away. He also directed such interesting films as Anna and the King of Siam, Caged, The Goddess.
1. How entertaining a film? The attractiveness of the fantasy and reality? The atmosphere of war and fantasy? The film is considered something of a classic. Does the film justify this?
2. How attractive a romantic fantasy, comedy with the possibilities of tragedy? How different was it from the conventions of the ordinary romance? How did it rely on the conventions for audience sympathy for the main characters and the resolution of their problems? How convincing was it?
3. The appropriateness of the black and white photography, the obvious use of studio sets for atmosphere? The film's reliance on music. especially through the character of Hillgrove? His composing music to illustrate the story of Laura and Oliver? Comment on these special effects to create the atmosphere of fantasy, the house itself, the, clocks, Mrs. Minnett and her memories of the past? The sequences in which Oliver and Laura thought that they had changed and had become beautiful?
4. Is the plot of this kind of fantasy credible? Does this matter? How can audiences identify with the characters and move with them in the role of fantasy? Identification with Laura as the plain maid without a chance of happy marriage? Experiencing the inner transformation and her beauty? Audience identification with Oliver.
the successful young man, the war injuries and his self-hate, his interior transformation and learning how to love? Audience identification with Hillgrove in his blindness and yet his concern? His transcending his war injuries? Mrs Minnett and her grief and making time stand still and yet her being able to contribute to other people's happiness? Comment on the effectiveness of the flashback technique and Hillgrove’s telling the story of Laura and Oliver, expecting them to arrive? Was this better than straightforward narrative?
5. How attractive character was Laura? Her simplicity, attractiveness? work for Mrs Minnett, concern for Oliver, her romanticising about the house and its past, the honeymooners etc.? Her response to Oliver, her supporting him in his suffering, her growing love for him and the effect on her?
6. The character of Oliver: his role as a successful man, preparing for marriage, his relationship with his mother, father, with Beatrice? Was it inevitable that he should break with them when he was Injured in the war? The effect of bitterness on him? What did he learn from Hillgrove from his wounds in the first world war? Heightened sensitivity and sensibility? Laura and her place in this? The impact of their marriage, the honeymoon, the transformation of beauty. the importance of the arrival of his parents? Beatrice? The coming back to reality? The ability of both of them to settle down and live ordinary lives?
7. How attractive was the character of Hillgrove, his relationship with the young boy, the insight in his blindness, his music?
8. Mrs Minnett and what Laura might have been? Her contribution to their happiness?
9. How well did the film build up dramatic identification and suspense for the various crises and their coping?
10. How attractive were the themes of human relationships, bitterness and love, good and evil? How much insight is there in a romantic fantasy like this?
