THE SCARLET LETTER

US, 1995, 135 minutes, Colour.
Demi Moore, Gary Oldman, Robert Duvall, Robert Prosky, Joan Plowright, Roy Dotrice, Edward Hardwicke, Dana Ivey, Amy Wright.
Narration by Johdi May.
Directed by Roland Joffe.

This is the kind of film that the damning reviews make one feel embarrassed for enjoying. The reviews have generally been terrible. Maybe it is because the screenplay has kept Nathanael Hawthorne's original plot but situated it in a much broader setting of Puritan New England and the relationships with the Indians. Maybe because Demi Moore (and her croaky voice) is too contemporary an actress to be convincing. Maybe reviewers have a thing about the director, British Roland Joffe, director of Killing Fields, The Mission, City of Joy and his stately epics... Despite all this, I found that it was an interesting movie interpretation of the story and the times. It also looks magnificent.

The Puritan era was one of self-righteous greed and the relishing of punishment meted out on those to whom God would show more mercy. This was Hawthorne's theme - as well as Hester Prynne finding integrity in her punishment and protecting the identity of the father of her baby. Demi Moore does her best (which seems not good enough for reviewers). Gary Oldman is certainly better as the fallen minister. Robert Duvall (with the oddest of accents) is her vengeful husband. There are also themes of the relationship with the Indians which are reminiscent of The Mission. Modern interpretation and expansion of a classic.
1.An enjoyable historical film? The negative reactions of the box office, critics? Purists liking Hawthorne’s novel being against the film?

2.The statement that it was freely adapted? The plot and the expansion? The characters in their context? Motivations and the change of ending?

3.The re-creation of the 1660s, Massachusetts, the coast and the cliffs, the town and the buildings, the interiors, the forests and the natural beauty? John Barry’s score?

4.The world of the Indians, the settlers moving in on their land, creating a New Jerusalem? Their Puritan religious values? The liaison with the Indians at the opening, Arthur’s role and translation? The Indians in the town, subdued? The warriors? The initial negotiations? Arthur translating the Bible? The capture of the boat, Roger and his becoming part of the tribe, the massacre? Roger’s initiation, the rituals, the mystical aspects? The preparations for war? The end and the attack on the community, the slaughter? Their freeing the town Indians? John, his background, civilised, teacher, friend of Arthur – yet his violence? The comment on the indigenous people, the colonial attitudes, indigenous rights? Abuse?

5.The town and the elders, the role of the governor, the clergy and their advice, their wives? Religious, Biblical, Puritan? Law, moral standards? Public shaming of sinners? The vindictive attitude? The language of God and Satan? The severity, the scarlet letter, the shaming of Hester Prynne? The contrast with Jesus and the woman taken in adultery and letting her go? The righteous interpretation of the Gospels – but missing the meaning of the Gospels? The elders and the governor and their attitudes towards the Indians, the language of savages? The confrontation?

6.The voice-over, from Pearl, offering the narrative, her perspective on Hester and Arthur, her judgments on them? Benign compared with those of the community?

7.Hester’s arrival, the portrayal by Demi Moore? Married to Roger, going on ahead, her arrival at the port, the meal with the family, her shocking them by her independence, searching for the house, on the cliffs, the military man and his assault (and his later attempted rape and his being killed by Roger)? With the elders? In the market, getting the indentured servants, the young mute servant? Their work in the fields, their work in the household? The mute servant and her love for her mistress, her watching her – especially in the encounter with Arthur? Her own sensuality and the effect of the liaison? Hester going to the forest, chasing the red bird – and the symbolism of the red bird later in the film? Seeing Arthur swimming? The dray, its being bogged, Arthur helping her, riding on the horse – and the discovery that he was the minister? In church, his sermon, the collage of his words, the images of his face? The effect on Hester? At home, the sensuality, looking in the mirror, her memories of Arthur?

8.Arthur, the initial negotiations with the Indians? A film hero? The contrast with his cowardice in the book? The negotiations, friendship with John, the work of translation, bathing in the woods, his encounter with Hester, attraction, the relationship, resistance, going to the house? The liaison? Hester’s pregnancy? Arthur’s own household, his style, his housekeeper – and her spying?

9.The pregnancy, Hester being arrested, the interrogations, the witnesses, put in prison? Her refusal to name the father? Arthur interrogating her, her life in the prison, resolute? The feminist perspective, taking a stand, strong in herself, her secret about the man? The encounter with Harriet? The condemnation of the authorities?

10.Harriet, the women, their having spent time with the Indians, on the fringe of society, survivors? Harriet as midwife? Her friendship with Hester? Her being accused as a witch, the women as scapegoats for the men? Her speech in the court, her denunciation of the prurient examination by the men?

11.Roger, older, the marriage to Hester, as part of repayment of a debt? On the ship, the ship foundering, the Indians, the massacre? His initiation? His dressing like an Indian, the mystical powers? The violence? His arrival in the colony, meeting Hester, his blend of the vicious and sympathetic? His boarding with Arthur, talking about the translation, the language of the Indians? His quest to find the father of the child? As a doctor, his influence in the town, testing the baby, saying that she did not have the mark of the witch yet contradicting this in the court? Exposure of the child, playing with the child and then denouncing it? His condemnation of witchcraft? The vicious watching of Hester, of Arthur? The murder – and discovering he had killed the military man in error? His suicide?

12.The death of the mute slave, her interrogation and torture? Witchcraft, the signs, the Indians, the child and its mark, Harriet? The preparations to hang Harriet, Hester and the other women?

13.The officer, his fascination with Hester, the attempted rape, Hester’s reaction, with the candle in his eye? His death?

14.The authorities, the minister and his wife, her suggestion about the scarlet letter? The strong sequence of Hester being shamed in public, the letter, her stance? Its being non-Biblical?

15.The women, denunciations, the minister’s wife and her sympathy?

16.Arthur and his life, the shame, tormented by the truth, his various confessions, begging Hester to name him? The change in his search for Harriet and discussions with Hester? Growing desperate? His final confession, vowing to protect Hester and the child? The happy ending?

17.The film’s stance on women, men and authority, religious authorities, the nature of sin? Morals? The adaptation of a classic American story?