SEASONS OF THE HEART

US, 1994, 92 minutes, Colour.
Carol Burnett, George Segal, Eric Lloyd, Jill Teed, Malcolm Mc Dowell.
Directed by Lee Grant.

Seasons of the Heart is an emotional film – with a rather strange subtext.

The film focuses on Eric Lloyd, a little boy who lives with his addict mother (Jill Teed). She leaves him with neighbours and does not return. The neighbours have the grandmother’s phone number and she comes to collect him. The grandmother is played by Carol Burnett. However, she has been in a loveless marriage with an alcoholic, has been the mistress of a shady business type for twenty-five years but has now married him (George Segal).

While the expected things happen in terms of the grandparents fostering the young boy and his changing their lives, the gangster background makes it rather different.

The principal characters give interesting performances, though Malcolm Mc Dowell as an eccentric author goes over the top sometimes. Eric Lloyd is persuasive as the little boy. The film was directed by Lee Grant, an actress who, over a period of thirty years, directed quite a number of telemovies and television series.

1.An interesting film – for adults, for children? Suitable for children?

2.The city settings, the affluent home, business premises? Poorer apartments? The contrast? The city atmosphere? Musical score?

3.The title, whose heart? David, Vivian, Ezra, Ellen?

4.The focus on David, his appeal? Waking up, trying to wake his mother? Her leaving him with the neighbours, his being happy with them, her not returning? His being upset? His grandmother, meeting Ezra? Getting used to his grandmother, being friendly with Ezra, Ezra talking with him, playing with him? His moods, upset, going into his room? His grandmother looking after him, his being forgotten by Ezra in the cupboard? His plane disappearing? His meeting Alfred? His not being able to read? His grandmother reading, his learning, his sums, homework? At home with Vivian and Ezra? Wanting his mother? Her arrival – and their not telling him, his being upset? Her return, being with her? Her finally leaving? Vivian and Ezra taking charge of him? His response to the sense of family, playing with the neighbours, his birthday party and the children? His future?

5.Vivian, the history of her marriage, her betrayal of Charlie, with Ezra for twenty-five years? Friendship with Alfred, his love for her? Her love for her daughter, her daughter feeling her absence, becoming an addict? Her impatience with her daughter, the phone calls? Her feeling imposed on by having David? Her marrying Ezra, the tensions because of the marriage? Socialising? Her work, editor, her staff? Work at home? Going to Ellen’s flat, her being upset? Her care for David, reading, his learning? Her wanting to go on a weekend – but feeling confined? The discussions with Ezra, wondering about their marriage? His going away for weekends? Her meeting with Ellen, the reconciliation – but Ellen being fickle, not wanting to stay, confronting her mother, disappearing? The lawyer and the adoption settlement? Reconciling with Ezra, a family together?

6.Ezra, his shady background, deals, friends, business? His relationship with Vivian over the years? His many wives? Affairs? His response to David, talking with him, liking him – but feeling imposed on? Becoming a grandfather figure? Forgetting him and the locked room? The discussions with Vivian, his having rarely met Ellen? Going away, his trying to reform his business? His associates? The clashes with Vivian, the reconciliation, a future?

7.Ellen, her background, talking straight to her mother, her mother’s absence, looking after her father in the snow? Her addiction, with men? David’s father being absent? Leaving him with the neighbours, disappearing? Phone calls, her return, with the man, finally leaving? Hoping to resume her career?

8.The neighbours, the friendliness, looking after David? Contacting Vivian?

9.The reality of this kind of situation, single mothers, drug addicts, the child at home, by himself, limitations in learning? The need for family, kindly neighbours, the role of grandparents?