VINEGAR HILL

US, 2005, 93 minutes, Colour.
Mary- Louise Parker, Tom Skerritt, Tim Guinee, Hollis Mc Laren, Roberta Maxwell, Betty Buckley, Colin Ferguson.
Directed by Peter Werner.

Vinegar Hill is based on a novel by A. Manette Ansay and was adapted for television by Suzette Couture (who had written the screenplay for the Jeremy Sisto Jesus).

It is a film about family, about difficulties, tensions and employment, memories of the past, secrets – and the needs for some kind of healing. Mary- Louise Parker is strong as a mother of two children who loses her job, accompanies her unemployed husband (Tim Guinee) to stay with his parents. Tom Skerritt, usually so sympathetic, plays a hateful character, a brutal father. Betty Buckley is very good as the put-upon mother.

The staying with the in-laws is very difficult for the whole family – especially for the son, considering that his brother had been killed in an accident some years earlier. He pretends to have a job and goes away from the family for some kind of space. In the meantime, the mother has to deal with the in-laws and with the children. Getting the support of her friends from schooldays, especially from the sheriff who was in love with her.

Eventually, dark secrets are revealed, there is confrontation within the family – and a sense of freedom and purging for the next generation.

The film was directed by Peter Werner, a director of many television films.

1.The impact of the film? Characters, situations, tensions? Secrets, therapy, resolution?

2.The title and its overtones? The family coming to stay with the in-laws? The town, the sheriff, the shops, the school, friends? The farms? Musical score?

3.The opening, Ellen and Jake and their packing up, the decision to go to live with his parents? His being unwilling? The reaction of the children? The lack of welcome from Fritz and Mary Margaret?

4.Settling in, the hostile reaction, Mary Margaret and her not being entirely with it? The brutal comments and behaviour of Fritz?

5.Ellen, meeting her old friends, the encounter with Tom Welton? Wanting a job at the school? Managing with the children? Cooking, at table with the in-laws and Fritz’s bad manners and hostility? Her worry about Jake, his going off? Her wanting him back, going to discuss things with Tom?

6.Jake, unemployed, pretending he had a job, going away for days, drinking, the sympathetic woman in the shop, buying something for his wife, the possibility of the affair and his resisting? Breaking the mirror, phoning Ellen?

7.The children, Amy and her reaction, her dolls and wanting them to help her? Losing faith in them? Her wariness? Bert, his bonding with his grandfather, his grandfather showing him how to shoot, yet falling with the kick of the rifle, his grandfather making him shoot his dog, his shooting the dog?

8.Fritz, the background of his marriage, the type of man he was, Mary Margaret and her dreams, always talking about the past, her mother and her glamour? Being sold to Fritz? His brutality, the two sons? The revelation about her having twins, Salome killing them and burying them? Her fear of her husband? Her wanting to save them from his brutality?

9.The effect on Ellen, her decision to leave, Jake and his tensions, being brutalised by his father, his father punching him? The reaction of the children? Ellen and her school friend, the discussions about the family – and the realisation that the rapist was Jake’s brother? Ellen going to the family, Mary Margaret’s collapse, hospital, her final words to Ellen, her death?

10.Salome, looking after her sister, killing the children? Mad? The revelation to Ellen? Her sadness in looking after Mary Margaret?

11.The contrast with Ellen’s family? Her mother not praising her? Yet wanting to do the best? At the hospital?

12.The digging up of the grave, Jake and his grief, Ellen coming to him, the confrontation with Fritz? His weeping, Jake embracing him – but leaving him to himself? A future for the family?