DANIELLE STEEL’S NO GREATER LOVE

US, 1996, 105 minutes, Colour.
Kelly Rutherford, Chris Sarandon, Nicholas Campbell, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Simon Mc Corkindale, Hayden Christensen.
Directed by Richard T. Heffron.

Danielle Steel’s No Greater Love is one of the many films made from Danielle Steel’s popular novels in the mid-90s. Richard T. Heffron had had a good career as a film and telemovie director and gives the film some style.

The film opens with a twenty-minute sequence on the Titanic (a year before James Cameron’s film was released). It is quite an effective re-creation of the wealthy on the doomed ship, the crash with the iceberg, the passengers leaving, the emotional breaks, survival on the boats – and the aftermath on the rescue ship.

The film was set then in the early 20s in Boston with the young woman survivor managing to bring up her three brothers and sisters as well as manager a newspaper. She sacrifices her life for the children – no greater love. However, she meets a dashing English lord as well as a theatre entrepreneur. There is a happy ending. In the meantime, she struggles with her domination of her brothers and sisters but eventually comes through all the problems.

Television star Kelly Rutherford is Edwina, the strong-minded sister who survives the Titanic. Chris Sarandon is the entrepreneur and Daniel Hugh a suitor from the newspapers. Simon Mc Corkindale is the English lord and Nicholas Campbell is a ‘rotter’ actor who seduces the younger sister. A young Hayden Christensen is the brother.

1. The popularity of Danielle Steel’s novels? Their adaptation to the screen? Popular as telemovies?

2. The Danielle Steel ingredients, the period, wealth, fashion, hard work, family bonds, family difficulties, love and patience, happy endings?

3. The Titanic sequences (before the film Titanic)? The ship itself, the ballroom, the iceberg, the ship sinking, the lifeboats, the passengers, alarm, survivors, those who died, in the boats, diving from the ship? In the water, deaths? The rescue ship? The lists of the survivors, the tending of the sick, the doctor? An overall impact of the sinking of the Titanic?

4. The Boston settings, the wealthy family, the newspaper? The 20s, Boston society, the theatre? Weddings? The voyage to England? London, the weekend in Scotland? The locations for this kind of lush romance? The musical score?

5. The parents on the Titanic, their staying together, Edwina blaming her mother for staying with their father and not coming with the children? Alexis overhearing this? Her having to forgive her parents and come to terms with this? The effect on the other children, especially Alexis? On the boat, wanting her doll, in the other lifeboat, rescued, not speaking, her resentment, running away to the railway, Edwina rescuing her from the railway line? George, his resentment of Edwina’s domination, at school, his poor results, directing the Christmas play at home, wanting to be a theatre director? Teddy as a baby, ill on the rescue ship, surviving?

6. Edwina as a strong character, her decisions, sense of responsibility? Handling the children? The support of Ben, at the paper, in love with her? The search for Alexis? Her refusal to marry him? His later marrying, his family?

7. The early 20s, Edwina and her managing the paper, the confrontation with George about theatre direction, his having gone to Harvard, his not succeeding with the paper? Her slapping him? Her later going to the theatre, acknowledging his skills, supporting him in his career? Her difficulties with Alexis, her age, flirtation, at the party, with Malcolm Stone? The eventual elopement, her going to London, confronting Alexis, Stone wanting to blackmail the family, taking her home, the reconciliation and forgiveness? The explanation about their mother? Teddy, at home, supportive – but liking to eat cakes! A portrait of a family?

8. The Horowitz family, George and his success in the theatre, the dinner, in love with Helen, dancing with her, the engagement, Sam and his wealth, support of the marriage, in love with Edwina? The marriage, the honeymoon, the pregnancy? Sam’s final proposal to Edwina – and their future together?

9. Patrick Kelly, on the boat, Edwina keeping to herself, the gossip about her? The meeting with Patrick, in love with him, the weekend in Scotland, his being a Catholic and unable to marry her, her leaving him?

10. Malcolm Stone, the rotter, the villain of the piece, would-be actor, seducer, blackmailer?

11. The melodramatics of this kind of story – always popular?