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Enchanted
April
by
Jonathan Walker & Karl Bowman
"This place
makes me feel flooded with love. The important thing is to have
lots of love about. I was very stingy with it back home. I used
to measure and count it out. I had this obsession with justice,
you see. I wouldn't love Mellersh unless he loved me back exactly
as much. But, he didn't and neither did I. The emptiness of it all."
Lotti Wilkins
(Josie Lawrence) becomes obsessed with the notion of spending a
holiday at an old Italian castle when she sees it advertised. She
draws Rose Arbuthnot (Miranda Richardson) into the idea, but when
they sign the lease, they determine they cannot afford it themselves.
They find two women to share it with: the proper elderly lady, Mrs.
Fisher (Joan Plowright), and the celebrity Caroline Dester (Polly
Walker). April at San Salvatore works its wonders at healing each's
ailing heart.
There is a marvel
about the storytelling in Enchanted April which is based
on the novel by Elizabeth von Arnim. The screenplay by Peter Barnes
follows the book's omniscience by taking us inside each of the women's
thoughts. The story shines best when exploring these characters.
Lotti is insecure
and dominated by her husband Mellersh and so has become closed in
her affections. At the beginning of the film, she's insecure and
can't find the strength to assert herself for fear of her husband.
But, Lotti is a special spirit. She "sees" inside people; she can
discern their inner state and also envision their potential. She
blossoms in Italy, touching each woman's life in special ways.
Rose's religious
devotion has squelched her love and acceptance of her husband, Frederick,
who makes a living writing scandalous novels under a pen name. Their
relationship has devolved to icy receptions and harsh judgements.
Frederick even clumsily seeks Caroline's attentions among the society
crowd. When Frederick comes to San Salvatore, she rushes into his
arms and they rekindle their affection.
Mrs. Fisher
has ceased living in the present and wallows in the memories of
her socializing with immortal poets and people of distinction. With
all of those cherished personalities passed from her life, she has
little need for "the living." She seeks to spend a quiet holiday
renewing her "friendships" in reading, but soon finds fulfilment
in the love of new friends.
Caroline has
glided along in life by virtue of being born to "every advantage"
of wealth and beauty. She attracts men like moths to a light, but
no longer enjoys their doting. She is weary of the sycophants and
"grabbers" who annoy her. Ostensibly, she only wants a holiday where
she is left alone, but what she finds is acceptance for who she
is on the inside.
The audience
tends to go through much the same transformation that the characters
do. We, too, start out ashamed of Lotti's oddities, Mellersh's self-promotion,
Frederick's clumsiness, Caroline's narcissism, Mrs. Fisher's name-dropping,
and Rose's religious lack of forgiveness. But, soon, we learn to
appreciate the people for who they are. We warm up to their idiosyncracies
as we learn that they are deeper than their surface.
Even the cinematography
and production design ad to this re-awakening. The rainy, colorless
London streets contrast to the sunny, vibrant Italian retreat. Their
escape from the oppressive weather marks the beginning of their
emancipation from oppressive thoughts, habits, and biases. When
they wake up, they throw open the shutters to a breathtaking view
of cheery flowers, lush landscaping, and a shimmering ocean. They
figuratively, and literally, see life anew.
All of the women's
stories are about the obstacles to loving relationships, and consequently
the obstacles to living happily with other people. Each lady finds
salvation from their problems where they would least expect to find
it. Each decides to go to San Salvatore to escape the people that
they judge to be the obstacle to their happiness (Mellersh, Fredrick,
"the living," or men in general). Lotti and Rose see this as a time
for them to be selfish for once, to leave behind their service,
their responsibilities, and the grey London weather. They come to
find, especially through Lotti's quirky affection that they have
turned their backs on the wrong problem. Shedding themselves of
these people won't bring them happiness. These people bring them
joy, but they have long since stopped appreciating them-and the
feeling has become mutual.
When Lotti opens
up to Mellersh, he opens up to her. He abandons his business designs
for Caroline and Mrs. Fisher. Even Caroline marks with satisfaction
that he is not a grabber and that he "fits in." Frederick comes
in the spirit of infidelity and finds the love he and his wife had
let fade. Mrs. Fisher quickly became lonely with only the voices
of the past to talk to and found pleasure in the company of the
living. And Caroline found the perfect mate, someone who looks only
on the quality of a person and not on her outward appearance-possible
because of his severe nearsightedness.
We don't need
the bright Mediterranean sunlight to knock us each from the complacency
with which we approach our daily relationships. We only need to
remind ourselves what a wonderful thing it is to share our lives
with people around us and take Lotti's advice to not "measure and
count" out our love, but to share it freely. For "being stingy"
with our love will not help us get more, but letting our love "burst
out," as Lotti says, can open others' hearts.
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