FOUR LETTERS OF LOVE

Ireland, 2024, 125 minutes, Colour.

Pierce Brosnan, Gabriel Byrne, Helena Bonham Carter, Fionn O'Shea, Donal Finn, Ann Skelly, Imelda May, Norma Sheehan, Pat Shortt,

Directed by Polly Steele.

There are some and written letters at the end of this Irish film but throughout, the four letters are literally L-O-V-E.

The screenplay is by the novelist, Niall Williams, from his 1997 novel which has been published in 20 countries. If the novel has had a following, this pleasing Irish tale could also build up a following.

The film is told from the point of view of the son of the central character, William, who, saying that he was inspired by God, suddenly got up from his desk job in his older age determined to go off to the Irish coast to paint. He is played very effectively by Pierce Brosnan, sympathetic, sometimes puzzling, obsessed with his quest for painting, strange treatment of his wife and difficulties in relating to his son, Nicholas (Fionn O’Shea).

In the meantime, the audience is introduced to a parallel story, a family on the West Coast, a poet-teacher, Muiris, a ruggedly convincing Gabriel Byrne, his busy wife, Margaret, Helena Bonham Carter, a cheerful son, Donal Finn, and an exuberant daughter still at school, Angela Skelly.

Each story has its intense drama and we know that they will eventually come together.

The film is Catholic in atmosphere, an amount of God language, a sad and sudden accident and impairment, the daughter sent to an ultra-strict convent school with grim-face severe nuns and happily running away, the local priest and ceremonies, and reflection on God, God’s seemingly harsh interventions, God’s will, but also miraculous interventions in our world.

While there are some scenes in Dublin, most of the action takes place in the Irish countryside and coast, ruggedly beautiful. The performances are fine, the screenplay bringing the two stories together dramatically – and with some pervading spirituality.

Throughout the significant performance is that of Fionn O’Shea as the son Nicholas, confiding his story, a creative young man, wanting to be a writer, not understanding his father, craving some kind of affection, wilfully going after him to the coast, and then encountering the poet’s family, being welcomed, finding a home, and, beset by an infatuation with the poet’s daughter, who, herself, has married a charming but feckless young man who had helped her when she was running away from the school.

There is the potential for tragedy as the girl’s mother, Margaret, does not approve of the love, does her best to curtail it, this very much involving the literal four written letters of love. But, as we hoped for, a move towards some resolution, reconciliations, greater understandings, and the triumph of pervading love.

1. The international popularity of the novel? The novelist writing the screenplay?
2. The Irish setting, late 20^th century, Dublin, workplaces, homes, travel through the countryside, the West Coast, the cliffs and the beaches, the town, homes, school, churches? The boarding school with the sisters? The musical score, the Irish music, the contemporary songs?
3. The two stories, their development, the characters, some interconnections, and the two stories coming together?
4. The title, the actual letters at the end of the film, the emphasis on the four letters spelling the word, Love?
5. The initial focus on William and his story, his age, his work, humdrum, a final store, change of heart, his seeing it as God-inspired, leaving, going home, his relationship with his wife, her dismay, the lack of relationship with his son? His leaving, packing, travelling to the West Coast, setting up, the painting? The accident, the water, the impact on the painting? It’s surviving, competition, a claim?
6. William and his return, the drama with his wife, his son wanting some affection, his decision to follow his father? In the same bus as Isobel, going his way?
7. The Core family, Murals and his teaching, poetry, blocks, creativity, Margaret, loyal, tense, concerned about her children, love for her husband? Shawn, his music, Isobel and her wireless, the sequence on the cliff, her daring standing on the edge, Sean and his music, his sudden collapse, the consequences for the family?
8. Isabel, going off to school, travelling with her father, the severity of the nuns, her running away, the encounter with XXX, the time together, the enjoyment, her returning? His arrival, the full story about the funeral, her leaving, the sisters with a moment of compassion, her returning, her expulsion? Happy to be expelled? The consequences for her, with XXX, in love, the discussions with his mother, the decision to marry, the wedding? His inability to respond, the break?
9. John, getting the painting, using it as a prize, Murals and his poem, winning, the painting in the house – that is only being revealed at the end, and as being symbolic of the whole story?
10. Nicholas, being the narrator, the older Nicholas looking back, his comments on his father, his father’s life and work, his mother? His being taken in by the family, staying in the house? Becoming part of the household? Infatuation with Isabel?
11. The religious dimensions of the film, William and his initial vision, the light on the paper, his drawing? The religious ceremonies, the Catholic background with the severe school? The parish, the ceremonies, funerals and weddings, the contribution of the priest? William and his reappearances, ghostly?
12. Shawn, incapacitated, wheelchair-bound? His sudden cure, a divine intervention, standing up, recovering his voice, his mind, his music?
13. Margaret and her not wanting Nicholas to marry Isabel? Isabel and the difficulties, her facing up to them, confronting her husband?
14. Nicholas, writing the letters, poetic, giving them to Margaret Post, her going into the town, destroying the letters, her subterfuge is with Nicholas? Finding reading one, on the cliffs, her change of heart?
15. The final happy ending, the four letters, the four letters of Love?