Displaying items by tag: Kristin Scott Thomas

MY MOTHER’S MARRIAGE

UK, 2023, 95 minutes, Colour.

Scarlet Johansson, Sienna Miller, Emily Beacham, Kristin Scott Thomas, James Fleet, Freida Pinto, Fflynn Edwards, Samson Kayo.

Directed by Kristin Scott Thomas

It is a surprise to find that Kristin Scott Thomas not only co-wrote and starred in the film but also directed it. While there is a final caution that it does not refer to actual characters, there is a tribute at the end of the film to Kristin Scott Thomas’s two fathers.

The film starts on rather bright and breezy tone, not exactly the world of Kristin Scott Thomas’s films. Three adult daughters are introduced, the prospect of their mother’s unexpected remarriage (the two fathers of the daughters died very young on active service and have been idealised by the daughters).

Scarlet Johansson plays a naval officer being promoted to captain of a battleship. Sienna Miller is a glamorous star in Hollywood being interviewed on television. Emily Beacham is rather low-key, married, two daughters. Kristin Scott Thomas plays their mother, marrying a longtime friend, played by James Fleet.

The daughters have varied reactions to their mother’s wedding, but arrive, meet the rest of the family and guests and the wedding proceeds.

Then the film takes a much more serious tone, more in keeping with the expectations of Kristin Scott Thomas. The three daughters have a long session on the night of the wedding, raising so many memories of the past, some mutual recriminations, challenges. The next morning, their mother commands that they visit the gravesites of their fathers. There follows a very serious scene, the challenge of their mother, explaining that their fathers were two young men, with their limitations, but admirable in their service and early deaths. And the issue of taking the names of the successive fathers, revealing some complexity in the childhood attitudes of their father’s surname. The mother speaks a lot of sense to the three women.

The film ends with the naval captain welcomed on board, the family watching. (There is a problem that the captain has been in a relationship with Jack, Frieda Pinto, for 10 years, their having a son but Jack now pregnant trough surrogacy) The actress has to come to terms with her life and relationships. The wife learns of the betrayals by her husband and evicts him.

Which means that the film ends up being much more thoughtful than might have an have been anticipated with the wedding sequences.

1. Kristin Scott Thomas, cowriting the screenplay, directing, performance, her personal memories, the final credits and the acknowledgement of her two fathers?
2. The title, the focus on the wedding, introducing the characters, the ceremony, the aftermath? The move to the more serious interactions with the daughters? Facing up to family crises?
3. The animation throughout the film, sketch style, from Katherine’s it perspective, her relationship with her father, the stepfather, her mother, nostalgia – and having to let go?
4. Introduction of the three daughters, Katherine, Navy, age and experience, promotion, memories of her father, stepfather, their both dying young in action, the issue taking their names or not, 10 years relationship with Jack, Marcus and her relationship with her son?
5. Victoria, the film star, glamour, the television interview, personal touches, her sisters watching, their reactions?
6. Georgina, the youngest, stepsister, quiet, her husband and the revelations about his infidelities, her children?
7. Diana, getting married, her love for Geoff, his being quiet, personality, supportive? Her two husbands, their early deaths? Her relationship with her daughters? Grandchildren, other members of the family?
8. The marriage itself, the gathering, getting ready, the ceremony? The reception, celebration, everybody participating?
9. The evening, the film turning serious, the discussions amongst the three sisters, the relationship, love, irritations, memories of their respective fathers, their idealising them? Katherine and Jack telling her of the surrogacy and her being upset? Victoria and her relationships? Georgina and the infidelity of her husband? The reactions, the consequences?
10. The episode of the boy in the tree, the calling of the fire brigade, Geoff and his help, the variety of reactions?
11. The next morning, the aftermath of the daughters talking? Katherine and her son, his gift of the ring, her having to go back to the ship?
12. The episode at the grave, Diana and her stern talking to her daughters, sense of realism, admiration of the two husbands, but acknowledging their limitations, dying young, heroism, the daughters idealising them, the issue of the names, the role of Katherine and keeping her father’s name, Victoria and her reaction, the truth about Diana relying on Katherine? Georgina and her ousting her husband? Victoria, relationships, future?
13. Going to the ship, the ceremonial entry of the Captain, the parade, the crew, Katherine in charge, the family watching, the reconciliation with Jack and the kiss, Marcus and proud response to his mother, Diane and her response – and the elderly man at the reception and Katherine watching him leaving the car, letting go of the past, facing the present and future?