No matter what one may think of Vanessa Redgrave's politics, no one with any objectivity would deny she is a great actress. Her character is the central figure in
The Secret Scripture (2016), which I watched last night courtesy of Netflix. She plays an elderly inmate of an asylum that is about to be closed. A doctor, played by Eric Bana, is sent to evaluate whether she should be transferred or released. She has been there 60 years, accused of killing her baby and nymphomania. She has jotted her memories in the margins of her Bible, and her story is told in flashback, heartbreaking in its unfairness. It is set in a small Irish town in the early days of WWII. Rooney Mara plays the young version of the woman, who falls in love with a man who, to the consternation of local IRA, has joined the RAF. It is an old-fashion story beautifully done, based on the novel by Sebastian Barry. Of course, it is an era of repression, as many films and books on Ireland have pointed out. The couples at a mixer are instructed to "Leave a space for the Lord" while dancing. The cast is outstanding. Theo James as a young priest, Jack Reynor as the pilot, and Susan Lynch as a compassionate nurse are impressive in supporting roles. I think most people will anticipate the twist - and love it. Dubliner Jim Sheridan, who did the critically acclaimed
My Left Foot in 1989, directed and collaborated on the screenplay with Johnny Ferguson. I enjoyed
The Secret Scripture far more than the film that brought Daniel Day-Lewis the first of his three Oscars, an opinion that would probably be scorned by cinephiles. Critical response was mixed to scathing upon its release. That by regular folks was kinder if not enthusiastic. 3100+ users at IMDb have rated it, forging to a consensus of 6.7 on a scale of ten, too low in my opinion. It runs less than two hours and is slow paced. Kelly Clarkson's
The Cry Inside plays during the closing credits, a perfect complement to the narrative. Beethoven's
Moonlight Sonata figures prominently in the scenario, as the protagonist is a piano player. Many may not recognize the title but will be familiar with the haunting, melancholy melody used so often in films, TV shows and even commercials. Here are the principal players in their roles:
I'd set up shop only a few minutes when Danny came along. As usual, he stocked up on non-fiction, buying 12 books. My thanks, and also to the woman who purchased thrillers by James Patterson and Lisa Gardner, and to the other who selected a hardcover in Russian. Special thanks to local realtor Sue, who bought
Present and Past. She owns all my books except my high school football epic,
Adjustments. I had a nice laugh when a woman who seems like she's in her 80's mentioned Bruno Sammartino's passing and then began rattling off the wrestlers she watched with her dad on telecasts from Sunnyside Garden on channel five in the '50's: Antonino Rocca, the Graham brothers, Haystack Calhoun, Killer Kowalski. She even pantomimed the way her father writhed in his seat. Thank you, madam.
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