Movie Night: Wives and Daughters

The title little lets on the subtle, sweeping drama that underlies this sweet film. I read Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters a year or two ago, so you can imagine my delight when a friend introduced me to the film version not long after. (Wives and Daughters 1999, BBC)

Molly Gibson played by Justine Waddell

Molly Gibson, sweet, unassuming, and full of a fierce loyalty to her father, lives in the little town of Hollingford with little to vex her. Her mother died when she was very young so she and her father are best friends and companions. It seems everything will continue on in its simple, happy way...that is, until the story gains a Cinderella twist.

Father and Daughter... :) So sweet.

Mr. Gibson (Bill Paterson) makes an ill-advised marriage to a foolish, silly-minded woman: Hyacinth Clare Kirkpatrick. (Francesca Annis) He thinks it a very good idea--after all, with the young men beginning to buzz around Molly, what is he to do? So he proposes to the former governess of Lord and Lady Cumnor's daughters, and life for Molly is forever changed.

In the meantime Molly has befriended the old and established family at Hamley Hall: Squire Hamley (Michael Gambon), the cheerful but ill Mrs. Hamley (Penelope Wilton) and their two sons: Osborne (Tom Hollander) and Roger Hamley (Anthony Howell). Molly is attracted to Roger for his good sense and gentleness to her during the trial of gaining a new mother. (and such a woman!) They strike up a sweet, brother-sister friendship, and Molly begins to feel the delights of being loved by such a sweet, old-blooded family. After all, Molly is a little shy and a bit of a loner herself so she and Roger who is not his mother's favorite child are a natural pair. :)

Tom Hollander as the poetry-writing Osborne Hamley

In the next few weeks Molly's sweet spirit conquers her prejudice over her father's wife, Mrs. Gibson, though the selfishness of her new mother is nearly unbearable at times, especially when it interferes with Molly's ministrations and visits to the invalid Mrs. Hamley. But there is little time to bemoan her lot--Molly is not that kind of a girl anyway--for Mrs. Gibson's daughter, Cynthia Kirkpatrick is coming home to Hollingford after being away at school for a number of years.

L-R: Mr. Gibson, Mrs. Gibson, Cynthia, and Molly

When Cynthia arrives, Molly is befuddled and a bit confused at the mixture of candidness and reserve, charm, and reticence that her new sister shows.

All of Hollingford is soon charmed by the beautiful Miss Kirkpatrick (Keeley Hawes) with her wit and vivacious spirit. She is new and unique and utterly capable of bewitching the heart and soul of the pokey old town.

Molly loves Cynthia in her unquestioning way, but there is something strange going on. A secret somewhere about. Thrown into the charming Cynthia's shadow, Molly continues loving her family, the Hamleys, and the other folk in the little English country-town.

But Molly's is not to be an entirely happy, sunny lot. She learns a secret of Osborne Hamley--a secret that could jeopardize his inheritance because of his father's prejudice and she has sworn not to tell. Her beloved Mrs. Hamley dies, widening the rift between Osborne and Squire Hamley. Cynthia is consistently charming away every suitor that comes for Molly. But the chief thorn in Molly's crown is one that she tries not to mind because of her love for both parties involved:

Roger Hamley is deeply in love with Cynthia and has proposed directly before leaving for Africa. Molly's heart is broken  but she is too generous and loving to hang onto her jealousy. She will continue loving both Roger and Cynthia while burying her own feelings.

But the horizon grows even dimmer. Cynthia does not appear to love Roger the way she ought and demands their engagement remain a secret, yet she clings to her promise of marrying him with a vengeance that little matches the way she speaks of him. It almost appears to Molly that she is marrying him as an escape from...something.

Cynthia unaccountably breaks off her engagement with Roger Hamley and tells Molly her deep secret: She has long been engaged to another man--a cruel, heartless man who "loves" her so much she has become his obsession.

Osborne Hamley dies and Molly is left with the difficult task of being the confidante of two different people with deep, complicated secrets, unable to relieve her heart by telling them to anyone else. It is up to her to bring everything back to where it ought to be, all while denying her own heart that longs for Roger as Cynthia's never could. But trouble comes knocking on Molly's door as she tries to help. Her good name and character begin to be questioned by the busy-bodies of Hollingford. Everyone begins suspecting Molly of some scandal involving the man she is trying to rid Cynthia of. Only Lady Harriet (Rosamund Pike) who has long been a patroness of little Molly Gibson believes she is innocent and does everything in her power to set things straight.

Will it all come right? Will Molly, Cynthia, Roger, and all the rest of this cast live happily ever after? I will not say. I will not promise anything, for you must be surprised. But I will tell you that everything turns out as it ought to, including the sweetest non-physical proposal you've ever seen!

Cons: I imagine there is a bit of British language in this movie, though I can't recall exactly. Osborne Hamley is seen in bed without his shirt on. Cynthia in particular wears several rather low-necked dresses. She is a bit of a flirt, as well.

Pros: This movie has a simplicity and yet complexity about it that works well with the setting of an old feudal town in the English countryside. Molly is one of the most upstanding, loveable, and truly good heroines in period drama. (Second only, perhaps, to Esther Summerson or Amy Dorrit) Her purity and innocence are refreshingly show-cased next to Cynthia's worldly-wise womanliness.
Roger and Molly's relationship (for yes, of course they get together at the end! :) is sweet, innocent, and utterly cheer-worthy.

Tears mixed with rain...so sweet!

The proposal is Mama's hands-down favorite.

Love this scene where Roger (not shown) realizes his little Molly-sister has grown up!

You will find this movie a leisurely, yet emotional drama of the complexity of family and small-town life. You will laugh, cry, cheer, and want to hurl the DVD cover at several people's heads. But I assure you, Wives and Daughters will become a beloved piece of your heart, even though it is not as showy and flashy as some of the other "great" films. :) <3

Wasps' nests, anyone? ;)

I would have included some quotes from this darling movie, but unfortunately, imdb.com had only two, and those really had very little to do with the best parts of the movie! You shall simply have to watch Wives and Daughters for yourself as soon as possible to get the full effect! :)