Wisteria and Sunshine: Mrs. Fisher!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Classified Ad:

To Those Who Appreciate Wistaria and Sunshine. Small mediaeval Italian Castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be Let furnished for the month of April. Necessary servants remain. Z, Box 1000, The Times.


(Punctuation and spelling is true to the original text.)



Have you seen the film, Enchanted April? I confess that I have seen it more than 50 times. It's based on the 1920's book of the same name by
ELIZABETH VON ARNIM. (It's available for free online at Gutenberg Online-just click on the book.)

It's also a musical comedy by Mathew Barber (2003), Wisteria and Sunshine, but I haven't seen it. I like the title though, Wisteria and Sunshine, it brings to mind the Italian castle mentioned in the ad above. (wisteria photo credit)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enchanted April is set in a time of social change after World War I, when British women were learning to find a new role in society. The story is about a reconciliation between men and women who realize that they can live together and celebrate life. Nature and a strong dose of sun begin to thaw chilled hearts and closed minds. Inhibitions gently leave while love finds a place to thrive.

If you haven't seen this movie, I highly recommend it.


My favorite character is Mrs. Fisher who is played by Joan Plowright. (I am David 2004/Tea with Mussolini 1999) who is not the focal point of the movie but simply a brilliant secondary character; and it is her transformation that impacts me the most. Mrs. Fisher is an elderly well-read widow who is both powerful and severe. I hear her criticism in my mind, "Lax, lax!" because no one has come to dinner on time. And I feel her resistance to San Salvadore and the flood of love threatening to drown her in delight, "I will not let it get to me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~














~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the film (but not the novel) her inner state is communicated by a desire to paint, which she severely controls... later, we see her painting flowers.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Her transformation is complete when she accepts Lotty's (Josie Lawrence) affection and promises to continue their friendship. This movie is a reminder that there is good in the world if only we allow ourselves to see and feel it.

(photos from the movie)

And on that note...!
`
It's my BLOG's birthday! Today, Oasis Writing Link is one year old! I started out awkwardly uncertain and now, much like Mrs. Fisher, I can open my heart to my dear blogging buddies.

Thank you for reading me this year!! And I thank you for honoring me with your own life stories and sharing your experiences with me. I appreciate every comment you have left here!

I send you all love and Besitos (little kisses)!

xx


Here is a charmingly awkward moment to share with The Beatles as they try to remember the words and music to Besame Mucho (Kiss me much)
.