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The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)

A review by Damian Cannon.
Copyright © Movie Reviews UK 1997
A classic tale of passion, betrayal and loss is related using a mixture of Victorian costume drama and contemporary fiction. The action is muddled right from the very beginning when we are placed on a film set watching Sarah Woodruff (Meryl Streep) play a scene, whereas in the present the actress is called Anna. Similarly, Jeremy Irons plays Charles, a man of leisure and a gentleman, as well as Mike, the actor. The heart of the story takes place in the windswept town of Lyme Regis which has two attractions for Charles - the abundant fossil beds appeal to the amateur paleontologist in him while Emestina (Lynsey Baxter) arouses more basic desires.

When his offer of marriage is accepted Charles moves to Lyme Regis more permanently, shutting his home in London. Whilst walking with his betrothed, during their engagement, Charles has his attention drawn to a woman staring out to sea and in imminent danger of being swept away. The lady in black, Sarah, doesn't respond to his calls but she does half-turn towards him with an elusive, dreamy look. Over the next few days Charles catches glimpses of Sarah walking in the woods or by the cliffs, piquing his interest in her. He finds out that she waits endlessly for a French sailor with whom she had, a torrid relationship. Hence she is an outcast. Simultaneously Mike and Anna are engaged in an affair, even though they are both married, which echoes the underlying eroticism of the film script.

In a short time the bond between Charles and Sarah becomes more intense as she asks for help and he grows deeply fascinated by her past. Sarah seems to be on a path to self-destruction while Charles willingly follows, knowing the risks that he is taken. Simply being seen with this 'whore' could ruin his relationship with Emestina. However Charles allows their passion to break free, putting him in a situation where he gives Sarah money to move away. The question is though, is Sarah using him or does she really love him? This fictional infatuation is mirrored in real life as Anna travels to London to be with her husband, leaving Mike behind. The spiral of despair continues for Charles as he loses Sarah, his betrothed and his reputation.

The most interesting part of the film is that there are two endings, one for Charles and one for Mike, which could easily be swapped. This ambiguity is a hallmark of the entire screenplay, a masterful piece of work by Harold Pinter. Streep and Irons act well in the difficult task of producing characters which are both totally different and yet similar, aided by the authentic Victorian atmosphere enveloping the production. Watching a story unfold on two levels is an intriguing feeling as you mix the two threads, marking similarities and differences. All of this leads to a beautiful, intelligent film which simply takes a little while to get started.

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