The Magdalene
Sisters - a British-Irish co-production – is a historical drama about a dark
chapter of Irish history. It premiered in 2002 and was released on DVD in 2003.
Here are some basic facts about it:
** Produced by
Frances Higson
** Written and directed
by Peter Mullan
** Run time: 119
minutes
The cast includes
the following:
** Geraldine
McEwan (1932-2015) as Sister Bridget – Mother Superior
** Frances Healy
as Sister Jude
** Eithne
McGuinness as Sister Clementine
** Phyllis
MacMahon as Sister Augusta
** Anne-Marie Duff
as Margaret
** Nora-Jane Noone
as Bernadette
** Dorothy Duffy
as Rose // Patricia
** Eileen Walsh as
Crispina
** Rebecca Walsh
as Josephine
** Britta Smith as
Katy
** Mary Murray as
Una O’Connor
** Peter Mullan as
Mr O’Connor – Una’s father
[The character
played by Dorothy Duffy has two names. Here is the reason for this: her name is
Rose. But when she arrives at the convent, she is told: “We already have a Rose
here.” So she must choose another name. In the convent she is called Patricia.]
As stated above, The
Magdalene Sisters is a historical movie about a dark chapter of Irish history:
the laundry shops for the “fallen women” of Ireland, which existed from the 19th
century to the end of the 20th century. They were run by Catholic nuns. Therefore
they are known as Magdalene Asylums or Magdalene Convents.
If a young girl
became pregnant before she was married, she was in big trouble. According to the
Catholic Church and the Irish State, she had shamed herself and her family. And
such a person had to be removed from society, at least for a while.
What happened to
the babies that were born out of wedlock? Some of them died young, because they
were given poor conditions. Those who survived were given up for adoption,
often to couples in other countries, such as the US. The only condition
stipulated by the Church was that the baby had to go to a Catholic couple.
What happened to
the fathers of the babies that were born out of wedlock? Nothing. Nothing at
all. The Catholic Church and the Irish State always blamed the young girl,
while the young man could continue his life as if nothing had happened.
The last asylum
was closed in 1996. In 2013, the Irish government issued a formal and official
apology to the victims of this policy: the mothers, who lost their children, and
the children, who grew up without knowing the identity of their biological
parents.
The Magdalene
policy was a gross violation of human rights. For decades, the issue was taboo
in Ireland. While many people knew about it, there was no public debate about
it. By the end of the 20th century the taboo was finally broken, but even today
some of the birth-mothers who lost their children are afraid to speak out in
public.
The Magdalene
Sisters is a historical drama, i.e. a fictional story that is placed in a
historical context. In this movie, the story begins in Dublin County in 1964.
The asylum is located in the countryside. It is hidden behind high walls. The
girls who are sent there are prisoners. They cannot leave. If they try to
escape, they are punished. If they manage to escape, they are often found and
brought back.
The reason is
obvious: it was difficult for an escaped girl to find anyone who would help
her. In most cases, her family and friends would deny her, because she was
considered a “fallen woman.”
This movie focuses
on three victims of the Magdalene policy:
** Margaret
** Bernadette
** Rose //
Patricia
I do not wish to
spoil the viewing for anyone. Therefore I am not going to tell you what happens
to them and the people around them. If you wish to know what happens, you will
have to watch the movie all the way to the end.
What do reviewers
say about it? On IMDb it has a rating of 78 per cent. On Metacritic it has a
rating of 83 per cent. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a rating of 90 per cent.
I understand the
positive reviews and I agree with them. This is an important movie about a dark
chapter of Irish history. I want to go all the way to the top with this
product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars.
PS 1. Sex in a
Cold Climate: The Magdalene Asylums is a documentary film that was shown on
British television (Channel 4) in 1998. It is available online. Director: Steve
Humphries. Narrator: Dervla Kirvan. Run time: 50 minutes. The Magdalene
Sisters from 2002 is inspired by this documentary film from 1998. When Peter
Mullan saw this film, he decided that he had to make a movie about this topic.
He gave himself a minor role in the movie: he plays Una’s father.
PS # 2. A Secret
Buried: The Mother and Baby Scandal is a documentary film that was shown on
Irish television (TV3) in 2014. It is available online. Narrator: Colette
Fitzpatrick. Run time: 45 minutes.
PS # 3. For more
information, see the following books:
** The Light in
the Window by June Goulding (1999, 2005)
** Banished Babies:
The Secret Story of Ireland’s Baby Export Business by Mike Milotte (2012)
** The Baby
Laundry for Unmarried Mothers by Angela Patrick with Lynne Barrett-Lee (2012,
2013)
** Whispering
Hope: The True Story of the Magdalene Women by Nancy Costello (and others)
(2016)
PS # 4. There
are several comments about this movie on IMDb. While the discussion is
interesting, I have to warn you: the comments are full of spoilers. Do not read
these comments until after you have seen the movie.
*****
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