The Magdalene Sisters (2002)

The Magdalene Sisters - a British-Irish co-production – is a historical drama about a dark chapter of Irish history. Here is some basic information about this drama which premiered in 2002:

** Produced by Frances Higson

** Written and directed by Peter Mullan

** Released on DVD in 2003

** 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 – aka 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 – aka 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? Here are the results of three review aggregators:

** 78 per cent – IMDb

** 83 per cent – Metacritic

** 90 per cent – Rotten Tomatoes

I understand the positive reviews and I agree with them. The topic is important. The story about this dark chapter of Irish history deserves to be told. 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 - a documentary film shown on British television (Channel 4) in 1998 - 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 - a documentary film shown on Irish television (TV3) in 2014 - 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 History 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. Ireland's Dirty Laundry is a documentary film which premiered in 2020. In 2023, it was shown on French and German television (arte).

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