ORANGES ARE NOT THE ONLY FRUIT
UK, 1990, 165 minutes, Colour.
Charlotte Coleman, Geraldine Mc Ewan, Barbara Hicks, Celia Imrie, Freda Dowie.
Directed by Beeban Kidron.
Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit is a three part BBC series, put together as a feature, based on the autobiographical novel by Jeanette Winterton. (The same process was used for Mick Jackson's Very British Coup and Jane Campion's An Angel at my Table.)
The film is a portrait of a young woman from the age of 7 to 17. She is seen in the family context, an orphan adopted by a very forceful church woman of the Pentecostal Fundamentalist belief. The little girl shares the religious experiences of her Mother, goes to school despite her Mother's misgivings, mixes in the world of the church, the pastor and her Mother's devout friends. When she grows up and is about to leave school she is still caught up in the religious world of her dominate Mother, however she notices a young girl working in the markets, is attracted towards her, comes to an innocent realization of her attraction towards women.
This aspect of lesbian awakening is dramatised in a humane rather than any sensationalist way. She incurs the wrath of her Mother and the church, a bewilderment and bitterness, compounded by the cowering Melanie who leaves her and comes back to announce her engagement. The bewildered girl tries to assert herself, understand herself, finish her studies, do some work with the help of a sympathetic friend. She finally decides that she will do the entrance exam for Oxford there is hope at the end, a possible reconciliation with her family (which, in fact, did not happen in Jeanette Winterton's own life).
The film is set in Lancashire and recreates the atmosphere of the North English county very vividly. The range of characters portrayed is very interesting, and the characters are extraordinarily well portrayed. Young Emily Aston and the teenage Charlotte Coleman are most persuasive as Jessie the young girl. Stage actress Geraldine Mc Ewan also gives a tour de force performance as the dominating Mother. She commands audience attention whenever she is on screen. There -is an excellent gallery of British character actresses Freda Dowie, Elizabeth Spriggs, Barbara Hicks, and Kenneth Cranham.
The film is excellently written, finely acted, a realistic look at people in the Lancashire towns, the hold of dominating religion, the dilemmas of emerging sexuality.
1. Impact of the film? Three parts, a united telemovie? The impact on the audience? The film designed for the broad television audience?
2. The atmosphere of Lancashire, the town, houses, the streets, the religious atmosphere? Authentic? The tone of the musical score?
3. The work of Jeanette Winterton, her novel, the screenplay, autobiographical intensity memories? The purging of memories?
4. The prologues to each part: The fair and the fortune teller, the older and the younger Jessie, the religious service with the congregation wearing pig masks, the return to the fair? The stylised slow motion style?
5. The title of the film, ordinary people, different people? Oranges in the household? Her Mother giving Jessie oranges for 16 years?
6. The portrait of Jessie: Aged 1, the emergence of the information that she was adopted, her comment that her Mother wrestled while her Father watched? The attention to detail of home life, the rooms, meals, television? The way of talking? Jessie relating to her Mother - as a little adult? Her Mother and her religion? Her lover for her Mother or not? Clothes, talk, going to the meetings, singing, preaching? Her Mother's friends and their devotion? Fussing about Jessie? The pastor and his relationship with her? Her Father and his almost anonymity? In the town, going to visit neighbouring towns, going to the hotel, the prospect of being a missionary? Music? Singing? Her religious beliefs? The church and Jesus language? The effect on her? The prospect of going to school - and her Mother's build-up of the school as a place of evil?
7. The portrait of the Mother: Her life story, Paris, the sexual attraction, her pregnancy, the Doctor, being in love, repenting? Her religious conversion? Her marriage, domination of her husband? Strength, opinions on everything, fundamentalist Christian, the Pentacostalist style? Her friends and relationships? The church, sharing, mission? Preaching? Her judgements? Censorious attitudes, the next door couple, and the banging on the wall, antagonism towards sexuality? Her ambitions?
8. The sketches of her friends, the British character actresses depicting these types, their personalities, prim, religious, their prayer? Social life? Miss Duesberry and her being on the outer? Playing the instruments and singing?
9. The Mother and Cissie, discussions, the funerals, memories of the past? Cissie moving to their town?
10. The portrait of the pastor: his sincerity and insincerity, leadership of the church meetings, small, growing? Pentecostal, the severity of his preaching and Christian message? Portrait of Jesus? Moral stances? His vehicle, moving around? His young assistant?
11. The older Jessie, the tense years passing, the effect on her life, at school and her intelligence? Her relationship to her Mother, Father? Religion, singing, giving testimonies? Leadership and preaching? The details of life? At the market, seeing Melanie, the attraction, going to wait for her, getting a job? The friendship, Elsie and her illness, her friendship over the years, watching over the two young girls? At Elsie's place, the attraction, talking, the sexual encounter and the effect on each? Melanie as a Catholic, invited to the church meetings, the singing of the hymn and her emotional involvement, testimony? Innocent, denounced by her Mother, trapped in the Church and accused publicly, the pastor and his severity? Melanie being sent away, their being separated, the experience of the and the severity of her Mother and the pastor? Melanie gone, her church work, Elsie and her friendship, Miss Jilesberry and her story, the offer of help? The reaction of the other women and their severe stances? Her staying in the town, Melanie coming with the boyfriend, the announcement of the engagement, Jessie spitting? The friendship with Katie, singing, the lesbian attraction, relationship? Their being kept separate? Study, Cissie and her friendship, offering her work, catering, cleaning, the cemeteries? Cissie asking her to help out, serving the sweet, her Mother and the pastor and others walking out on her? Elsie's death and her grief? Her going to the top of the hill, looking over the town, wondering about her future? The exam, winning the entry into Oxford, the possibility of escape? The possible reconciliation with her Mother, her Father's observation? Cissie and others urging her to reconcile? The personal portrait, the farewell to Katie, her future? The awakening of the lesbian consciousness. in innocence, the moral judgements, religious judgements? Her own-,stance in life?
12. Her Mother’s continued severity, the separation from Jessie after her denunciation? The attitude of her friends and the pastor? The episode with the pastor as Santa Claus and Jessie's hostile reaction?
13. The portrait of the Father, his absence, watching, inept?
14. Cissie as a genuine friend, offering opportunities, the work, friendship and support?
15. Elsie, the old lady, friendship, sensible advice, illness and death? Jessie's grief and wanting to attend Elsie?
16. The other women, prayer, singing, off-key, harshness, their Playing? The final clash with the Salvation Army?
17. The pastor and his growing fame, vehicle with heaven and hell, his assistant, his dominance, interpretation of Christianity?
18. Melanie , the young girl, at the markets, attractive, friendship with Jessie, going to church, weeping, caught up, at E1sle's. talking, the sexual encounter, intensity, its effect on her, devotion to Jessie? Melanie influenced by authority, frightened away from Jessie? heaving her return with the boyfriend, her dismay at Jessie's reaction?
19. Katy, family background, ethnic background? The attraction to Jessie, the furtive meetings? The farewells? Katy and her going to the Salvation Army?
20. Miss Jilsbury, with group, on the outer, the women's suspicions of her? Her visit to Jessie, explanation, offer of help? Her leaving the town, her return and her changed appearance and personality? Asserting herself?
21. The English background, Lancashire; manners and style of speaking, ignorance the sheltered life, religious fundamentalism, narrow and prejudiced attitudes, the Pentecostal fervour, the censorious portrait of Jesus, morality and prejudice, sexuality and repression, discovery of orientations, initiations, confusion? A film of insight and compassion?
