THE CEMETERY CLUB
US, 1993, 104 minutes, Colour.
Ellen Burstyn, Olympia Dukakis, Diane Ladd, Danny Aiello, Lainie Kazan, Christina Ricci Wallace Shawn, Bernie Casey, Catherine Keener.
Directed by Bill Duke.
The Cemetery Club is a film about widows and life after their husbands' deaths. The film was written by Ivan Menchall, adapted from his play of the same name. It opens up very well to make a moving film.
The strong cast has more to do than might be expected and while the film has its sentimental moments, it also has some sharp edges. The focus is on Ellen Burstyn, a widow after 39 years of marriage, timid, trying to make decisions, eventually, for her own life. She meets ex-policeman Danny Aiello by chance and the beginnings of love are found. However, she feels his betrayal and is alienated from him. However, he is a basically decent man, a widower, and the ending offers some hope for reconciliation. Olympia Dukakis is the rather humourless Doris and Diane Ladd is the 'merry widow' who cannot admit that her husband did not love her. The supporting cast includes Lainie Kazan as a frequently-marrying widow and divorcee, Christina Ricci as Burstyn's granddaughter, Catherine Keener as her daughter. Direction is by Bill Duke, whose films range from the violent, Deep Cover, to the sentimental, Sister Act II. The film explores themes of ageing, relationships and commitment, sexuality, and is very sympathetic to the portrait of its women.
1. A film about women, ageing, grieving, new lives?
2. The Pittsburgh setting, a piece of Americana? Audiences identifying with the place, the situations, the characters and their experiences and decisions? The musical score? The old-fashioned songs?
3. The title, its focus on the women, their experience of widowhood, visiting the cemetery, Lucille not wanting to go, the contrast with Esther and Doris? Ben and his visiting his wife at the cemetery? Doris's death and Lucille going to the cemetery and her final speech to Doris?
4. The focus on the three women, the preparations for going to Selma's wedding, the celebration? The quick portrait of the husbands? The bonds between husbands and wives at the wedding - with Lucille's husband looking at other women? The humour of the celebration - and Selma having to break the glass?
5. The collage of the deaths of the husbands, their funerals, the grieving of the wives, the aftermath of the funerals and people assembling at the homes? The three women and their concern for each other, life after marriage?
6. The focus on Esther, her marriage at 18, 39 years of marriage, happiness? Her daughter and her concerns? Jessica and her love for her grandmother, talking with her, meeting Ben, playing the piano, going to the music store? Esther and her husband with the music store? Her relationship with Doris and Lucille, Doris and her sternness, Lucille and her wanting to live life? The contrast between the two and the impact on Esther? Her going to the cemetery and talking to her husband? Witnessing Ben and his clash with the man at the cemetery? Her chance meeting him in the music store? Going out, the meal, talking together, opening up and trusting? The irony of his taking her to the restaurant where her husband died? The sexual encounter and the tentativeness in going to the hotel, what to say to people? The abruptness of Ben's leaving and its hurting her? His inability to explain, her going to his apartment, seeing the other woman? Her hurt? His coming to the house after Doris's death? Her shutting the door in his face? Her inability to forgive - yet her talking with Lucille and her attraction to Ben? His coming to the shop, their dancing, the possibility of a future together? Her being able to let Murray go?
7. Doris, stern, lacking a sense of humour, critical of Lucille? Keeping an eye on Esther? Her own grief, the four-year anniversary, going to the cemetery, talking to her husband? The clash with Ben and the man in the cemetery? Her suspicions of Ben, going with Lucille to his apartment and warning him off? The clashes with Lucille about her attitudes? Selma's wedding, their being bridesmaids, Esther answering for them? Esther's weeping during the ceremony? Their drinking, eating together, Doris going home, phoning Esther, and her death with Esther present?
8. Lucille, her husband's roving eye? The merry widow type? Wanting to live life, her slang, vulgarity, eyeing men off? The clashes with Doris and her lack of humour? Urging Esther to be independent? At the cemetery, talking to Ben, interested in Esther’s relationship - yet combining with Doris to warn Ben off? The truth about her own marriage and the fight with Doris, covering up that she had not been with a man, how tentative she was? The final talk to Doris at the cemetery and leading her own life?
9. Selma, extroverted and lively, the initial wedding, friendship with the women, at the hairdressers, inviting them to be bridesmaids, her next wedding and Esther weeping?
10. Esther's daughter, concern for her mother, Jessica and her love for her grandmother, her support of her, Esther devoting her life to her granddaughter?
11. Ben, the violence of the fight in the cemetery, his apologies to the women? In the store, the chance meeting, talking about jazz, the invitation to Esther, their going out, the restaurant, talking freely, revealing themselves? The night in the hotel? His leaving, not sensing his insensitivity? The clash with Esther, his having another woman, going to Esther but her not forgiving him? His going to the shop where Esther was managing it once again, apologies, dancing - and a future with her?
12. The glimpse of the other husbands, their personalities, stability and instability, relationship with their wives? The impact of their deaths and their absence?
13. A portrait of men and women in the 50s and 60s, struggles, identity, relationships and commitment, death and grief?
