LOVING MISS HATTO

UK, 2012, 90 minutes, Colour.
Alfred Molina, Francesca Annis, Rory Kinnear, Maimie Mc Coy, Phoebe Nicholls, Tony Turner, Sarah Woodward, Eve Matheson, Ned Dennehy.
Directed by Aisling Walsh.

Loving Miss Hatto is based on a true story, a story of music and a story of fraud.

The film opens with a funeral and a tribute by her husband to his wife, Joyce, a musician, pianist with a solid reputation. But he indicates that a full story is still to be told.

The first part of the film takes place in 1953, introducing Joyce (Mamie Mc Coy) as a fine pianist and introducing Barrie (Rory Kinnear) who works in a music firm, lost in admiration for her, promising her career and their eventual marriage – to the complete disapproval of her mother, a prim Phoebe Nicholls. While Barrie does make something of a career for his wife, her playing in music groups around the country, he is involved in some tax evasion and spends some time in jail. Joyce also suffers a miscarriage. When he gets her a performance at Festival Hall, she is initially successful but then has nerves and falters.

The second part of the film takes place 50 years later, with Joyce, Francesca Annis, and Barrie, Alfred Molina, living in a country town, he with a small company producing CDs including his wife’s performances – the BBC are interested, sales online increase, there is to be an article about her in the music magazine, Gramophone. The revelation is that Barrie has manufactured the CDs by finding performances of works similar to the way in which his wife played, digitally altering them and releasing them.

At first, Joyce is appalled, but with terminal cancer, she decides to enjoy herself, giving interviews and participating in the fraud. In the credits, there is information that Barrie continually denied that his wife knew anything about the fraud.

Interesting and entertaining, directed by Aisling Walsh, who directed the films about sexual abuse, Sinners and Song for a Raggy Boy as well as many television series.

1. An entertaining story? Musical story? Story of fraud? Based on actual characters and events?

2. The first half of the film, the 1953 settings, costumes and decor and atmosphere, homes, recitals? The second half of the film, out of London, homes, streets, town centres? The realism?

3. The importance of music, the musical score, the pieces played, performance, the digital era, editing the sound, possibilities for fraud?

4. The opening with the funeral, Barry, the people at the church, the tribute to Joyce, her music, his saying that the truth could be told?

5. 1953, Joyce, age, experience, her dominating and critical mother, not encouraging her, putting her down? The sympathetic but quiet father? Her skill at playing the piano? Seeing her at the rehearsal, her skill, the music teacher? Barrie, hearing her, impressed? His talking to her, his enthusiasm, promises?

6. Barrie, his age, character, music publishing, menial job, at the recital, dropping the music, applauding Joyce, the drink, his promises to her, her believing him, his exaggerating, her going to the office and finding the truth? Her mother’s criticism?

7. The swiftness of their marriage, the taking of the photo, the mother and her fussing? Joyce and her pregnancy, the experience of a miscarriage and its effect?

8. Barrie, his enthusiasm, setting up a company, the office, Hong Kong and the importations? Joyce and her playing, in music clubs around the country, the applause? The production of records, Dangerous Moonlight and other film scores? Her teaching? The two young girls and their coming, Chopsticks, her enthusing them, the seats at the performance?

9. Barrie, the police arriving, the tax returns, going to prison, Joyce visiting him, disillusionment, his coming out of jail? The plan for Festival Hall? Getting ready, the dress, nerves, her performance, the first piece and applause, the second piece and her inability to play? The aftermath outside? Saying that both of them perhaps did have not did not have the required iner strength?

10. The transition to the 21st century? The couple married for half a century? This suburban lives? Joyce and her cancer? Her moodiness? Criticising Barrie – and becoming something like her mother? Barrie and his company, producing the CDs? The visit from the former student, looking for Joyce’s CD, welcomed in, reminiscences?

11. The interest in the playing, the range of CDs, the BBC critic, the planning of the article for Gramophone? The revelation of what Barrie was doing, finding the pianist closest to Joyce’s style, digitally altering the playing, the new CD, online sales? The bloggers and
the response to the sales? The Internet, email?

12. The visit of the adult women who were the two young girls? Memories? Barrie’s explanation?

13. The BBC interviewer, his visits, his questions, his belief – yet the discussions with other critics, from America, his editor? Seeking to verify the truth? The phone calls, his visits, the interviews? Joyce and her going along with the fraud?

14. Joyce’s initial reaction, dishonesty, Barry and his persuasiveness, her agreeing? Their working on a range of performances? Success – but suspicions?

15. Philip and his final visit, Joyce’s collapse, her death? Interrogations of Barrie? The funeral, his alleged willingness to tell the truth? Saying that he perpetrated the fraud – and maintaining that Joyce knew nothing?

16. The aftermath information – and Barrie remaining true to Joyce?