THE QUIET GIRL

Ireland, 2022, 94 minutes, Colour.

Catherine Clinch, Carrie Crowley, Andrew Bennett, Michael Patrick.

Directed by Colm Bairead.

Cait is a quiet girl, aged nine, living in a somewhat impoverished family in rural Ireland, 1981.

And this is a rather quiet film, one to be quiet with, a silently emotional response, and, at times, meditative. (No action show here!)

There have not been so many films in Irish Gaelic. This is something of an exception (although the writer-director, Colm Bairead, has made some short films and a feature for television. So, we respond to a world of subtitles but, all the time, we are looking at the body language and expressions of the characters, noting the intonations of their language. (There are some moments of English expression and we hear English in the background of radio and television programs.)

This is the first film for Catherine Clinch, playing the nine-year-old Cait, first seen hiding in long grass, her sisters calling out for her, her reluctantly revealing herself and going home. And, it is to a somewhat unwelcoming home, negligent father, not particularly affectionate, harassed mother, perhaps wanting to be affectionate but overwhelmed, and now pregnant again. And her sisters, as can be seen from a school sequence where Cait is mocked, looked down, no help to her at all.

And, perhaps, we wonder whether we will spend an hour and a half in this impoverished household, lacking material goods, lacking warmth and affection. But, no, this is in fact a film with some hope.

The hope lies in a cousin of the mother, Eibhlin (a very dignified and warm Carrie Crowley). It emerges that she and her husband, Sean (Andrew Bennett) a farmer with cattle stock, have lost their young son in an accident. They agree to take Cait for the summer while her mother gives birth. We, the audience, warm very much to Eibhlin – and, eventually, to Sean, but that takes a bit more time. Eibhlin is a woman of natural grace and elegance, also at home in her marriage to Sean and with his farm work. She extends very loving welcome to Cait.

So, for the most of the film, we, the audience, share Cait’s experience, growing awareness of love and affection that has not been part of her life so far, being treated with some dignity, with her room, Eibhlin taking her to the shops and getting new dresses, Sean gradually getting used to her, warming to her, getting her to help him with the milking of the cows. And, there is the ordinary life in the house, Cait observing household chores and joining in, cooking, jam making, cutting vegetables…

This may not be quite so exciting for the audience but, we are invited to be delighted in sharing Cait’s awakening, the awakening of a young girl, a future before her unless it is blighted by her family.

And, so, Cait has to go home. The reception by her sisters? By her mother and father? And the anguish of Eibhlin and Sean having to leave her? As she runs after them to their car, the film comes to an end but, surely Cait will have a loving future. We hope.

1. The title? Expectations? Irish production, rural Irish communities and families?
2. The film in Irish Gaelic, communicating characters and situations, interactions? Some dialogue in English, radio and television programs in English? The musical score?
3. Rural island, filmed in County Meath, 1981, farms, homes, poverty, wealth, large families, school and bullying, home life, the change with the time away for Cait? (The dead man with his rosary beads that, otherwise, no indication of Catholic life and culture?)
4. Family, the father, work, drinking, absence, relationship with his wife, with the children, the baby? Loving but detached?
5. The mother, the children, the pregnancy, hard life, contact with Eibhlin, her taking case for the three months, pregnant, giving birth, Cait’s return, a hard response?
6. The other children, the girls, their superiority to Cait, the opening, Cait hiding in the grass, their calling, emerging? The ridiculing of her? Her reticence, withdrawing?
7. Eibhlin, her relationship with Marie, willing to take Cait during the summer, the loss of her son and the grief, a good woman, strong, dignified, relationship with her husband, the work on the farm, the cows, the births, the contrast with going to town, taking Cait to the dress shop? Her welcoming Cait in the house, the details of life and style, Cait’s room, her becoming more and more at home?
8. Sean, rather taciturn, memories of his dead son, agreeing to take Cait, his work, not communicating well, leaving the house, his work? His fond relationship with his wife? The gradual change, getting to know Cait, getting to like her, the outing, the money for the ice cream, sitting with her, talking, her going to the milking, her helping him? The growing fondness?
9. The effect on Cait, still quiet, still learning, age 9, the harsh experiences of home, having to get used to demonstrations of affection? The effect on her, the new dress, milking the cows…?
10. Time to return home, the reluctance of Eibhlin and Sean, Cait looking back, the farewell to the house? Back at home, the cold reception, father, mother, sisters? The new baby? Eibhlin and her gift of vegetables and jam? Having to leave?
11. The effect on Cait, running after the car, embracing Eibhlin and Sean?
12. The emotional effect for the audience, hopes for Cait at her future?