ANOTHER WOMAN'S SON

UK, 2017, 103 minutes, Colour.

Jenny Seagrove, John Hannah, Julian Kostov, Susan Hampshire, Nicholas Farrell, Amanda Abbington, Joanna David, Ronan Keating, Peter Wight.

Directed by Christopher Menaul.

The Channel Islands have appeared in a number of British war films. Jersey and Guernsey occupied by the Germans, the British nationals trying to survive in the atmosphere of war, the presence of the German military, refugees.

This film is set in Jersey, a 21^st-century perspective on the war. The central character is Luke, played by Jenny Seagrove, who son is at war. She has a shop, is well respected on the island. The supporting cast has a number of British acting veterans including John Hannah, Nicholas Farrell as well as Susan Hampshire.

There are also captured Russian soldiers working on the island, strict supervision, harsh conditions. At the core of this story is an escaped Russian soldier, young, welcomed by Lou and other members of the community, concealed. There is the language issue, ideology issues, an older woman lamenting the loss of her son and finding a substitute son along with tensions with the occupying German soldiers.

The film captures the atmosphere of the 1940s on the island, the atmosphere of the war, the harshness of the German occupation – and the humane story of care for the British mother and the Russian soldier.

1. A World War II film, 1940s memories, a 21^st-century perspective?
2. Jersey, the setting, the island, the landscapes, the sea, the quarries, homes, shops? And the transition to the trains in the concentration camps? The musical score? The islanders’ parody of Lily Marlene against the Germans?
3. Establishing the atmosphere, the German occupation, British under occupation, the prisoners from Russia, the work in the quarries, the cruelty and brutality? The ordinary citizens, their way of life, the privations, organisation under the Germans, post?
4. Lou, strong character, her son fighting, the post and the news of his death? Her grief, the ceremony in the church, faith? Running the store, bond with Ivy, with Harold? Arthur and his fussiness? The other friends? The gossiping bonneted ladies across the street – and suspicions that they were reporting people to the authorities?
5. Bill, Russian soldier, the brutality of the quarries, his escape, the encounter with Lou, her accepting him, bathing, shaving, his age, memories of home? Lou allowing him to stay, teaching English? A substitute for her son? The others knowing about him, the secrecy? The support from Harold? Arthur and his being fidgety?
6. The three women on the coast, seeing the young girl and a German soldier, Lou and her reaction, ousting her, the later encounters? The stating to the authorities she had never been in the shop?
7. The bond between Bill and Lou, teaching English, the reading, going to the store, buying the art book, his sketching? The discussions about God, his angry outburst? Lou’s reaction? His going out of the house, her bringing him back? The excursion, the roadblock and their escaping? The forged document? His becoming part of the community, the Christmas celebration, singing the Russian song, the authorities coming to the door, Harold and his singing the song?
8. De La Haye and his role in the island, authority, concessions, the post, Arthur and his steaming open the letters, not delivering the reports, missing out on the report against Lou? The consequences, the arrival of the Germans, the search in the house, clear except for the book, the Russian bookmark, her arrest? The other women, in the cells?
9. The trials, the sentences, the hopes with the Allies planes flying overhead? Their being transported to the concentration camps? The glimpse of Harold, Lou and the women, throwing him the tobacco? Their deaths? His survival?
10. Bill, his survival, the aftermath of the war?
11. The final tributes to Lou and the others, the self-sacrifice in war?