Firelight
Encyclopedia
Firelight is a 1997 period romance/drama film written and directed by William Nicholson
, and starring Sophie Marceau
and Stephen Dillane
. This was Nicholson's first and only film as a director.
Elisabeth Laurier (Sophie Marceau) agrees to bear a child for an anonymous Englishman. In return, the Englishman will pay all of her father's debts. They meet over three nights at a lonely island hotel. Despite their wish for detachment, they develop a deeply passionate connection during their lovemaking by firelight. Their feelings grow after they converse on the beach and at the hotel.
Elisabeth gives birth to a girl, Louisa, nine months later. As agreed she gives the child away, but never forgets her. She begins to keep a journal
of watercolor flowers and plants, adding a page for each holiday
and birthday
they are apart.
The anonymous Englishman is Charles Godwin, a landowner and struggling sheep farmer. He can barely keep the debtors of his philandering father, Lord Clare, at bay. Charles's wife, Amy Godwin, is paralyzed
and catatonic due to a horseriding accident. Amy's sister, Constance, runs the Godwin household.
Never having forgotten the voice of her daughter at birth, Elizabeth manages to track her down seven years later, and gets herself hired as Louisa's new governess. Charles rejects Elisabeth, and demands she leave immediately. However, Constance insists that he give the new governess a month in order to find a new situation. Showing Elisabeth the catatonic form of his wife, Charles forces Elisabeth to swear never to reveal to Louisa or anyone the nature of their previous relationship.
Louisa is spoiled, ignorant, willful, foulmouthed, and unloved by anyone except her father. Though the father and daughter have a loving relationship, Elisabeth is appalled by the lack of control Charles exercises over Louisa. He refuses to use any forms of discipline in her upbringing. Unable to keep Louisa at her lessons, Elisabeth locks the child in the classroom. Charles is furious. He roughly manhandles Elisabeth in an effort to extract the key to the schoolroom. While Charles wants his daughter to enjoy life as much as she can before she comes to understand how awful it really is, Elisabeth is determined that her daughter will learn to behave in such a way that she can be loved by others, and that she will have an education so she can determine her own path in the world. To convince Charles to allow this discipline, Elizabeth promises she will never harm Louisa, and whatever she does to Louisa she will also do to herself.
Outside of class, Louisa spends all of her spare time in her lakehouse, a small belvedere
on the estate in the middle of a pond, which can only be reached by boat. Here, Louisa pretends she has a mother. At first, Elisabeth watches clandestinely from the boat docks while Louisa is in the lakehouse. However, when she finds out that Charles swims naked there in the morning, she begins to go to watch Charles too, leaving before he can see her.
In the classroom, Elisabeth paints picture cards to teach the seven-year-old how to read. She also tells Louisa a tale about the firelight:
Elisabeth finds that this helps Louisa concentrate on her lessons, knowing there is a time at the end of the day when there are no rules.
Increasingly attracted to Elisabeth, Charles asks her to promise him that they can never be close like they once were. Elisabeth is unable to make such a promise and they renew their physical relationship. The firelight becomes a metaphor for the secret nature of their relationship together, and of Elizabeth and Louisa. Charles talks of the three of them leaving together, but Elizabeth says she knows it is impossible, as he has obligations to his estate, family, and wife.
Suddenly Charles announces that the entire estate is being appraised for sale, purportedly to cover overwhelming debts. On a bitterly cold night, Charles consults his conscience as to whether his wife, Amy, would want him to release her from her prison of ten years. He opens the windows of her bedchamber, removes her covers, and allows the fire in her room to go out, leaving her to die of exposure
. With Amy's death, her sister Constance expects to be Charles's choice as a new wife. However, she concedes a dignified defeat when she realizes Charles's depth of feeling toward Elisabeth. Elizabeth confronts Charles, and asks him if he killed her, which he admits. They both feel strong guilt, but no regret.
Louisa pokes through Elisabeth's room and finds the illustrated journal dedicated to "My English Daughter". Louisa confirms that her governess is her mother.
The film ends with the sale of the Godwin's estate. Charles, Elisabeth, and Louisa leave on a snowy day to begin their new lives together as a family.
William Nicholson (writer)
William Nicholson FRSL is a British screenwriter, playwright, and novelist.-Family:A native of Lewes, Sussex, William Nicholson was raised in a Catholic family in Gloucestershire. By the time he reached his tenth birthday, he had decided to become a writer. He was educated at Downside School,...
, and starring Sophie Marceau
Sophie Marceau
Sophie Marceau is a French actress director, screenwriter, and author. She has appeared in 38 films. As a teenager, Marceau achieved popularity with her debut films La boum and La boum 2 , receiving a César Award for Most Promising Actress...
and Stephen Dillane
Stephen Dillane
Stephen J. Dillane is an English actor. He won a Tony Award for his lead performance in Tom Stoppard's play The Real Thing.-Early life:...
. This was Nicholson's first and only film as a director.
Plot
In 1838, Swiss governessGoverness
A governess is a girl or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not on meeting their physical needs...
Elisabeth Laurier (Sophie Marceau) agrees to bear a child for an anonymous Englishman. In return, the Englishman will pay all of her father's debts. They meet over three nights at a lonely island hotel. Despite their wish for detachment, they develop a deeply passionate connection during their lovemaking by firelight. Their feelings grow after they converse on the beach and at the hotel.
Elisabeth gives birth to a girl, Louisa, nine months later. As agreed she gives the child away, but never forgets her. She begins to keep a journal
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
of watercolor flowers and plants, adding a page for each holiday
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
and birthday
Birthday
A birthday is a day or anniversary where a person celebrates his or her date of birth. Birthdays are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with a gift, party or rite of passage. Although the major religions celebrate the birth of their founders , Christmas – which is celebrated widely by...
they are apart.
The anonymous Englishman is Charles Godwin, a landowner and struggling sheep farmer. He can barely keep the debtors of his philandering father, Lord Clare, at bay. Charles's wife, Amy Godwin, is paralyzed
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
and catatonic due to a horseriding accident. Amy's sister, Constance, runs the Godwin household.
Never having forgotten the voice of her daughter at birth, Elizabeth manages to track her down seven years later, and gets herself hired as Louisa's new governess. Charles rejects Elisabeth, and demands she leave immediately. However, Constance insists that he give the new governess a month in order to find a new situation. Showing Elisabeth the catatonic form of his wife, Charles forces Elisabeth to swear never to reveal to Louisa or anyone the nature of their previous relationship.
Louisa is spoiled, ignorant, willful, foulmouthed, and unloved by anyone except her father. Though the father and daughter have a loving relationship, Elisabeth is appalled by the lack of control Charles exercises over Louisa. He refuses to use any forms of discipline in her upbringing. Unable to keep Louisa at her lessons, Elisabeth locks the child in the classroom. Charles is furious. He roughly manhandles Elisabeth in an effort to extract the key to the schoolroom. While Charles wants his daughter to enjoy life as much as she can before she comes to understand how awful it really is, Elisabeth is determined that her daughter will learn to behave in such a way that she can be loved by others, and that she will have an education so she can determine her own path in the world. To convince Charles to allow this discipline, Elizabeth promises she will never harm Louisa, and whatever she does to Louisa she will also do to herself.
Outside of class, Louisa spends all of her spare time in her lakehouse, a small belvedere
Belvedere (structure)
Belvedere is an architectural term adopted from Italian , which refers to any architectural structure sited to take advantage of such a view. A belvedere may be built in the upper part of a building so as to command a fine view...
on the estate in the middle of a pond, which can only be reached by boat. Here, Louisa pretends she has a mother. At first, Elisabeth watches clandestinely from the boat docks while Louisa is in the lakehouse. However, when she finds out that Charles swims naked there in the morning, she begins to go to watch Charles too, leaving before he can see her.
In the classroom, Elisabeth paints picture cards to teach the seven-year-old how to read. She also tells Louisa a tale about the firelight:
Elisabeth finds that this helps Louisa concentrate on her lessons, knowing there is a time at the end of the day when there are no rules.
Increasingly attracted to Elisabeth, Charles asks her to promise him that they can never be close like they once were. Elisabeth is unable to make such a promise and they renew their physical relationship. The firelight becomes a metaphor for the secret nature of their relationship together, and of Elizabeth and Louisa. Charles talks of the three of them leaving together, but Elizabeth says she knows it is impossible, as he has obligations to his estate, family, and wife.
Suddenly Charles announces that the entire estate is being appraised for sale, purportedly to cover overwhelming debts. On a bitterly cold night, Charles consults his conscience as to whether his wife, Amy, would want him to release her from her prison of ten years. He opens the windows of her bedchamber, removes her covers, and allows the fire in her room to go out, leaving her to die of exposure
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
. With Amy's death, her sister Constance expects to be Charles's choice as a new wife. However, she concedes a dignified defeat when she realizes Charles's depth of feeling toward Elisabeth. Elizabeth confronts Charles, and asks him if he killed her, which he admits. They both feel strong guilt, but no regret.
Louisa pokes through Elisabeth's room and finds the illustrated journal dedicated to "My English Daughter". Louisa confirms that her governess is her mother.
The film ends with the sale of the Godwin's estate. Charles, Elisabeth, and Louisa leave on a snowy day to begin their new lives together as a family.
Cast
- Sophie MarceauSophie MarceauSophie Marceau is a French actress director, screenwriter, and author. She has appeared in 38 films. As a teenager, Marceau achieved popularity with her debut films La boum and La boum 2 , receiving a César Award for Most Promising Actress...
– Elisabeth Laurier - Stephen DillaneStephen DillaneStephen J. Dillane is an English actor. He won a Tony Award for his lead performance in Tom Stoppard's play The Real Thing.-Early life:...
– Charles Godwin - Dominique Belcourt – Louisa Godwin
- Kevin Anderson – John Taylor
- Lia WilliamsLia WilliamsLia Williams is an English actress and film director, notable for many stage, film, and television appearances. She is possibly best known for her role in the motion picture, Dirty Weekend...
– Constance - Joss Ackland – Lord Clare
- Sally Dexter – Molly Holland
- Emma Amos – Ellen
- Maggie McCarthy – Mrs. Jago
- Wolf Kahler – Sussman
- Annabel GilesAnnabel GilesAnnabel Giles has been a model, a television and radio presenter, an actress, a comedienne and a novellist during her career .-Career:...
– Amy Godwin - John Flanagan – Robert Ames
- Valerie Minifie – Hannah
- Diana Payan – Mrs. Maidment
- John Hodgkinson – Carlo
Awards
- British Society of Cinematographers (1998)
- Nominated for Best Cinematography Award – Nic Morris
- San Sebastián International Film Festival (1997)
- Prize of the Jury for Best Cinematography – Nic Morris
- Special Prize of the Jury – William Nicholson
- Nominated for Golden Seashell – William Nicholson