Happy Valentine’s Day! It seems appropriate to present a mix of films and fiction that capture different kinds of love. Romantic love and longing, platonic friendship, and married love.
ON THE SCREEN
Loving (Netflix)
This historical film about Richard and Mildred Loving is a testament to love and devotion through hardship and ostracism. In 1958, Richard, a white man, married Mildred, a Black woman. Born and raised in a conservative Virginia town, they went to DC to get married. When they returned, they were soon arrested and sent to jail. Their steadfast love for one another and their fight for justice are beautifully portrayed in this mostly gentle film.
The Life Ahead (Netflix)
Sophia Loren stars as a Holocaust survivor who takes in abandoned children. The film chronicles the evolving friendship and care that develop between Madame Rosa and a 12-year-old boy named Momo. She’s a former prostitute who supports herself as a sort of foster parent, and he’s an immigrant from Senegal. Out of indifference and disdain come respect and tolerance. Not a perfect film, but an opportunity to see Loren at the end of her career.
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
My Octopus Teacher is a stunningly beautiful film. And a very moving account of photographer Craig Foster’s strong friendship with an octopus. Set off the coast of South Africa, it’s a moving story of a year in the life of this intelligent creature and an individual who was detached from his own life. I think it’s fair to call it a love story too, one of a different kind, but transformative for this man. The underwater photography is amazing. Simply excellent!
ON THE PAGE
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
I had mixed feelings about this novel based on what I’d read about it. Even though I had enjoyed and admired Kidd’s three previous books, I avoided it. But quickly, I was transported to Palestine in Jesus’ era and captivated by his fictional wife Ana. Although Ana is the daughter of a rich father with ties to the ruler, she is limited and frustrated by the options available to her as a female. She has a scholarly bent and through her writings (done in secret) gives voice to various Biblical women. She is also Judas’ sister.
Narrowly escaping marriage to a much older widower, she revels in her love for Jesus. After their marriage, she lives with him and his family in reduced circumstances. Jesus is presented as mainly human with a calling that takes him away for days, weeks, and sometimes months. Only later does he become recognized as the divine Messiah.
Kidd’s depiction of this period is detailed and rooted in research. Her treatment of Jesus is delicate, and in Ana, she has created a bold, passionate, and learned woman. (~JWFarrington)
