Odour of Chrysanthemums (film)
| Odour Of Chrysanthemums | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Mark Partridge |
| Produced by | Andrea Wallace Grant |
| Written by |
Novel: D. H. Lawrence Screenplay: Mark Partridge |
| Starring | Geraldine O'Rawe, Geraldine James, Jake McCollough |
Odour of Chrysanthemums is a 2002 short film directed by Mark Partridge and based on the short story by D. H. Lawrence.
Plot
The film tells of a Nottinghamshire coalminer's wife, a young mother, waiting for her husband Walter to come home. She blames his drinking for his absence. It later turns out he has been killed in a pit accident. Laying out his corpse, after it is brought home from the mine, makes her realize they never really knew each other. Upon the discovery that her husband has died, the protagonist, Elizabeth, is able to remain astonishingly calm and collected, especially in front of her children. In contrast, Walter's mother, who lives near the young couple and their children, becomes emotional . The presence of pink chrysanthemums throughout the story represents Elizabeth's constant desire for some hint of beauty within her life. One of the miners who brings in Walter's body knocks over the vase of flowers, symbolizing Elizabeth's loss of control over her life.
Cast
- Elizabeth Bates - Geraldine O'Rawe
- Grandma Bates - Geraldine James
- John Bates - Jake McCollough
- Annie Bates - Florence Romney-Scriven
- Elizabeth's Father - Bruce Alexander
Crew
- Director - Mark Partridge
- Producer - Andrea Wallace Grant
- Set Nurse - Helen Smith
- Costume Designer - Wyn Humphries
"Composer" - Stephen Daltry
Trivia
- The role of John Bates was almost given to Jake McCollough's younger brother Daniel, who was closer to the characters age of six. However, he was rejected when deemed "too cute" for the role of the grumpy child by director Mark Partridge. Jake, who was aged eight at the time, therefore won the role.
- Filming took a total of Two weeks although the actors playing the children only attended one week of filming
- Costume Designer Wyn Humphries went of to design costumes for the live action Garfield films.
- Some of the movie was filmed at Pinewood Studios
Awards
The Film won First Prize in the short film category of the Milan Film Festival.