Judi Dench-Philomena-Jane Russell Controversy
Posted: August 10th, 2014, 6:23 am
Spoiler
I have to start and say I do have a slight problem with the amount of dramatic licence used in what otherwise is a superb film. I also wish more could have been used of Anna Maxwells character (Phil's daughter), who in reality made a major contribution to the real life story.
Irish woman Philomena is brilliantly played by Judi Dench, where a pregnant,single, teenage girl is sent to a convent to have her child. Save one nun, they didn't seem to care she had a breech birth, saying it was God's punishment for her sin. Then when a toddler her son, Anthony, is adopted out to an American family, without so much as telling her.
50-years later she confides in her daughter, that she had a son and it was his 50th birthday. The daughter then gets the help of Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) in an effort to trace her brother. The Convent sticks to its story they have no idea of Anthony's whereabouts.On arriving in America they discover, Anthony, called Michael was part of the George Bush administration, but that he died 8-years earlier of Aids.
What I found great about Philomena, was given her Catholic background from the 1950s, was how easily she was able to accept Michael was gay. Though reluctant at first, Michael's boyfriend agreed to meet them. Then they discovered Michael had gone to the convent in Ireland just before he died in an attempt to trace his mother, only to be told he was abandoned. Not only that, but Michael was buried on the convent grounds. This suggested not only had the nun's on the period lied, but what they did was covered up the nun's currently running the convent............................................
On the Jane Russell Controversy, Martin Sixsmith in the film saw a picture on the wall of the Head sister's office and wondered why. Later on it was suggested in a nearby pub that Jane Russell had paid money to adopt a baby from the same convent. On researching this, it seems to be the case Russell did adopt a child from an Irish woman, but that it took place in London. It caused a bit of a scandel at the time with Russell having to go to court in order to gain legal custody of the child, but it doesn't look like she had anything to do with the convent in the film.
I have to start and say I do have a slight problem with the amount of dramatic licence used in what otherwise is a superb film. I also wish more could have been used of Anna Maxwells character (Phil's daughter), who in reality made a major contribution to the real life story.
Irish woman Philomena is brilliantly played by Judi Dench, where a pregnant,single, teenage girl is sent to a convent to have her child. Save one nun, they didn't seem to care she had a breech birth, saying it was God's punishment for her sin. Then when a toddler her son, Anthony, is adopted out to an American family, without so much as telling her.
50-years later she confides in her daughter, that she had a son and it was his 50th birthday. The daughter then gets the help of Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) in an effort to trace her brother. The Convent sticks to its story they have no idea of Anthony's whereabouts.On arriving in America they discover, Anthony, called Michael was part of the George Bush administration, but that he died 8-years earlier of Aids.
What I found great about Philomena, was given her Catholic background from the 1950s, was how easily she was able to accept Michael was gay. Though reluctant at first, Michael's boyfriend agreed to meet them. Then they discovered Michael had gone to the convent in Ireland just before he died in an attempt to trace his mother, only to be told he was abandoned. Not only that, but Michael was buried on the convent grounds. This suggested not only had the nun's on the period lied, but what they did was covered up the nun's currently running the convent............................................
On the Jane Russell Controversy, Martin Sixsmith in the film saw a picture on the wall of the Head sister's office and wondered why. Later on it was suggested in a nearby pub that Jane Russell had paid money to adopt a baby from the same convent. On researching this, it seems to be the case Russell did adopt a child from an Irish woman, but that it took place in London. It caused a bit of a scandel at the time with Russell having to go to court in order to gain legal custody of the child, but it doesn't look like she had anything to do with the convent in the film.