MY COUSIN RACHEL is a romance, suspense/drama movie based on the Daphne du Maurier novel of the same title. When Philip (played by Sam Claflin) finishes school and returns to his home in England he learns his guardian is not there, but in Italy with his wife Rachel (played by Rachel Weisz). Philip is instantly suspicious of the woman, because he and his guardian share a tight bond. Philip travels to Italy and is disheartened to discover his guardian has passed away. He believes Rachel is fully responsible, so finding out she intends to visit him in England makes him unpleasant, even though Philip lives a charmed life in a country estate and since his guardian has died, he inherited a fortune.
Over time, he begins liking Rachel and feels sympathetic toward her. Emotional manipulation is how the mystery of MY COUSIN RACHEL is woven. A naive young fellow and an older woman match wits, but really they are unequal. One ultimately out smarts the other, and then the other slowly realizes what is happening. It is engaging watching the story play with much suspense of how the circumstances will end.
Lighthouses have a certain mystique. Some have unique features, but most look the same. Yet they are still fascinating. The romantic period drama film THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS takes place at a lighthouse, and the cinematography by Adam Arkapaw is beautiful.
War veteran (World War I) Tom Sherbourne (played by Michael Fassbender) is a lighthouse keeper on an isolated island in Australia. He meets a lady, Isabel (played by Alicia Vikander), in a nearby town, they fall in love, get married, and then want to start a family. Unfortunately, Isabel suffers two miscarriages.
One day a newborn washes ashore in a boat with its deceased father, and Tom, at Isabel's urging, agrees they should raise the child. He reluctantly buries the baby's father. For five years this is a happy family. When Tom discovers who the child's mother is the best part of THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS begins.
Rachel Weisz gives an excellent performance as Hannah, the young girl's mother. Hannah enters the story during the most compelling part of the film. She is a grieving mother and wife who believes she has lost her two beloveds forever.
This is a movie that shows someone who desperately wants to be a mother and one who is a mother experiencing the pain of loss. The person who raises a child is the parent, regardless if she is the birth parent. But is she entitled to keep the child once she discovers who the real mother is? This is an ethical question that seems easy for an observer to answer, but difficult for those who are involved.
THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS is based on the novel by M.L. Stedman and is currently playing in theatres.
Lighthouses I have visited:
Brockton Point Lighthouse in Stanley Park - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Fisgard Lighthouse - Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Point Cabrillo Lighthouse - Mendocino, California, U.S.A.
Point Arena Lighthouse - Point Arena, California, U.S.A.
