A CITY'S CHILD (1971)

Title: A CITY'S CHILD

Year of Release: 1971

Director: Brian Kavanagh

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: After her invalid mother passes away, a young woman descends into a dream world, and meets and falls for a young man, who may or may not really exist.

Within a film history context: One of the first movies to prominently feature a spinster was Sidney Franklin's silent QUALITY STREET (1927). A property for Marion Davies, it was about a woman whose fiancé goes to fight for the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s. He returns after a decade to find his fiancée entirely different, and she schemes to reignite their love by posing as her fictional niece. This property was later remade in 1937 with Katharine Hepburn in the lead role, both versions unsuccessful at the box office. PEACOCK ALLEY (1930), directed by Marcel de Sano, had a middle-aged woman seeking a husband in New York City, and charted her romantic difficulties. Sam Taylor's OUT ALL NIGHT (1933), was a comedy of a middle-aged man with a spinster employed in a department store. THE OLD MAID (1939), directed by Edmund Goulding, featured a complex series of events between two female cousins, particularly dealing with love, offspring, and how the one cousin ends up unmarried, with a secret. In a more comic vein was Fred Guiol's MISS POLLY (1941). A vehicle for Zasu Pitts, it starred her as a spinster with a chequered past, and possessing a penchant for unexpected behaviour, who finds romance. NOW, VOYAGER (1942), directed by Irving Rapper, was one of the most famous movies about a spinster. A woman dominated by her mother has emotional issues, and is assisted by her sister-in-law in changing her life. After being treated by a psychiatrist she takes a cruise, and meets a man with whom she falls in love, but the path to true fulfillment is not an easy one. 

A farcical view of spinsterdom was offered by Frank Capra's ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (1944). A man who writes about marriage, and how it is passé, has two aunts who murder selected men to relieve them of their loneliness, and the writer becomes embroiled in their activities. With THE CORN IS GREEN (1945), directed by Irving Rapper, a spinster, again played by Bette Davis, is entirely different in scope. A woman arrives in a Welsh mining district, and seeks to bring education to the town. One of her major projects is assisting a troubled but clever young man become a man of vision, which she achieves. Andrew L. Stone's THE BACHELOR'S DAUGHTERS (1946), in contrast, was comic in nature. A man working in a department store is convinced by four spinsters to act as their father, the women seeking husbands, and projecting an image of wealth. The bittersweet WINTER MEETING (1948), directed by Bretaigne Windust, once again featured Bette Davis as a spinster. This time, she was a poetess who falls for a man considering priesthood, and was one of Miss Davis' last movies for Warner Brothers. More prominent was William Wyler's THE HEIRESS (1949). A wealthy young spinster treated shabbily by her father falls for a handsome man, but his intentions for her may, or may not be honorable. Into the 1950s and after, equally interesting portraits of spinsters were offered in cinema.

The lushly romantic SUMMERTIME (1955), directed by David Lean, starred Katharine Hepburn as a spinster who falls for an Italian man in Venice, but complications ensue when she discovers that he is married. Joshua Logan's PICNIC (1955) had a schoolteacher supporting character whose passions were on full display in this memorable movie. Another movie with Katharine Hepburn as a spinster, THE RAINMAKER (1956), directed by Joseph Anthony, had her in this instance as a woman who was charmed by a shady man, with many unexpected twists and turns. In the 1960s came the arrival of a series of films about an indomitable spinster detective - the mysteries of Miss Marple. In the person of the unique Margaret Rutherford, four Miss Marple films were produced, the first being George Pollock's MURDER SHE SAID (1961), MURDER AT THE GALLOP (1963), MURDER MOST FOUL (1964), with MURDER AHOY (1964) the last in the series. These dealt with Miss Marple solving various mysteries, albeit with a comic twist. Entirely contrary was SUMMER AND SMOKE (1961), directed by Peter Glenville. This was about a spinster who falls for a doctor of loose morals, but whose attentions are on another woman. 

Robert Rossen's LILITH (1964) had an emotionally unstable, and manipulative spinster, who turns the life of a troubled man upside down in a mental health facility. Lighter in tone was DEAR HEART (1964), directed by Delbert Mann. A middle-aged spinster and postmaster seeking romance finds it at a convention in New York City, but matters takes assorted directions in this comedy-romance. Robert Aldrich's HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE (1964) was more flamboyant in nature, and an off-the-wall movie for Bette Davis. In this film, a woman is shattered by the return of a relative, who seeks to send her insane, and take her fortune, but things do not turn out as expected in this Grand Guignol-style movie. In complete contrast was the down-to-earth RACHEL, RACHEL (1968), directed by Paul Newman. A thirtyish unmarried schoolteacher living with her mother becomes involved with a man, this the impetus for a life change for her, seeing things through different glasses. 

With Ronald Neame's THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE (1969), released at the end of the 1960s, a teacher in 1930s Scotland flouts conventions, and causes waves in the girl's school in which she works. AGE OF CONSENT (1969), directed by Michael Powell, had a spinster character who makes a play for the artist protagonist in this comedy-drama which was mildly risque in its time. Robert Altman's THAT COLD DAY IN THE PARK (1969) was about a spinster who becomes obsessed with a young man, not wishing to let him leave her apartment in this psycho-sexual movie. As with the other films in the genre, A CITY'S CHILD had a spinster as its focus, which consequently allowed for a thorough examination of its main character.

A CITY'C CHILD was similar to those pictures where a spinster was at the center of the action rather than a peripheral figure, such as QUALITY STREET, PEACOCK ALLEY, THE OLD MAID, NOW, VOYAGER, THE CORN IS GREEN, THE HEIRESS, SUMMERTIME, THE RAINMAKER, and LILITH, to name a few examples. In these films as with A CITY'S CHILD, the viewer gains an intimate knowledge of the character, finding out what makes her tick, and feeling what she does during the movie. In other words, A CITY'S CHILD, with the others, creates a three-dimensional portrayal of the spinster, rather than something threadbare or lacking depth, which MISS POLLY, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, and THE BACHELOR'S DAUGHTERS do in their more comical orientation. It could also be said that there is also an interesting parallel to NOW, VOYAGER in one particular feature of A CITY'S CHILD. 

The presence of a domineering mother figure who makes an indelible psychological mark on their respective daughter is present in A CITY'S CHILD as with NOW, VOYAGER. Where the films differ is that while both mothers are boorish in the treatment of their daughters, the mother in A CITY'S CHILD is an invalid, and bedridden. This gives an added layer of poignancy to the film as there is a rationale of sorts for the mother being so mean to the daughter, in light of her ill health. It is not just a matter of a mother being nasty to her daughter because she is malevolent. Aside from this, the spinster in A CITY'S CHILD also suffers from emotional issues, something which distinguished not only NOW, VOYAGER but also LILITH, HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE, and THAT COLD DAY IN THE PARK. The spinsters in the last three movies were marked in their unpredictable behaviour and penchant for violence, but the spinster in A CITY'S CHILD, as with NOW, VOYAGER, were delicate in comparison, not wishing to spite others, or cause trouble. There was more of a leaning toward blossoming romances and sexuality in these entries, and an avoidance of campy elements. One of the most credible of the movies with a spinster lead, A CITY'S CHILD is a thoughtful, diverting film.

Overview: Brian Kavanagh is an Australian director who made only three movies in his career, which spanned fifteen years from 1971 until 1986. He was more active as a film and television editor, and also produced all three of the movies he made. Mr Kavanagh's second feature film, DOUBLE DEAL (1983), was a drama about a woman married to an older man, her restlessness leading her to take up with another man, planning with her lover to fleece her husband. Brian Kavanagh's final movie, DEPARTURE (1986), centered around the life of a married couple who intend to uproot from Australia to live in Rome, but before leaving, spend a final weekend in Tasmania. A CITY'S CHILD was Brian Kavanagh's first motion picture, and his best-known, most fluent movie.

Brian Kavanagh has made a haunting, moody work with A CITY'S CHILD. The story of a woman living with her invalid mother, and then on her own after her mother's death, has been given sympathetic, intensive treatment by the director. It intimately charts the life of its protagonist, closely following her transition from a meek woman seeking to emerge out of her shell, and her mother's influence, into someone of her own beliefs, and actions. The difficulties of this change from one life chapter to the next are handled well by Mr Kavanagh, making audience identification, and empathy toward the lead character, one of the best features of A CITY'S CHILD. This also entails a journey into the woman's psychology, specifically her burgeoning sexuality. This is explored in her time at the beach, watching a swimmer toweling himself, and, her relationship with a beguiling young man. While these are some of the best aspects of the movie, there are omissions in the story which could have strengthened it, providing more clarity.

To its advantage, A CITY'S CHILD has a small cast, which intensifies the drama, doing away with superfluous characters and scenes. On the one hand this is a positive, on the other, makes matters too abbreviated. The woman does not appear to have had any relatives, or anyone come around to see her after the funeral of the mother. This, in one way, is something which does occur in life, being that death does sever ties with relatives in many cases, but in A CITY'S CHILD no one at all appears to offer their condolences to the woman. A scene or two with a relative, or family friend could have deepened knowledge about the woman, but nothing appears. In addition, one never finds out how the woman actually supports herself, as this is left open to interpretation. It seems that she is of a high socio-economic profile, given the house in which the woman resides, but, this is fuzzy. Offering another perspective of the woman are two female neighbours who critique her actions and movements. This gives the movie a dimension, possibly elaborating how certain audience members might interpret her life. Despite these gaps, some things can be said about the movie. A CITY'S CHILD is a credit to its director, and an intimate, meditative work that deserves to be viewed.

Acting: A CITY'S CHILD has a small cast, but the performers are all highly effective in their roles. As the lead character in the movie, Monica Maughan is in one of her finest parts as the eponymous city's child. An actress who makes her character utterly real and likable, laying bare all her thoughts and desires to the viewer, Miss Maughan shines. The male object of desire of the city's child is given careful execution, and shading, by Sean Scully. With an air of allure, style and mystery, Mr Scully takes what could have been a shadowy figure, and transforms him into someone the spectator wants to know more about with his subtle, intriguing manner. 

As the woman's mother, Moira Carleton brings a vivid sadness to her scenes. While playing someone who is insensitive on the surface, Miss Carleton makes the invalid mother a person who had deep emotional scars, these made evident by the actress. The final acting of note in the film was by Roger Scales as the man the city's child sees on the beach, unable to stop watching him. An actor who did not utter a syllable in the film, but whose facial expressions and body language said it all, being watched by the city's child, his scenes work on two levels. On the one hand, Mr Scales brought a sense of the vulnerable, being seen as an objectified sex object by the woman, but also, liking the attention, and when not receiving what he wants from her, moves on. An actor whose credits are unfortunately limited to early 1970s Australian film and television, Roger Scales' contribution rounds out the fine cast of A CITY'S CHILD.

Soundtrack: A CITY'S CHILD takes an understated approach toward to its music. Music by Peter Pinne is spare, and emphasises the mood of scenes well, especially in sequences such as the man following the woman in his car, and the moments where the city's child is observed in detail, such as doing her gardening. The city's child theme is played after the opening scenes, and when she is on the train going to the beach. It is a late 1960s/early 1970s style piece which effectively provides a commentary on the main character, and her life.

Mise-en-scene: A CITY'S CHILD has a very good attention to detail for the viewer's onscreen experience. Cinematography by Bruce McNaughton emphasizes darker hues which is in keeping with the film's somber, psychologically complex orientation. Costuming is naturalistic, with characters appropriately attired for the early 1970s, and the movie's suburban setting. Apparel for Sean Scully's character is in direct comparison to Monica Maughan's, with his snappy suits and colorful shirts, to her dark block colours, and more conservative wear. Settings are authentic and well-chosen, from the interiors of the woman's house, outside her home, the suburban shopping strip, and the beach where the woman relaxes, and gazes at the swimmer, all excellent.

Notable Acting Performances: Monica Maughan, Sean Scully, Moira Carleton, Roger Scales.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Male nudity, adult themes.

Overall Grade: B

Link: IMDB Page

Trailer