The War Bride

Filming in Canada April 2000 - Post production in UK June 2000. Released Canada 23 March 2001.

Running Time :   

Cast

Crew

Story

September 1940 - London - It's the height of the Blitz and two young women, Lily (Anna Friel) and Sophie (Julie Cox) work as seamstresses in a small shop in the East End. Growing up together in an orphanage, the girls are best of friends and, despite the nightly bombings, carry on as any ordinary 20 year-old women - working hard and playing hard.

One night at the local dance hall, they meet and fall madly in love with two Canadian servicemen, Charlie Travis (Aden Young) and his new best friend, Louie Maldoff. Charlie regales Lily with stories of his family's huge "John Wayne style ranch" on the Canadian Prairies "near Hollywood". Although she's impressed, Lily is also a bit dubious.

Less than two weeks later the couples are married and the boys are shipped off to the front. Lily and Sophie try to carry on with their lives as before, except Lily is now expecting Charlie's baby. Mere months after her daughter is born, Lily and Sophie receive transportation instructions from the Canadian Embassy that they are to be shipped across the sea to their new Canadian in-laws. But the question is, where are they going and to what?

After docking in Halifax, the women board a train to Montreal. There, Sophie's in-laws welcome her en masse, well-dressed and very excited to meet Louie's new wife. Lily prays for a similar reception.

Arriving in Alberta, Lily is met with an icy reception from her bitter mother-in-law, Betty (Brenda Fricker) and crippled sister-in-law, Sylvia (Molly Parker). And the 'dream ranch' Charlie waxed on about is nothing more than a dirt-farm with a tumbled-down tiny shack in the middle of nowhere. Lily is struck with the realization that she has left friends and the world she knew behind to be stuck in the wind-swept Canadian Prairies with two strangers who wish she were somewhere else. Has she merely swapped the claustrophobia of blitzed London for the complete isolation and loneliness of the Canadian Wilderness?

In true 'Lily' style, she struggles to overcome life's obstacles, despite her new family's obvious resentment towards her. The one friend she does make is with Sylvia's boyfriend and Charlie's best friend, Joe (Loren Dean). Lily and Joe grapple with an obvious attraction, but within this struggle, she finds an inner strength and the realization that she truly loves Charlie. She tells Joe that they can never be more than just friends.

The season's unfold slowly on the Prairies as the passage of time is marked by the unhurried pace of Nature. The weeks turn to months, the months into years and, suddenly, Charlie returns. But the man who returns is not the fun loving, naïve Charlie Lily married in London, but a shell-shocked, war torn stranger, unsure of the world.

Everyone in the household slowly adjusts to the strange new family life when Lily's world is turned upside down by the unexpected arrival of Sophie. She tells Lily that Louie died in a concentration camp, prompting her in-laws to throw her out of the family home. Sophie's headed back to London and asks if Lily will come with her.

Upset that Charlie didn't tell her the truth about Louie, Lily considers returning to England. Carefully turning things around in her mind, Lily realizes that she can't bear the thought of leaving Charlie. She loves him, more than ever before and, while Betty and Sylvia may not be the warmest people in the world, they have begun to
accept her. Most importantly, Lily is now part of a family, the one thing she has so desperately dreamed of all her life. Lily's place is with Charlie and she bids Sophie a tearful farewell.

Lily and Charlie finally face one another's fears during a long overdue heart-to-heart discussion about them, their past and their future. No one is perfect and, while they have many challenges to overcome, they realize that the love they have found and the family they both dream of are worth fighting for…together.

Interview with Alistair MacLean-Clark - Producer

Q) What attracted you to this project?

A) It is a classic story, about Lily's journey from the claustrophobia of the blitz to the wide-open spaces of the prairies. It marks an emotional journey as well as a geographical journey.

Q) Tell us about your casting decisions for War Bride.

A) When we first read the script, we loved it and we tried to think of an actress to play Lily, as it is the pivotal role. It was hard to cast because it has a wide arc, an emotional arc and you want a huge energy behind the actress. Lily was a very difficult character to cast because we were looking for something more than just an actress - we needed someone who would epitomize that character, a real fighter. We had seen Anna Friel do a number of things and we thought she was so right for this. When I talked to Lyndon Chubbuck (director) he went, "Hmm, Anna Friel...". Then he met her and he rang me that night saying, "Anna, Anna, Anna! She is Lily!" It was great. It was the moment when you realize you are on the same page as the director and that has been really key for us. Casting is like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, so we started to think about who would play well with Anna. We came to the role of Betty, which is a difficult role - the mother-in-law from hell. The story revolves around the relationship between Lily and Betty, and there are pivotal elements of the story. But Betty changes
throughout the story, from being bitter and resentful to being a more loving mother-in-law. Again, a difficult role to cast and we thought of Brenda Fricker for the role because she has got that energy on screen, where you could see that arc happening. With the characters of Charlie and Joe, we have two guys who are dramatically opposed, requiring a different kind of actors, which we have in Aden Young and Loren Dean. Having Molly Parker play Sylvia, another piece of the puzzle and an integral role to making the story work, I feel we have been very lucky. War Bride is a story about these five people and having them connect is the key.

Q) What are the challenges facing you in a co-production?

A) I think the biggest one is sitting, talking on the phone in the middle of the night because of the time difference (between England and Canada). Trying to balance that time, as all of us have very hectic lives and it was difficult. We would decide on a certain time of night to call to make joint casting and production design
decisions with our Canadian co-producers If I had my time over again, I would have spent more of my time sitting around the table here in Canada than spending so much time on the airplane flying back and forth. Hiring people by a phone call or by resume is difficult, as this business is all about relationships. It's important that you meet someone face to face, which is always a much better way of doing business. This business is all about relationships.

Q) Why do you feel this story has resonance with today's audiences?

A) I think the key thing is Lily's understanding of that illusive thing that will make her life complete and she realizes at the end that she has found it. She has found that it is under her nose and I think that is a very universal story. All too often people look for something in their lives and it is only at the end that they realize it
was right in front of them all along. A main element of this story is the fact that Lily never gives in, she never takes the low roads but always takes the high road, faces the challenges and come out on top. She persuades Betty by just being herself - she keeps going at it and going at it and eventually Betty has a change of heart towards her. Lily faces all odds and triumphs. Today, it would be very easy for Lily to hop onto a plane and fly home. But Lily couldn't - she didn't have the money and it was a long two to three week journey. She decides to make the best of her situation and I think that is a universal story arc. There is also the story of Charlie, who naïvely goes off to war, having never thought he would have to face the horrible realities of war. When he returns, he has to adapt back into the life he had before, which is very challenging as he's returned a very changed man.

Q) What have been some highlights for you during the shoot?

A) I think the scene where Lily sings and cuts a disc to send to Charlie at the front is a very emotional scene. There were a few people, including Angela Workman (writer), sitting there with a Kleenex, dabbing lightly as we went from take to take. And also I think the VE Day celebrations shot at Fort Edmonton Park were great. It's a historical park and it set the tone wonderfully. We had a wonderful backdrop to start with and we were very, very lucky to have that as it gave a real feel of the time period. That was a real moment and a very large scene, with close to 200 extras. During the celebrations, we have Lily and Charlie with their issues, amidst this grand party. Charlie is still mentally scarred by his war, trying to work through his problems, juxtaposed against hundreds of happy people in a massive celebration. The scene had a wonderful balance to it.

Interview with Anna Friel - Lily

Q.) How did you become involved in War Bride?

A. I read the script a year and a half ago and I loved the character and I loved the story. I thought it was lovely and there are very few scripts you get that have a beginning, a middle and an end. I adored it when I read it for the first time. When I heard the production was going through, I cancelled another project that I had been offered because I was really passionate about War Bride. I loved it and I really wanted to play Lily. She is a really good strong female role and I love to play strong women - not the weak accessory that hangs on some man’s arm. I’m really pleased with how everything has turned out " the sets, the costumes, the make-up " they’re just great.

Q.) Tell us something you’ve found unique about the character of Lily.

A. Well, it is funny because my character is meant to make clothes and I love clothes and costumes. I spend a lot of time finding my character during costume fittings. It’s been wonderful to work with Howard, our designer, who has allowed me to contribute not only to the costumes but to the whole look of the character.

Q.) Have there been any challenges for you on this shoot?

A. I think the biggest challenge for me has been working with two sets of twins. People think that life as an actress is so glamorous and wonderful and yet when I get this scene, for instance, when we go on the train, we were waiting ages to do a take. While we’re waiting, I had to continually look after the baby. I found it like being a mother " before, I was thinking "oh yes, I really want children " but now I am not so sure. I’ve realized how much you have to give them - all the time, so much attention. Working with twins aged 18 months and three years has been hard, as I’ve had to familiarize myself with them and that takes work. They know me as "Anna ", but for the camera, they have to call me "Mom ", which I think can be confusing for a young child. We work with two sets of twins in case one cries, the other can take over.

There have been some other interesting opportunities for me on this film, such as learning to drive a 1927 Model T Ford, learning to sew, learning to dance the jitterbug, learning a different accent.

Q.) What have some of the highlights been for you?

A. Oh, everyday I always make sure there is a highlight - I would not do my job if I did not find a highlight. I have loved every day of this hard work and in one way, as an actress, you die to be in every scene and you want to be the one who is the main lead in any story but that means you never leave the set and you work very long hours a day.

Q.) How would you describe the story of War Bride?

A. A young girl, born an orphan, grows up in London, meets the man of her dreams, tries to escape the war because she is going to be affected by it living in the Eastend of London. Fears for her life, meets Charlie, a Canadian Soldier, who says "come with me ". When she arrives in Canada, her new home is not the prairie ranch she thought it would be but a farm in the middle of nowhere. She hates it, detests it and she is despised by everyone because she has pretty dresses, because of her red lipstick and her London scheme of things. But she ends up loving the new land. Charlie comes back after the war and does not love her anymore. But they fall back in love and everything is all right.