I've Heard The Mermaids Singing

I've Heard The Mermaids Singing
by Patricia Rozema

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• I'VE HEARD THE MERMAIDS SINGING (DVD MOVIE)

Movie Reviews of I've Heard The Mermaids Singing

Movie Review: Timeless
Summary: 5 Stars

I've watched so many thousands of movies. Some are hated, some are loved, some just stab right through you. This is one of those.

After watching it the first time I had to have it, bought it from the rental store.

Can someone be defined as a 'loser' if they don't know or acknowledge it? The character of Polly Vandersma defines this. In today's PC environment she is might be defined as completely lacking the self-awareness we grasped in the 70's. Polly doesn't fit in, in the way we all want to. She doesn't fit in the working world at all, working as a clerical temp yet lacking the essential skills. Yet, here she is working for a small gallery selling abstract art. "A cute awareness" indeed!

The woman who owns the gallery appears to possess the qualities that Polly would want to admire and emulate. She is beautiful, graceful, educated and oh, so articulate. Trouble is, Polly discovers a past lesbian relationship when a young artist appears. The larcenous collaboration between these two becomes pivotal when Polly, in her childlike honey, confronts this.

Polly's hobby is photography, a form of self-expression for her, and again, she lacks the sophistication to realize the artistic value of her work. It has never appeared to her that her photos might be worth showing to others. This work appears as a revelation to her employer and her employer's lover in the end.

After seeing this movie dozens of times, the kind condescending attitude of her employer has changed my attitude toward her. I've come to find her a quite sad character. She knows enough to appreciate art, yet also is aware that she hasn't the talent to create what she appreciates. There is such a shock when she sees the body of Polly's work, when Polly doesn't grasp their signficance!

The character of Polly appeals to all of us in her awkwardness, in her lack of 'sophistication' by society's standards. She has an inherent honesty and goodness that are childlike, a frank admiration for her employer that is tragically destroyed. I think we all enjoy seeing the pomposity of others exposed, the 'emperor having no clothes'.

I wore out three VHS copies of this, loaning it out to people. I don't watch this movie too often, though I know every scene. One has to be in the right mood for it. It is perfect on a rainy day, for someone in a dreary mood. To describe it as unique seems inadequate. There truly is nothing else like it--it's an event. I've enjoyed watching people watching this movie, seeing their reactions. The character of Polly has so many universal traits; some people will laugh awkwardly, some will nod in recognition.

I am so very delighted that this movie has finally made it DVD where it will receive the permanence it deserves. There is a running commentary in the special features by Rozema that I wish I'd seen years before. Though this film is set in the late 80's it is contemporary enough that it doesn't seem dated. The performances are amazing, the casting flawless. This was Rozema's first film, and I still feel is her best. A keeper.

Summary of I've Heard The Mermaids Singing

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