45 Years is no quaint British drama. It’s an evocative, contemporary look at an enduring marriage being hit by a sudden crisis. Mistakes of the past and history long thought buried resurface and shake what seems rock solid to its very core. It’s a simple story, but one that is imbued with complexity due to some deft writing and incredibly crafted performances from leads Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay.
Kate (Rampling) and Geoff (Courtenay) are a couple in the midst of preparing for their forty fifth wedding anniversary celebrations in Norfolk, England. Their plans are thrown into disarray by a ghost from the past, heralded by the arrival of a letter, written in German, concerning Geoff’s former lover Katya. The girl went missing during a hiking expedition together in Switzerland nearly 50 years earlier and has recently been discovered. This sudden presence in their lives casts Geoff back into his memories, his reaction causing Kate to also reflect on their past, present, and future.
Even the longest lasting relationship has the potential for change, for secrets to impact what has endured for so long. A third person coming into the marriage is bad enough, but this girl not even being alive leaves Kate to conjure her ideas of who she might be. Kate digs into this past and tortures herself as a result, perhaps more so than the revelations that spill from a shell-shocked Geoff. The result is not just a struggle to hold their marriage together, but themselves too.
Courtenay brings a befuddledness to Geoff; it’s a combination of self-loathing and uncontainable yearning for this girl he refers to as “my Katya.” He’s seemingly the crux of the tale, but director Andrew Haigh shifts the focus from the unnerved Geoff to his wife, Kate. Rampling gives a superb performance of a woman gradually unnerved by suddenly being forced to accept her husband had a liaison before her. She’s tough, but teases the vulnerability of this character. It’s stunning work that draws on expressions, mannerisms, and moments of silence to relay the inner turmoil of this woman, unnerved by her husband’s reactions, but also her own questioning of their lives together.
It’s a compelling piece, deftly directed by Andrew Haigh, one that avoids sentimentality and does not shy away from the hard questions. It’s as if a window has been opened into a intensely private event in these people’s lives. Together with DP Lol Crawley, Haigh uses long takes, allowing the leads exchanges to more naturally flow. The Norfolk setting and other tricks add a melancholic mood, while crafty music selections that add to the chill or raise a wry smile. It’s impeccable, intelligent, and at times devastating storytelling.
The Package
As a recently shot film you’d expect the image to be of good quality, and Criterion doesn’t disappoint. The release is a new 2K digital transfer, supervised by director Andrew Haigh, from his original film stocks; this was not shot digitally. It lends the film more texture which is showcased via good detail, contrast, and color throughout, with no artifacts or issues evident. The release also has an utterly brilliant new cover designed by Anthony Gerac. Special features include:
- Audio commentary featuring Andrew Haigh and producer Tristan Goligher: The pair share technical information on how they approached the film, order of filming, editing, what they hoped to convey in certain scenes, as well as aspects of the story and characters themselves. Entertaining and more interesting than most commentaries.
- New Documentary: featuring interviews/Q&A with Haigh, Goligher, actors Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, editor Jonathan Alberts, and director of photography Lol Crawley. Those assembled reflect on what the project meant to them, what they drew from it and sought to bring to it. The doc also touches on the adaptation from short story to feature film.
- New interview with David Constantine: Author of In Another Country, the short story on which 45 Years was based. He discusses how well his original tale was fleshed out and put onto the big screen as well as his involvement in the process.
- Original Trailer
- Criterion Liner Booklet: Featuring details on the transfer as well as an essay on the film by critic Ella Taylor.
THE BOTTOM LINE
45 Years is an evocative and intimate tale that resonates beyond the characters or setting, and is one of the best interpretations of the “ghost from the past” tale committed to film in recent memory. A masterful acting showcase, underlined by deft filmmaking, it’s an essential purchase and wonderful addition to the Criterion Collection.
45 Years is available from the Criterion Collection from the 7th March, 2017.