A collection of screen masters anchor this touching, wise drama about life, death and the sea of emotions in between.
The 1987 drama The Whales of August is not without its various problems. Adapted from the acclaimed play by David Berry, the film is oftentimes stagey and closed in, with a handful of stirring character moments that aren’t held as long as they should be. At the same time, it’s hard not to love the fact that this whole film exists in its own world.
It is a world in which director Lindsay Anderson and his cast of talented vets let the thoughts and philosophies of the characters breathe in such a tender way, imparting a mix of beautiful poetry and wisdom in every scene. Although it admittedly lacks something of an involving plot, The Whales of August is possibly the most elegiac film ever made, saying so much about reflection of one’s own life and that which you CAN take with you.
The Whales of August stars Bette Davis and Lillian Gish as Libby and Sarah, two sisters living out their remaining years together on a seaside cottage off the coast of Maine. Sarah spends her days taking care of the blind Libby, ensuring that her cynical sister has everything she needs.
The pair enjoy frequent visits from busybody neighbor Tisha (Ann Sothern) and handyman Joshua (Harry Carey Jr.). When a new presence in the form of Russian aristocrat Mr. Maranov (Vincent Price) enters the picture, both sisters begin to question their own views of life at their respective stages.
The driving force behind The Whales of August, and the sole source of conflict among the two main characters, are the differing perspectives Libby and Sarah have. In Libby’s case, we see someone who has little-to-no use for life anymore. Having gone blind years earlier, Libby sees the act of having to live without her sight almost like a prison sentence, inhibiting her and greatly diminishing the feisty hunger for the world she once had. Libby is, in essence, waiting for death to take the rest of her.
Although Libby is hesitant when it comes to company and dinner guests, she isn’t necessarily bitter so much as…just done. She’s lived her life and is now ready to say goodbye, believing that she’s taken all she’s been allowed from this world. One gets the impression, however, that Libby is on some level genuinely at peace with this idea and firmly believes she will leave this world a peaceful person. “Photographs fade. Memories live forever,” she states at one point, slightly alluding to her own slightly complex views on mortality, legacy, and the ways they intersect in her own mind.
If Libby’s state of mind has taught her to forego the simple pleasures that life still has to offer a person of her age, her sister Sarah doesn’t seem to share an inkling of that philosophy. For Sarah, life is still something very much worth embracing. There’s a sense that Sarah is living a life frozen in time where she eternally plays housekeeper and nurse to Libby, finding purpose, pride and pleasure in those roles. “Passion and truth; that’s all we need,” Sarah says at one point, believing that her small, yet valuable life gives her that and more.
When Mr. Maranov makes himself known as a potential suitor (at least in her mind), Sarah finds herself indulging in the feelings of a schoolgirl and her zest for life and its ever-mysterious nature bewitches her more now than ever before. It’s questionable as to just how much of this kind of outlook is beneficial to Sarah, mentally. At times she seems to let her grasp on at least a couple of aspects of reality become loose. Yet spiritually, she is a woman who in the twilight of her time on earth, still feels life has something to offer.
The idea of two such legendary screen actresses starring in one film remains just as thrilling a prospect to fans now as it must have in 1987. Davis and Gish (who supposedly didn’t get along during filming) have such a smooth and gentle rapport with one another. The two play off each other’s tones and manners so thoroughly, that at times it becomes easy to believe these are indeed two sisters rather than a pair of screen icons.
Carey adds some levity to the film’s landscape, but it’s Sothern as the eternally cheery Tisha who steals every scene she’s in, while adding subtle layers of depth along the way. One moment in particular, while enjoying tea with Sarah and Libby, sees her recalling being recently told that she can apply for a new driver’s license in six months. “Well,” she says, “six months…is a very long time.” Finally, in one of his rare non-horror turns, Price shows what a truly fine actor he was as he beautifully inhabits a man who carries a lifetime of mystery and romance into every room he enters.
The Whales of August is ultimately a film about the kind of love that lasts and transcends eras and age. There’s something special about the film despite its shortcomings. It’s hard to dismiss a work which embraces a character who would like nothing more than to spend his final years dropping in on friends for teas. It’s elements such as those which make the film work mainly because they manage to touch something deep and human to anyone watching.
On the surface, The Whales of August may seem to be a tale of two sisters dealing with remaining life and impending death, but at its heart, this is a film about realizing there’s always value to be found in life, no matter what stage of it a person might be in.
The Package
A rather large assortment of special features accompanies the release of The Whales of August, including vintage interviews with the cast. The moment in which the interviewer asks Davis if she considers herself and her fellow castmates the original brat pack is especially priceless. When she says she’s not familiar with the term, the interviewer describes it as, “A group of young up-and-coming Hollywood actors,” to which Davis replies, “Well, that seems a horrid name for that.”
The Lowdown
A tale as lovely and eloquent as you would expect it to be, even if it never fully leaves the theater.
The Whales of August is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD from Kino Lorber.
