Firelight (1997)

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Firelight is a 1997 period romance film written and directed by William Nicholson and starring Sophie Marceau and Stephen Dillane. Written by William Nicholson, the film is about a woman who agrees to bear the child of an anonymous English landowner in return for payment to resolve her father's debts. When the child is born, the woman gives up the child as agreed. Seven years later, the woman is hired as a governess to a girl on a remote Sussex estate, whose father is the anonymous landowner. Filmed on location in Firle, England and Calvados, France,the film premiered at the Deauville American Film Festival on 14 September 1997. Firelight was Nicholson's first and only film as a director.-Wikipedia


This movie has a lot of immorality in it, let me tell you frankly, that is if you can quantify immorality. Still, it should not be judged solely because of it.  The idea of how these two people met is very sordid...mundane...appalling...and all those adjectives that could demean something or someone, and yet, somewhere along the way, probably during the second meeting, it was not only a contract anymore.  It was something they both wanted, so they...let's just say that they gave it their all before they parted, and when the purpose of their meeting came into fruition, the product of their procreation was taken away from Elisabeth(SOPHIE MARCEAU) without giving her a chance to hug her, thinking the bond would be broken just like that.

This sort of reminded me of PALIMOS NG PAG-IBIG, but of course, the only thing similar is that thing of a baby maker.

Maybe I don't talk about her much, but I first met her when I was in High School when our batch watched her movies during the French Festival.  Of course what we watched was wholesome(La Boum (1980) and La Boum 2  (1982)).  She was a teenager herself.  

In Braveheart I was really impressed with her acting.  She was really very convincing. Braveheart became a hit and two years later, FIRELIGHT was shown.

The story is heartbreaking and victorious at the same time.  There are lots of justifications made by the conflicted people, and I am not saying I agree with them, but this is well acted.

DOMINIQUE BELCOURT plays LOUISA, the product of those three days of meeting.  Even if she still couldn't read at seven, it was obvious that she was a very bright girl, but of course it was not enough, so the real mom disguised as governess, her original job before she took that preposterous job to save her father from debt, teaches Louisa to be a better person...rather, to be the best she could be so no one could look down on her.

STEPHEN DILLANE, like Sophie Marceau, is still very active in the entertainment industry, judging from this movie alone, even if I was able to watch him in other movies  and TV shows, I can see why.  He is a very good actor, and judging by his actions, at least by his acting, I think he does not take advantage of certain situations.

There are lots of moving scenes, and even if I felt that my heart was being torn to pieces, my favourite scene is the thin ice drama and fiasco near the lake house.

Well, I better end this here.

Thanks for your time.