The film begins with Esther (Kathleen Ryan) arriving at a new job as a cook for an upper-class family. Things do not go smoothly at first--mostly because Esther is a very moralistic woman. However, her high ideals change when she meets William, a man who also works on the estate (Dirk Bogarde). His life is horse racing and he's rather worldly--much the opposite of Esther. Yet, oddly, they have a relationship. Esther learns she is pregnant at the same time William leaves with another woman! The next several years are very, very tough on Esther and her child--with extreme poverty hardship.
Out of the blue, William sees Esther and only then realizes he has a son. During the intervening years, he'd apparently been abroad with the horses. He's now reasonably well off--owning a pub and doing some bookmaking. This is not the most admirable of jobs, but he seems like a decent man who wants to do what's right by his son and Esther. While she initially rejects any attempts for William to help, eventually she relents and they marry.
Several uneventful years pass. Eventually, the bookmaking business begins to sour and so does his health. William cannot seem to stop with gambling and is still hoping for a big killing so he can afford to move his family to Egypt for his health. They never say what ailment he has--and you assume it must be Tuberculosis (due to the need for a dry climate). Will he succeed and change their lives for the better or will the family face financial ruin and disaster? Tune in to this working-class tale to find out for yourself.
While this is not the most exciting film I have ever seen (it definitely is a bit uneven dramatically speaking), I really liked the acting. The film was not sensationalistic--it just seemed to feature real people in real situations and there is a lot to admire in this 19th century tale. Also, while a subplot involving a preacher who has fallen in love with Esther and asks to marry her is not a major part of the film, it is very much like a working of "Jane Eyre". The choice between a flawed man she loves and a safe but passionless preacher is in both stories (although in most movies, this important subplot is omitted in "Jane Eyre").
Out of the blue, William sees Esther and only then realizes he has a son. During the intervening years, he'd apparently been abroad with the horses. He's now reasonably well off--owning a pub and doing some bookmaking. This is not the most admirable of jobs, but he seems like a decent man who wants to do what's right by his son and Esther. While she initially rejects any attempts for William to help, eventually she relents and they marry.
Several uneventful years pass. Eventually, the bookmaking business begins to sour and so does his health. William cannot seem to stop with gambling and is still hoping for a big killing so he can afford to move his family to Egypt for his health. They never say what ailment he has--and you assume it must be Tuberculosis (due to the need for a dry climate). Will he succeed and change their lives for the better or will the family face financial ruin and disaster? Tune in to this working-class tale to find out for yourself.
While this is not the most exciting film I have ever seen (it definitely is a bit uneven dramatically speaking), I really liked the acting. The film was not sensationalistic--it just seemed to feature real people in real situations and there is a lot to admire in this 19th century tale. Also, while a subplot involving a preacher who has fallen in love with Esther and asks to marry her is not a major part of the film, it is very much like a working of "Jane Eyre". The choice between a flawed man she loves and a safe but passionless preacher is in both stories (although in most movies, this important subplot is omitted in "Jane Eyre").