First off, let me just say I LOVE Dear Frankie. It is a beautifully portrayed story of love, hope, and second chances. I’m telling you this now – before anything else – just in case you get bored and move on before you truly understand that you MUST see this movie!
Genre: Drama
The gist: Nine-year-old Frankie (Jack McElhone) moves from place to place, along with his mum (Emily Mortimer) and grandmum (Mary Riggans). Seems the only constant in his life are the letters he receives from his estranged, sailor father. The letters speak of far-off lands and great adventures at sea. But the letters are not really from his father; it is his mother who pens them. She writes the letters to save her son from a horrible truth; she writes the letters to receive his replies and “hear his voice.” When the ship his mother made up is set to dock in seaside town where they are living, his mother must make a choice: tell Frankie the truth, or hire a strange to pose as his father (Gerard Butler) for a day. Her decision will change all their lives forever.
My take: Have I mentioned that I love this movie? Sigh. Seriously. Everything from the screenplay (Andrea Gibb) to directing (Shone Auerbach) is wonderful. The writing is heartfelt and uplifting. Even the scenery/settings reflect the overall feel of the movie. It was obviously made with great care and deliberation, and it shows. All the actors/actresses do a superb job. Of course, I love Emily Mortimer and Gerard Butler – but Jack McElhone deserves special mention due to his wonderful portrayal of young Frankie. I would – and do – HIGHLY recommend this movie. To pretty much everyone.
An aside: I’ve heard a nasty rumor “they” are planning to make an Americanized version of this movie. Personally, I hope the rumor is some sort of cruel joke and therefore simply is not true. For one, Americanized movies are rarely as successful as their foreign counterparts. Secondly, why?! It’s in English for crying out loud. Granted, English with Scottish accents. But still. And since I’m sure EVERYONE reads my blog – I’m just gonna say it … if you’re thinking about doing it, don’t. Back away from the remake … there can be but one Dear Frankie.
Imagine a boy, born to the rural lands of Pennsylvania. With little formal education, he did what any teenager in his situation would do – he took up an apprenticeship. But the print business was not his forte and he was quickly fired. So he took up another apprenticeship – this time under the watchful eye of a candy maker. Four years he studied his craft. Even then he must have shown promise, for his mother’s family financed a venture all his own – a Pennsylvania candy company. For six long years he worked at the business, but to no avail. Forced to close, he moved out west to Denver. There he took a position with a confectioner specializing in fresh milk caramels. Before long he had moved to New York City, where he opened another candy store. It failed too. So off to Chicago he set, where he opened yet another candy company, only to find it a failure as well.
You know what they say, third time’s a charm. But what happens when it’s not so much? What happens when everything you put your hand to fails; when friends and family begin to question your ability? I mean, let’s be serious. After awhile it gets a bit embarrassing. Not to mention discouraging. Do you give up?
Not Milton Hershey. Milton S. Hershey forged ahead. He may have been nearing thirty, and nearly bankrupt, but that didn’t stop him. With four losses under his belt, he tried once more for a win. Returning to Lancaster, he opened the Lancaster Caramel Company. This time he struck gold. His fifth business was so successful, in 1900 he was able to sell it for a whopping one-million dollars. All so he could focus on his true passion – chocolate. Three years later he returned to the place of his birth to open a new chocolate factory. And the rest, as they say, is history …
So next time we go to drown our defeat in a large vat of Hershey’s chocolate, let us think of the man behind the bar. A man who refused to let his dream die, despite one setback after another. A man who learned from trial and error so that every man might be able to enjoy the smooth, creamy goodness of milk chocolate. A man who used his wealth to build a thriving town, all because he believed his employees deserved better. A man who thought up the “Great building compaign” to add beauty – and countless jobs – during The Great Depression. A man who, though no children of his own, left an ever-growing legacy through schools and educational grants. A man who proves to us still today, that hard work and perseverance have a funny way of turning life’s bitter disappointments to sweet success.
Imagine a boy, born into a poor, illiterate family, in a dirt-floored, one-room log cabin, in the backwoods of Kentucky. His own father ridicules him for wanting to learn – for taking precious moments between chores to read. Yet even though his formal education is sparse, he continues to read, borrowing books from neighbors, and reading by firelight at the close of the day. Only at twenty-two does he begin to learn the basics of math. He works as a clerk for a small country store. A year later the store goes bankrupt. He and a friend purchase a store of their own. It too falters, leaving behind a mount of debt. He becomes Captain of a military company, but the company soon disbands. One woman he loves dies, another turns down his proposal. At times he battles severe depression. He obtains a patent. Yet nothing becomes of his invention. He runs for Congress. He loses. He runs for U.S. Senate. Again he loses.
No doubt many of us would take the hint. Enough things go wrong, what’s the use in even trying? Besides, what good could possibly come of such a life? What good indeed …
Through wit and devotion this boy became a man of friends. Through dedication and integrity he put himself through law school and actually became known as an honest lawyer. Through perseverence and conviction, he became one of the most influential people of all time. Sure, he may not have won the senatorial election, but he won enough votes to become the 16th President of the United States of America – helping to create our national currency, fighting to keep the union together, and most importantly, beginning the process to end slavery.
Next time we face one too many setbacks let us think of Lincoln. A charmed life his was not. Yet he continued to live out his convictions; he chose to continue to fight, even when the battle seemed uphill and his heart was breaking. If, despite everything, he still managed to make a difference, chances are, so can we.
