FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE (1985)

MOVIE REVIEW"If you have a passion, the only way to satisfy it is to pursue it."

She had the passion to care, the tender hands to heal and the kindness in the eyes. The story is neither fairy tales, nor Disney. It is the reality but somehow the impact is better than any Disney and fairy tale movies. It tells about selflessness, perseverance, loneliness, love, frustrations but at the end there is this one moment and realization that great people die alone. She did not marry and she die at an old age that’s the ugliest part of the movie for me and the part also where Richard sent him a mail that he’s gonna marry is a disappointments. It does touch me though because as an elite family that she came from she still have that kind hearted persona where even if she was discourage by his colleague and most especially her father with strong conviction to follow her passion. Then after her father give in, she then go to Germany and then study there where the nuns also. Then the Crimean war happen and in these events rivalry – Dr. Hunts. But with these she come successful as she was known by the queen of England to be the head of nursing in all military.

I can’t really get over also the ugliness of life, behind from its good portrayal of the patients and soldiers is also the fact that it really did happen and maybe it much worse, and morbid at that time. ‘ how many of as in our lifetime can say that I have made a difference?’. Indeed she did Richard, yes indeed she made a difference. She changed the perception of being a nurse and how to be a nurse. Now because of what she done to this kind of field she will always be remembered and my profession is respected. Thank you “Lady of the Lamp, Florence Nightingale”. Let me end these review by a quote of Richard “If my dear Florence we could live forever, I would wait for you to come home”.

1.)What are the first images in the film (often while the credits are rolling), and What do they tell you? Where and when is the film set and how do you know this?

The images in the film that first appeared is Richard looking on Florence while she is dancing by her supposed fiancé, and she’s wearing a stripe gown in a Victorian style. I researched where the setting is. But did not find any although I find that it is Made for ABC in 1985, star Jaclyn Smith isn't the first actress one might think of when casting an American knock-off of the British historical docudrama genre.

2. Do you know yet how the film will end?

Somehow cause I read the spoilers.

3. Cinematography and visual style: color, space, focus, depth of field, camera angles, POV, composition, movement, aspect ratios, light and lighting, atmosphere. Is there a "style" or overall look and feel of the film?

Presented in its original 1.33:1 full-frame format, the transfer for Florence Nightingale is very good, with generally correct color values, a minimum of grain, a sharpish picture, and no compression issues to speak of. There are occasions of minor scratches, dirt and other screen anomalies, but they are infrequent and not distracting. Hiss is at a minimum, and no distortion was noted. Close-captions are available. As for Florence Nightingale's script, it's well-constructed and plays fast, despite the film's run time. She also made a progression from curious dilettante, to genuinely moved student, to brave doer of good deeds on a scale of self-actualization hard to imagine today. The film has many powerful scenes of how nightmarishly primitive and even openly hostile to the patient medicine was as practiced then.

4. Editing: continuity, cutting, montage, pace; graphic, rhythmic, spatial, and temporal relations; ellipsis and hyperbole. There is some part of cutting that is not connected to the next scene. Thus also an approach of keeping the settings claustrophobic.

5. Production design, costumes, and fx: color, light, set design. "Realism" or "Fantasy"?

I like the production. I mean if it in the 80’s it is a very nice production cause they really captured the essence of a Victorian style. Absolutely, the dresses during the ball, God there classic, and beautiful. The way also their headdress and the hair being kept. I love it all. So much classics.

6. Narrative: dialogue; story, plot, and screen time; narrative structure (flashbacks and flash-forwards)

The pace steady focuses us more on the story rather than the expected spectacle for this type of genre. And what a fascinating story it is.

7. Acting, casting, dialogue, and movement: styles of acting, dancing, etc.

Jeremy Brett was the most fun as the observant father who slyly appreciates the change in his wife's acceptance of their daughter's activities...once they make the papers. Timothy West makes a nice appearance as journalist William Russell of The Times And Stephen Chase has good chemistry with Smith. Her initial scene with Dalton he's both feline and bored at the same time here has some awkward exchanges, and an early sequence where Florence soothes a severely burned peasant is made up of some truly hilarious reaction shots.

8. Sound and music: diegetic and non-diegetic sound; leitmotifs; sfxIt is on the right time and classics music plays at random moments.

9. Genre: what "kind" of movie is it, and how do you know?It is a docudrama produce by ABC in portraying the life of Florence Nightingale. I found it in the blog where I also read the spoilers.

10. Intertextuality: what other films, music, works of art, or "texts" are referred to in the film and why?

First is the Brideshead Revisited for the comparison of cast and budget production. Others are The Bridge on the River Kwai, Summertime for the

video and cinematography, the person who produces this classic tales You Only Live Twice, Murder by Decree is also the person that produce this movie. And the onewho directed this movie The Thorn Birds which is a blockbuster then is also the director of this movie.

11. Critical" aspects of film: historical, moral, social, gender, and economic issues.

I think the film embraces all the aspect as a feminism, morality, and casteism. First is the conviction of Florence to be a nurse despite the facts that her parents don’t want to and her lover also. But still follow his passion after all. Then the fact that when she visited a hospital and realize her calling to heal, her morality is what makes the movie amazing cause’ she had everything in life life, love, money but she throw it all because she feels a deep conviction to help the sick to heal them. And lastly is the fact that she is an elite lady and the perception of nursing in her era as a prostitutes, despite all this she still continue to do her passion to help ad heal the sick.

12. Opinions: is the film "good" or "bad"? Justify your opinions.I submit that this film is a very classic and have beautiful punch lines that we now forgot or overly used taking out the real meaning. While watching the film I deeply appreciate the dialogue exchange in the characters and the witty comebacks. The story is predictable but there is this small detail that makes the story so captivating. All in all it was a captivating, fascinating and the production is good.