Margaret's Museum

The setup: In a town where half the men die down the coalpit, Margaret MacNeil is quite happy being single. Until she meets Neil Currie, a charming and sincere bagpipe-playing, Gaelic-speaking dishwasher. But no matter what you do, you can't avoid the spectre of the pit forever.

The verdict: The characters in this film have a lot of depth, and that makes all the difference. In the end, the audience gets a casserole of film elements and little of the satisfaction that comes from watching these types of movies. This is a story about a place most people might not be able to conceive. It is a powerful film, but I doubt I will ever want to watch it again.

"Margaret's Museum" is a quirky little independent Canadian film made over 10 years ago, featuring an impressive performance by Helen Bonham Carter (trying to do something other than English period pieces) as the title character. Carter is one of the most talented contemporary actresses and her failure to become a major star is a bit of a puzzle.

The film's obscurity is not such a puzzle, it contains just enough wry humor and off-kilter behavior to offend those who take its political message seriously and not enough to become a cult classic. The producers should have amped up the weirdness level a bit.

It will remind viewers of "New Waterford Girl", not just because both were filmed in Nova Scotia, but because the heroines are similar as is the theme of diminished small town expectations. It is probably safe to say that these are the only feature films that reference the town of Antigonish.

Gaelic lovers should especially enjoy "Margaret's Museum as it includes a lot of traditional music. If you are a Scotsman at heart you will pick up on obscure references to things like The Battle of Culloden" (i.e. Bonnie Prince Charlie 1746).

Margaret MacNeil lives with her widowed mother in a small company town in Nova Scotia (1949 judging by the cars). The economy revolves around the coal mine and the story has all the "I owe my soul to the company store" elements (''Sons and Lovers'' and ''The Molly Maguires'' are unfunny examples). Margaret's father and older brother were killed in the mine and her grandfather is barely able to breathe after years of working in "the pit". The broken nature of the family and the cause are symbolized by their house, once a duplex the other unit was destroyed when a portion of the tunnel underneath collapsed.

Margaret falls in love with and marries Neil Currie (Clive Russell), at least in part because he has quit mining work for good. Neil is a giant of a man who incessantly plays the bagpipes, speaks in the Gaelic dialect, drinks a lot, and composes traditional tunes. Of course with all the emphasis on Neil staying out of the mines you just know that he will eventually go back to work there. There is a coming of age side story about Margaret's younger brother Jimmy (Craig Olejnik), but it is given too little emphasis to be much of a factor. It does introduce a bit of irony as Jimmy is expected to be the family member who breaks the mold and escapes, but his first love makes him reluctant to leave the town for better things.

Kate Nelligan plays Margaret's deservedly fatalistic mother and creates a complex character. Watch how this hardened woman occasionally exhibits a ray of optimism and even a slight bit of hope for her daughter.

The title refers to Margaret's "Cost of Coal" museum which she opens as an expression righteous indignation. The museum sequences bookend the main story (told in a long flashback).

If not on the perfection level of "New Waterford Girl", the fine performances and the excellent production design make "Margaret's Museum" well worth watching.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Few films capture the strange and elusive energy of maritime Canada, and those that try are often so inept as to do it no justice. The style of speech and emotional resonance of these characters carries through in a way that cannot be pretended at or treated like some amusing passing interest. "New Waterford Girl" got it right. So does this film. It takes a strong, central female performance to tie this story together, and it gets that in Helena Bonham Carter. She is luminous in her look and speech, a kind of animal type of push for freedom. Kate Nelligan is fully convincing as her mother, a believable reflection of who she might become.

The general look and feel of "Margaret's Museum" is a curious thing. The style of director Mort Ransen and cinematographer Vic Sarin is very straightforward. The images are driven by content solely, by composition. Every visual aspect is informed by straight realism. It's not the sort of film that makes you say "What a beautiful shot," but instead "What a beautiful person/place/thing." You see past the camera, more to what is there in front of you, in front of the characters.

The ending (which proves the reason behind the film's title) is a bug surprise. Every single day, ordinary people do strange and unexpected things, but it is rare to find a script that takes a real, human character and gives her one such bizarre action to commit. But "Margaret's Museum" is a fascinating, unexpected film. It takes a well-used dramatic arc and directs it toward uncommon places. It captures the spirit and feel of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Something I've known quite well, and could always feel more. See this.

A wonderful story about relationship and family, Margaret's Museum is a moving story that has more to do than love. The setting of Nova Scotia makes the theme of the film more gritty than if it took place in a more modern atmosphere. Starting their family and their marriage from scratch, the building of their home and their careers are shown as the "young" couple try hard to do things right. Helena Bonham Carter is the star of the film as she portrays Margaret. Throughout the film we see her transition as a woman and a wife. Many actors are known for their physical qualities as oppose to their acting talents. Some actors have very little if not zero acting talent, but are very beautiful and are willing to showcase their assets. Helena Bonham Carter has shown much of herself on the big screen throughout the years. Still, along with her physical beauty, Carter has become an amazing actress. Even though there are moments in this film where she showcases her body for the delight of the audience, she remains a strong actress overall with her true talent of being a great actress.

I'm not sure anything new can be done with this type of story, but this movie doesn't really try. Director/co-writer Mort Ransen does try to make it somewhat fresh, I guess, by centering the story about a woman, and Helena Bonham Carter, as usual, is quite good in this role. I also liked Clive Russell, the humor he brought to the movie, and the chemistry he had with Carter. But as Carter's mother, Kate Nelligan (who I like) runs the gamut of expressions from A to B, and it just becomes too predictable.