PARADISE ROAD

 

FOUR STARS - Inspirational

 

 

       As one of the most powerful presentations of the depth of the human spirit, “Paradise Road” has few equals.  Based on the actual experiences of a group of English, Dutch and Australian women captured by the Japanese during World War II, the film travels three years with them during their imprisonment in Sumatra.

       The journey begins at a pretentious party of the socially elite in Singapore.   When the announcement is made that the Japanese are overrunning the city, the decision is made to get the women and children on board a ship and head for safety.  This decision turns into a disaster when the vessel comes under Japanese attack and is sunk. 

       When the survivors are captured as they swim to the island of Sumatra, they are placed under the brutal care of a trio of Japanese officers.  Each, in his own way, increases their sorrow:  one physically, one psychologically and one spiritually.

       The captain, when confronted with the requirements of the Geneva Convention says, “We have signed no Geneva Convention.  If war has come, then the time for rules is over.  The aim is to win.”

       The hearts of the women are encouraged through the unlikely partnership of two English women:  a rich socialite and a Christian missionary.  The Christian missionary is a woman of disarming spiritual presence named Margaret “Daisy” Drummond (Pauline Collins).

       Margaret’s strength comes from her authentic faith.  When the observation is made following an incident of nauseating brutality that she doesn’t hate the opressors, Margaret responds, “I just can’t bring myself to hate people.  The worse they behave, the more sorry I feel for them.”

       Along with her faith, Margaret is obviously well educated and intelligent.  She demonstrates this fact by transcribing from memory  entire scores of classical music.

       The socialite Adriene Pargiter (Glenn Close) is a thoughtful musician who admits that in Singapore she was taught to look down on missionaries.   But when Margaret connects with her through music, both Adriene and Margaret become soul mates.   Due primarily to Margaret’s strong faith and hope, they develop a plan to cope with their joyless world:  They will create an orchestra using the voices of the women as their instruments.

       The effect is penetrating.  Although the commander has forbidden writing or group gatherings, the women overcome such barriers and practice in small groups and in secret.

       On the eve of their second year together, the women blatantly come together for the first time to perform and Adriene conducts them in their music.

       The spiritual impact of the music is overpowering.  The guards coming to attack the women are captivated by the beauty of the women’s voices.  The harmonies and radiant smiles raise everyone’s souls far above the squalor of the camp.

       The barriers which once divided woman from woman and prisoner from captor are now ignored as their common communion of the music takes over.  The music returns the dignity to the women.

       Throughout the film, the various relationships, fears, prejudices and personalities are carefully developed.  The anger and fear of one woman isolates her from the community and the music.  As she stays in her barrack and watches from afar she says, “It’s just humming, that’s all.  Anyone could do that.”

       Another woman claims to be a doctor (Francis McCDormand), yet her skills seem lacking and it is noted that she gets special privileges and doesn’t have to work in the fields and latrines like the others.

       Still another person is a beautiful model who is befriended by a rather plain woman who vicariously experiences the model’s love and life.

       Though the women lived in a place of squalor, brutality and deprivation, their courage and creative spirits filled it with life.  Margaret, as she read a poem at the funeral of a fellow prisoner, expressed it best when she said, “How silent is this place, how sacred is this place.  It is our Paradise Road.”

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