Marion Bridge
Daniel MacIvor
Reviewed Barb Radmore
It is usually many reader's habit to skip a book's introduction. That
should not be done with Marion Bridge. Daniel MacIvor uses his
foreword to explain the evolution of this work from screenplay
outline to dramatic play and back. The volume includes Marion Bridge
written in two ways- for a play and for a movie. The differences and
why they occur are some of the most fascinating aspects to the
book. Being able to read the work in both forms is an inside look at
the technique of writing for different medias, for the different ways
the words will be interpreted and portrayed. All authors
must know their audience even before they write, a screen or play
writer must also take into account the interpretation of the words into
actions.
Marion Bridge, in both forms, examines the relationships between three
sisters when they get together to take care of their dying mother. The
people are different in each treatment but still retain the same
essence of character. Agnes is back in town reluctantly, dealing with
her sisters, her mother and knowing that the daughter she, as a
teenager, gave up for adoption is near by. The interplay of the female
family members is clearly structured, the dialogue is crisp and to t he
point. The story never falls into the trap of stereotypes even
though each woman is a well defined in a short piece. Although he
addresses life in the midst of various dysfunctional circumstances,
MacIvor allows each voice to tell its own story, to show its own heart.
It is a unique treat to get this behind the scenes look at the process
of screen writing, the bones of the movie making process.