While browsing through my local library recently, I ran across a DVD of a movie I did not remember seeing. I was intrigued first because Aidan Quinn was in the movie and second, because of the “blip” on the back that described it as “…It is here she discovers a well-spring of emotional tunes passed down from the original Irish and Scottish immigrants who settled in these parts…” Songcatcher was described as the ambitious work of a musicologist determined to document the history of the songs. She was intent on “scientifically” recording the songs and their history. I can’t remember the last time I have enjoy a movie so much. It was like wrapping up in a warm blanket of love, beauty, strength and life.

Doctor Lily Penleric PhD, played effortlessly and convincingly by Janet McTeer (The Intended 2002) who has been turned down again for a significant position at the university for which she teaches. In answer to what she perceives as a huge injustice (before feminist’s were known) she launches a lusty and wonderful adventure. Her intent is to record (by the fragile Victrola Cylinders of the time) and hand writing each tune words, history and pen-to-paper notations in order to capture each note and musical nuance. The setting for this story is the early 1900’s, which writer/director Maggie Greenwald describes is about the time the old ballads (which the mountain folk called “Love Songs”) were being discovered here in America. To that time, the musicologist’s thought that the songs came straight from Ireland and Scotland and felt they were being lost or losing their purity. To find them in the mountains of America, perfectly preserved by the singing of one generation to another was a wondrous thing in that time. She goes on to say, that women at that time who were migrating to the mountains to teach and as missionaries, in fact mostly discovered them. It was the grand ideals of educating and saving these “heathens” that actually discovered and helped save their songs and their culture. Ms. Greenwald, herself, had gone into the mountains to research these songs also as a source of much of today’s Country and Bluegrass music.

Dr. Penleric was on a mission to “capture” this music of which her sister had told her following her own move to the mountains to set up a school and to teach. Dr. Penleric gives the impression that she has worked hard for the promotion, which she is all too aware will never be hers in the man’s world of that time. So, she sets off on her journey to record the songs, not making clear if she is doing it for the notoriety or for the real love of music. Her intention to write a book and to record the music is very clear, but her motives are not. It is also worth noting here, that she has been having an illicit affair with one of her married fellow professor’s. I say it is worth noting, because that needs to be balanced against her judgments of others.

When Dr. Penleric (Lily) treks to the mountains, she butts headlong into the mountain life, first through the sheer task of challenging the “mountain miles” and then she meets the mountain folk. What a striking picture of rich textures, to see Lily, who is at all times prim, proper, white, nipped and tucked, hair in place against the lush green of the mountains and the hard and sometimes cruel world in which the mountain folk survive and live in a life that does not take a lot of stock in soap and water and formalities. She is a stark contrast to everything around her. She absurdly wears white starched clothing while running recklessly into people who toil to survive and live through their music. She is austere, they are happy. She is serious about her work; they are serious about their music and their culture. She is prim, they are real. What a perfect yardstick to show the wonderful culture in the mountains.

Lily first meets Deladis Slocumb played by the big-eyed Emmy Rossum (Phantom of the Opera (post production)..2004 and Day After Tomorrow..2004) who’s beautiful operatic voice brings the first of the mountain songs into focus for Lilly. Deladis resonates the absolute innocence of the mountain culture, untouched by the “outlanders” (people outside their own culture). The first of many songs that she sings is "Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies". Emmy Rossum does a magnificent job of portraying the innocence of this culture and her big brown eyes surely assist that “deer in the headlight” look. She’s a delight to watch and hear.

Deladis is staying with Lily’s sister, Eleanor (‘Elna’) played by Jane Adams (you might best remember her as Niles Crane’s wife in Frasier) and Harriet Tolliver played by E. Katherine Kerr. Elna and Harriet turn out to be “sweethearts” by whom Lily judges her sister later, “You disgust me”. Lily comes to reconcile this fact in her mind somehow, albeit with little true understanding except that by the end of the movie, she does understand how much Elna loves Harriet.

Deladis becomes sort of a guide to Lily, taking her to different mountain folk to do her thing as a “Songcatcher”. She first introduces her to Viney Butler magically played by Pat Carroll (Ms. Carroll has a very long list of credits, but two of my favorites are as Disney’s villainous voices, Ursula and Morgana in Little Mermaid and Little Mermaid 2). Viney is the Grandmother of Tom Bledsoe (Aidan Quinn), who (ok, this part may be a little predictable) becomes Lily’s love interest, after much conflict of course.

It’s not possible to do this movie complete justice without putting it all on paper, but then it wouldn’t be complete because you would not have seen the beautiful mountains of North Carolina (where it was filmed) or heard the charming and soulful music. Besides the treasure trove of songs sung by the mountain folk, there are some wonderful songs such as:

"Pickin' That Thang (Dr. Joe)"
Written and performed by Taj Mahal

"Barbara Allen"
Traditional folk song
Music Arranged and Performed by David Mansfield
Performed by Emmylou Harris during the end credits
Iris DeMent appears courtesy of Warner Bros. Records, Inc.

It seems everyone on the mountain can pick up an instrument and their whole life seems to revolve around music in one way or another. They live untouched by the “outlanders”, threatened by people who want to exploit and cheat them (which Tom assumes Lily wants when she first arrives), the hard life of birthing babies without doctors, husbands who trollop from their wives and shot by their dalliances, fighting, drinking from the still, scratching out a living and loving, dancing, singing, and living life.

Tom is one of the few who has been “down the mountain”. He has seen what is down there and prefers the mountain. He tells Lily, “See, that's what you outlanders don't understand. Life is for enjoying, not just getting and working, and getting and working.”

In the end, most issues are resolved one way or another. There is a tragedy that destroys all of Lily’s work and the school. She decides not to continue, but with a bit of a unique twist. I don’t want to give any real spoilers, but I definitely think this film is worth the time to watch. As you watch, drink in the gorgeous cinematography, the lilting and haunting ballads and the wonderful people captured by the “Songcatcher”. You won’t be disappointed.


Songcatcher is a very complex and thoughtful story with many subplots that are not difficult to follow. It is wholesome and it is lusty. It's a real study in contrasts and how life choices may effect the world around those choices. It is so rich a story, you may find yourself wanting to watch it again, not because it was difficult to watch, but because you want another drink. All characters were played practically perfectly and were quite believable. Ms. Greenwald somehow seemed to meld the scenery, the music and the people into the most wonderful tapestry.





Recommended for further information:

Victrola Cylinders:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/edhtml/edcyldr.html

IMDb (Songcatcher)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210299/combined

Bluegrass Music
The earliest settlers in western North Carolina were the Scots-Irish. These early pioneers brought with them a wealth of both vocal and instrumental music traditions.
Mountain Acoustic Music Association:

http://www.ncmama.org/genres/history.php?genre=bluegrass






Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older