movie review of mourning becomes Electra

On 24th September, Our Heena Madam arranged the movie screening of 'Mourning becomes Electra', the play written by Eugene O'Neill.
The film was directed by Dudley Nicholas. The film was helped in many ways to better understanding of the play. We are thankful to ma'am, for arranged the screening. The film was very faithful to the play we can find same kind of plot, or we say there was nothing changes from the play. 

The play and the film has trilogy,
The Homecoming,
The Hunted, and
The Haunted

When film begins Seth Beckwith, the gardener and trustworthy of Mennon family, he converses with the visitors, about Brigadier General Ezra Mennon's journey from judge to brigadier. Beckwith called him 'gossip monger'.After that Lavinia who was the daughter of Ezra Mennon and Christian Mennon, showed her mother with the cousin of her, Edam Brant. Her mother has extra marital affair with Captain Edam Brant. Lavinia has excessive emotions for his father, that's why she hated his mother.

                 Here, we can include the myth of Electra. After the death of her father she needs the concerned of her brother, Orin. But, he has fixation on his mother and also an alternate between mother and sister. Lavinia does the manipulation of his brother. Orin killed Adam Brant, it the cause of the death of Christian.

Death as a theme:-

Firstly the death taken the life of Ezra Mennon. Then the death of Christian, because she couldn't bare the death of Adam Brant, Orin killed him and he also feels guilty and attempts a suicide. So, The death is a main theme, because all the main character died in the play and in film also, only Lavinia remains at the end.

Electra complex and Oedipus complex:-

In movie and play ,there is  importance  of myth of Electra complex and Oedipus complex. Lavinia shows Electra complex , she loves her father and wants to be wife of him. She said that she can not love to Petter because her father needs her.

Other side Orin shows Oedipus complex, he loves her mother and  wants her love forever. He can not tolerate her relationship with Adam Brant and he kill him on Adam'S ship.

Fragmentation of family:-


It breaks the form of 'ideal family, everyone has their own thinking, absence of love, fake relationship. It can be the effect of war and the complexity of the Lavinia and Orin. 

We can apply the psycho-analytic elements, Electra complex, Oedipus complex. Christin's treatment towards her son, and Orin says to his mother,
Thus, the film helps me to understand the play and the characters as well. The film has power of visuals and sounds, that's why we can easily get the idea and better understand the play or a novel.