I've just finished viewing "The Member of the Wedding" (1952) on TCM.
Bernice Sadie Brown has family problems of her own. But as the cook & maid for the family she is the only mother-figure for Frankie. She cares for both the 12 year old girl & her 7 year old cousin John Henry.
Frankie appears to be an over-wrought, distraught adolescent. The only person she has to lean on is Bernice. This lady imparts much wisdom but is not being heard by the child. In fact Bernice is being shouted down by the 12 year old. But she is succeeding in loving her no matter what.
Frankie goes from being filled with angst to highly elated, then demanding & shouldn't be trusted alone in her wild behavior. She is all over the map emotionally. (Bi-polar disorder perhaps?)
Then she learns her brother Jarvis & his fiancé Janice are to be married. At this point things get worse. She decides to be not only a 'member of the wedding' but also a 'part of the honeymoon'. Wonder how far that's going to go?
To calm the anxious Frankie the night before the wedding Bernice, John Henry & Frankie snuggle together singing the old spiritual "His Eye is On the Sparrow". To me this is the most moving scene of the film.
The day of the wedding comes & Bernice is watching like a hawk & trying to second-guess Frankie while keeping the girl close! Any idea what's next? She's packed to run but how far will she get?
This movie was odd in that we find 26 year old Julie Harris playing a 12 year old. IMHO she looks too old & goes way over the top unless she is portraying Frankie as a child who needs emotional help. Even then I have a problem with the portrayal.
10 year old Brandon De Wilde is great as the 7 year old John Henry. (Had De Wilde lived I & many others agree he would have had an even more impressive acting career.)
Last but not least we have Ethel Waters (as Bernice) who, as is expected of her talent, is a real standout in acting & vocalizing. What more can we say about this lady? This is one of her last major roles & "The Member of the Wedding" is most impressive because of Miss Waters.
Bernice Sadie Brown has family problems of her own. But as the cook & maid for the family she is the only mother-figure for Frankie. She cares for both the 12 year old girl & her 7 year old cousin John Henry.
Frankie appears to be an over-wrought, distraught adolescent. The only person she has to lean on is Bernice. This lady imparts much wisdom but is not being heard by the child. In fact Bernice is being shouted down by the 12 year old. But she is succeeding in loving her no matter what.
Frankie goes from being filled with angst to highly elated, then demanding & shouldn't be trusted alone in her wild behavior. She is all over the map emotionally. (Bi-polar disorder perhaps?)
Then she learns her brother Jarvis & his fiancé Janice are to be married. At this point things get worse. She decides to be not only a 'member of the wedding' but also a 'part of the honeymoon'. Wonder how far that's going to go?
To calm the anxious Frankie the night before the wedding Bernice, John Henry & Frankie snuggle together singing the old spiritual "His Eye is On the Sparrow". To me this is the most moving scene of the film.
The day of the wedding comes & Bernice is watching like a hawk & trying to second-guess Frankie while keeping the girl close! Any idea what's next? She's packed to run but how far will she get?
This movie was odd in that we find 26 year old Julie Harris playing a 12 year old. IMHO she looks too old & goes way over the top unless she is portraying Frankie as a child who needs emotional help. Even then I have a problem with the portrayal.
10 year old Brandon De Wilde is great as the 7 year old John Henry. (Had De Wilde lived I & many others agree he would have had an even more impressive acting career.)
Last but not least we have Ethel Waters (as Bernice) who, as is expected of her talent, is a real standout in acting & vocalizing. What more can we say about this lady? This is one of her last major roles & "The Member of the Wedding" is most impressive because of Miss Waters.