MovieChat Forums > Heavenly Creatures (1994) Discussion > Why were the girls so fixated on Honora ...

Why were the girls so fixated on Honora Parker?

posted 10 years ago by Fallen_Descamisado
12 replies | jump to latest

It seems Juliet's parents were the one who aggressively wanted for the girls to end their relationship and Mrs. Hulme really dropped the ball when she had the affair and divorced her husband, which would send Juliet away to South Africa. By all logic (twisted and macabre logic, but logic nonetheless), the Juliet and Pauline should've gone after Juliet's mother, yet the two decided to kill Pauline's mother. Why did they single out her? All four of the parents were against the relationship, the Hulmes actually more so than the Parker/Riepers. Is it because Honora was the weakest, hence the easier target?

"...When they found her, she was still smiling."

[–] rosewater86 10 years ago

She's the one who voiced her opinion more, she had to be the mother who set limitations for her daughter...Pauline thought she was a nag.

[–] tody711 10 years ago

With her dead the girls thought Pauline could go to Africa with Juliet. Since Pauline's mother and father were really not married...

[–] lilac13 10 years ago

The book "Anne Perry and the Murder of the Century" explains that Juliets father gave the girls hope that Pauline might be able to come to Africa, even though he was really against it. The girls considered him an ally, and Honora as the obstacle.

[–] butaneggbert 8 years ago

Juliet's mother was a piece of work. She denied she'd asked Yvonne how she thought she'd like England, even using the name "Gina". Yvonne's diary entries were explicit, honest and straightforward (if delusional). Why would she have lied about that one thing?

I got the distinct impression author Peter Graham embellished a lot. For example, I'm not sure whether to buy the story that Juliet's mother burned her diary. But the lie about leading "Gina" to believe they'd all go to England - that set Nora up as the villain. Ironically, she'd be the one who was truthful all along.

_______________

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[–] otter 10 years ago

I've always suspected that the movie shows her as being much nicer than she was in real life. In the movie she's shown as being deeply concerned for her daughter, and letting the worry drive her to say unkind things. The film was based on Pauline's diaries, and IMHO any mother who would tell her a fifteen-year-old that educating her is money wasted is NOT a good, concerned parent. And she's worse than a nag.

" Jack, you have debauched my sloth! "

[–] tgrrrsss 9 years ago

I don't think there is much doubt that SArah Peirses portrayal of Honora was more sympathetic than the real life South Island Working class housewife Honora most likely was(unmarried though she was)

None of that is an excuse for what happened but it's likely she was hard bitten and cold in all probability as we would view it today.
The Hulmes were also wealthier, considered more glamorous (English of course) and seemingly warmer people.

How they actually were was no doubt something of a facade, but it's no boubt how Pauline would have viewed them.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] secondacc 8 years ago

Deserved it then?

[–] Murray_Hewitt 10 years ago

Honora was the obstacle to Pauline's obtaining a passport.

R G B

[–] king_of_bob 9 years ago

Because Honora was the only one telling the girls she felt they shouldn't spend time together. Hence why the girls saw her as the primary obstacle in their relationship.

Juliet's parents weren't seen as actively trying to separate the girls. Their separation was going to be a result of the divorce. BUT they also let Pauline believe there was a possibility of her going to South Africa with Juliet.

I suggest you watch the movie again, because the only person the girls see actively trying to keep them apart is Honora.

The new home of Welcome to Planet Bob: http://kingofbob.blogspot.ca/

[–] Borovnia54 8 years ago

In real life, Hilda Hulme humored the girls by telling them that Pauline could accompany Juliet to South Africa. Although she and Henry Hulme knew that wasn't going to happen, but since the girls thought Mrs. Rieper was the one standing in the way, she became the target.

[–] Wilde_child 7 years ago

There was a bit of a class clash too. I doubt Juliet's parents would let Pauline come with them.