Questions

Both my wife and I thought this film had the potential to be a top-rate Victorian (almost Gothic) horror mystery, but the unanswered questions (plus the over-exuberance of the mad-woman character) sort of unravelled the film's power.

1) What ever happened to the Squire's (Derek Jacobi) first wife? There is the legend brought forth that the Fairfield men drive their wives mad, but the fate of this wife is left unanswered.

2) Just who is the mad-woman (role overblown or not)? Brother Harry (hardly to be believed about anything) claims it is Charles' first wife. Charles (husband of Alice) says - not so. His personality through the film would make his story more plausible. But then, who is she? Who drove her mad? How? Why? One might guess that she was actually the Squire's wife, but this notion is never developed, even if hinted at. The fact that (toward the end) she does in the Squire might give some credibility to this line of thinking, but it has never been developed - in spite of numerous opportunities (by Charles himself, by the housekeeper at Carwell Grange, etc.)

3) Charles and his brother are twice observed/overheard having a heated conversation about "the old soldier". What is that all about? It could be inferred that it has something to do with money (family money?), but the thread is never developed.

There are numerous other items, but this should be enough to de-cloud (if possible) the major issues.

Thanks for any thoughts on the subject.

John