"However, there is a lot to this movie that falls short. The pacing is out of kilter; the last hour is monotonous, and irritatingly devoid of momentum from the characters. It arrives at a set of events and then just dwells, and quite senselessly I thought. There is an expectation that adults will exercise some strength of character, to be able to move forward. No one here does."
- This is not by chance (which everything from the dampened soundstage to the dull colors represent (note the analogy with the sea and what colors she has when she gives in to her emotions), this is how the movie is made and this is a big reason why i call it a masterpiece of melancholy, it draws you into the same emotion as is portrayed on the screen (if you let it, this not meaning you did not let it but for others who read this).
"Also, the depiction of multiple generations of women whose lives revolve entirely around men, the attraction of whom is unexplained, in a forgiving and submissive way, really reduces these women to mere caricature. This sort of stuff is not a lot developed beyond the feminine romance novels of the mid 20th Century."
-That is simply how it was before the war - which is when it's supposed to be taking place. Things were in many places this bad regarding equality back then.
Not giving that space from my point of view would be re-writing history.
Women did not have the same type of work as men did, they worked at home, as the wars raged on women got jobs in factories, this was a big part in the the change overall in the battle to reach equality for the sexes.
"I don't expect a story set in Greece in the early 20th Century to depict women as feminist heroes, but I think we can do better than the limp, weak women protagnists we get here. And I say this from a story perspective."
-There were plenty of strong women in the early 20th century, just have a look about when the shift to equal voting took place around Europe and go from there, that is a theme I've also viewed a few movies about (so having a movie that depicts strong women in the time of war isn't far fetched).
However, I do not draw the same conlcusions as you do, we've come a long way since those times, for me this movie depicts the helplessness the main character feels in regards to doing what she sees as the only viable option and being unable to do anything else until she breaks down that wall (in her mind) and gives in to the bond expressed by the two matching souls (typing love just didn't sound right for the context).
You should also note that the lead male character is neither able to act as he wants and doing so pursues her sister instead, none of the leading male roles were left outside the doubts and hardships within about making choices, they all face deep setbacks and struggles aswell (if it's not reaching success with a ship of his own, choosing between two women/lives or being rejected as not good enough).
[EDIT] Missed a spoilerblock, added it.
Ignorance is only a bliss if you haven't reached awareness.
My imdb posts are getting altered.
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