Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Carol Campbell (left) and Rodney Campbell, stars of 'Glory to Gloriana', at the world premiere of the movie at the Carib 5 Cinema, Cross Roads, St. Andrew, last week Monday. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
IN THE 30 or so years that have gone since The Harder They Come and Smile Orange, Glory to Gloriana, written by Ray Addison and directed by Lennie Little-White, cannot be where we are as a film-producing country, because if we are only as good as our last work then we are in an awesomely bad state.
Ironically, stories like that found in Glory to Gloriana are the reason Jamaica needs to develop its own film industry. Economic potential aside, there is an intangible benefit to telling our own stories, especially those that ought to be inspiring. Glory to Gloriana is the story of the rise of Gloria Minto from orange seller to hotelier, and that should be an interesting story.
Additionally, biopics are often powerful because audiences connect more when they realise that it is a real story. Yet, Glory to Gloriana is unfortunately a great example to all aspiring writers who are looking to understand how not to write a story, whether a film, a play or a novel. So the film's biggest obstacle is its script and it stumbles awkwardly as it half-heartedly tries to leap over it. The story is contrived, as the tale moves between Gloria in a hotel room telling her story and the action unravelling.
STILTED DIALOGUE
Rather than ever allowing the plot to gather steam and propel itself forward, Gloria constantly interrupts by telling us everything, which allows the film to go against the simple rule of narrative - show rather than tell. The dialogue is stilted and uninteresting and the characters are unemotionally rendered.
As such, one is never able to understand what motivates Gloria or why she allows herself to be in an abusive relationship, despite her potential. The Gloria presented is uninteresting, flat and unworthy of either sympathy or admiration, because the audience is never made to understand how she managed
to overcome obstacles she encountered.
The script was written on the 'yadda-yadda' theory, where you take the best bits and gloss over them so that the audience is left with only the gist of the story. Instead, Glory to Gloriana is filled with sex. Unfortunately, it is not the kind of sex scenes that can either propel the plot forward or titillate the audience. Sex in Glory to Gloriana is profoundly inexplicable; one is simply left wondering what just happened and why it is happening. Furthermore, Glory to Gloriana is visually unappealing, whether in direction or cinematography.
The sole reprieve comes from the performance of Marguerite Newland, whose supporting performance was a joyous piece of relief every time she hit the screen.
