Still Becoming: Reimagining Aging on Screen
Strangers in Good Company is a film about a group of six older women and one young woman who become stranded in the middle of the Canadian countryside after their bus breaks down. The film uses a semi-documentary/semi-fictional style, meaning that the director, Cynthia Scott, blends fictional aspects with the real-life aspects of the actors to create a film about the joys of aging. The six women are given a chance to document their lives whilst challenging common aging tropes. They cook, sing, swim and dance while they struggle with the ever-looming and fast approaching idea of death, in the form of old age and uncertain extraction from the abandoned farmhouse. The younger woman, Michelle (Michelle Sweeney), is a clear contrast to the group, through both her youthful age and darker skin color. Throughout the film, Michelle is given few opportunities to discuss her personal life and the audience is given little context into it. She remains subdued with few exceptions, such as when the women are eating frog legs and Michelle replies in response to another woman how she has before eaten frog legs and thoroughly enjoys them. Through this contrast and the absence of personal anecdotes, Michelle assumes the role of interviewer throughout the film, allowing Scott’s message to be accessible to younger age groups, encouraging young people to take a positive interest in the process of aging. This solidifies the message of the film; that aging is a beautiful thing and both younger and older people should recognize that.
The film was made in a unique way to express the beauty of aging. The director of the film, Cynthia Scott, created Strangers in Good Company as a semi-documentary/semi-fictional film (docufiction). This means that the characters are placed into a fictional crisis when their bus breaks down on their way to Catherine’s childhood home, leaving the women stranded in the Canadian countryside. In this time, the women reflect on their real lives and are seen to grow and learn both fictionally and realistically. Personal growth is arguably the film’s most significant theme in conveying its overall message. We are aware of the reality of the situations and lives the women find themselves in, but the growth is the sole part of the film requiring viewers to make their own conclusions about the reality of it. The film is slow, with scenes of birdwatching or fishing functioning as a backdrop for the women’s conversations, which remain the true focus of the viewer’s attention. These discussions are filled with what the viewer would expect strangers to discuss, like general details recounting their lives. This documentation of reality allows viewers to recognize that these women have lived full lives and have aged in the process. The uniqueness of this film is that these women still continue to grow, learning how to belly dance, fish, eat frog legs and challenge themselves to try new things.
In our current society, aging is viewed as inherently negative, but even more so for women. In a world where beauty and youth have historically been the markers of what a woman should be like, the disdain for aging is even more intense for women. In the article “Hags, Nags, Witches and Crones: Reframing Age in The Company of Strangers” by Angela Stukator, the main thesis is that the problem of age is a feminist issue, as ageism is specifically damaging in regards to disdain for women. Yet Strangers in Good Company managed to create a warmhearted film filled with aging women (with the exception of Michelle) that flipped the script in regards to “normal” aging by casting realistic older women who participate in energetic customs associated
with youth. While depicting old women doing what society expects to be abnormal things for their age, like swimming, laughing or dancing, the film also makes no attempt to hide their age through the discussions of their current medications or even the deaths of those closest to them (sons, husbands, etc.). Through this simple depiction, these women are brought back to life and the message clearly shows that aging is a positive experience, not something to stop you from enjoying or living your life.
This juxtaposition is not the only way Cynthia Scott managed to display her message. The article “Semi-Documentary/Semi-Fiction: An Examination Of Genre In Strangers In Good Company” by Diana George discusses how the form of docufiction contributes to the message of the text. Scott doesn’t actually direct lives or document lives. The film was purely meant to be a mix of the actors and characters, blurring the lines of reality and fiction. The docufiction praises age and contributes to uncovering the truth behind a veil. The point of the film is that women are continuously growing, not stopping just because they are old women.
Beth, one of the characters, is a prime example of the power of docufiction. Restricted by her gender, her personal goals, and her social class, Beth was never able to receive an education and is often concerned with attempting to hide her age, “always on guard for signs of aging, she talks of feeling constrained by time, appearance, custom. Thus, one purpose of documentary as a form (to reveal hidden truths about ourselves, our culture, our history) is fulfilled in the way Beth models those cultural constraints through fiction” (1995). Beth didn’t have the opportunity to achieve what she wanted in her life like her education. This story provides a tangible example of the negative stereotypes forced upon older adults, but also upon women in general.
As the film progresses the audience is able to see Beth’s personal growth a bit closer. While talking with Michelle, Beth takes off her wig and is seen to make a step towards beginning to appreciate herself and her beauty, regardless of age. This allows for the frowned upon idea of aging to be painted in a new light: women are immortalized in fiction while they are at the end of their life, yet they are still evolving in a realistic way. The documentary elements of the film allow viewers to interpret its message quite literally (as it is almost real), while the fictional narrative shapes how that reality is presented, emphasizing a positive and uplifting perspective on aging.
This message has been accurately depicted and easily identifiable for older adults. The article, “Mourning the Woman’s Film: The Dislocated Spectator of The Company of Strangers” by Catherine Russell discusses who the ideal viewer for this film is and asserts that “my grandmother who saw the film in the final, 92nd year of her life, is the ideal spectator” (Russell 2). Her observations reflect the film’s focus on the six older women and the documentation of their varied lives, which may resonate strongly with older audiences. Throughout the film, juxtaposition of age was used to display the theme of love for aging to the viewers, yet Russell also determined that “I don’t think she and her age-group are alone in empathizing with the characters.” Russell discusses that while older adults are likely the main focus group for the film, all viewers can become engaged and empathic with the love for aging that is displayed in the film (Russell, 1994). The film didn’t need to create fictional realities of women to be woven into characters, but, instead, allowed the actors to remain purely as they are in order to develop the idea of the reality of aging. In this way, the purpose of the film is to emphasize that aging does not need to be sugar coated or romanticized because aging in itself is simply beautiful. This message, combined with the relative diversity of the women, allows all viewers to be touched by the film, not restricting to one particular group.
Generally, older generations seem to be more focused on youth, but by presenting a young woman who shows genuine admiration for the older generation, encourages younger viewers to model this behavior. Michelle’s role as interviewer is particularly relevant, as it makes Scott’s message of appreciation for aging more tangible for younger age groups. Additionally, the film is also easily relatable to older audiences as seen through the depiction of older women that viewers can identify with. These depictions allow for the message of aging as a natural and positive process to be easily digestible in any age group. Ultimately, Michelle bridges the age divide, enforcing the main idea of the film that aging is not something to fear, but a beautiful and continuous process of growth.
Works Cited:
George, Diana. “Semi-Documentary/Semi-Fiction: An Examination of Genre in Strangers in Good Company.” Journal of Film and Video, vol. 46, no. 4, 1995, pp. 24–30. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/docview/224640110.
Meigs, Mary. In the Company of Strangers. Talonbooks, 1991.
Russell, Catherine. “Mourning the Woman’s Film: The Dislocated Spectator of The Company of Strangers.” Canadian Journal of Film Studies, vol. 3, no. 2, 1994, pp. 25–40. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/docview/222744271.
Stukator, Angela. “Hags, Nags, Witches and Crones: Reframing Age in The Company of Strangers.” Canadian Journal of Film Studies, vol. 5, no. 2, 1996, pp. 51–66. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/docview/222698805.