‘Atonement’ was adapted in 2007 from the Ian McEwan novel of the same name. It is the sophomore film by Pride and Prejudice director, Joe Wright. It follows the life of Briony Tallis. At 13, Briony wishes to be a writer and upon witnessing an exchange between her sister, Cecelia and the housekeeper’s son, Robbie that she does not quite understand, she allows her imagination to fictionalise the events. The fallout changes the course of all three lives forever. Unsurprisingly, the 2019 film ‘The Aftermath’ also explores the consequences of a traumatic event. It is also based on a novel written by Rhidian Brook and published in 2013. ‘The Aftermath’, directed by James Kent follows the lives of British colonel Lewis Morgan and his wife Rachael after they are assigned to live in Hamburg during the occupation of the allied forces. Tensions soon surface as Rachael, played by Kiera Knightley expresses her vehement opposition to the continued stay of their house’s previous owner Stefan Lubert.
Wright’s 2007 masterpiece was not short on accolades, even nabbing a nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Sadly, ‘The Aftermath’ did not achieve the same success. Therefore, it is expected that ‘Atonement’ is rich in technological and filmmaking achievements. Commonly, it is the lengthy (five minutes!) tracking shot chronicling Robbie’s arrival at Dunkirk that is cited. Due to the overwhelming discourse on the subject, this article will explore Wright’s successful creation of atmosphere in the film’s opening act. Like the events of Dunkirk in ‘Atonement’, ‘The Aftermath’ is blessed with a rich historical backdrop. The period features a divided Germany, with the country split into four zones dedicated to a different allied country. Kent’s film takes place in the British occupied Hamburg which is attempting to rebuild after a firestorm of bombs flattened the city. However, Kent overlooks the bounties of history in favour of creating an atmosphere rooted in the weather. His characters are forced to endure a brutal winter. This article will explore the connotations and impact of Winter in ‘The Aftermath’ and why it failed to match the success of Wright’s summery climate in ‘Atonement’.
‘Atonement’ debuts in an English Country House in the summer of 1935. The stifling heat of the estate immediately suffocates the audience. Trapping you with the Tallis family as the heat and tension builds and builds like a ticking time bomb until it finally explodes and the second act comes hurtling on screen. The characters and the audience are suddenly thrust into the depths of World War II with unexpected force. It obliterates the tranquillity of the summer. In addition, the opening can be considered an allusion to childhood, unburdened by tragedy and driven by innocence. But if so, the second and third acts represent the shattering of Briony’s innocence as the character reconciles with the consequences of her actions. On the contrary, ‘The Aftermath’ begins in the winter of 1946. It is after the war and therefore there is an immediate discrepancy between the two films. In ‘Atonement’ the viewer is allowed to witness the events that divide the Tallis family, whereas ‘The Aftermath’ takes a different approach. Kent alludes to the war-time tragedies that shook the Morgan’s and the Lubert’s but he does not show them, instead he focuses on the consequences such as; the Morgan’s dysfunctional marriage resulting from the death of their son Michael. However, it is arguable that due to this, the film remains stagnant as the characters are confronted with little conflict (save from a mediocre subplot starring Freda and her Nazi inclined love interest) and consequently undergo little development. Ultimately, this discredits the relationship between Rachael and Stefan which appears to have no long-term impact and is comparable to the theatrics of a soap opera love triangle.
Meanwhile at the Tallis estate, the heat burgeons on oppressive. The act maintains a romantic aesthetic that is soon exiled after the character’s lives diverge. Each scene is bathed in a warm glow like a delicate, intangible dream. To create the atmosphere, Wright engages with a muted colour palette intensifying the saturation as the tension builds and the mise-en-scene becomes increasingly dense with pattern and textures. ‘The Aftermath’ is equally dense with pattern, as the Lubert house rivals that of the Tallis’. Prior to the war, Lubert decorated his home with expensive paintings, luxurious wallpapers and a great Steinway piano. It alludes to a life of great luxury. However, the extravagance is perceived superficially. It is simply there, even Rachael comments that it is not to her taste, expressing her dislike for the house’s modern sensibilities. As a result, it is unable to reflect the characters proclivities and ultimately fails to foster a strong atmosphere. In order to create an atmosphere indicative of a summer haze, Wright tackled the use of filters from a practical perspective. Whilst Wright did employ a computerised filter over the early scenes, he also secured a Christian Dior stocking over the lens of the camera. The stocking successfully tempers the dense climate by softening each form. The effect corresponds to the shimmering trick of light caused by the hot sun which enables heat waves to become visible. When around water (such as the lake or fountain seen in the Tallis grounds), it can be referred to as ‘sun glitter’ due to the bright, sparkling light that is formed from the reflection of sunlight on water. The shimmer, paired with the opulence of the estate give the earlier scenes a sense of carefree joy driven by the freedom and euphoria of a long hot summer. Ultimately, Wright manages to encapsulate the essence of the summer season ensuring it bleeds onto each frame. Also, the application of a Dior stocking is rather fitting if you assess the ambience of the Tallis estate. It is all elegance and luxury. Furthermore, Christian Dior once claimed that “the detail is as important as the essential”, a sentiment echoed throughout ‘Atonement’.
The euphoric joy of ‘Atonement’ is completely lost in ‘The Aftermath’. This is inevitable as the characters are instantly weighed down by the pressures of their trauma. As Rachael and Lewis confront the loss of their son Michael and Stefan, his wife. It is this loss that brings the characters of Rachael and Stefan together as they connect through their pain. Notably, Jason Clarke’s character Lewis remains distant, rarely acknowledging the death of his son. It is later revealed that Rachael believes he blames her for Michael’s death. It is arguable that Lewis Morgan’s cold disposition forces his wife to seek the comfort of Stefan. As it is clear that Stefan is more emotionally available. Therefore it is plausible that Rachael and Stefan do not truly desire one another but simply seek what they cannot receive elsewhere. However, Kent attempts to disguise the superficiality of their relationship by paralleling the reconstruction of Hamburg with Rachael’s desire to start afresh. It is a suggestion that the devastation caused by the flattening of Hamburg can allow for the construction of something greater. Consequently, Rachael’s affair with Stefan should lead to a better life. However, Kent completely reneges on this promise as Rachael ends her affair with Stefan and returns to her husband. Again, Kent strips the pair of their credibility and reduces the relationship to simple primal desires. Additionally, the lack of commitment forces the affair to read more like a holiday fling as it is deficient in any long-term impact. Comparably to ‘Atonement’ this is reflected in the set. ‘The Aftermath’ is set in the dead on winter, the snow is deep and the skies are grey. It is an obvious example of pathetic fallacy as the characters are cold, often struggling against their emotions. The deep snow is representative of Stefan and Freda’s seclusion and Rachael’s entrapment in her marriage or the Lubert’s house. Furthermore, the heavier moments in the script are depicted at night such as Rachael’s breakdown at the piano and Lewis’ deadly chase in the forest. It is a direct method of communicating the emotion to the audience and again confirms that ‘The Aftermath’ lacks the ingenuity and nuances of Wrights direction.
In conclusion, both ‘Atonement’ and ‘The Aftermath’ feature illicit romances that cross either a class or social boundary. However, ‘Atonement’ successfully balances a multi-period tragi-romance with the aesthetic triumph of capturing the essence of the summer season on screen. ‘The Aftermath’ attempts a similar pursuit with winter, however Kent manages only to create flat characters who engage in insincere relationships. Furthermore, Kent fails to fuse together the world of war-torn Hamburg with the relationship between Stefan and Rachael occurring within the house. The latter overwhelms the former to such an extent that each could be mistaken for separate films. Therefore, Kent presents his audience with a splintered narrative that cannot be compared with the multi-faceted achievements of ‘Atonement’ despite its best efforts.
‘The Triumphs of Summer and The Tribulations of Winter’ is an article written by Ashleigh Green. You can find out more about Ashleigh on Linkedin.
