Film Buffs Please Read...

[loveshovel]

Hello East Dulwich Filmy Types,

We are trying to remember what film it is where the opening scene is a point of view shot from the main character who is in a boat watching a funeral where the coffin is being pushed out to sea, and lots of women all in black are weeping and wailing over the coffin. Does anyone know the film?

Thanks!

[loveshovel]

-- moved topic --

[HAL9000]

Four Widows and a Funeral at Sea?

[giggirl]

The only film I can think of with a coffin and women in black at sea is "Don't Look Now". But the opening scene in that was of a little girl running and drowning. Can't you give us a clue or something?

[SteveT]

Carry on drowning?

[PeckhamRose]

Doesn't wood float?

[SimonM]

Wailing women in black sounds like an Italian film...

[PeckhamRose]

Sounds like a scene from series 3 or 4 of X Files.

[Keef]

This is really nugging me, have been trying to do searches, but can't come up with anything!

[microbite]

Have to say, I am a complete film Buff and am racking my brains, any expansion on the description loveshovel, is it a horror, love story, weepy, true life or (although I doubt it) a comedy? Givusa clue, givusa clue! even the music, go on hum it and I'll see if I can track it down X ;-)

[PeckhamRose]

Yeah, who is in it? Then we can spend our afternoon on IMDB instead of working.

[microbite]

Eureka! its not that film where the guy dies and the wives suddenly discover at his funeral they were all married to the same chap is it? the semi funny film.

[microbite]

Well, bit of a prematureka there I guess!

[Blinkeyblonck]

I know! We just can't remember what is is! (I'm Loveshovel's housemate and probably responsible for this annoying mystery- sorry)

We seem to remember that you can't hear the women- just the waves or perhaps its silence. But there is a voiceover of a man commenting on how the women are grieving properly rather than holding it all in....its a sort of wry observation type voiceover.

Oh- the scene is quite disconnected from the rest of the film I think...

oh i just HAVE TO KNOW!

Anyoneee????

[microbite]

Period drama perhaps? is the film black and white or a new film, can you name any of the actors? Thanks, got me bugged now and I haven't even seen it! ha!

[Cassius]

Did The Piano start like that? Probably not but something sort of stirred in the recesses.

[SimonM]

It's not "The Man Who Loved Women" by any chance?

I only saw the Truffaut original and not the re-make...

[dita-on-tees]

I am sure it is a scene from something I watched recently either godfather I or II, or from a scene in six feet under where they are considering the concept of grief. It is something with a narration. has been bugging me too.

[TillieTrotter]

The Piano sprung to my mind too.

[Wombat]

French Lieutenant's Woman?

[loveshovel]

Argh, wish I could give you more clues! It's none of the films said so far I'm afraid. I'll try and recall more...BlinkeyBlonck's observations give you more of an insight! It's a point of view shot, a male character, as BB said, quite dry...

ARGH!

[HAL9000]

And the Ship Sails On (Italian: E la nave va), a 1983 Italian film by Federico Fellini. It depicts the events on board a luxury liner filled with the friends of a deceased opera singer who have gathered to mourn her.

The film opens depicting a scene in July 1914 immediately prior to the cruise ship Gloria N. setting sail from Naples Harbor. The opening sequence is in sepia tones, as if it were a film shot in that era, with no sound other than the whirring of the projector. Gradually the sepia fades into full colour and we can hear the characters? dialogue.

Orlando, an Italian journalist, supplies commentary by directly addressing the camera, explaining to the viewer that the cruise is a funeral voyage to disperse the ashes of opera singer Edmea Tetua near the island of Erimo, her birthplace. Considered the greatest singer of all time, Tetua is celebrated for her goddess-like voice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_the_Ship_Sails_On

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087188/

[Blinkeyblonck]

Wow that was detailed but I have never seen that film!! So it can't be that....

Also the voiceover is English....so it's either an American or English film.

BAH!

[Hannah6_6]

The Piano was in my mind but the opening sequence is on a beach with a wooden box which is not a coffin but actually the Piano!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QSXnHxdWulo

[bigbadwolf]

Anyone fancy a cuppa?