Back to Heavenly Creatures Page HEAVENLY CREATURES - YEAR 13 VISUAL TEXT
1.Where and when does the story take place? Christchurch, New Zealand. Time period:between October 1952, and mid-afternoon Tuesday June 22, 1954. 2.The two girls arrive at school in contrasted ways.What does this show? Pauline climbs the fence into CGHS grounds, near the bike stands; Juliet is brought by car.We often see Pauline riding her bike to Juliet’s – sometimes in pouring rain – but Juliet is most often seen being driven.Wealth and social standing v. lack of it. 3.Surprisingly, Pauline’s first reaction to Juliet is approval. Juliet is clearly privileged, wealthy and well-spoken – and thus more likely to be seen by P as like the other girls; but she is a disruptive influence right away, embarrasses the French teacher, and ignores instructions.P likes the rebel she sees J to be. 4.What is it that first draws the girls together? They are both excused PE because they have both suffered serious illnesses. 5.What is Pauline’s reaction to Juliet’s home at Ilam?Quote specific examples. She is awestruck – when she first arrives. She tries to be like them – she copies Hilda’s table manners – napkin etc. 6.How does Juliet behave when she first visits Pauline?What is the effect of this on the Riepers?How does Pauline react? Confident, self-assured, loud, brash, over-bearing. Bert is amused; Honora rather uneasy, out of her depth. Pauline is embarrassed by her home and her parents. 7.Who narrates the voiceover and what is she reading? Pauline – from her diaries. 8.Which Borovnian character does Pauline most relate to? Gina.Juliet calls her that and Pauline tries to get her family to call her by that name. 9.From where does title come? Pauline’s poem, where she refers to Juliet and herself as “heavenly creatures.” 10.From whose perspective is the story seen?What is the significance of this? Almost entirely from Pauline's perspective.The film may represent Pauline's version of reality, and hers alone. 11.What part does Mario Lanza play in the film? Mario Lanza is their first shared passion – “the world’s greatest tenor,” says Juliet.His recordings are used to highlight and underscore events. As a character, he flits between Borovnia and the real world but retains his identity as himself.He is apparently an important enough saint for him to be himself in the girls’ visions of all worlds.He is invariably shown singing, on a pedestal, dressed in a tuxedo.One incarnation is by a live actor. 12.What part does Orson Welles play in the film? Introduced in the “shrine” scene, where Pauline calls him “It” and Juliet rejects him as the “most hideous man alive” – his photo floats away. Diello has Orson Welles' features whenever he appears in visions, irrespective of which world is shown. After the girls see The Third Man, they also imagine Orson Welles as Harry Lime, but this incarnation of Welles only occurs in real-world visions.It is as Harry Lime that Orson Welles, or 'It,' is finally elevated to the status of an official saint.In the scenes from The Third Man that are shown, the Welles character is actually played by the real actor who then appears to the girls in the street afterwards.In the ‘love-making’ following the visit to the cinema, Pauline imagines herself both as Welles/Diello and as making love to him. 13.Why does Pauline go to bed with John-the-lodger? Identifying too closely with Gina?to annoy her parents?– a real rebellion that could only hurt them; her own developing sexuality and John was there?too naïve to see what was happening?It seems certain that it was not because of any passion for John. 14.To begin with Juliet is very much the dominant one.How is this shown? She takes the lead and Pauline follows. She is often filmed from low angle shots. She holds herself up and Pauline hunches. 15.When does the power shift?Why does it? Juliet’s fear of being abandoned makes her very dependent on Pauline, especially when her parents leave her.
Names – getting them sorted
16.The two 'Heavenly Creatures' go by many names.Why? They are both called different names in the film by different people, something that happens often in life but seldom in films – it is usually too confusing. They invent names for the imaginary characters in "Borovnia" and they call each other by these names quite often, both in conversation and in role play. By what names is Juliet known in the film? ØJuliet:Her given name, used by most people. ØAntoinette:Juliet's self-chosen name in French class. ØJulie, Julietta:Used familiarly by Pauline. ØDeborah:Juliet's Borovnian name - pronounced "deh-BORE-ah." By what names is Pauline known in the film? ØPauline:Used by teachers and other authority figures. ØPaulette:Pauline's self-chosen name in French class. ØPaul:Used familiarly by schoolmates, Juliet and Mrs Hulme. ØYvonne:Used by Pauline's family (her middle name). ØCharles:Pauline's pen name in letters to Juliet when Juliet was confined to the sanatorium; Deborah’s husband and father of Diello. ØGina:Used by Juliet and Pauline herself as her Borovnian name.Pauline demanded, unsuccessfully, that her mother also use this name when addressing her. By what names is John-the-lodger known in the film? ØJohn:Used by everyone but Pauline. ØNicholas:Pauline's Borovnian name for John. 17.Where does the family name Parker occur in the film? Only one character is referred to by the name Parker in the film, and she is Nana Parker, Pauline's maternal grandmother.Nana Parker is seen sitting quietly in the living room in several scenes, including the two 'Christmas' scenes, and is at tea when Juliet first comes to call.Pauline repeats what Nana Parker told her, during a quarrel with her mother in the Rieper's kitchen. Who is Pauline Parker? Pauline Parker is known as Pauline Rieper in the film - until the murder took place, the real Pauline was known as Pauline Rieper.Since the film is only concerned with the time before and up to the murder, Pauline's family name is Rieper in Heavenly Creatures.Dr Hulme calls her “that Rieper girl.” 18.Why is the real-life case called the "Parker" murder? Pauline's mother and father were never legally married - a fact revealed by the police investigation following the murder but not known to Pauline up to that point.Hence, the legal family name of Pauline's mother when she was murdered was still Parker, even though she went by the name Rieper.In all official real-life references to her in police reports and the press she is called Honora Parker.Similarly, Pauline's legal name at the time of the murder was Pauline Parker and that was what she was called in real-life documents and reports. This whole business of marital status and names must have been tremendously humiliating and a cruel additional stress for the already-suffering Rieper family.Legitimacy was still very much an important social concept in 1954, and Pauline was now publicly declared a bastard on top of all the other labels she would acquire. The press and public made two important concessions to the Riepers, however, in recognition and sympathy for their suffering.They may seem small to modern sensibilities, but they would not have gone unnoticed or unappreciated at the time.First, Honora Parker was always referred to as Mrs Parker, in tacit recognition of her being the wife of Mr Rieper.Second, neither she nor Mr Rieper were ever referred to as being the 'common-law' spouse - it would have been legally correct but would have just drawn excessive attention to the fact that the two were not legally married. Heavenly Creatures is precise and correct in these matters.The information presented at the start of the film states that Pauline Yvonne Parker was charged with murder, but most viewers don't retain the surname at that point.By the time the end notes are shown, the audience has come to know Pauline as Pauline Rieper.The short statement used to explain why Pauline was charged as Pauline Parker is then a poignant one.
1. Where and when does the story take place?
Christchurch, New Zealand.
Time period: between October 1952, and mid-afternoon Tuesday June 22, 1954.
2. The two girls arrive at school in contrasted ways. What does this show?
Pauline climbs the fence into CGHS grounds, near the bike stands; Juliet is brought by car. We often see Pauline riding her bike to Juliet’s – sometimes in pouring rain – but Juliet is most often seen being driven. Wealth and social standing v. lack of it.
3. Surprisingly, Pauline’s first reaction to Juliet is approval.
Juliet is clearly privileged, wealthy and well-spoken – and thus more likely to be seen by P as like the other girls; but she is a disruptive influence right away, embarrasses the French teacher, and ignores instructions. P likes the rebel she sees J to be.
4. What is it that first draws the girls together?
They are both excused PE because they have both suffered serious illnesses.
5. What is Pauline’s reaction to Juliet’s home at Ilam? Quote specific examples.
She is awestruck – when she first arrives.
She tries to be like them – she copies Hilda’s table manners – napkin etc.
6. How does Juliet behave when she first visits Pauline? What is the effect of this on the Riepers? How does Pauline react?
Confident, self-assured, loud, brash, over-bearing.
Bert is amused; Honora rather uneasy, out of her depth.
Pauline is embarrassed by her home and her parents.
7. Who narrates the voiceover and what is she reading?
Pauline – from her diaries.
8. Which Borovnian character does Pauline most relate to?
Gina. Juliet calls her that and Pauline tries to get her family to call her by that name.
9. From where does title come?
Pauline’s poem, where she refers to Juliet and herself as “heavenly creatures.”
10. From whose perspective is the story seen? What is the significance of this?
Almost entirely from Pauline's perspective. The film may represent Pauline's version of reality, and hers alone.
11. What part does Mario Lanza play in the film?
Mario Lanza is their first shared passion – “the world’s greatest tenor,” says Juliet. His recordings are used to highlight and underscore events.
As a character, he flits between Borovnia and the real world but retains his identity as himself. He is apparently an important enough saint for him to be himself in the girls’ visions of all worlds. He is invariably shown singing, on a pedestal, dressed in a tuxedo. One incarnation is by a live actor.
12. What part does Orson Welles play in the film?
Introduced in the “shrine” scene, where Pauline calls him “It” and Juliet rejects him as the “most hideous man alive” – his photo floats away.
Diello has Orson Welles' features whenever he appears in visions, irrespective of which world is shown.
After the girls see The Third Man, they also imagine Orson Welles as Harry Lime, but this incarnation of Welles only occurs in real-world visions. It is as Harry Lime that Orson Welles, or 'It,' is finally elevated to the status of an official saint. In the scenes from The Third Man that are shown, the Welles character is actually played by the real actor who then appears to the girls in the street afterwards. In the ‘love-making’ following the visit to the cinema, Pauline imagines herself both as Welles/Diello and as making love to him.
13. Why does Pauline go to bed with John-the-lodger?
Identifying too closely with Gina? to annoy her parents? – a real rebellion that could only hurt them; her own developing sexuality and John was there? too naïve to see what was happening? It seems certain that it was not because of any passion for John.
14. To begin with Juliet is very much the dominant one. How is this shown?
She takes the lead and Pauline follows.
She is often filmed from low angle shots.
She holds herself up and Pauline hunches.
15. When does the power shift? Why does it?
Juliet’s fear of being abandoned makes her very dependent on Pauline, especially when her parents leave her.
Names – getting them sorted
16. The two 'Heavenly Creatures' go by many names. Why?
They are both called different names in the film by different people, something that happens often in life but seldom in films – it is usually too confusing.
They invent names for the imaginary characters in "Borovnia" and they call each other by these names quite often, both in conversation and in role play.
By what names is Juliet known in the film?
Ø Juliet: Her given name, used by most people.
Ø Antoinette: Juliet's self-chosen name in French class.
Ø Julie, Julietta: Used familiarly by Pauline.
Ø Deborah: Juliet's Borovnian name - pronounced "deh-BORE-ah."
By what names is Pauline known in the film?
Ø Pauline: Used by teachers and other authority figures.
Ø Paulette: Pauline's self-chosen name in French class.
Ø Paul: Used familiarly by schoolmates, Juliet and Mrs Hulme.
Ø Yvonne: Used by Pauline's family (her middle name).
Ø Charles: Pauline's pen name in letters to Juliet when Juliet was confined to the sanatorium; Deborah’s husband and father of Diello.
Ø Gina: Used by Juliet and Pauline herself as her Borovnian name. Pauline demanded, unsuccessfully, that her mother also use this name when addressing her.
By what names is John-the-lodger known in the film?
Ø John: Used by everyone but Pauline.
Ø Nicholas: Pauline's Borovnian name for John.
17. Where does the family name Parker occur in the film?
Only one character is referred to by the name Parker in the film, and she is Nana Parker, Pauline's maternal grandmother. Nana Parker is seen sitting quietly in the living room in several scenes, including the two 'Christmas' scenes, and is at tea when Juliet first comes to call. Pauline repeats what Nana Parker told her, during a quarrel with her mother in the Rieper's kitchen.
Who is Pauline Parker?
Pauline Parker is known as Pauline Rieper in the film - until the murder took place, the real Pauline was known as Pauline Rieper. Since the film is only concerned with the time before and up to the murder, Pauline's family name is Rieper in Heavenly Creatures. Dr Hulme calls her “that Rieper girl.”
18. Why is the real-life case called the "Parker" murder?
Pauline's mother and father were never legally married - a fact revealed by the police investigation following the murder but not known to Pauline up to that point. Hence, the legal family name of Pauline's mother when she was murdered was still Parker, even though she went by the name Rieper. In all official real-life references to her in police reports and the press she is called Honora Parker. Similarly, Pauline's legal name at the time of the murder was Pauline Parker and that was what she was called in real-life documents and reports.
This whole business of marital status and names must have been tremendously humiliating and a cruel additional stress for the already-suffering Rieper family. Legitimacy was still very much an important social concept in 1954, and Pauline was now publicly declared a bastard on top of all the other labels she would acquire.
The press and public made two important concessions to the Riepers, however, in recognition and sympathy for their suffering. They may seem small to modern sensibilities, but they would not have gone unnoticed or unappreciated at the time. First, Honora Parker was always referred to as Mrs Parker, in tacit recognition of her being the wife of Mr Rieper. Second, neither she nor Mr Rieper were ever referred to as being the 'common-law' spouse - it would have been legally correct but would have just drawn excessive attention to the fact that the two were not legally married.
Heavenly Creatures is precise and correct in these matters. The information presented at the start of the film states that Pauline Yvonne Parker was charged with murder, but most viewers don't retain the surname at that point. By the time the end notes are shown, the audience has come to know Pauline as Pauline Rieper. The short statement used to explain why Pauline was charged as Pauline Parker is then a poignant one.