Seeing THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS

Michael Fassbender (Tom Sherbourne) and Alicia Vikander (Isabel Graysmark). Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

W…

Written by

Jude Thaddeus Bautista

Tom Sherbourne (Michael Fassbender): I should’ve died years ago. Meeting you for the first time changed everything, to be loved by you allowed me to feel again. The pain, sacrifice it was all worth it for every moment I ever had with you.

The Light Between Oceans is a best seller list novel translated to several languages including Italian. Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS the movie on HBO Asia.

THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS is a compelling story about choosing duty or love. It is currently airing in HBO Asia (click on this link for screening schedule). Based on a bestselling novel written by Margot L. Stedman that has been translated to multiple languages and sold more than 2 million copies worldwide.

Michael Fassbender (Tom Sherbourne) and Alicia Vikander (Isabel Graysmark). Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

The Shadow of World War I

Set in the 1920s, Tom Sherbourne was a soldier, a veteran of the First World War. After an extremely conservative and strict upbringing, he was trained to suppress his emotions just to survive. Tom’s adherence to the rules was second nature coming from his stringent childhood. This was something he got used to also as a soldier in one of the most brutal wars the world has seen.

The actual shooting location for the lighthouse was Cape Campbell Lighthouse in Marlborough, New Zealand. Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

The Janus island lighthouse, on the other side of the world, in one of the remotest parts of Australia was a unique challenge. A lone operator had to be able to follow procedure and schedules, without having to be supervised. Previous operators were unable to deal with the sheer desolation. Finding the right person for the job was a near impossible task. But the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service found their man in Tom.

Not only was he able to perform his duties well but the desolation was nothing compared to the horrors he had witnessed on the Western Front. There were no more shipwrecks with the consistent hand of Tom manning the lighthouse.

from left: Michael Fassbender (Tom Sherbourne) and Jack Thompson (Ralph Addicott).Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

Ralph Addicott (Jack Thompson) an old boatman who would bring him supplies was his only link to the civilized world. On the rare occasion, Ralph would bring him to town, (which was still a considerable distance away) Tom was met with a grateful townsfolk. As a war veteran he seemed an almost heroic figure.

Alicia Vikander as Isabel Graysmark; catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

Isabel

Isabel Graysmark (Alicia Vikander) had a warm smile, light easygoing nature anyone could fall in love with. She was the antidote to his serious, melancholy side. She took away all the painful memories of the past, made him grateful for his current life and look to the future. They seemed destined for each other.

Since she couldn’t bear to see him leave she asked to marry him so she could be permitted on Janus (as his wife). Tom was hesitant to bring Isabel into such a desolate place. But because she was so in love with him it became their private paradise. They had everything they needed in a small island: a storm proof house (apart from the lighthouse itself), a vegetable patch, a broken piano, two hens. Most of all they had each other.

Inconsolable

After sometime, one stormy night Tom tells Isabel that nothing will happen to her as long as she stays in their house. Tom has to make sure the lighthouse was operating especially during the storm.Isabel was in the kitchen when she feels a sharp sudden pain in her abdomen. The pain was so excruciating she felt she had to go to Tom. So she went outside to brave the winds and rain going to the lighthouse. But the gate was made of metal and the howling winds masked her voice and banging. Tom didn’t hear her. He found her the next morning lying by the gate still alive. They discover that she had a miscarriage.

Moral Dilemma

The next scene Tom plants a cross in their yard to mark a grave for their unborn child. Isabel is inconsolable. In spite of their prayers and best hopes, after some time, Isabel has a second miscarriage. Isabel was lying beside the grassy patch by the graves when she heard Tom scream from afar. He was trying to signal to her that a small boat was approaching near the beach. She saw him run to it so she followed.

The rowboat had a lifeless man carrying a baby that was alive. The infant was a girl with wisps of blonde hair not unlike Isabel’s sandy brown blonde color. She held the baby the whole night without letting her go. The following morning Tom tells her of the need to radio their discovery. Isabel begs him, “You’re all about saving lives. Let’s save this one life because she needs us. We’re not doing anything wrong.” Tom is torn between the regulations he has so faithfully followed all his life and his wife’s need for this child. This is the moral dilemma; the beginning of the conflict Tom finds himself in.

Michael Fassbender (Tom Sherbourne) and Alicia Vikander (Isabel Graysmark). Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

Real Life Romance

The novel made waves after it was published in 2012. Not long after its bestseller list success, plans were made to produce the film, which was shot in 2014. Lead actors Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander met before, but this time writer director Derek Cianfrance required them to live on set for six weeks. This is to establish ‘intimacy’ that would translate into the screen.

Michael Fassbender (Tom Sherbourne) and Alicia Vikander (Isabel Graysmark). Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

It’s a chemistry that would spill over real life. Soon after production the two stars announced they were dating. Fassbender is 12 years her senior at 37 while Vikander is 25, during production. A year later after the film was released the two married, in October 2017.

Photo from Official fb:
https://www.facebook.com/TheLightBetweenOceans

They are among the two of the biggest stars in Hollywood today. Fassbender having iconic roles as Magneto in the X-MEN franchise, ASSASSIN’S CREED, the recent thriller shot in Netherlands THE SNOWMAN also currently airing in HBO. AliciaVikander replaced Angelina Jolie as TOMB RAIDER, before that she has already established herself in more dramatic and serious roles.

One of my favorite early roles for her was in ANNA KARENNINA with Keira Knightley. In fact Alicia has won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for THE DANISH GIRL (2016). Fassbender is not far behind as a nominee from 12 YEARS A SLAVE. Castmate Rachel Weisz also won Best Supporting Actress for THE CONSTANT GARDENER (2005). Rachel plays Hannah Roennfeldt here in this movie.

Rachel Weisz (Hannah Roennfeldt); Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

Let’s hope their marriage survives the temptations and rigors of their Hollywood lifestyles. No matter what happens, fans can always look back to LIGHT BETWEEN THE OCEANS as the loving scenes that grew into a real life romance.

Racism In Australia

Author M.L. Stedman who was born in Western Australia, managed to shed light into racism in her country of birth. One of the pivotal moments in the book is when racism leads to a tragic incident. The irony in this case is that the discrimination was against a German immigrant.

Most people who are familiar with Australian history would already know of the oppression of the Aborigines by the white settlers. But their racism in this case at least extended to another Caucasian leading to dire consequences. Although, this is in the context of the First World War where the British Commonwealth was at war with Germany.

Sadly, however, racism from Australia still rears its ugly head to this day. Most recently July 2, 2018, here in the Philippines a brawl broke out in a basketball match between SMART Gilas Philippine team and Australian Boomers.

While racial slurs are immediately called out on the football pitch in the English Premiere League this incident went far beyond that. The Australian side was guilty of tampering and removing advertising on the basketball court a day before the match. Which already irked the Filipino side, their unusual physicality only exacerbated the racial overtones of their actions. So a wild brawl ensued between the teams and even spilled on to violence from the home crowd. Both sides have actually apologized and have been sanctioned by the FIBA organizers.

Given their history and incidents such as these there are steps that the Australian government should take. First is to acknowledge that racism exists and second have the necessary guidelines especially for their national squads. They should be more racially and politically sensitive because they are representing their nation in competitions abroad.

The actual shooting location for the lighthouse was Cape Campbell Lighthouse in Marlborough, New Zealand. Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

New Zealand Lighthouse

The film is the last of DREAMWORKS for Disney, although an American production outfit, it was shot in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. While the setting in the film is Australia, the main lighthouse was actually shot at the Cape Campbell Lighthouse in Marlborough, New Zealand. The cast and crew lived there for five and a half weeks. Other locations include Port Chalmers outside Dunedin also in NZ and the town of Stanley in Northwest Tasmania, Australia.

Photo from Official fb:
https://www.facebook.com/TheLightBetweenOceans

Isabel Graysmark:

Take me out to Janus with you.

Tom Sherbourne:

What?

Isabel Graysmark:

I want to see it. I want to see where you hide yourself away.

Tom Sherbourne:

I’m afraid that that would be against Commonwealth rules.

The only woman allowed on Janus is the keeper’s wife.

Isabel Graysmark:

Then marry me.

Photo from Official fb:
https://www.facebook.com/TheLightBetweenOceans

Author M.L. Stedman; M stands for Margot; Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

Frank Roennfeldt:

You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day,

Every day, all the time. You have to keep remembering

the bad things. It’s too much work.

Rachel Weisz (Hannah Roennfeldt); Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

Michael Fassbender (Tom Sherbourne) and Alicia Vikander (Isabel Graysmark). Catch LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS on HBO Asia.

Isabel Graysmark:

Tom, when I first saw you, I felt like I knew you, and I couldn’t stop seeing my life with you; and building a family together, one that isn’t stuck in the pain of the past. It’s very pretty. And so, if you’re asking me

if my proposition still stands…then my answer is yes. Yes. A thousand times, yes.