The basic plot, on the surface, tells a simple tale of a very common happening through the centuries, in England, as well as the rest of Europe. A young unmarried gentleman 'sows his oats' with a poor trusting peasant girl, then abandons her to marry an often spoiled girl of his own class. However, this case is a bit out of the ordinary in that the gentleman felt a real love for this girl and didn't intend to abandon his promise to marry her, until a series of unexpected events compressed into a couple of days caused him to get cold feet and make a fateful decision. He was swayed by the common advice to young upper class gentleman to 'never make the mistake of marrying your mistress', and let his head overrule his heart at the last minute. Unfortunately for Megan: the girl involved, Frank Ashton, the gentleman involved, was not the sort to keep a mistress on the side. Thus, he never sought her out again until it was far too late. Thus,she was left to care for their infant son he didn't know existed, and soon thereafter died of a combination of depression and a winter illness. This, Ashton didn't learn until many years later.
The screenplay contrasts the earthy communal feel of rural English peasantry with the city world of uncaring bureaucracy-obsessed arrogant bankers and out-of-touch leisured upper class families. Of course, this is a caricature that doesn't always ring true. Nonetheless, we are treated to the perception of Megan as a carefree young woman, full of fun, yet skilled in the tasks of a farm girl: a girl with self confidence in caring for children in a fun way and doing the common chores of a housewife, capable of real passion in a romantic relationship with the right man, despite disapproval by her family. The background music for the film was quite appropriate in helping to accentuate it's various moods.
This story has personal relevance to me, as I didn't make Ashton's mistake. Against all advice, I decided to marry a girl rather like Megan, from a poor family on the other side of the world, of quite a different race and non-western culture, and whom I had known only a short while. Despite many challenges, it has generally worked out well for 20+ years, thus far. With my considerable financial and knowledge help, she became a medical professional and has adapted well to US culture, while retaining a keen interest in her native family and culture. However, you must begin with the right two people for this to work out well over the long run.
The screenplay contrasts the earthy communal feel of rural English peasantry with the city world of uncaring bureaucracy-obsessed arrogant bankers and out-of-touch leisured upper class families. Of course, this is a caricature that doesn't always ring true. Nonetheless, we are treated to the perception of Megan as a carefree young woman, full of fun, yet skilled in the tasks of a farm girl: a girl with self confidence in caring for children in a fun way and doing the common chores of a housewife, capable of real passion in a romantic relationship with the right man, despite disapproval by her family. The background music for the film was quite appropriate in helping to accentuate it's various moods.
This story has personal relevance to me, as I didn't make Ashton's mistake. Against all advice, I decided to marry a girl rather like Megan, from a poor family on the other side of the world, of quite a different race and non-western culture, and whom I had known only a short while. Despite many challenges, it has generally worked out well for 20+ years, thus far. With my considerable financial and knowledge help, she became a medical professional and has adapted well to US culture, while retaining a keen interest in her native family and culture. However, you must begin with the right two people for this to work out well over the long run.