Our Fine Romance
ROMANCE WAR ACTION ADVENTURE BIOGRAPHICAL DRAMA FAMILY MEMOIR YOUNG ADULT ACTION ADVENTURE BIOGRAPHICAL DRAMA FAMILY MEMOIR POLITICAL WAR
20th Century (multiple decades)
Maureen and Michael Harbott
Logline
Our Fine Romance is a true story or two young people growing up separately during the London Blitz of 1940 and their subsequent evacuation into the English countryside. Following their unusual meeting , courtship and marriage they emigrated to 'Apartheid ' South Africa. Three years and two children later, for financial reasons, they made the risky decision to move to Northern Rhodesia, close to the war ravaged Congo. During their life there in the 1960's, the "Wind of Change" was sweeping through the Colonial African States. Many British territories became independent during this time and, after another child and ten years in Africa, they decided to start a new life on the west coast of Canada. With the addition of a third child and successful careers in their adopted country, Maureen and Michael are both now retired and living in Vancouver, British Columbia. However, a recent turn of events ( Alzheimer's disease) has lead to their biggest challenge yet.
Genre
Romance, War, Action, Adventure, Biographical, Drama, Family, Memoir, Young Adult,,Action,Adventure,Biographical,Drama,Family,Memoir,Political,War
Short Summary
Our Fine Romance chronicles the lives of two young people experiencing the horrors of war time Britain, then enduring the joys and disappointments of emigrating to the vast African continent, with its many racial and political problems.
Setting
London, South Africa, Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Canada
Based on a True Story
Yes
Plot - Premise
,Historical/geographical biography
Plot - Other Elements
Coming of Age, Meaningful Message,,Meaningful Message
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Main Character Details
Name: Maureen
Age: Birth - 80years
Gender: Female
Role: Emotional
Key Traits: Empathetic, Romantic, Faithful, Selfless, Perseverance, Strong Moral Code, Adventurous, Aspiring, Educated, Modest, Beautiful, Charming, Confident, Honorable,Adventurous,Confident,Decisive,Faithful,Educated,Honorable,Sexy,Romantic,Charming
Additional Character Details
Name: Michael
Age: 1-80 years
Gender: Male
Role: Mentor
Key Traits: Adventurous,Engaging,Faithful,Romantic,Masculine,Charming,Empathetic,Educated
Additional Character Details
The author has not yet written this
Additional Character Details
The author has not yet written this
Genre
DRAMA
Brief
Maureen and Michael grow up during WWII as British citizens. After a chance meeting that turns into marriage, the two head out for Africa. Michael begins an illustrious career there, but after having kids and the growing tension of the Rhodesian War, the pair move their family to Canada. Blissful decades are spent raising their family, and they pair even enjoy an early retirement until Maureen starts to lose her memory and eyesight.
Overall Rating
FAIR
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: FAIR
Commerciality: FAIR
Franchise Potential: FAIR
Pace: FAIR
Premise: GOOD
Structure: FAIR
Theme: FAIR
Accuracy of Book Profile
The book profile talks about how the couple experiences the horrors of war in WWII as well as in Africa, but in the novel, while they are present for these experiences, the horror is never expanded upon rather in the narrative the focus is on how they tried to make life feel normal in spite of the circumstances. Either making space for the horrors to be focused on or explaining the frame story of trying to get the wife to remember their happy memories rather than the horrors, this will better match the tone of the narrative.
Draw of Story
Maureen's newfound life in the country to escape the air raids has potential to be compelling in that she is a fish out of water only to start forgetting her real life and her mother. This forgetting is briefly touched upon but parallels her fears in her later years of forgetting forever the life that she had shared with Michael. The couple's decision to go on holidays especially with Michael's elderly mother while former Rhodesia was on the brink of war has nerve-wracking potential as well. Living through two wars is no easy feat especially when raising kids.
Possible Drawbacks
There is so much room for potential tension such as the looming threats of the Luftwaffe to the daughter's blood cancer, but too much hindsight that everything ends up survivable undermines the tension to never last more than a paragraph or two. The scope is so large that is is hard to gauge character personalities and with very little dialogue, many characters are left as static reflections rather than three dimensional memories.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The hook is that the couple created a beautiful privileged life together over three continents, but the early retirement they set out to enjoy is ended with the diagnosis of Maureen's Alzheimer's diagnosis.
Fanbase Potential
Depending on the genre and the focus of which conflict the couple endured, this could have a medium to large size audience for a drama due to its historical events and exotic locations.
Awards Potential
Without sustained tension and an expansion on the character's emotions, this is hard to gauge what the range is for actors to gain nominations or create awards potential.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
THE NOTEBOOK, AMOUR, A SONG FOR MARTIN, BACKING OUT OF TIME, LASSIE (2005)
What’s New About the Story
The couple's lives as children surviving the London bombings of WWII and as colonial expats during the Rhodesian war are uncommon. Allowing tension to be sustained and focus for moments and showing the range of emotions in these moments could help create memorable sequences. Focusing on remembering everything creates an emotional disconnect from these intriguing moments of conflict.
Lead Characters
Maureen is hardy in that she survive two wars with grace and class. Michael is steadfast and responsible. Both seem good hearted and adaptable to any situations due to the their even-headed and positive outlook.
Uniqueness of Story
The focus is placed on Maureen's Alzheimer's as the main conflict, but this is just a frame story and there is so much potential other conflicts unique to the story that is glossed over to manage the large scope of dual lives.
Possible Formats
Film - Studio, Film - Streaming, Film - Indie, TV Series - Limited Run / Mini-Series
Analyst Recommendation
WORK IN PROGRESS
Justification
While the story has many positive points, it has room for improvement (see possible paths below). If you can't change the story at this point, my suggestion is using your notes as a guide to highlight the best aspects of it when taking the next steps, either putting a pitch page together, a treatment, or a presentation.
Tips for Improvement
Deciding on a main conflict and consistently showing the rising actions throughout the memories would help create a cohesive and easier to follow emotional arc. The chronological order of their entire lives causes events filled with tension to be quickly resolved, so taking moments within the pacing to pause, expand and reflect will help show the impact of the tension. The characters rarely have dialogue and thus are all within the prism of reflection, but allowing the characters to speak for themselves it will help create dynamic interpretations rather than a static memory.