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| Sunday, 21 December 2003 |
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Review : Sakman Maluwa Sakman Maluwa is the latest creation of the celebrated film director, Sumithra Peris. Like the others it has all the skills and sensitive touches for which her films are famous.
However, a problem arose with the arrival in this household of the husband's younger brother from Moscow where he was a student. He and the young bride were more or less the same age and this presumably gave rise to a friendly relationship between them. They spent time with each other and even went out on excursions. The husband was understandably jealous because of his own experience as a bachelor for a length of time and he became suspicious of the conduct of his wife. Suspicion led to displeasure which culminated in a confrontation between him and the wife. In the meantime, the brother had left for Moscow and the husband and wife had now only each other. The confrontation assumed the form of a sharp reproach by the husband to the wife alluding to her relationship to the brother. The plot It was essentially an outburst and the wife reacted by withdrawing herself. There was no indication of a rift but only an emotional confrontation. The plot which is based on the book of Mr. Godfry Goonetilleke entitled The Garden is thus very simple in character. It revolves essentially round the husband's suspicions of his wife's relations with his brother which were outwardly quite innocent. It is possible that they were emotionally attached but there was no open indication and the matter ended with the young man's departure to Moscow. The core of the story is therefore the husband's reaction and the confrontation which resulted in harsh words and reproaches by him to his wife. There was however no hint of a rupture or a desire of either to part company. The story is simple but it is illuminated by two factors. These are the sensitive direction of Sumithra Peris and the scenic background of the story which is the garden. The house itself is a kind of walauwa situated in Kandy but it has a gem of a garden with flowering plants, bushes and other attributes which make it like a garden of Eden. Highlight The highlight of this story is the appearance of a serpent in this garden in the form of a cobra. His presence alarmed the husband and the wife but the gardener a stern and sturdy professional attacked the serpent and disposed of it. His appearance must have been a shock to the couple. The point of the serpent however is its symbolism in line with the concept of a garden as a garden of Eden. The serpent represented the devil who as in the case of the original garden of Eden upset the marital harmony of Adam and Eve. In the case of this film the serpent presumably represents the affair between the brother and wife which was a source of concern and anxiety to the husband. However with the departure of the brother and the explosion between the husband and wife the crisis appears to have ended and there is no hint to the contrary in the film. The genius of the film is certainly its casting with the resplendent garden creating a wonderful atmosphere of serenity and bliss. The photographic sequences of the garden are remarkable. More important however is the role of the garden in the film itself as a major actor. It was a setting for the amorous relationships between the brother and wife and at the same time it was a source of great joy and comfort to the husband aided by the skills of the gardener. Key factor The garden therefore is the key actor in the film and it is brought to light by the sensitive direction of Sumithra Peris. What is striking in the film is the smooth even pace of the story where despite its dramatic sequence it is devoid of the kind of explosive sequences which are a feature of films of this kind. After all this is a common case of a love triangle and traditionally they give rise to dramatic events and incidents in films. This film is a notable exception and except for the outburst of the husband to the wife there is no attempt to magnify their problem into a crisis with explosive sequences. Instead the film ends peacefully with the wife withdrawing to her room and the husband merely contemplating the situation thoughtfully. The crisis is over and the peace and sanity have prevailed. The designs of the serpent have been foiled and the garden has asserted its aesthetic serenity in the manner in which the conflicts between the players concerned mainly the husband, wife and brother are calmly resolved. The effect of the film is like that of a dream where one has been projected to a garden of Eden where beauty and nature prevails over man's inherent conflicts. A word is in place about the actors the hero being the veritable doyen among Sri Lankan actors Sanath Goonetilleke whose striking profile dominates the picture. The young bride is dainty and one is struck by her innocence. The brother though representing the villain of the story acts himself with great dignity. It can be said therefore that with Sumithra Peris we have yet another epic creation of one of the great film directors of our time who vies with her internationally famous husband among the great film directors of the world. Dr. Vernon L.B. Mendis |
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The story of Sakman Maluwa is a simple one and concerns an aging
bachelor who is lord of this house in his resplendent garden. At long last
he acquires a wife who is young, spontaneous and lively and certainly an
ideal companion for him. From the outset it seems to be a happy marriage
which both enjoy.
