December 26, 2009
Review - " The Lightkeepers " - (in theaters March 2010) By Roland Hansen
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They doth protest too much, of course, their words serving merely to fuel the comedy of errors that follows when
a young heiress, Ruth (Mamie Gummer), and her escort, Mrs. Bascom (Blythe Danner), move into a nearby cottage for
the summer. Though the men vow to avoid these unwelcome outsiders, the grounds are too small for them to keep
their word, and before long, they're sneaking behind one another's backs to spend time with the visitors.
There's not a lot of action, so the acting is
particularly important, and it's solid.
Performance-wise, Dreyfuss is pitch-perfect
as the curmudgeon lighthouse keeper.
Dreyfuss had shot "Jaws" on Martha's
Vineyard 34 years prior, but hadn't spent
much time in the area since and was intrigued
by the role of the woman-hating New England
lighthouse keeper.
Mamie Gummer, in her young ingénue role, is not
your typical damsel in distress. She is a woman,
with thoughts and desires beyond her status in
society. Gummer (looking more like mother Meryl
Streep with every film) seems perfectly suited to the
period.
Bruce Dern does a brief but brilliant turn as the
smarmey villian.
The film is an adult romantic comedy, and, at times, perhaps the film reveals too much consciousness of modern values. But
the women characters in Adam's film strive to be independent and taken seriously, and yet are entirely in and of their worlds.
if we accept "The Lightkeeper" as an adult romantic comedy in period costumes, there is much to enjoy.
It is beautifully acted, well-written, and visually stunning. "The Lightkeepers" is a breath of fresh air. Kudos to the director and
producers for having the guts to make a wonderful film that appeals to people who are tired of all the nonsensical movies
Hollywood usually produces. This is a character driven film, wonderfully acted and executed. Catch it if you can.




The Lightkeepers
Directed by: Daniel Adams
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Blythe Danner, Bruce Dern, Mamie Gummer,
Tom Wisdom
Set in 1912, "The Lightkeepers" is a charming and witty tale about a
reclusive lighthouse keeper (Richard Dreyfuss) and his mysterious
assistant (Tom Wisdom) who are both self-described "woman haters."
They have disavowed any association with females. Then their remote,
woman-free utopia is ruined with the sudden appearance of two
attractive women (Blythe Danner and Mamie Gunnar) who move into a
nearby cottage for the summer.
This romantic comedy, directed by Daniel Adams, is filmed completely on
Cape Cod. This is Adams' second film in a trilogy of Cape-centric movies
based on Joe Lincoln's classic novels. The Lightjeepers is old fashioned
family entertainment that offers a stark contrast to today's values and
culture.
Seth Atkins (Dreyfuss), an ornery old sailor grounded these eight years,
manages to keep in contact with the sea he loves by taking a job as a
lighthouse keeper. First he must contend with a young stranger who
washes ashore on the picturesque property's white-sand beach. The
lad, who calls himself John Brown (played by Tom Wisdom), earns the
old curmudgeon's trust through a series of vignettes, and before long,
they're bonding over their mutual distrust of women. In one wonderful
scene, Wisdom and Dreyfuss open up to each other about how they
came to be woman haters, and their revelations expose their true
natures.

But in many ways, it is the women who steal
the show. Blythe Danner's performance is
reminiscent of old Hollywood films of the
1930s, '40s and '50s, when actresses were
given opportunities to be sassy and smart
and forthright. She completely embraces
every clever line of dialog. She brings just the
right amount of beauty and just the right
amount of disarray in wearing long dresses
on the beach. This is the role Katherine
Hepburn would have played, but Danner
brings her own strength and touch to the
role. In each scene with Dreyfuss, Danner
makes the battling of wits into an art form,
and great entertainment besides. It's a
pleasure to watch these pros share scenes
together as the lighthouse keeper and the
woman from his past.
Cape Cod is the fifth character in the film. It
was important to capture the vistas and
backdrop of the rolling beaches. The
isolation and the beauty are juxtaposed with
loneliness and the hermitic nature of a
lighthouse keeper. Since the story took
place on Cape Cod, the filming stayed true
to the Cape and features several beautiful
locations along it's shores. The movie filmed
scenes inside and outside the classic
lightkeeper's house and the exteriors of
Race Point Lighthouse located at the end of
Provincetown and along the dunes and
shores of this historic landmark, the action
occasionally ventures into the neighboring
town, which is decked out in rustic detail and
bustling with period-appropriate extras.