Wife Must Come to Terms With Husband’s Past in ’45 Years’

Sandra Miska

An elderly man’s past resurfaces in a major way in the British drama “45 Years.” Less than a week before he is to celebrate his 45th wedding anniversary to his wife Kate (Charlotte Rampling), Geoff Mercer (Tom Courtenay) receives word from Swiss authorities that the body of his former girlfriend Katya has been found, 50 years after she fell to her death in the Alps, perfectly preserved in ice. Because Geoff and Katya were pretending to be married during their travels in order to secure lodgings, he is listed as her next of kin and now must decide whether or not to make what could be an arduous journey to Switzerland to see the body.

But this film isn’t really about Geoff or Katya, but rather Kate and her emotional journey as she is forced to come to terms with her husband’s former life. For 45 years it has been just the two of them living a seemingly charmed life in provincial England. They have no children, and it’s never made clear whether or not this was by choice.

Although Kate has always known about Katya, she apparently had never been too curious about her predecessor, having never even asked to see a picture, until this third person suddenly penetrates their bubble after decades. In a particularly emotional scene, Kate wakes up not long after a failed attempt at lovemaking with Geoff to find him up in the attic looking at photos of his lost love. As Kate puts it, Katya’s perfume has filled the home she and Geoff have built ever since the arrival of the letter from Switzerland. On top of all this, Kate has to deal with planning their anniversary party that is just a few days away, dealing with music selections and table arrangements all while putting on a brave face.

Eventually, Kate’s curiosity gets the best of her, first causing her to ask Geoff some tough questions, and then finally doing some digging of her own in the attic. What she discovers has her second guessing her husband and every major decision he has ever made.

With the recent release of films such as “Grandma” and “Youth,” there is a trend pointing to emotionally complex mature characters, and “45 Years” is no exception. The film is shown almost entirely from Kate’s perspective, making her sympathetic to the viewer, even when she says things to her husband that come off as insensitive. As for Geoff, one cannot help but feel for him as he struggles to mourn his first love and find closure on the eve of celebrating his anniversary with the woman who has stood by him for almost half a century.

Rampling and Courtenay have wonderful chemistry, and the two do an excellent job portraying a couple that have to deal with what might be the biggest challenge in their marriage right when they should be holding hands off into the sunset. This is a nuanced film that leaves the viewer with many questions, even after the final credits roll.

“45 Years” was written and directed by Andrew Haigh who most recently wrote and produced for the HBO series “Looking.”

“45 Years” opens in select theaters Dec. 23.