Sumitra Peries' 1978 film 'The Girls' is a gem of South Asian cinema, offering a poignant coming-of-age story set in Sri Lanka. With lucid monochrome cinematography and calm, natural performances, the film exudes freshness and warmth. Though it often teeters on the brink of melodrama, with slow zooms into actors' faces, it remains understated, its poignancy rooted in the suppression of emotion. The narrative unfolds in a world where passions cannot be spoken aloud, and Peries ruthlessly withholds the happy ending viewers might wistfully hope for.
A Story of Two Sisters
Kusum (Vasanthi Chathurani) is a studious, serious teen from a poor family, holding a scholarship to a good school. Her father is gravely ill, and her mother works tirelessly to make ends meet. Kusum's relationship with her sister Soma (Jenita Samaraweera) is tense and quarrelsome; Soma is more carefree, flighty, and frequently exchanges letters with male pen pals. The story is triggered in flashback when Kusum sees a visiting local dignitary, the divisional revenue officer, welcomed to her village.
Teenage Kusum often visits the home of a wealthy woman (Chitra Wakishta), whom she calls 'Auntie,' to do cleaning and sewing. Auntie's son Nimal (Ajith Jinadasa) is a dreamy but self-important young man who hangs around the house and soon declares his love for Kusum. However, Auntie makes it clear that she plans to marry Nimal to the daughter of a wealthy rubber planter. Kusum understands she cannot pursue a romance behind her employer's back.
The Weight of Poverty and Propriety
As Kusum's heart breaks under the weight of genteel poverty, feminine respectability, and romantic sadness, her mother announces that Soma will be allowed to participate in a beauty competition held in a grand hotel ballroom. Soma wins and heads to the city for a modeling and movie career, while Kusum sinks into quiet despair. The ironic split in their fates is not inconsistent: Soma's mother sees financial advantage in the competition, just as Auntie sees advantage in the rubber plantation. Money speaks louder than love.
A conceited boy at Kusum's school criticizes romance in books and films as a salve that erodes people's will to challenge capitalism. While he may be right, his privileged male position allows him to voice such views. In its calm, unforced way, 'The Girls' tells an absorbing story that challenges the glib certainties of Hollywood's coming-of-age fantasies.
'The Girls' is in UK and Irish cinemas from 10 July.
