More Moral Dilemmas

So, the other day I watched this absolutely adorable, awesome BBC period movie called Under the Greenwood Tree. It’s free on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Youtube, and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone who loves a good period movie.

Anyway, besides the fact that I loved the movie, it also raised some interesting moral dilemmas in my mind.

So, the basis for the movie is this: a lady moves to a small country town where she is to become the new schoolteacher while also helping her sick father. While in this town, three different men pursue her. Then, the fun begins.

Now, I’m going to spoil who she chooses, but if you really truly believe that you won’t be able to predict who it is and you don’t want the ending spoiled, stop reading, but I can honestly say that it’s pretty obvious from the beginning.

SO, one of the men is young and attractive and the other two are older and less attractive. This is the first cause for concern. All three men are equally awesome in their own right and from the way they develop the movie, all three do truly and honestly love her. BUT, in the end she choose the young attractive one. Now, I was rooting for him the entire time, but I can’t help but think that she would’ve been happy with any of them and that maybe, just maybe, I’ve been conditioned by Hollywood to root for the young attractive one. Indeed, the only movie I can think of where the girl doesn’t get with the young attractive one in the end is Marianne in Sense and Sensibility who marries Colonel Brandon (who is a champion for underrated men everywhere). So, did I root for the young attractive one because he was young and attractive or because he truly was most compatible for her?

Besides the fact that he was the only young attractive one, he was also the only one that kissed her. He kisses her pretty early in the movie, and it occurs before the other two gentlemen take the opportunity to outwardly express their feelings. Given the time period, this would be somewhat of a slightly scandalous event and definitely not common. SO, did she decide that he was the one she loved based on the man himself or was she mistaking lust for love? Was it just because he got there first? Could she have loved either of the other gentlemen if she had given them the chance? Admittedly, there were signs before he kissed her that she liked him, but it’s still something to think about.

I know most of you, however few number of you that actually took the time to read all of this, are thinking, “Only Sarah would ruin a perfectly good movie with moral questions,” and all I can really say to that is, “I know, I know…” I still love the movie and I would still recommend it. It’s just something to think about.

As a side note, the young attractive gentlemen looks almost suspiciously like Robert Downey Jr.

Am I right?