For me, this was mostly a good story, but I can understand the frustration from some reviewers. Which is probably the reason for the current lower rating. We aren't shown the exact cause of the discontent between the new bride and groom. We are told two things which set the scene: early on, in the pub, they tell us we say what we want, and do what we want, or words to that effect. The bohemian lifestyle. And later, munnings tells florence "you challenge me". At one point, she says "so it's all you?" When munnings refuses to take down his painting of florence on a horse, that seems to be the beginning of the fight. Or maybe an excuse to start a fight. Later, we see that he wants to consummate the marriage, but is rebuffed by florence. Then she escalates by getting her own cottage, and munnings tells us that it's off limits to him. We never see a yelling, argument where they express their real issues. Until munnings yells at her at a party, after she has her affair with gilbert. The anger of being humiliated by her, or maybe his own friend taking florence's virginity sets him off. And florence had already tried to off herself on the honeymoon... was that for attention, or was there a history of mental illness in her family? The viewer is left with so many unknowns. Was it just a battle of wills, or was there more going on in the book that we don't see in the film? Inquiring minds want to know. When they ask florence why she married munnings, she just says "he's going to be famous!". It sounds like she wanted to be a part of that fame. And now she is. More details at wikipedia dot org.
Review of Summer in February
