*SPOILER* *SPOILER* *SPOILER* *SPOILER* *SPOILER* *SPOILER*
The episode was filmed in a non-linear structure, so we get the ending first, and through flashbacks we see the start and the middle. I actually loved it. It was nice to have Jamie's point of view, even though it's Jamie telling Claire of what he did to prepare for their wedding. We finally see two strangers get married and while we know and can tell that Jamie is in love with Claire, we know that she's only infatuated by him, but not really in love. She is having a hell of a time accepting the situation. Her guilt is eating her out, and watching Caitriona Balfe play that guilt is fascinating! These are very complex characters in a very complex situation and throughout the episode I focused on their faces as the story developed, and I have to say, sometimes words are not necessary at all. If you have actors of this caliber and know how to use them, the end result is brilliant! Watching Claire's struggle with her feelings for Frank and her growing attraction for Jamie, all in her face? I can't even put into words how sad it made me feel. I was heartbroken for her. The lighting throughout was soft, hazy and then it just got a bit brighter as we unwrapped the bride, which followed with more mood lighting in the church and the bridal chamber. And speaking of the bridal chamber let me say this right up front. I have never, ever seen an erotic scene filmed in such a way that it made my heart stop and flutter. It was pure magic watching two people not have sex but make love. Thanks to Anne Kenney's writing and Anna Foerster's direction, not to mention Sam and Cait's acting, we were able to see and relate to what both of these characters went through on their first night as husband and wife. What starts off as an intimate, yet awkward consummation, by the end of the night turns into a passionate love-making for both. This was so well done that every moment of awkwardness of their first time, sweetness and wonder of his, sadness of her realization that despite loving another man she still enjoyed making love to this one, came across as real. I honestly didn't expect to see a man enjoy his pleasures to the fullest. In the past, it's usually all about the woman, going on about it 'down there' while you don't even see the dude. Here, there were hardly any shots of Claire, while we only saw Jamie reach his 'happy place' and it was glorious! How often have you seen a man's first time so honestly and accurately portrayed? It was downright refreshing to see the vulnerability and honesty of their sensuality. This was by far the most realistic 'lovemaking' scenes I've ever seen. If you watch their faces you'll notice that the camera captured their expressions so beautifully, that at times I felt like a voyeur of a very intimate, private and even sacred ritual.
Claire's internal conflict is written on her face throughout the episode as she struggles to reconcile her feelings of guilt in betraying the man she loves, while being forced to marry a man for her safety and consummate the marriage. You can see all this with barely any dialogue.
As she 'deflowers' him, she feels guilty; second time, she takes the initiative; third time, as he makes her a gift of his mothers pearls, he declares that she's as precious to him as they are, they slowly make love. And we know that this woman has just fallen in love. Suddenly, this kid with no responsibilities but to himself, who's on the run, hiding in the stables, slowly becoming a man and taking the responsibility of a wife. He literally become one as he loses his virginity, and as much as it was awkward for us to watch it, it was much more for him as he's trying to figure it all out and make sure that his wife was well pleased as he was. His facial expression of wonder and joy goes away quickly as he realizes that she may have not liked it as much as he did. But all is well again as they get to trust each other and their second time his wife takes over and teaches him what true pleasure really is. For him, their third coming together was as significant as hers. Giving her the scotch pearls that are so precious to him because it's one thing he has from his mother, and telling her that she's as precious to him, probably wasn't an easy thing to do. He may as well have told her he loves her for crying out loud! Throughout this night, he's the one that is more vulnerable than she is. And he's the one keeps on giving to her all that he has, his name, clan and his family. He offers his body for protection, which is his life, if necessary. Unlike Claire, he holds nothing back. This doesn't go unnoticed by Claire, and that's what brakes her heart and her resolve to 'only do her duty'. She's touched by Jamie's recollection of every second of their wedding, comparing her to the sun coming out after the cloudy day. And here we thought women are romantic! He continually goes out of his way to make her feel safe, and she in the end accepts everything he offers and gives as good as she gets. Well, that is until the morning after she accidentally finds her 'other' wedding band and holy crap but that face just broke my heart. Besides the dress, which was stunning, kudos to Terry Dresbach; music was as sensual as was their love making, thanks to Bear McCreary; the direction, acting, lighting it is all brilliant.
The episode was filmed in a non-linear structure, so we get the ending first, and through flashbacks we see the start and the middle. I actually loved it. It was nice to have Jamie's point of view, even though it's Jamie telling Claire of what he did to prepare for their wedding. We finally see two strangers get married and while we know and can tell that Jamie is in love with Claire, we know that she's only infatuated by him, but not really in love. She is having a hell of a time accepting the situation. Her guilt is eating her out, and watching Caitriona Balfe play that guilt is fascinating! These are very complex characters in a very complex situation and throughout the episode I focused on their faces as the story developed, and I have to say, sometimes words are not necessary at all. If you have actors of this caliber and know how to use them, the end result is brilliant! Watching Claire's struggle with her feelings for Frank and her growing attraction for Jamie, all in her face? I can't even put into words how sad it made me feel. I was heartbroken for her. The lighting throughout was soft, hazy and then it just got a bit brighter as we unwrapped the bride, which followed with more mood lighting in the church and the bridal chamber. And speaking of the bridal chamber let me say this right up front. I have never, ever seen an erotic scene filmed in such a way that it made my heart stop and flutter. It was pure magic watching two people not have sex but make love. Thanks to Anne Kenney's writing and Anna Foerster's direction, not to mention Sam and Cait's acting, we were able to see and relate to what both of these characters went through on their first night as husband and wife. What starts off as an intimate, yet awkward consummation, by the end of the night turns into a passionate love-making for both. This was so well done that every moment of awkwardness of their first time, sweetness and wonder of his, sadness of her realization that despite loving another man she still enjoyed making love to this one, came across as real. I honestly didn't expect to see a man enjoy his pleasures to the fullest. In the past, it's usually all about the woman, going on about it 'down there' while you don't even see the dude. Here, there were hardly any shots of Claire, while we only saw Jamie reach his 'happy place' and it was glorious! How often have you seen a man's first time so honestly and accurately portrayed? It was downright refreshing to see the vulnerability and honesty of their sensuality. This was by far the most realistic 'lovemaking' scenes I've ever seen. If you watch their faces you'll notice that the camera captured their expressions so beautifully, that at times I felt like a voyeur of a very intimate, private and even sacred ritual.
Claire's internal conflict is written on her face throughout the episode as she struggles to reconcile her feelings of guilt in betraying the man she loves, while being forced to marry a man for her safety and consummate the marriage. You can see all this with barely any dialogue.
As she 'deflowers' him, she feels guilty; second time, she takes the initiative; third time, as he makes her a gift of his mothers pearls, he declares that she's as precious to him as they are, they slowly make love. And we know that this woman has just fallen in love. Suddenly, this kid with no responsibilities but to himself, who's on the run, hiding in the stables, slowly becoming a man and taking the responsibility of a wife. He literally become one as he loses his virginity, and as much as it was awkward for us to watch it, it was much more for him as he's trying to figure it all out and make sure that his wife was well pleased as he was. His facial expression of wonder and joy goes away quickly as he realizes that she may have not liked it as much as he did. But all is well again as they get to trust each other and their second time his wife takes over and teaches him what true pleasure really is. For him, their third coming together was as significant as hers. Giving her the scotch pearls that are so precious to him because it's one thing he has from his mother, and telling her that she's as precious to him, probably wasn't an easy thing to do. He may as well have told her he loves her for crying out loud! Throughout this night, he's the one that is more vulnerable than she is. And he's the one keeps on giving to her all that he has, his name, clan and his family. He offers his body for protection, which is his life, if necessary. Unlike Claire, he holds nothing back. This doesn't go unnoticed by Claire, and that's what brakes her heart and her resolve to 'only do her duty'. She's touched by Jamie's recollection of every second of their wedding, comparing her to the sun coming out after the cloudy day. And here we thought women are romantic! He continually goes out of his way to make her feel safe, and she in the end accepts everything he offers and gives as good as she gets. Well, that is until the morning after she accidentally finds her 'other' wedding band and holy crap but that face just broke my heart. Besides the dress, which was stunning, kudos to Terry Dresbach; music was as sensual as was their love making, thanks to Bear McCreary; the direction, acting, lighting it is all brilliant.
