514 replies to this topic

[choochi]

I am really looking forward to this series, which starts on my PBS station this Sunday right before Masterpiece. It will be a great one-two punch. The other PBS stations in my area are also running it so it should be pretty widely available.

The reviews are good. It should be interesting to see Miranda Hart in this role. I watched some of her Miranda sitcom and she is hoot. I wonder what she does with serious.

[McBrien76]

For those interested in the series some links that may be of interest.

An Obituary for Jennifer Worth who wrote the books that inspired the series and who sadly passed away just before filming began.

The official BBC website which has character profiles and links to interviews with the cast.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham where many of the outdoor scenes were filmed.

[hlisy]

Watched the first episode tonight. Not bad-didn't love it but am intrigued to see more.Mom is a maternity nurse so this hits close to home. Hopefully will be out on Netflix soon.

[jerusha]

I was cringing, expecting the baby to have somehow been smothered by the blanket when the soot came out of the fireplace.

Actually, I was bracing myself for catastrophe the whole episode.

[Charlotte Vale]

I thought it was swell--best thing since Cranford (I am not a huge Downton Abbey fan, and I would not cross the street to spit on the new Upstairs Downstairs if it was on fire).

Loved Sister Cake-Eater, and looking forward to Miranda Hart next week, whom I also adore.

[Artistictype]

Really liked it. Could've had a double dose. (Miranda!)

It's funny the things you focus on. Re: The Spanish mom. Forget about the 25 pregnancies. I found it hard to believe that you could live over 20 years in another country and never learn a single word in it's language? Not 'hello', 'goodby', 'thank you' or 'eat!' Same goes for the husband.

[dimples1]

So glad that PBS is airing this series. My friends over in the UK loved it and I think they're right in their praise.

The lead in this show looks like Emily Van Camp from ABC's revenge to me.

[photo fox]

I've been looking forward to this for AGES, and it didn't disappoint. So charming!

I found it hard to believe that you could live over 20 years in another country and never learn a single word in it's language?

This didn't bother me because I know of two RL instances that are similar.

My neighbor met and married a woman in Thailand a few years ago, and at least at the time of their marriage, he spoke no Thai and she spoke no English. Not a word. (He told my dad there wasn't "a lot of talking". Heh.)

Also, I have a friend who grew up the son of Polish immigrants in Chicago. They've been here over 30 years. His father knows a little English, his mother none at all. Their son speaks NO Polish, nor do his children. He spoke both as a small child, but his parents discouraged him from speaking Polish even at home, and has since forgotten the language.

[commenter]

I wish I'd fixed and eaten my dinner before Call for the Midwife came on -- so many graphic physical depictions and descriptions!

Conchita and Mr. Warren almost seemed to have started working on #26 even before #25 was born. Sweet couple, even without a language in common.

I also know of some real life examples of couples with no (or hardly any semblance of a) language they both speak, but I can't personally imagine not being able to talk extensively with someone you marry.

[Ginandtonic]

I could have done without the pregnant lady with syphilis LOL

[Cress]

I found it hard to believe that you could live over 20 years in another country and never learn a single word in it's language?

If she stayed at home all the time because of her pregnancies, she wouldn't interact much with Brits other than her husband. Or if she did occasionally run errands in town, there might be an enclave of Spanish-speaking immigrants that she might interact with too, instead of English-speakers. Then once their children started speaking both English and Spanish, then she might decide to rely on them instead of learning English herself.

[dustylil]

The Spanish mom. Forget about the 25 pregnancies. I found it hard to believe that you could live over 20 years in another country and never learn a single word in it's language? Not 'hello', 'goodby', 'thank you' or 'eat!'

Actually, that was the one thing I didn't find all that hard to believe. I grew up in a very modest, multi-ethnic neighbourhood and there were quite a few mothers of my playmates who spoke no English at all despite having lived in Canada for many years. The husbands and older children did the shopping and dealt with any government, school and medical officials.

I presume it was similar for the Spanish lady. After all, she came to Britain as a young teenager and was soon lumbered with a large brood of children whose care would take up pretty much all of her time and energy. Her world consisted of her husband and children. In those early post-war years, I would be surprised if there many outreach programs in that part of London for newcomers or mothers and tots. Assuming, of course that she had any interest in attending.

As the series itself, I haven't quite made up my mind. It was certainly quite riveting. However, I have difficulty with the idea that the women in this East End London community - in an era when birth control was perfectly legal in England and approved by the Anglican Church - were viewed by the midwives and nurses as "heroines" for giving birth to children. Particularly those children for whom they had limited means to care. Perhaps though this was just the first episode and we will see other - well, more responsible - families and their trials and tribulations as well.

Edited by dustylil, Oct 2, 2012 @ 1:09 AM.

[McBrien76]

I wish I'd fixed and eaten my dinner before Call for the Midwife came on -- so many graphic physical depictions and descriptions!

Which makes you wonder which scenes ended up on the cutting room floor ! As the episode posted on the PBS website appears to be shorter than those originally broadcast in the UK. The PBS episode is timed at 52.36 which is rather short for a drama broadcast in a 60 minute slot on the BBC. Where as the DVD has a total running time of 355 minutes which when divided between the number of episodes gives a running time of 59 minutes an episode, which is more like the length of a '1 hour' drama on the BBC.

[olivia1]

I really liked the show. If I were Spanish Mom I would at least learn to say "No" in English. Mercy! That's a lot of kids.

[Milburn Stone]

the episode posted on the PBS website appears to be shorter than those originally broadcast in the UK

Which means they might be cutting not just gruesome stuff, but stuff that would actually help us know the characters better. Like happened with Downton Abbey.

I was on the fence with the episode (like, "well, it obviously has merit, but it's not really very compelling") until the end, which did get to me. My starting place was, "What the hell is this woman with 25 children (or whatever) doing having another child?" But suddenly, when that new child's life is in jeopardy, and you face the probability that the child is going to die and the mother and father will be grief-stricken, you find yourself pulling for the child to live and for the family to have 26 children, and you find yourself feeling that for this family, having 26 children is a beautiful choice, and being a midwife helping a family to do this is important work, and you marvel that only a several minutes ago you were thinking "they are wrong to have another child" and now you're thinking this.

[McBrien76]

My starting place was, "What the hell is this woman with 25 children (or whatever) doing having another child?"

The late Jennifer Worth explains in the introduction to her book Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950s about the attitude that people in that area had towards contraception i.e that it was down to the women,who hardly ever attended the birth-control clinics that were available and therefore relied on methods that were unreliable. Meanwhile,the men refused to wear a product trademarked as far back as 1929 by the London Rubber Company.

As a result in the late 1950s there were 80-100 births registered on the books of Nonnatus House each month. However, following the advent of the pill, the midwives were only attending 5-6 births a month by 1963!

If anyone is wondering how the Warren's would manage to feed and clothe all those children on Mr Warren's wages, then they would have received a Family Allowance payable weekly at a rate of 8 shillings for the second child and 10 shillings for each subsequent child until they reach school leaving age (15 in 1957) or 18 if they were in full-time education or serving an apprenticeship. No payments were made for the first child. However, this was amended in 1977.

[Milburn Stone]

The late Jennifer Worth explains in the introduction to her book Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950s about the attitude that people in that area had towards contraception i.e that it was down to the women,who hardly ever attended the birth-control clinics that were available and therefore relied on methods that were unreliable.

The thing, though, about the Warrens is that it didn't appear their attitude was "we have so many kids because we don't know how not to." It was more like "we have so many kids because it's wonderful." (Which I guess is easier to feel if a Family Allowance is paying for them.)

And that's what I found so remarkable about the episode. I went from, "how could you think having so many kids is wonderful," to "now I get it"--all because the new baby was in jeopardy, and I didn't want it (or the mother) to die. The episode opened me to a whole new way of thinking and feeling about such families.

Edited by Milburn Stone, Oct 2, 2012 @ 2:25 PM.

[MHSWeb79]

If I were Spanish Mom I would at least learn to say "No" in English.

It's a pretty short lesson: "No" :)

I am also looking forward to seeing Miranda in the next episode. This program has such a loyal following it must pick up after this one.

[Charlotte Vale]

I am also looking forward to seeing Miranda in the next episode.

I am picturing one of the nuns telling her, "You are off to deliver what I call a 'baby'--such fun!" And Miranda doing a take into the camera.

I wonder if the show will address abortion, which must have been rife in the slums? Still illegal then, but I have a friend-of-a-friend who procured one in 1953 Britain w/o too much trouble.

[JudyObscure]

Sorry. Edited because somethings all messed up.

Edited by JudyObscure, Oct 2, 2012 @ 4:51 PM.

[McBrien76]

Memories of a midwife on a bicycle : An extract from the late Jennifer Worth's book Call The Midwife published in the Daily Mail in 2007.

[choochi]

I finally got a chance to watch this and enjoyed it, but I hope it picks up a bit.

I don't have much to add beyond what others have said, but I really feel sorry for the woman with syphilis. She probably got it from her husband and, given what the sister said, he probably won't be ending the activities that led to getting it.

[Melewen]

It's kind of refreshing that the show is so matter-of-fact about birth and doesn't shy away from the realistic "gross" aspects. (Though I do appreciate the lack of actual grossness on screen). I don't find it as dramatic as Downton Abbey, though. It seems to have a slower burn, but it's no less compelling. I was holding my breath during the breech scene.

Edited by Melewen, Oct 7, 2012 @ 8:46 PM.

[hlisy]

After a shaky start, ep,2 featured Chummy and it picked up considerably. Not a big MH fan but she was fantastic in the breech scenes. I'm starting to fall in love with this series much more than Diwnton. Doesn't hurt that my moms a nurse. Just loving everything about this show- except perhaps the modernist tendencies of the main character. A teenager girl having a baby back then would be expected to have it adopted. Jenny's shock was pretty unrealistic. But I stll love the show. Dare I think that Chummy may have a love interest soon?

It's kind of refreshing that the show is so matter-of-fact about birth and doesn't shy away from the realistic "gross" aspects. (Though I do appreciate the lack of actual grossness on screen). I don't find it as dramatic as Downton Abbey, though. It seems to have a slower burn, but it's no less compelling. I was holding my breath during the breech scene.

Apart from the clean deliveries and babies-no blood, I think it's a bit more realistic than Downton. Cough WWI*. Though it pushes an agenda, it does make one wonder what life was like before the NHS. Sadly, can't really get into Upstairs/Downstairs-too blah.

[Cress]

Was that breech delivery realistic? I've never heard of letting a baby dangle while his head's still inside. Weird.

The prostitute who had her baby Kathleen taken from her reminded me of a play I once watched, about how the Catholic Church would take babies away from girls and make the girls work like slaves. I guess it's not the same here, because the nuns said they were an Anglican church, not Catholic, but it is weird. That prostitute sure was dumb and head over heels in love with her pimp, though.

Edited by Cress, Oct 7, 2012 @ 10:21 PM.

[anna0852]

"If anyone is wondering how the Warren's would manage to feed and clothe all those children on Mr Warren's wages, then they would have received a Family Allowance payable weekly at a rate of 8 shillings for the second child and 10 shillings for each subsequent child until they reach school leaving age (15 in 1957) or 18 if they were in full-time education or serving an apprenticeship. No payments were made for the first child. However, this was amended in 1977."

Jennifer Worth stated in her memoir that Mr. Warren and several of his elder sons had a sucessful painting and decorating business, mainly in the West End, that provided the family income.

[Writer13]

Wow, this show makes me never want to have kids! Also, I need to figure out the closed captioning for my TV--I have a hard time with the accents.

I'm curious about Jenny's background. Why would someone from a well-to-do background choose to become a midwife in a poor neighborhood? I wonder if she had gotten pregnant as a teen.

[Charlotte Vale]

Hurrah Miranda Hart! She can do no wrong by me, I hope she is a mainstay of TV and films for the next 50 years. I watch eps. of her 2009-10 sitcom on Friday and Sat. nights, so it was hard to adjust to her in a drama on Sun., esp. wiith the bit of slapstick they threw in.

This ep. was a real nail-biter--not only the births and adoption, but Chummy's bicycling (which I cannot do, either).

[Ohdog]

This show should be required watching for Rick Santorum and his Talibangelist ilk who constantly screech about the evils of contraception.

[jungch2]

I'm curious about Jenny's background. Why would someone from a well-to-do background choose to become a midwife in a poor neighborhood?

If I remember correctly, she thought she was going to work at a hospital and was a little surprised to turn up at Nonnatus House.

I heart this show. Off to find a copy of the book!