WIDOWS’ PEAK

In the 1920s, high on a hill overlookin the picturesque Irish village of Kilshannon, lies Widows' Peak, a cluster of houses owned by a gaggle of gossiping, well-do-to widows. Ruling over them is the formidable Mrs. Doyle-Counihan (Joan Plowright), a wealthy matriarch who has buried two husbands and who prides herself on knowing all the comings and goings of Widows' Peak. Among the women of the community is Miss O'Hare (Mia Farrow), an impoverished middle-aged spinster whom Mrs. Doyle-Counihan and the other widows have taken under their wing. Life on Widows' Peak is disrupted when the young, glamorous war widow Edwina Broome (Natasha Richardson) arrives. Although the others are enchanted and impressed by this mysterious stranger, Miss O'Hare takes an immediate and strong dislike to her. She feels that Edwina Broome is hiding some dark secret, which leads the entire town on a mysterious adventure. Director John Irvin (“Turtle Diary”, 10 CIFF, 1986) has fashioned a delighful period adventure with a first-rate ensemble cast.