Can a reclusive furniture maker find joy in his life when an abandoned baby shows up at his door? That is the premise for the heartwarming Steve Martin drama A Simple Twist of Fate.
The Plot
Michael McCann is a lonely miser who spends his time at home making furniture and counting his gold coins. Having been hurt by his wife’s betrayal, Michael has shut himself off from the world.
Robbed by Tanny Newland of his prized gold coins, Michael is despondent until a young toddler makes her way into his home. Outside is the dead body of the mother and Michael must seek help. Going to the Newland estate, where wealthy congressman John Newland, who is the father of the child but unwilling to speak up, helps organize the adoption of the girl by Michael.
Named Mathilda, Michael spends the next several years raising Mathilda as his own. When she turns thirteen, John Newland can no longer keep his secret. With the help of his wife and a powerful attorney, Newland sues for custody, claiming his right as the father.
The court case will polarize the town and leave a judge deciding whether Michael should have the right to keep raising Mathilda, or should she be taken away and given to John Newland, because he lives in a mansion and will be able to pay for her future schooling.
The Good
Steve Martin is incredible. Rarely does he choose a bad film, and in A Simple Twist of Fate, we may get a hint of his zany humor on the fringe of Martin’s stunning portrayal of a reclusive man hiding from the world.
I was quite surprised by the film because I wasn’t expecting Martin’s Michael McCann to be so loveable. Having read Silas Marner in high school, this adaptation brings the story to life in dynamic ways. From the foggy nights to the wooded countryside, viewers will get the feeling of 1860’s England but with an American twist.
There is not one moment on screen that a viewer would not empathize with Michael McCann and be surprised by the ending. This is a well written, well-acted treat.
Gabriel Byrne as the bad guy was a necessary trope of the 1990s. John Newland isn’t really a terrible person, but he’s not a hero, and Byrne plays this complicated character well.
Catherine O’Hara and Laura Linney are perfect in their supporting roles. They play stereotypical roles of the eccentric shop owner and devoted wife, but they are excellent in their parts.
The Bad and the Ugly
John Newland is a complicated character that the audience is told mixed messages about whether to like him or not. He seems genuinely interested in Mathilda, and then disinterested near the end. It seems out of character for Newland, and a little choppy in consistency.
Laura Linney and Catherine O’Hara were great but deserved more.
Stephen Baldwin’s Tanny is in a car accident and trying to flee the scene, but seems to be inspired to search through Michael’s house and luckily finds the stash of gold coins? That seems illogical. Did Tanny have knowledge of the treasure prior to his accident? Still if you are fleeing the scene of a car accident, robbing a house is not what one would expect to happen.
Beyond the Film Facts
- The movie is based on the 1861 George Eliot novel Silas Marner.
- George Eliot was the pen name for author Mary Ann Evans.
- Steve Martin adapted the film for the big screen.
- Silas Marner is not the only classic tale that Martin adapted for the screen. Roxanne is based on Cyrano de Bergerac and L.A. Story is based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
- Alana Austin was nominated for a Young Artist Award for her portrayal of Mathilda.
The Streamy Award
{The following four categories are based on a Film Reel scale.
1 Reel-Bored and Killing Time, 2 Reels-When You Have Some Time, 3 Reels-Make Some Time, 4 Reels-Big Screen Event}
In grade 10, I was forced to read Silas Marner. While I somewhat enjoyed the book, I had difficulty connecting to the themes on the page because I just wasn’t that interested in this tale of a miser who is redeemed by a baby at his doorstep. My teacher at the time did not indicate to us that there was a movie adaptation like A Simple Twist of Fate. If only I had known, perhaps I would have done better on the final assignment.
Unless it is a period piece, it can be hard to transfer the essence of a classic work to modern cinema. Steve Martin not only brought the feel of England and the world of author George Eliot, but we see contemporary people while watching Michael McCann emerge from his rabbit hole of isolation.
A Simple Twist of Fate is fun, heartwarming, and worth a 2 Reels rating. If you have a chance, check out this hidden gem from Steve Martin.
Cast and Crew
- Steve Martin as Michael McCann
- Gabriel Byrne as John Newland
- Laura Linney as Nancy Newland
- Catherine O’Hara as April Simon
- Stephen Baldwin as Tanny Newland
- Alana Austin as Mathilda McCann
Directed by Gillies MacKinnon
Produced by Touchstone Pictures
Release Date: September 2, 1994
Box Office Gross
Domestic: $3,430583
Coming Soon
Next week, Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger in the Hollywood Pictures romantic comedy The Marrying Man.