Doing the 'Right' Thing

'The Bridges of Madison County' was on the TV late last night. I started watching it, I'd seen it years before, and had to watch until the end even though I knew what happened.

It's the dilemma. What do you do? Like Elsa in Casablanca, she wanted to stay with Rick, but is married to someone who needs her and who inspires others. To continue with this, he needs Elsa. Rick tells her to go. She doesn't want to, but she knows the 'right' thing to do is go with her husband.

In 'The Bridges of Madison County' we see Clint Eastwood outside those long, wooden American bridges photographing them. We see Meryl Streep inside, walking along, peering out.

This is the visual hint. He is free to roam and she is trapped by circumstances and convention.

They love each other. He tells her that 'this kind of certainty comes once in a lifetime.'

He tells her that observing animals in Africa he saw that there is no imposed morality, it's just the way it is. This reminds me of the female character in 'The Lost Steps.' The male protagonist comes from the 'civilised' world which makes him feel that loving someone isn't enough. He goes back home and realises that that is all that really matters.

Maybe we realise this too late in life. For the lucky ones, who we, seeking success in our careers, wherever, gently ridicule, they realise early on that this is all that is important. Our 'society' does not value this as highly as it deserves if it truly only comes once in a lifetime.

But then there is duty. For Meryl Streep's character it is duty to her husband, children and maintaining that security and way of life so that their lives aren't wrecked.
She would be selfish to leave and risk destroying this stable life that will make them stable adults, wouldn't she?

They last see each other in town, waiting at the traffic lights, in the pouring rain, he in his pickup truck and she sitting beside her husband in their truck which is behind his. He hangs a cross on his rear view mirror, she watches from behind, her hand on the door handle. The traffic lights change to green. He doesn't pull away...

Does she make the 'right' choice?