“Higher Ground,” starring and directed by Vera Farmiga (who starred opposite George Clooney in “Up in the Air,” for which she received an Oscar nomination), opens Friday in New York and Los Angeles. It is based on Carolyn S. Briggs’ memoir, “This Dark World,” and Briggs co-wrote the screenplay. It is a movie worth seeing for several reasons.
The film is a subtle and sensitive portrayal of a woman’s struggle with love and doubt in a religious community, the outcome portrayed with a beautiful dramatic device at the end. Its take on religion is a first for a film with a major Hollywood star, whose performance is quite remarkable. Here is Vera Farmiga’s description of the film:
Our story follows a twenty-year span of all the love relationships in Corinne’s life. It stacks and studies the four tiers of love: agape, eros, philia and storge [unconditional love, romantic love, love of family and friends, fond affection]. It was especially relevant and unique to me in the way it represents female friendship — as a refuge in harmony, not conflict or competition, as is often represented between women in film. While the men in the story are also full, rich characters, the story stresses that love between women is important. We see in each other the woman that we would love to be. I thought this had the makings of an unusual and important film. …
The film asks: is it possible for faith and doubt to coexist? … Christianity is the “location" of the film, not the subject, concern, or issue. The film could have been set just as easily in a variety of faiths or cultures. I have a deep respect for all religions; I’m most familiar with Christianity. I did not want to make a film about the rights and wrongs of religion. I wanted to be reverent and respectful, and I did not want to infect the story with bias. It is about those moments in life where you lose sight of who you are, what you believe, and where you are going. Those moments of stumbling. The film is about finding your footing, finding higher ground.
Farmiga describes the movie as “a genre-defying film — a story of self-discovery, a romance, a dark comedy, a tender account of female friendship, and even a musical exploring the complex themes of faith and doubt.” It is an accurate description of what she has achieved.
The name of the film comes from the hymn "Higher Ground," written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. (Bible reference, Philippians 3:14):
I'm pressing on the upward way, New heights I'm gaining every day; Still praying as I'm onward bound, "Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."
I want to scale the utmost height, And catch a gleam of glory bright; But still I'll pray till heav'n I've found, "Lord plant my feet on higher ground."
