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 Worn,
abused, disillusioned by his own and by alcohol, Theda Bassett is the
stereotype of the mother absent with her daughters Mary and Christie, who
found refuge between alcohol and the image she has of her step-son,
Steve, then assistant of the district attorney.
She
makes her arrival in Santa Barbara at the occasion of her birthday,
event where are present her daughters and her step-son. Theda has
completely left the family reins between Steve's hands of, as an easy
option. And she approves him in every decisions he takes against Christie
(he founds her an apartment near his home, he refuses that she dates Ted
Capwell...), without never wanting to see the monster who is in him, and
never wanting to remember the reasons that led her to drink and the
reasons that led Mary to religion. Because Theda, deep inside of her,
knows perfectly the nature of the wolf that her family does shelter.
Theda
recovers her role as a mother only when she is confronted with Christie's
rape. She promises to herself to fight for her daughter and swears that
the Capwell money will not prevent her from going until the trial.
Skilfully supported by Steve, Theda proves to be a solid support for Christie, until some small flaws come to destroy her newfound confidence.
These are Mary's doubts about Ted's guilt and Steve's strange behavior
that question her. And, plagued by alcohol, Theda disappears again
slowly to let Mary taking the family reins, until leaving the town.
Theda
will have known only one summer in Santa Barbara, a very agitated
summer. However, it is a pity to
have taken her away so quickly and especially not to have make her come
back at Mary's death, eager for revenge, and plunging into a destructive
spiral between madness and alcohol...
Portrait
written for this site by Lilian
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