Saw the movie on DVD along with the companion documentary "Sex in a cold Climate".

It was extremely shocking and distubing to see how these girls were exploited by the Catholic Church.

Having grown up Catholic and still being a member its very disturbing to know that the church had harbored such evil.

I guess this kind of evil can exist in any situation when you have an absolute rule of any entity, weather its the Catholic Church, any protestant body, Islam, Judism, hinduism or even a the Communist Party.

The girls were sent to the Magdalene homes for such "crimes" as having children out of wedlock, being too pretty growing up in an orphanage or even being a rape victim. The film depicted four girls/women. They were placed without any due process of law, often by their parents or guardians. Once in they could remain imprisoned in these homes for life.

The treatment of these young ladies was horrible. They were forced to work constantly. They were subject to abuse by nuns, physical, psychological and even sexual.

Its a hard film to watch but very important. The film tells us that the last of the Magdalene homes closed its doors in Ireland in 1988.

The church, and every other organization occupied by humans contains evil people.

The church, and every other organization occupied by humans contains evil people.
What was troubling to me was that it was officially sanctioned by the church and even the Irish government.

The Catholic Church played a vital role in Irish history. The church had sided with the Republican struggle to free Ireland. In fact the Church championed the Irish peasantry when they were impoverished, starving and landless. Once the Ireland was freed from British Rule, the Church became all powerful.

The only trouble was, it would seem, that the Irish Catholic Church, once empowered was free to do as it pleased. The result was, appearantly a religo-police state.

Have seen both the film and the documentary. I think the last Magdalene laundry was actually closed in 1996, though, not 1988.

I felt it was an important film, as well, and less as an attack on the Catholic Church but more on the level of social stigma and hypocrisy in general. The fact that people chose to use the Church as a vehicle to cover their own fears and personal failings does not speak to the dogma of the Church, but to the frailty of human beings.

The movie created a startling contrast between the weak families who sacrificed their own children because of peer pressure and the strength and beauty of the women who strove to find their own humanity and freedom in a harsh environment. The final freeze frame was outstanding.

That was an excellent assessment. A very sad movie all the same. I really fealt for Charlott(was that the name?) the mentally handicapped unwed mother.

Ya, me too. She broke my heart. :(

That was an excellent assessment. A very sad movie all the same. I really fealt for Charlott(was that the name?) the mentally handicapped unwed mother.

Yah I did too. It was a fast one the girls played on the priest who was having sex with her.

Yah I did too. It was a fast one the girls played on the priest who was having sex with her.
But she suffered as a resule. I think Margret did not intend for Charlott to be punished. It just happened that way.

The escape for the last-half of the movie was pure crap [I was about ready to expect Steve McQueen on a motercycle ramp and a Johnny Cash prison song] but otherwise I thought it was an exceptional film that does show why there has to be a seperation of church and state.

By the way,I did a post about it here when the film came out.

The escape for the last-half of the movie was pure crap [I was about ready to expect Steve McQueen on a motercycle ramp and a Johnny Cash prison song] but otherwise I thought it was an exceptional film that does show why there has to be a seperation of church and state.

By the way,I did a post about it here when the film came out.
Sorry I missed it.

Thanks for the heads up crim. I love movies such as this. Will be sure to check it out. I too loathe the extremists of any religion. Will be watching it now because of your recommendation. If it ends up sucking, I blame it on you..:D

Thanks for the heads up crim. I love movies such as this. Will be sure to check it out. I too loathe the extremists of any religion. Will be watching it now because of your recommendation. If it ends up sucking, I blame it on you..:D
Blame Spab first since she recommended it to me.:D

But seriously, its really sad but I think films like that are very important.