Purity laments the fact that no one remembers her birthday anymore.Plot synopsis: Purity's birthday comes around and Long John does not seem to have a clue.
Thoughts:
I have trepidation about any episode focusing on Miss Purity because she's so bellicose and over the top. Fortunately, there were genuine moments showing her as a person with dimension and depth. It becomes a little clearer that her loud and sometimes angry nature is her acting out on a sense that her life is squandered and that no one sincerely cares about her.
This episode opens with a bait and switch shot of a huge multi-tiered cake. Since the episode title is "Miss Purity's Birthday", one might think that we were going to see her cutting the cake but it ends up being the governor's daughter's party. The governor in his wife are very respectful to Miss Purity despite her lowly station in life. It's a nice balance against the people of high status who look down on those who they view as being from a lower station.
The very concept of an episode like this seems very predictable from the opening minutes. Long John has clearly forgotten or does not care about Purity's birthday and she's going to sob, wail, and shout at him, but this turns into a deeper episode where Miss Purity learns to find another way to give meaning to her life and enjoy her birthday by assisting people who have genuine need. I think that we're meant to see that focusing on cakes, gifts, and attention is just as selfish as Long John's behavior. It's merely a different type of selfishness.
Favorite moments:
I love the two snooty magpies who speak disdainfully of Miss Purity as she sits next to them at the governor's daughter's birthday party (which Jim attends).
When Purity laments that there is nothing left for her in life as compared to her youth, you get a real sense of the mindset of a woman of her age, in any era.
I liked the touch of having Purity pour water into a basin in preparation for morning ablutions. It's a tip of the hat to the times.
The Reverend is very sweet when he gives Purity a bouquet of flowers and wishes her a happy birthday.
Favorite quotes:
Purity to Jim: "Such hopes as one has as a child, and now, as the years roll on and birthdays come, nobody cares."
Long John: "So, you've been out nobbin' with the gentry, 'ave yee?"
Purity: "Better than yee could do. Look at the cut of you in your greasy rags, wallowing like a pig in swill (as she gestures to mugs of rum)."
Long John: "Let a woman 'ave her way in a matter of business and she'll have you hog-tied."
Reverend to nervous expectant father: "Fathers are made every minute of the day, my son, and they generally survive."
Purity admires the hat Long John got her as a birthday gift.Stray notions:
This episode had the same Jim Hawkin's narrated opening as in a previous episode, but it is extended to include talk about Purity also being Jim's guardian.
The kid's play "London Bridge is Falling Down" during the birthday party. I wonder if kids even know the song anymore, let alone play the game.
Ironhand, Purity's waiter and general lackey, tries to eavesdrop on Long John as he discusses his next journey, but Long John shoos him away as he knows he'll tell Purity everything.
Purity's birthday is March 16.
For some reason, I was struck more acutely that the set construction was very cheap as the Cask and Anchor was being approached by Purity and the Reverend on their carriage.
Miss Purity is a feisty wench who is ready to kick the asses of anyone who sneaked into her establishment. You can see a bit of why Long John is attracted to her.
Purity gets the same cake as the governor's daughter. It just has a few fewer tiers.
Long John gives Purity an extremely tacky hat as a gift, but she seems to love it.
Mold to Gold Rating:
I realize that the basic message of this episode is a pretty familiar one, and it may seem rather obvious, but as someone who is a sucker for oldies like this, I liked it. We can wallow in our misery over what we do not have or we can make something more of our lives. Just because the message is positive, and has been sent many times in other media, it doesn't make it bad. I liked this episode a lot for the way Purity's character is explored and given more colors. I only take a point off because of the predictable crying and shouting about not having her birthday recognized.
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