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Characters & Themes

The Midwife (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 117 min · French
Echo score 73
JustWatch #30,041
Directed by
Martin Provost
Starring
Catherine Deneuve, Olivier Gourmet, Pauline Etienne, Quentin Dolmaire, Catherine Frot, Audrey Dana
Budget
$6.8M

A dedicated midwife faces challenges as a hospital seeks to take over her practice. She unexpectedly finds support in her father’s former lover, a woman searching for a fresh start. Their lives become intertwined as they navigate personal struggles and professional obstacles, forging an unlikely bond and discovering strength in each other's company.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (3)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like The Midwife
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Midwife (2017)

Where can you watch The Midwife? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on OVID, Darkroom and Fawesome: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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3 main characters · contains spoilers

The Midwife Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of The Midwife (2017), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Claire

    Claire is a dedicated midwife who embodies compassion and responsibility. Amidst her professional challenges and personal dilemmas, she remains steadfast in caring for both new mothers and her own son. Her grounded nature often contrasts with the flamboyance of Beatrice, who disrupts her orderly life.

    • 👩‍⚕️ Midwife
    • 💪 Strength
    • 💖 Compassion
  • Beatrice

    Beatrice is portrayed as an immature yet flamboyant character, whose extravagant lifestyle starkly contrasts with Claire’s grounded existence. As she confronts her past and battles illness, her complex feelings of guilt and desire for redemption shape her interactions with Claire, culminating in a turbulent yet poignant dynamic.

    • 🎭 Flamboyant
    • 🏥 Illness
    • 🔄 Redemption
  • Paul

    Paul is a charming long-distance lorry driver in his fifties who becomes a source of solace and potential happiness for Claire. His warm presence offers Claire a glimpse of companionship amidst the chaos, highlighting themes of connection and support during turbulent times.

    • 🚚 Driver
    • ❤️ Romance
    • 🌟 Support

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:47

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Setting

Where and When Does The Midwife Take Place?

The setting of The Midwife (2017): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

The movie is set in contemporary times, reflecting the modern challenges faced by individuals in personal relationships and healthcare. It portrays the evolving dynamics in family ties and responsibilities in a present-day setting.

Location

Mantes-la-Jolie

Mantes-la-Jolie is a scenic city located in the Yvelines department of France, known for its beautiful riverbanks and historic architecture. It serves as the cozy home base for Claire, who balances her professional duties and personal life within its charming atmosphere.

  • 🌆 City
  • 🏡 Home

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:47

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3 major themes

The Midwife Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is The Midwife (2017) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Caregiving

    The theme of caregiving is central to the movie, as Claire takes on the role of caregiver for Beatrice, despite their complicated past. This role brings both challenges and personal growth as Claire balances her compassion with the emotional turmoil that arises from their relationship.

  • Redemption

    Redemption is explored through Beatrice's character, who seeks to atone for her past mistakes while dealing with her illness. Her attempts to reconnect with Claire signify her desire to find peace, though her efforts often lead to more complications rather than resolution.

  • Relationships

    The film delves into the complexity of relationships, not only between Claire and Beatrice but also in Claire’s burgeoning romance with Paul. It highlights the struggle to find love and happiness amidst personal chaos and unresolved family issues.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:47

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Character & theme questions

The Midwife Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about The Midwife (2017): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is The Midwife set?

The movie is set in Mantes-la-Jolie, a scenic city in the Yvelines department of France. It features beautiful riverbanks and historic architecture, serving as the cozy home base where Claire balances her professional duties as a midwife and her personal life.

  • mantes-la-jolie
  • setting
  • france
  • location
Q2

What kind of city is Mantes-la-Jolie?

Mantes-la-Jolie is described as a scenic French city with beautiful riverbanks along the Seine and historic architecture. It provides a charming, intimate atmosphere that reflects the film's gentle tone and character-driven narrative.

  • mantes-la-jolie
  • french city
  • seine
  • historic architecture
Q3

When does The Midwife take place?

The film is set in contemporary times, reflecting modern challenges in personal relationships and healthcare. It portrays present-day dynamics in family ties and responsibilities, with no specific year mentioned.

  • contemporary
  • modern
  • present day
  • time period
Q4

What are the main themes in The Midwife?

The Midwife explores three central themes: caregiving, redemption, and relationships. Caregiving is central as Claire cares for Beatrice despite their complicated history. Redemption follows Beatrice's attempts to atone for past mistakes while dealing with illness. Relationships highlight the complexity of finding love and happiness amid personal chaos.

  • themes
  • caregiving
  • redemption
  • relationships
  • meaning
Q5

How does The Midwife explore caregiving?

Caregiving is explored through Claire's role as both a midwife caring for mothers and as a caregiver for Beatrice, her father's former lover. This dual role brings challenges and personal growth, forcing Claire to balance compassion with the emotional turmoil from their complicated past.

  • caregiving
  • claire
  • beatrice
  • support
  • compassion
Q6

How does The Midwife handle redemption?

Redemption is portrayed through Beatrice's journey as she seeks to atone for past mistakes while battling illness. Her desire to reconnect with Claire represents her attempt to find peace, though her efforts often create complications rather than clean resolution.

  • redemption
  • beatrice
  • guilt
  • attonement
  • mistakes
Q7

What does The Midwife say about relationships?

The film delves into the complexity of relationships beyond just Claire and Beatrice's dynamic. It also explores Claire's budding romance with Paul, highlighting the struggle to find love and happiness amidst personal chaos and unresolved family issues.

  • relationships
  • romance
  • family
  • connection
  • paul
  • claire
Q8

Who is Claire in The Midwife?

Claire is the film's protagonist, a dedicated midwife who embodies compassion and responsibility. She balances caring for new mothers while raising her son, and her grounded nature contrasts sharply with the flamboyant Beatrice, who disrupts her orderly life.

  • claire
  • midwife
  • protagonist
  • main character
Q9

Who is Beatrice in The Midwife?

Beatrice is Claire's father's former lover, portrayed as an immature but flamboyant woman whose extravagant lifestyle contrasts with Claire's grounded existence. She returns seeking redemption while battling illness, creating a turbulent yet poignant dynamic with Claire.

  • beatrice
  • father's lover
  • illness
  • complex character
Q10

Who is Paul in The Midwife?

Paul is a charming long-distance lorry driver in his fifties who becomes a source of solace for Claire. His warm presence offers her companionship amidst the chaos of her life, representing potential happiness and highlighting themes of connection and support.

  • paul
  • lorry driver
  • romance
  • companionship
  • support
Q11

What is the relationship between Claire and Beatrice?

Claire and Beatrice share a complicated history since Beatrice was Claire's father's former lover. Their relationship evolves from tension and past hurt to one of mutual care as Beatrice becomes ill, forcing Claire to navigate feelings of resentment while also providing caregiving.

  • claire
  • beatrice
  • relationship
  • father
  • history
  • tension
Q12

What is the tone of The Midwife?

The film has a bittersweet tone, blending sadness from unresolved history and illness with hopefulness from new bonds and personal strength. While themes like terminal illness and suicide are present, the focus on care, resilience, and quiet daily life prevents it from becoming overwhelmingly bleak.

  • tone
  • bittersweet
  • emotional
  • atmosphere
  • mood

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Midwife, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Midwife tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies with Healing Connections like The Midwife

Two people from different worlds find unexpected solace in caring for each other. If you liked the tender, transformative bond between Claire and Beatrice in The Midwife, explore these movies about unlikely friendships forged through caregiving and shared hardship. Find similar character-driven dramas where compassion and companionship provide a path through personal struggles.

  • tender
  • melancholic
  • compassionate
  • grounded
  • reflective
  • quiet
  • Tone: bittersweet, compassionate
  • Pacing: slow, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically introduce two distinct individuals, each carrying their own burdens, whose lives become intertwined in a caregiving or support role. The story unfolds through their daily interactions, moving from initial friction or awkwardness to a deep, mutually beneficial bond that helps them confront past wounds and face the future.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here because they share a focus on the redemptive power of human connection, particularly between people who wouldn't normally meet. They prioritize character development over plot, delivering a bittersweet, grounded emotional experience centered on themes of grief, care, and quiet personal growth.

Quiet Dramas of Resilience like The Midwife

Stories focusing on the quiet strength found in tending to life's daily struggles. For viewers who appreciated the quiet, steady portrayal of care and professional dedication in The Midwife, this list features movies with a similar contemplative mood. Discover stories that find profound meaning in everyday resilience, personal struggles, and compassionate character arcs.

  • quiet
  • melancholic
  • grounded
  • compassionate
  • reflective
  • tender
  • Tone: melancholic, reflective, grounded
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often follow a linear path, centering on a protagonist dedicated to their work or a personal responsibility. The conflict arises from external pressures or internal grief, but the story's power comes from observing the character's quiet, persistent efforts to persevere, often finding small moments of grace and connection along the way.

Why they belong together: These films share a specific mood blend: they are melancholic and reflective yet grounded in compassion. They avoid high melodrama, instead building emotional weight through the accumulation of small, truthful moments. The pacing is slow, the tone is bittersweet, and the focus is squarely on the human capacity for endurance.

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Movies Like The Midwife

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Every angle

The Midwife (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Midwife in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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