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Timeline

The Midwife (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

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 (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Midwife
  6. 6 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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14 events in order · contains spoilers

The Midwife Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Midwife (2017) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Claire's Life as a Midwife

    Claire is a dedicated midwife working at a maternity unit which is facing the threat of closure. Her commitment to her job involves caring for mothers and their babies, even as the uncertainty about the future weighs heavily on her.

    Where
    Maternity Unit
  2. The Call from Beatrice

    Out of the blue, Claire receives a call from Beatrice, the mistress of her late father, whom she hasn't heard from in over thirty years. This unexpected communication opens the door to a complex reunion filled with unresolved emotions.

  3. The Tension of the Reunion

    Claire prepares to meet Beatrice for the first time since her father took his own life after their separation. The air is thick with tension as Claire grapples with the significance of their meeting and the burden of their shared past.

  4. Contrasting Personalities

    During their reunion, Claire finds herself struck by the immaturity and flamboyance of Beatrice, especially when compared to her own grounded nature. This stark contrast highlights the differences in their lives and coping mechanisms.

  5. Claire's Life in Mantes-la-Jolie

    Amidst her responsibilities, Claire balances her work with raising her son in a cozy apartment in Mantes-la-Jolie. This setting provides her with a semblance of stability that is challenged by the arrival of Beatrice.

    Where
    Mantes-la-Jolie
  6. Beatrice's Battle with Illness

    Beatrice moves in with Claire as she battles a brain tumor, turning Claire into her caregiver. This significant shift leads to more complications in their relationship as both women confront their shared history.

  7. Feelings of Guilt

    As Beatrice copes with her illness, she is haunted by guilt over her past decisions that contributed to Claire's father's death. This emotional burden complicates their fragile relationship as she tries to reconcile her past with her present.

  8. Attempts at Redemption

    In a bid to make amends, Beatrice seeks to support Claire in her life and work. However, her illness often hampers her intentions, leading to chaos and misunderstandings instead of the resolution she hoped for.

  9. The Symbol of a Complicated Friendship

    Upon her departure, Beatrice leaves Claire an expensive ring as a parting gift. This token serves as a bittersweet reminder of their complicated relationship, encapsulating the mixture of love and resentment they both feel.

  10. Claire's Allotment Garden

    In search of peace amidst her turmoil, Claire often retreats to her allotment garden. Here, she finds solace and connection, particularly with Paul, a charming long-distance lorry driver who enters her life.

    Where
    Allotment Garden
  11. A New Beginning with Paul

    Amidst the chaos of her life with Beatrice, Claire begins to develop a budding romance with Paul. Their relationship offers Claire a glimmer of hope and personal happiness amidst the ongoing emotional trials.

  12. Navigating Coexistence

    As Beatrice lives under Claire's roof, both women must navigate their complex feelings towards each other and their pasts. This coexistence tests Claire’s resilience and her ability to maintain her own life while caring for Beatrice.

  13. Enduring Consequences

    The experiences shared between Claire and Beatrice leave lasting emotional scars on both women. Their journey underscores the intricacies of familial bonds and the profound impact of unresolved guilt.

  14. The Closing Chapter

    As Beatrice departs from Claire's life, she leaves behind echoes of their tumultuous past. Claire is left to reflect on the lessons learned, the importance of self-care, and the potential for new beginnings.

Last updated: November 15, 2024 at 18:03

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Timeline questions answered

The Midwife Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Midwife (2017): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Beatrice contact Claire after 30 years of silence?

Beatrice reaches out to Claire because she is dying from a brain tumor and seeks redemption for her past. After learning that Claire's father committed suicide shortly after their separation, Beatrice feels guilty about her role in his death and wants to make amends before it's too late.

  • beatrice
  • claire
  • reunion
  • guilt
  • terminal illness
Q2

What caused Claire's father to take his own life?

Claire's father took his own life after his relationship with Beatrice ended. The separation devastated him, and he could not cope with the loss, leading to his tragic decision. Beatrice carries this guilt throughout the story.

  • father
  • suicide
  • death
  • beatrice
  • separation
Q3

How does Beatrice's illness affect her relationship with Claire?

Beatrice's brain tumor forces her to move in with Claire, who becomes her caregiver. However, the illness causes Beatrice to be clumsy and chaotic, leading to misunderstandings rather than the reconciliation she hoped for. Their relationship remains complicated as Beatrice grapples with guilt while relying on Claire for support.

  • brain tumor
  • illness
  • caregiving
  • relationship
  • chaos
Q4

Why does Beatrice leave Claire an expensive ring when she departs?

Beatrice leaves the expensive ring as a token of their complicated bond and as partial redemption for her past actions. The ring represents both her guilt over Claire's father's death and the tentative connection they formed during her illness, a bittersweet reminder of their shared history.

  • ring
  • parting gift
  • redemption
  • token
  • complex relationship
Q5

Does the maternity unit where Claire works face closure?

Yes, the maternity unit where Claire works is under threat of closure due to hospital takeover plans. This professional challenge adds to Claire's stress throughout the film, as she is dedicated to her role caring for mothers and babies.

  • maternity unit
  • closure
  • hospital
  • profession
  • midwife
Q6

Who is Paul and how does he meet Claire?

Paul is a charming long-distance lorry driver in his fifties whom Claire meets at her allotment garden. During the turbulent period of caring for Beatrice, Claire and Paul's relationship develops into a budding romance, offering her hope and personal happiness amid the emotional turmoil.

  • paul
  • romance
  • allotment garden
  • lorry driver
  • new beginning
Q7

Why does Beatrice feel guilty about Claire's father?

Beatrice feels guilty because her relationship with Claire's father contributed to his emotional breakdown. After she left him, he became devastated and ultimately took his own life. Beatrice believes her actions were partly responsible for his death and spends her final months trying to make amends.

  • guilt
  • redemption
  • father
  • death
  • responsibility
Q8

How do Beatrice and Claire's different personalities create tension?

Beatrice is portrayed as immature and flamboyant, living an extravagant lifestyle, while Claire is selfless, grounded, and focused on caring for others, her son, the mothers at the maternity unit, and her allotment garden. Their contrasting personalities clash as Beatrice's chaotic nature frustrates Claire's orderly life, though they eventually find common ground.

  • personalities
  • contrast
  • tension
  • character dynamics

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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