18 year old Eliza (played by Elizabeth Moorman), has come to Montreal, from the North, in order to find her soulmate, so that she can get pregnant and have a child.
But she doesn't know where to begin, so she consults a Chinese horoscope reader, named Rose (played by Rose Quong), who lives in a boarding house that also acts as a bordello.
While there, she ends up sharing a room with Lila (Lila Kedrova), a local prostitute, who becomes her closest confidant in her search for love.
Though, she tries to turn her on to Catholicism, instead of "this new age astrology crap".
She also befriends an angsty young Bukowksian native named Tommy, played by Tommy Lee Jones.
Having a white guy play the role of a Native American is pretty taboo these days...but Sheppard honestly thought that Tommy Lee Jones had native ancestry derived from a grandmother he claimed was Commanche.
But this has since been disputed.
If you haven't noticed by now, everyone is using their real names.
In an article written by writer/producer/director Gordon Sheppard, he noted, "It was only when they were cast that I asked the actors if we could use their real names for the characters as I felt that doing so would give the actors greater identification with their roles.".
Eventually Eliza gets her chart back from the oracle, which says that she will find a handsome, rich, man who will love her but also be her friend.
However, she forgets the initial warning- that the advice may not be accurate- as she was unable to provide the exact time of her birth within five minutes of the time she was born.
That's not to say it isn't actually accurate, but she certainly interprets it the wrong way, which is a mistake that the entire plot revolves around.
It's also an idea that is reinforced later in the film, when she humourously posts a bulletin suggesting that "Jesus Was A Capricorn", followed by her request to meet a rich and handsome aries or saggitarius man...on the doors of a church.
This may not be evident to most, but the irony is derived from the idea that Jesus was not actually born on Christmas (and therefore not a capricorn)- as that story is actually an astrotheological rendering of a tale designed to associate Jesus with the "birth of the Sun", so as to fashion him as a Sun King.
He was really born on Easter, and thus, actually an Aries.
Making her friend's suggestion, that she should date Jesus, as he's "the best man she's ever had", all that more ironic, as well.
These instances of irony deeply saturate the esotericism of the film, as it is also ironic that she asks her imaginary child "Joshua" for advice...considering Jesus' name was Yeshua, and all.
Her desperate quest for love seems to be an attempt to quell the overwhelming sense of guilt that looms in her mind, and weighs on her soul, as a result of the untimely death of her little brother Luke, which she clearly feels partially responsible for.
While her forcible attempt to make the whole thing a self-fulfilling prophecy, blinds her from the fact that the man right under her nose has perfectly fit the description the whole time...just...not in the way she is interpreting it.
She takes "rich" to mean monetarily wealthy, but it really means rich in spirit, passion, perseverance, and imagination.
So, despite the connection they clearly share, she sabotages the relationship, telling Tommy that she doesn't love him.
Preferring to take her chances with fate, instead.
Not realizing it has already played it's hand.
Little does she know, that by rejecting Tommy...she not only seals her own fate (ie her further descent into madness)...but his, as well.
And by the time she realizes her mistake...it's already too late...
The whole thing is overtly bizarre- along similar lines as the works of Jodorowsky- and unintentionally hilarious at points...but that is the source of it's charm.
And, overall, it's actually an excellent film.
In the end, one of the funniest things is that Sheppard's story about the making the film- which was almost this great Hollywood masterpiece involving some of the greatest names in the history of music and cinema, despite ending up as one man's epic solo undertaking- is just as entertaining as the film itself.
To give you the jist, it was partially inspired by the influence of Alanis Obomsawin, was almost greenlit by Hefner; and edited by Fellini's editor...then Godard's editor...and even Martin Scorcese!; nearly starred Genevieve Bujold; and was going to have an original soundtrack recorded by The Band (though you can still see Robbie Robertson in the film as an extra).
I highly recommend you read the article he wrote about trying to get the film made...it's really interesting.
And, to take the irony angle a little further, he ended up finding the love of his life- Marguerite Corriveau (who edited the film)- as a result of the whole process.
Sheppard would never go on to make another film...but he did make Tommy Lee Jones career...as it was his performance in this film that got him signed to a Hollywood contract with Howard Hawks' daughter Kitty Hawks, who worked for CMA at the time.
Another interesting thing to note is how Rose Quong and Tommy's indigenous grandmother in the film, both have very similar looks to them.
This is a very intentional feature, as, when Jacques Cartier originally travelled down the St. Lawrence seaway, to Hochelaga (where he was stopped by the rapids), he thought he had found the Northwest Passage, that would eventually take him to China (though he was prevented from going any further).
Hence the rapids taking on the name Lachine, which comes from La Chine (or the Chinese, in French).
This association was not lost on Sheppard, who, based on his research, believed the indigenous peoples of Canada and North America, had once emigrated from northern Asia, and thus shared both features, culture and a lineage with the people of China.
There was never an official release of this film by the way.
The only version available is actually a pirate copy of the master that Sheppard had sent to a VHS distribution company that went belly up before it was ever released...which explains why the version you saw is so choppy.
That aside, however, this film went on to win several awards, and has since gone down in history as Canadian classic.
Warner Bros legally received the rights to distribute this film back in 2015- Sheppard died in 2006- so it is due for some restoration and a proper release one day.
That being said, it's well worth putting in the just over 2 hours to watch.
Especially if you're into psychedelic cinema (like the films of Jodorowsky, Gaspar Noe's Enter The Void, Ben Wheatley's A Field In England, Victor Ginzburg's Generation P, Nicholas Roeg's Eureka, Lars Von Trier's Melancholia, and Raoul Ruiz's Le Territoire...or in the case of Quebec cinema...the films of Andre Forcier).
8 out of 10.
But she doesn't know where to begin, so she consults a Chinese horoscope reader, named Rose (played by Rose Quong), who lives in a boarding house that also acts as a bordello.
While there, she ends up sharing a room with Lila (Lila Kedrova), a local prostitute, who becomes her closest confidant in her search for love.
Though, she tries to turn her on to Catholicism, instead of "this new age astrology crap".
She also befriends an angsty young Bukowksian native named Tommy, played by Tommy Lee Jones.
Having a white guy play the role of a Native American is pretty taboo these days...but Sheppard honestly thought that Tommy Lee Jones had native ancestry derived from a grandmother he claimed was Commanche.
But this has since been disputed.
If you haven't noticed by now, everyone is using their real names.
In an article written by writer/producer/director Gordon Sheppard, he noted, "It was only when they were cast that I asked the actors if we could use their real names for the characters as I felt that doing so would give the actors greater identification with their roles.".
Eventually Eliza gets her chart back from the oracle, which says that she will find a handsome, rich, man who will love her but also be her friend.
However, she forgets the initial warning- that the advice may not be accurate- as she was unable to provide the exact time of her birth within five minutes of the time she was born.
That's not to say it isn't actually accurate, but she certainly interprets it the wrong way, which is a mistake that the entire plot revolves around.
It's also an idea that is reinforced later in the film, when she humourously posts a bulletin suggesting that "Jesus Was A Capricorn", followed by her request to meet a rich and handsome aries or saggitarius man...on the doors of a church.
This may not be evident to most, but the irony is derived from the idea that Jesus was not actually born on Christmas (and therefore not a capricorn)- as that story is actually an astrotheological rendering of a tale designed to associate Jesus with the "birth of the Sun", so as to fashion him as a Sun King.
He was really born on Easter, and thus, actually an Aries.
Making her friend's suggestion, that she should date Jesus, as he's "the best man she's ever had", all that more ironic, as well.
These instances of irony deeply saturate the esotericism of the film, as it is also ironic that she asks her imaginary child "Joshua" for advice...considering Jesus' name was Yeshua, and all.
Her desperate quest for love seems to be an attempt to quell the overwhelming sense of guilt that looms in her mind, and weighs on her soul, as a result of the untimely death of her little brother Luke, which she clearly feels partially responsible for.
While her forcible attempt to make the whole thing a self-fulfilling prophecy, blinds her from the fact that the man right under her nose has perfectly fit the description the whole time...just...not in the way she is interpreting it.
She takes "rich" to mean monetarily wealthy, but it really means rich in spirit, passion, perseverance, and imagination.
So, despite the connection they clearly share, she sabotages the relationship, telling Tommy that she doesn't love him.
Preferring to take her chances with fate, instead.
Not realizing it has already played it's hand.
Little does she know, that by rejecting Tommy...she not only seals her own fate (ie her further descent into madness)...but his, as well.
And by the time she realizes her mistake...it's already too late...
The whole thing is overtly bizarre- along similar lines as the works of Jodorowsky- and unintentionally hilarious at points...but that is the source of it's charm.
And, overall, it's actually an excellent film.
In the end, one of the funniest things is that Sheppard's story about the making the film- which was almost this great Hollywood masterpiece involving some of the greatest names in the history of music and cinema, despite ending up as one man's epic solo undertaking- is just as entertaining as the film itself.
To give you the jist, it was partially inspired by the influence of Alanis Obomsawin, was almost greenlit by Hefner; and edited by Fellini's editor...then Godard's editor...and even Martin Scorcese!; nearly starred Genevieve Bujold; and was going to have an original soundtrack recorded by The Band (though you can still see Robbie Robertson in the film as an extra).
I highly recommend you read the article he wrote about trying to get the film made...it's really interesting.
And, to take the irony angle a little further, he ended up finding the love of his life- Marguerite Corriveau (who edited the film)- as a result of the whole process.
Sheppard would never go on to make another film...but he did make Tommy Lee Jones career...as it was his performance in this film that got him signed to a Hollywood contract with Howard Hawks' daughter Kitty Hawks, who worked for CMA at the time.
Another interesting thing to note is how Rose Quong and Tommy's indigenous grandmother in the film, both have very similar looks to them.
This is a very intentional feature, as, when Jacques Cartier originally travelled down the St. Lawrence seaway, to Hochelaga (where he was stopped by the rapids), he thought he had found the Northwest Passage, that would eventually take him to China (though he was prevented from going any further).
Hence the rapids taking on the name Lachine, which comes from La Chine (or the Chinese, in French).
This association was not lost on Sheppard, who, based on his research, believed the indigenous peoples of Canada and North America, had once emigrated from northern Asia, and thus shared both features, culture and a lineage with the people of China.
There was never an official release of this film by the way.
The only version available is actually a pirate copy of the master that Sheppard had sent to a VHS distribution company that went belly up before it was ever released...which explains why the version you saw is so choppy.
That aside, however, this film went on to win several awards, and has since gone down in history as Canadian classic.
Warner Bros legally received the rights to distribute this film back in 2015- Sheppard died in 2006- so it is due for some restoration and a proper release one day.
That being said, it's well worth putting in the just over 2 hours to watch.
Especially if you're into psychedelic cinema (like the films of Jodorowsky, Gaspar Noe's Enter The Void, Ben Wheatley's A Field In England, Victor Ginzburg's Generation P, Nicholas Roeg's Eureka, Lars Von Trier's Melancholia, and Raoul Ruiz's Le Territoire...or in the case of Quebec cinema...the films of Andre Forcier).
8 out of 10.