Who Do You Think You Are - Kim Cattrall

[scooter]

Did anyone else see this last night? My wife was an emotional wreck by the end. A very compelling program I thought, and Kim, who I didn't give much thought for in the past, came across very well and quite sensitive to the situation which in all truth didn't look like it was going to have an especially happy ending from the outset.

Cheers,

Scott

[Ann In the UK]

Hi,

Yes, I saw it too. I admit, I've never been much of a fan of her work, but you're right, she came across very well in the programme, mostly.

My only gripe came at the end and dried all my tears up instantly - why did only her and her mother go to Australia to meet the halfsiblings? She said she was thinking as much in the last, highly emotional scene where all the sisters were gathered to hear the devastating news: "Maybe you and I will go to Australia...." I was just surprised to find (via the added notice at the end) that that's exactly what they did. Surely Ms Catteral earns enough to have paid for all four to go to not only 'bring closure' on the past for them all, but to open up a new future with the siblings they'd just found out they had.

Regards,
Ann

[emanday]

I found it very interesting as my Great grandfather ran off to sea, leaving his wife and four daughters in the lurch, having to go on poor relief and with the youngest only a year old at the time.

He did get his comeuppance though - he was lost overboard two years after running off.

[Lorna Allison]

We-e-e-e-ll, reckon I will put a different construction on only Kim and her mother going to Oz, Ann. I am about the same age as the other two sisters and come that age there are many reasons for not being able to "up and buzz off" to Australia. Close family member with poor health being a major one but not the only likely reason.

Thought the programme was very good, but was certainly on tenterhooks about the public exposure of the family in Australia. Sounds like that had been resolved before airing the programme, thankfully.

Lorna

[joette]

This was much more "Family History" than genealogy & much more my thing.
I was a sobbing wreck too Scooter.I thought she & her family came across as dignified,compassionate & strong women.
What a shock to find out your relative is a bigamist-not some distant one but one you knew & loved.That he had callously abandoned his three girls & wife knowing they would be in dire need.
I am guessing that her Aunties couldn't travel to Oz.Kim's Mum seemed much more stoic than her siblings & maybe felt it easier to cope with the emotions it must have raised.I would have liked to have been a fly on that wall.
Quite different to any other WDYTYA episode I have seen.

[AndrewP]

Quite different to any other WDYTYA episode I have seen.

You've got me curious. I was out last night, but have recorded it to see later.

All the best,

AndrewP

[joette]

Don't want to spoil it for those that haven't but there is no tree etc which is usually a prominent part of the show.It was more about a particular part of the history & how the actions of one can impact down the generations.
Very powerful stuff & had me greetin my eyes out.Kim was very restrained I would have been shouting out "He's a swine" hours before.
Full of admiration for those who went throught those times & maybe a wee bit more compassionate towards rellies who didn't help out my Great-aunt when she was orphaned in the twenties.

[LesleyB]

Hi all

I was left with a question - the man abandoned both his wife and kids, but also it seems he did not ever get back in touch with his mother and siblings, as they seemed to know nothing of where he had gone either.

You'd think, given the circumstances, that there might have followed some communication between Kim's grandmother (the wife who had been deserted) and her mother-in-law's family. After all, they must both have wondered where on earth he had gone... There was an implication at the beginning of the program that all connection had been lost by the three "girls" with their fathers family & their grandmother and initially I expected that the man's brothers and sisters must know something and there was some reason for what appeared to be some kind of family rift but this was never explained.

It may have been something as simple as the mother-in-law and the wife just not getting on.... but you'd think under normal circumstances that the "granny" and siblings might have helped out, but perhaps they were all in the same poverty trap and were not in a position to offer any support.

Best wishes
Lesley

[Andrew C.]

Yes I agree the picture was painted that the Grandfather's mother had also washed her hands of Kim's mother, grandmother and aunts. The fact that she had tried to persuade the grandfather not to leave them you would think she would have some guilt over the behaviour of her son.

Also they didn't dwell on the fact that he dissappeared to America came back and renewed acquantince with his wife (she got pregnant) and dissappeared again. I was also trying to work out when Irene would have been conceived I thought for a minitute he was seeing both ladies at the same time.

[Tracey]

I was left with a question - the man abandoned both his wife and kids, but also it seems he did not ever get back in touch with his mother and siblings, as they seemed to know nothing of where he had gone either.

I met my gt grandfathers neices daughter (!) a few years ago now and she was close to what would have been his sisters, one beingher grandmother - she didnt know of his existance, he was never spoken about and concidering he had a close relationship with his sisters i found that odd . almost like they had also washed thier hands of him.
He also could or it appears to have abandoned my gt grandmother and children even though they werent married.
I still havnt found what become of him