I remember watching Brahms: The Boy with my cousins in Florida during summer break my freshman year of high school. I was deeply disturbed, and still am, by the adult Brahms creeping everywhere inside the walls of the mansion. Greata Evans, a young American, takes on a job as a nanny for an 8 year old boy in a remote English village. Unbeknownst to her, the child she is caring for is actually a polished, porcelain doll. The Heelshires, the parents of Brahms, are very old and they take care of the doll as if it was their human son. They hand Greta a list of rules she has to obey in order to take care of Brahms, such as playing piano, feeding him, and giving him a goodnight kiss before bed. When Greta violates these rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events lead her to believe that Brahms is alive. Stacy Menear explores the themes of doppelgangers and doubles, with the boy in the walls living a hidden life while his doll replica takes his place.
The Heelshires hid away their 8 year old son after he committed murder 20 years ago. After faking his death, Brahms spent most of his youth inside the Heelshires mansion, going through many, many nannies, as his own parents were afraid of him. After hiring Greta, the Heelshires leave to commit suicude themselves, as they cannot fathom living with Brahms any longer. They leave Greta as a proposal for Brahms, a sort of toy. Brahms has no complaints towards Greta, and he accepts his parents’ gifts. Strange things start to happen around the mansion, with stuff disappearing and the doll moving while Greta’s back is turned.
Greta taking care of the doll is actually indirectly taking care of adult Brahms, who is watching her every move within the mansion walls. When Greta disobeys the rules, Brahms moves the doll to remind Greta of her responsibilities. While Brahms isn’t actually living inside the mansion with Greta, he is living his life though the porcelain doll. Refusing to reveal his true face throughout the entire course of the movie, Brahms wears a doll-like mask to symbolize how connected he feels with his doll replica. The use of doubles in this film are indirect, with there being two Brahms, one real and one fake.
It is later revealed that the porcelain doll was possessed with a demon that led 8 year old Brahms to commit murder.
Scary, right?
I hope you enjoyed my first blog! Next week I’ll be discussing a play 🙂
Thank you so much for reading! I’ll see you all next time!
Aditi Mahangade