The Movie House in Millerton hosted a special screening of “The Millers in Marriage,” a film written and directed by Edward Burns. Burns and fellow actors Gretchen Mol, Campbell Scott, Benjamin Bratt and Brian d’Arcy James were in attendance and participated in a question-and-answer panel after the screening. The panel was moderated by Mol’s husband, filmmaker Kip Williams. Audience members got to ask questions of the veteran actors of stage, film, and television.
The film centers around the three Miller siblings; played by Gretchen Mol as Eve, a former “indie rock” singer and song writer; Edward Burns as Andy, a painter; and Juliana Margulies, as Maggie, a writer. All three are over fifty, with the sisters facing empty nests after their children are grown. All three have problems in their marriages and are dealing with the death of their mother the year before.
Kip Williams opened the question-and-answer period by saying to Burns “I can’t think of another film about this moment in life. It’s an original window. Thank you for that.”
Burns said he chose that subject matter for that reason. “There are no films about us,” referring to people of “generation X” now being over fifty. “I am invisible now,” he said. “Our stories have no value now.” It was important to him to make a movie about this stage of life.
Ed Burns, Gretchen Mol, and Benjamin Bratt on the red carpet at The Millerton Movie House on Dec. 21. They were there for a special screening of “Millers in Marriage” which Burns wrote, directed and acted in. All three costarred in the film. Robin Roraback
Mol’s character, Eve, was just becoming successful when she got pregnant and gave up her career to marry her manager and raise their children. Now, she wonders if it is too late to start her career again. When a writer for a magazine — played by Benjamin Bratt — contacts her and reminds her of her past, his character acts as a catalyst for her to begin to think again about her music and her life.
Mol said when she read the script it was like “a conversation I’ve been having with my friends.” She loved about her character that “she changed. She’s still on the journey.”
Kip Williams commented to Mol, “When I look into the eye of the character, I don’t recognize you at all,” describing how completely she had been able to assume her role.
Campbell Scott plays Nick, husband of Margulies’ character. Scott said that as an actor, his challenge in the film was “How unattractive can we make this guy? How whiney? And still keep him human?” Nick is a writer struggling with writer’s block while his wife, also a writer, is finishing another book.
Bratt said of Campbell’s performance, that it was “nuanced” and left him “wondering how he does what he does.” He admitted, “I have a desperately bad actor crush on Campbell Scott.”
Brian d’Arcy James’ character, Dennis, is a caretaker who comes into play when the siblings go to the country for the weekend. The panel said of his character, “He’s an outlier, he lacks some moral structure. He opens things up and creates a problem.”
Moderator Williams commented that the themes of aging, parental death, and surviving as artists were “delicately worked.”
Audience members remarked that the film was “So much fun to watch, great actors.” “Well crafted, melancholy.” “I wanted it to keep going.”
It was standing-room only for Attorney General William Tong\u2019s talk on immigration at Trinity Church Lime Rock Thursday, March 7.
Tong has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and is part of a group of attorneys general around the country who are banding together to take legal action against his actions.
He stirred the audience with his personal story. Growing up in West Hartford, where he remembered kids showing up at his school from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam after he was the first Asian student enrolled, he thought “they were refugees and I was the son of immigrants. I thought I was better than them. In fullness of time, I realized what we were all doing here. My parents and grandparents ran for their lives in China. I am nothing but the son of refugees. There was no daylight between those kids and the immigrants showing up today.”
Tong related how his parents met while both were working in a restaurant in Hartford. One day, in the 1970s, a representative from the Immigration and Naturalization Service showed up and because his father was undocumented, was threatened with deportation. After much thought, the senior Tong was resigned to the fact he would have to leave. But shortly before the deadline, while driving along the Berlin Turnpike, he decided to make a last-ditch effort. He went home and wrote a six-page handwritten letter to then-President Richard Nixon explaining his case. The INS agent returned later and said the president had read the letter and sent the message that the country welcomed him and urged him to stay.
Tong said he’s often asked what brings him hope during these times. “In one generation, I went from that Chinese restaurant to attorney general of this state. There are kids out there now; families living with that dream. We need to help them keep it.”
The attorney general said that when Trump talks about denaturalizing citizens and then about anchor babies, he is talking about him. “Banning birthright citizens is utterly and brazenly unconstitutional.” Audience members, as they did several times during the presentation, applauded loudly.
Speaking on the importance of immigration for moral and economic structural reasons, Tong noted, “America runs on Dunkin’ and immigrant workers. There would be no economy without immigrants.” Half of all farm workers are undocumented, as are half of those working in the meat packing industry he said.
It was standing-room only for Attorney General William Tong’s talk on immigration at Trinity Church Lime Rock Thursday, March 7. Photo by Ruth Epstein
Touching on Connecticut’s Trust Act that was passed in 2013, Tong explained that it limits how local law enforcement can cooperate with federal immigration officials to protect the rights of undocumented immigrants. He called efforts to repeal the act “ridiculous,” saying “the federal government does its job and we here do ours.” He said if anyone tries to get rid of the act, he will fight it and believes he’ll win, emphasizing several times that Connecticut is a sovereign state. The federal government has a lot of power, but can’t come to Connecticut to tell its citizens what to do.
When asked what people can do to help those without legal status, Tong advised not to put anyone at risk and make sure they have a plan if ICE shows up. Agents must have a judicial warrant to come on private property. He also recommended they seek people who will provide pro-bono legal advice. He said those holding green cards have legal status and should be respected by ICE. He also recommended not using the word “sanctuary” since it has no legal meaning and can be inflammatory. He was also forthright in saying not everyone can be protected from deportation.
He added there is no evidence to support the claims that immigrants create crime more than American citizens and stressed the Trust Act does not protect violent criminals.
At the outset, Tong said he and his colleagues had sued the federal government when Trump and the Office of Policy and Management tried to freeze all federal funding for a variety of grants, especially those dealing with medical research. “We now have an injunction to stop him from breaking the law. Remembering we have checks and balances, we’re serving as the only check since there is so much disinformation out there.”
Coming to the end of his message, Tong’s tone was foreboding. “We’re not on the precipice of a constitutional crisis, we’re in one. Trump is already not in compliance with federal court orders. If he doesn’t follow Supreme Court rulings, we’re in a dark place. We all have the responsibility to take to the streets and speak out.”
On the way to victory in Falls Village, Old Saybrook came back from behind to win 54-36. Senior Breleigh Cooke scored a game-high 19 points for the Rams with 14 of those coming in the second half.
HVRHS played without captain Kylie Leonard, who was sidelined due to injury. The three active seniors, Tessa Dekker, Khyra McClennon and Daniela Brennan, combined for 28 points in their final varsity basketball game.
Khyra McClennon won the tip over Old Saybrook center Kylie Lake.Photo by Riley KleinThe Mountaineers started strong and briefly opened up a double-digit lead in the first half. The team created momentum through defensive control, forcing repeated turnovers in the full-court press.
At halftime, HVRHS led 24-18.
Old Saybrook went on an 18-2 scoring run in the third quarter and pulled ahead of HVRHS. Cooke hit two 3-pointers in the hot streak.
Brennan and McClennon each hobbled off the court with injury flare-ups in the second half, but both returned to play out the game.
The Rams finished strong with another 18 points in the fourth quarter and secured a 54-36 win.
Tessa Dekker played four years of varsity basketball for the Mountaineers and was named to the Berkshire League First Team in 2025.Photo by Riley Klein
Old Saybrook coach Steve Woods and Housatonic coach Jake Plitt shook hands after the game.
"You played a great game. Didn’t help that your captain was on the bench," said Woods.
"Your team played really well," said Plitt. "Good luck the rest of the way."
Old Saybrook secured a trip to the quarterfinal round against Somers High School. Somers beat top-ranked Academy of Science and Innovation 49-44 the same night.
For Housatonic, the season was over. Plitt praised his team for a successful year, ending 14-6 in the regular season, entry to the Berkshire League tournament as the third seed and the Class S playoff as the eight seed.
"This season has been really special to me and I’m proud to be a part of it." said Plitt. "We’ll see you next year."
Sophomore guard Hayden Bachman got a taste of the postseason this year.Photo by Riley Klein
