RE: Straker and Mary

Hi all:

Several posters have suggested that Mary was a good bit younger than Straker, and this makes sense to me, given the fact that in CC-AOK, Mary appears so under the thumb of her suspicious mama (who hires the PI to trail Straker - convinced he is having an affair), and she also behaves with such immaturity and emotionalism. My view is that it's possible there is a more than 10 yr age difference and this accounts for Mary's inability to handle being the wife of a military man who has secrets to keep. As for the idea that Mary "looks" older than 18 or 19, remember that some girls just "blossom" early in their physical appearance, but remain child-women well into chronological maturity.

Also, if you really look at CC-AOK, there's a great deal of sexual attraction between Straker and Mary and little else - tons of sex vibes going - and most marriages based solely on that alone lose their cachet pretty quickly when conflict of any sort arises. So it's my POV that Straker found her sexually attractive, and since he was so bright himself, he didn't feel it necessary to marry an overly smart woman. Being older, he may even have thought she'd be more malleable. Guess not, eh? Also, if you look at the eps AQOP, it's clear that not only has Mary got another husband after divorce from Straker, but that she is completely dominated by that second husband to the point one almost suspects of being a victim of domestic domination.

Also, looking at CC-AOK, I see Straker trying to handle some of Mary's outbursts and tears much the way a bewildered father would try to comfort a child. He tries to distract her, to make promises for better times, etc. It's clear he finds her emotionalism painful - not only for her -but for himself. We, the audience, know Straker has bigger things on his mind than an immature and whining child-wife. He's got the weight of building SHADO on his mind and Mary's behaviour is proving to be a distraction he could live without. But, he is an expectant father, and he is, in his own way, as dedicated to keeping his family together as he is to SHADO. Ultimately, Straker ends up "married" to SHADO. Mary, hounded by her mother to believe Straker is an unfaithful man, opts to run away without hearing the whole story - evidence to me of her immaturity and inability to think her own thoughts - she permits mama to dominate her and make her think whatever the mother wants. It's clear the father would like to see Mary give Straker a chance, but he too is dominated by the mother - and isn't it interesting that we NEVER actually see the mama on-screen? Is there a real plot-driven reason for this? Is she the eminence grise who destroys her daughter's marriage from behind the scenes because she has a personal bias against her daughter marrying Straker, who is an American and therefore considered an outsider? Or is the mama just not keen on her little girl marrying anyone? Even Queen Alexandra (Edward VIII's consort), tried to keep her own youngest daughter at her side rather than permitting her to marry.......

Pam


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