The movie the Inheritance is a movie that shows to viewers the trouble that sometimes family members has to go through when there is a lack of management practices in a family business. The movie begins with Christoffer, a very successful restaurant owner who is married to his wife Maria to whom he loves very much. His family owns a steel manufacturer business that is in deep crisis because it has contracted a lot of debt from a bank. When his father committed suicide, he left the company without a clear successor because there was not any succession planning. At this time Annelise, Christoffer’s mother called him to come home. Once he arrived home, Annelise put pressure on him to take over the management of the family business.
Although Christoffer’s heart was not in it, he felt obligated by his mother to take up the task (normative commitment). His decision was met with frustration and anger by his wife at first but later she acceded and supported him on his decision. As the CEO of the company he tried to run it as best as he could with the help of the CFO, however; the bank that has support the company with money all those years does not see him as the ideal successor because of his lack of experience in the field. Being in a position he never intended to be he was oblige to fire 200 workers, his sister’s spouse Ulrik who has been spreading rumors about him, and to merge with a French company in order to keep the company afloat.
This is the time that the movie began to be interesting for me because as a viewer I conclude up to this part that they were having only nonformal family meetings once a month I believe, and that the mother was the one who has been running the company all this time. However, what I did not see this far was any governance structure in the company. A governance system should be implemented in this company in order to guide the three fundamental parts of the family business: family, ownership and management. As we know management is what actually makes the family business run and prosper, however; management will likely be prevented from performing up to its potential if it is not backed by a solid system of ownership, which, in turn, is backed by a solid family who agrees with and supports the ownership and management structure and the decisions made by the owners and managers.
As the drama continues family problems continue to arise. Christoffer’s sister is upset with him and her mother for firing her husband. Also, Maria realized that the management task is slowly taking over Christoffer’s time and life, and as a consequence, he ignores the needs of himself and hers. At this time Annelise told Christoffer that she did not like his spouse because of her lack of character. Christopher’sister begs to him to give Ulrik back his job. He does not accede to her petition. At this time Maria told him to try to be different from his family because he was acting as a sad and cold person just like his mother. Annelise told him not to regret on things he has done for the family so far. At this point I think Christoffer has been forced by his mother to give up his personal morals in order to meet the company needs.
Again, what I saw in the movie thus far were two different roles that women played. One was played by his mother, a person who had a lot of character and leadership and as a result she was the one who took all the decisions within the company and the other played by Maria and Christoffer’s sisters, both of whom were very submissive and had a lack of character and as a result they never intended to intervene in any business decisions.
Slowly, but surely, his altered life style pushes him away from Maria, who moves back to pursue her career as an actress in Sweden. This situation pushed him further towards a nervous breakdown. This is the time his mother told him to forget about her because she was a women with not character like his father and that he was just like her. In the end, he went back to Sweden to see Maria perform and this is the time I think that he really took a decision for himself because he decided not to go to the theater to see her perform.
I think it is interesting how you comment on the different roles that the women play in Chris’ life. I really think it is the women in his life that truly drove him to madness. His mother was pushing him into the business, his wife was pushing him out, and his sister was adding tension within the business because of her husband. It really put Chris in a lose-lose situation. There was no way to satisfy all parties. No matter what, at least one party was going to be dissatisfied. If the women in his life truly cared for him, they would have been easier on him and realized his situation.
I like your analysis about the end of the film. Although the ending was so subtle, I do agree that it was a turning point in Christopher’s life. He was faced with a crossroad one last time; either he could stay with Maria, the love of his life and have his own life with her in Sweden, or he would have to depart from Maria and his life would be the business. When he chooses not to see Maria perform, he ultimately decides that he will no longer be with her.
Their relationship in the end saddens me since if you compare Christopher from the beginning of the film he was happy and decently successful with his his restaurant business. However, in regards with family business it seems that sacrifices must be made in order to satisfy the family as a whole. Likewise, this seems to be the attitude in order to have a family business that succeeds from generation to generation.
I agree Shlomit that sometimes, sacrifices must be made to satisfy the family as a whole but if the sacrifice is always given up on the other party, in this case Maria and her son, then this is very unhealthy because only one party benefits while the other one suffers. I think, Christoffer should’ve just consider a compromise rather than a sacrifice because the path he choses ruins 3 lives: his, Maria and baby Aksel.
I have not seen this movie, but have seen first hand the trouble with inheritances. I’ve seen greed and money and power struggles rip families apart. Its such a sad situation.
the money issue always creates tensions and distances in families. i saw this movie a long time back. of the traces that i remember, the movie was very realistic. good review!