Blanche
Director:
Charles Binamé
Writers: Louise Pelletier, Andreé Pelletier
Producers: Lorraine Richard, Monique H Messier
Episode Guide
by Natasa Oreskovic
Episode 1
Ovila is gone, but Emilie still hopes he'll be back. She'll be out of
money soon, so the local reverend offers her help. Some of her children would have to work
and some would go to school. The reverend also found a job for Emilie to work as a school
teacher again.
Blanche is sent away to the convent and she goes to school there. Episode continues when
Blanche is 16 and comes home for the summer. She meets her brother Paul's friend Napoleon
Frigon (a law student) during the summer and they fall in love. Another school year comes
and they have to separate, but write to each other all the time. After Blanche graduates,
she visits Napoleon's house and he proposes her in front of his parents. Blanche rejects
his proposal because she wants to go to college and do more in life than just be a wife
and a mother.
Blanche's brother Paul is a parallel story. He is an artist - a musician and a painter who
wants to become a priest.
Episode 2
Blanche is now working as a school teacher with her Mom.
Emilie has heard Ovila wants to get married again and rushes off to Abitibi to see him
after 8 years. He wants a divorce, but she refuses to give it to him and reminds him that
she is his wife.
While she's gone Blanche has to manage the school and the arrival of the school inspector
by herself.
Napoleon also visits her and they agree to get married in the summer.
Blanche's brother Clement gets pneumonia and she has to take him to the hospital. She
meets a female doctor there and that encourages her to decide to apply for medical school
in Montreal. She lets Napoleon know her decision and he is furious with the idea. Blanche
runs out and that's the end of their relationship.
Episode 3
Blance arrives in Montreal and stays with her sister Marie-Ange and her
family. Unfortunately she doesn't get accepted to medical school. She starts school for
business secretaries instead. While babysitting her niece Aline she meets Marie Louis who
is going to try out for the medical nurse school at the convent. The school is free of
charge, so Blanche tries out and gets accepted, as well as Marie Louis.
Paul is in the seminary in Montreal and while visiting
Blanche finds out that Napoleon entered another seminary and is going to become a priest.
Episode 4
Blanche, now 20 years old, is in school and working in the hospital. She
lives at the convent and roommates with Marie Louis. We observe her work in this episode.
She takes care of a woman in coma and then of a woman who recently died which frightens
her a lot.
It is Christmas time and Blanche and Marie Louis go to dinner at Marie Ange's house. Marie
Louis meets Paul there and falls in love with him at first sight.
Paul's health is not good, so he has to go to sanitarium.
Episode 5
Blanche and Marie Louis are going to graduate in six months.
Paul is diagnosed with diabetes and dismissed from the seminary. He decides to go to
Abitibi and find a job there. Marie Louis tries to stop him because she loves him.
Nevertheless he goes, but they promise to write to each other. Marie Louis is hurt in a
car accident on the way back to the hospital, unfortunately she dies from her injuries.
Blanche becomes friendly with Dr. Pierre Beaudry and at the end of the episode graduates.
Episode 6
Blanche lives in a rented room in the poor part of Montreal now. Her first job is
to nourish a wealthy old man who has cancer. When he dies, her job there is over.
At Emilie's request Blanche visits Henry Douville who's wife Antoinette has died.
Blanche and Dr. Beaudry's friendship continues. He is in love with her, but she only wants
his friendship.
Blanche would like to go back to her work in the hospital, but the head nurse offers her
the opportunity to open a clinic in Abitibi instead. She decides to accept the job.
Episode 7
Blanche is getting ready to leave for Abitibi and runs into Napoleon in Montreal.
He is a priest now and they say goodbye for good now.
She also says goodbye to Dr. Beaudry and Mr. Douville.
She visits her brother Emilien and sister Alice when she arrives in Abitibi. They give her
clothes and the equipment for the Abitibi winter.
Mr. Duhaime takes her to Grandbois where she'll open her clinic. She has to stay at the
reception center because the clinic is not yet built. She complains to the local priest
because her working conditions aren't good and she gets her clinic.
Right after she moves in her first case is to deliver a baby of a woman (Mrs. Laduceur)
who already has 9 children and had difficulty with her last delivery.
Episode 8
Mrs. Laduceur is very weak and Blanche is worried about her getting pregnant
again. Contraception is against Mrs. Laduceur's religion and the local priest is the one
who encourages her in thinking that way. This leads Blanche into conflict with the priest.
Clovis Lauze stays with her in the clinic during one part of the year. During his staying
Ovila visits Blanche, trying to apologize for leaving them when she was a little girl.
Clovis takes Blanche to the work site in the woods where she treats the workers who are
sick with gonorrhea. She finds a women - Therese Brassard - among them and finds
out that she is the one sleeping with everyone and spreading the disease. She worked for
Mr. Duhaime in Montreal and he used her and sent her to work as a cook in the woods.
Blanche decides to take her with her to Grandbois.
Episode 9
Blanche argues with Duhaime who wants her to get rid of Therese who is her
assistant now.
Paul's health is not good. He feels pain in his leg, but refuses to treat it which leads
to high fever. In the end Blanche has to amputate his leg risking her license to save his
life.
Clovis and Blanche discover their passion for each other. He has to leave again, but
writes to her a lot and sends her a package with a hat inside.
Mrs. Laduceur is pregnant again and Blanche is very worried for her.
Episode 10
Blanche goes to her sister Alice's wedding. Ovila comes to escort Alice down the
aisle. Emilie is surprised to see him and they get to talk. Ovila wants Emilie to give
their marriage another chance, but Emilie thinks their whole life of trying was enough and
makes him promise that this will be the last time they see each other. He promises and
leaves.
Back in Grandbois Mrs. Laduceur gives birth to another child and dies.
Paul declares his love to Therese and they agree to get married.
Clovis gets into an argument with Duhaime who threatens to report Blanche because of the
surgery she did if she doesn't get rid of Therese. He fears for Blanche and suggests that
they get married and leave. She refuses to escape and they get into an argument and break
up.
Episode 11
Paul and Therese get married and move away to Lassaire.
Blanche is distracted because she regrets the end of her relationship with Clovis and it
is interferring with her work.
The priest and Duhaime argue, because the priest found out that he speculates and cheats
people and will sign the petition for his resignation.
Family Laduceur is moving back to Montreal and they say goodbye to Blanche.
During one cold evening Blanche lights a fire and goes to sleep. The house catches on fire
during the night, but she fortunately manages to save herself. The house burns down and
she looses everything.
Since she lost everything she stays at the reception center where she runs into Clovis who
convinces her he is over her.
Paul and Therese visit and convince Blanche into trying to make up with Clovis. She does
and they get married in Saint Stanislas.
The episode ends with Emilie's funeral where we see Blanche and Clovis have a daughter
……… and Ovila watching from a distance.