History Characters / WhenMarnieWasThere

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* WalkingSpoiler: It is difficult to discuss Marnie in depth without giving away TheReveal that she is Anna's grandmother.

* TokenWhite: She's the only Caucasian character in the film. It's worth mentioning that the rest of the cast were given RaceLift. [[spoiler:There's also her granddaughter Anna, though TheReveal doesn't happen until the very end.]]

* DarkAndTroubledPast: Where to begin? Her parents were always away and didn't attend to her needs. The governess and maids would abuse her once the parents were gone. The only man Marnie ever loved left her at the silo she was terrified of thanks to the maids for a night then later, after they were married and had a child, died, and due to the shock of it, she was sent to a sanatorium and sent Emily, her only child, to boarding school for her own good. However, when Emily came back, their relationship was strained and never had a chance to reconcile, even before Emily's death. Marnie was left with her only granddaughter, Anna, and tried to take care of her. But, Marnie herself died not long afterwards.

* MissingMom: {{Deconstructed|Trope}}. After Kazuhiko died, Marnie fell apart and she was sent to a sanatorium to get better. Their daughter, Emily, was sent to live at a boarding school. However, when the mother and daughter reunite years later, it's not a happy union. Emily felt hurt and betrayed at her mother's missing status for most of her childhood.

* MyGreatestSecondChance: Subverted, after Emily's death, Marnie tried her best to give Anna a better childhood than either of them had--only for Marnie herself to die shortly after taking Anna in.

** Except for the part where, after Marnie confides in him that she is terrified of the silo the maids used to scare her into good behaviour with, his genius idea is to lock Marnie up there alone then act as her saviour when he finally appears to "rescue her".