Finding Family ‘The Last of the Winthrops’

Dec 1, 2022 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Sue Weston and Susan Rosenbluth –  Two Sues On The Aisle

There is no doubt that our family shapes our lives. Vivian Winthrop envisioned her documentary ‘The Last of the Winthrops’ as a way to chronicle her father’s heritage. The Winthrop family story began in Europe and extended to the early Puritan settlers, the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Vivian, the daughter of Reginald and Claire Winthrop was raised hearing stories of the Winthrop dynasty, setting the expectation that she would follow in the footsteps of her ancestors. Her exploration begins by discovering her lineage with a DNA test from Ancestry to uncover her European connections. What she discovers will change her perspective on what is family. 

As the pieces fell into place, things turned out differently than they once appeared. As the filming progressed, Vivian discovers hidden secrets. The documentary starts with her emotional outburst “I miss the life that I thought I had”. On the surface, the film is an exercise of tracing, and documenting the Winthrop family line, a distinguished influential American family. The journey extends over five countries and hundreds of years. In the end, it is really a testament to the importance and influence of family and unconditional acceptance.

Family Legacy

Adam Winthrop (1498-1562) of Lavenham in Suffolk, built the families’ fortunes. His descendant, John Winthrop, was a founding father of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. John led the first large wave of colonists from England in 1630 and went on to serve as governor. His writings and vision of the colony as a Puritan “city upon a hill” dominated New England colonial development, influencing the governments and religions of neighboring colonies for centuries to come.

Being a Winthrop influenced Vivian creating within her a need to overachieve. Her father, Reg, elected to break the tradition and follow his dream to become a Hollywood actor.  

European Discovery

Vivian’s exploration of the Winthrop past is an emotional roller coaster. She is ecstatic to discover graves, churches, and villages tied to her paternal ancestors, humbled, and thrilled to discover her family’s history. After growing up as an only child, she desperately wanted family connections. Vivian fixated on tracing her roots, traveling in her ancestors’ footsteps.

The Last of the Winthrops was intended to provide the connection Vivian was missing her entire life. Her exploration raises many questions as to lineage. She discovers questionable paternity, yet despite it, the family connection remains intact. This knowledge forces her to expand her definition of who is a Winthrop.

Over time the family’s wealth ran out, leaving her father as the last beneficiary of the Winthrop fortune. Vivian’s fascination with the family history, their opulent lifestyle, and their impact on history makes this film a powerful reminder of our connectedness.

The Production

The Last of The Winthrops was co-written, directed and executive produced by Viviane Winthrop and Adam Singer in collaboration with Douglas Blush as an executive producer. 

Working with historians and genealogists, they amassed records, recordings, photographs, and letters. Masterfully interweaving these sources to provide a historical perspective, they integrate the Winthrop family story into a larger social context. By combining her father’s audio diary, with her mother’s commentary Vivian’s story truly comes alive.

Her exploration of the South of France includes footage of the German invasion. The Winthrop family is shown as good Christians focused on self-preservation, with Reginald running errands to earn extra money.  The selection of these scenes provides a sense of foreshadowing, a larger connection that crystallizes towards the end of Vivian’s journey.

Defining Family

Vivian comes to learn, family is a choice. As a consequence of her DNA test results, Vivian is connected with a half-sister. She discovers that her biological father was Jewish, and she is part of a large family.  In researching The Last of the Wintrhops, Vivian accomplishes her quest to discover her roots, but the outcome was completely unexpected.

***

Two Sues on the Aisle bases its ratings on how many challahs (1-5) it pays to buy (rather than make) in order to see the play, show, film, or exhibit being reviewed. 

The Last of the Winthrops received a 4-Challah rating