DIAMOND HEAD

US, 1963, 106 minutes, Colour.
Charlton Heston, Yvette Mimieux, George Chakiris, France Nuyen, James Darren, Aline Mc Mahon, Elizabeth Allen.
Directed by Guy Green.

Diamond Head anticipated Hawaii and The Hawaiians by several years but this is Hawaii country, with Charlton Heston looking like the 1959 reincarnation of the Wroxworths he portrayed in The Hawaiians. This is a film about race relations. Action is somewhat melodramatic, the characters somewhat stereotyped. However, it does present the issues and is thought-provoking. But the Howlands are a rather arrogant, unpleasant lot, while the Hawaiians are generally very nice. What is interesting is the ending where mixture of races is seen as inevitable and accepted.

The film should have been much better. Perhaps director Guy Green was relaxing after The Angry Silence and working up to A Patch of Blue.

1. Did this film merely intend to tell a story or did it have some message point behind it?

2. How were the American- Hawaiians presented - sympathetically? As aristocracy?

3. How did the personality of King Howland, his wealth,, pride, running for senator. racial attitudes, sum up the American-Hawaiian?

4. How did Sloan's attitudes differ from King's? was she more broadminded or just more tolerant in practice? How spoilt was she?

5. What role did Laura play in the film? would her attitudes be commonly held?

6. Why were the Hawaiians just as strongly-principled against inter-marriage? Why were they more tolerant in practice?

7. What did Dean typify - the mixture and antagonism of both races? Why did he stand up to King? What advice should he have given to Sloan and Paul?

8. Were you surprised that King had a Hawaiian mistress? Did he love her? What did this show of double standards?

9. What kind of man was Mei's brother?

10. Would Paul and Sloan have been happy together? What did the engagement party and their dance show?

11. Was Paul's death and the inquest too melodramatic or were they plausible in the story?

12. What role did Paul's mother play in the film? What attitudes and values did she stand for?

13. Why did King want Mei to have an abortion? Why did he not want a mixed blood child to own his property? Did he have any justification?

14. Why did Sloan go to pieces after Paul's death? Why did she go back to King? Why did she love Dean - merely to antagonise King?

15. What was the significance of her dream - her love for Dean, being rescued by Paul and seeing King's face?

16. Was it fair of the screenplay to kill off Mei?

17. How much of a struggle for King was it to accept his son?

18. The film ended with a mixed race marriage between Sloan and Dean and a mixed blood child, heir of the Howland estate. Is this the future of Hawaii? Must it be?