LOVE AMONG THE RUINS

UK, 1975, 100 minutes, Colour.
Katharine Hepburn, Laurence Olivier, Colin Blakely, Richard Pearson, Joan Sims, Leigh Lawson.
Directed by George Cukor.

Love Among the Ruins was directed by George Cukor when he was seventy-five. Hepburn and Olivierwere about to turn seventy. This film was made for television but transcends the limits of television and won six Emmys for design and costume as well as for best film for television and the acting awards.

Katharine Hepburn portrays an actress skilled at masquerading her feelings who is being sued for breach of promise by a younger man, Leigh Lawson. Laurence Olivier is her lawyer, but was once in love with her. This gives the opportunity for a portrait of memory, especially Olivier’s Sir Arthur as he thinks back to the past, plans his defence of his client, and is still in love with her. The film offers tour-de-force performance by its stars.

The film was written by James Costigan, writer of a number of films and telemovies who at this time wrote In This House of Brede, Eleanor and Franklin, F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Last of the Belles.

George Cukor had a long directing experience from the early 1930s. His last film was Rich and Famous in 1981. Along the way, he directed a number of stars to Oscars and directed Katharine Hepburn in a number of films including Sylvia Scarlett, The Philadelphia Story, Adam’s Rib, Pat and Mike.

1. The significance and overtones of the title? As referred to in the film? The title and the themes? Love, ruins?

2. What was the main impact of this film in terms of drama, comedy, humane experience? The impact of the stars, the 1911 atmosphere and settings, the colour and the music, London, the Law Courts?

3. The film was made as a television movie. Were the television techniques in evidence?

4. How important was the experience and presence of the stars? Their popularity and audiences responding to them in their old age? The warmth and mellowness of old age? The importance of George Cukor being seventy-five in directing this film? The atmosphere of age and experience?

5, What insights into the theme of love did the film offer? The impact and effect of love in youth, its lasting effect? The quality of the presentation of love? Glanville Jones' love, the intricacies of Jessica’s love? Pratt and his go-getting? The parallel between Jessica and Pratt in terms of their go-getting and selfishness and hurting of others? The intricacies of the theme being woven into the screenplay, the parallel of young and old, the techniques of Glanville Jones’s defence of Jessica’s behaviour and her behaviour and impact on his life?

6. The film’s comment on money and its effect on people’s lives, the hypocrisy in loving and marriage, in hurting others? The parallel between Pratt and Jessica?

7. What insight into the happiness and unhappiness of human lives did the film offer? The unhappiness in Glanville Jones’s whole life because of Jessica? The vividness of her love for him, the rejection of him? The vividness of the memory of Glanville Jones in Jessica’s life, her using him at the end of her life in a difficulty? The happiness and unhappiness of her marriage?

8. The character of Glanville Jones? how well portrayed was it? Laurence Olivier’s talent in communicating a character, the nuances of behaviour and tone of voice etc? Olivier’s performance in old age? Such details as his young boy’s enthusiasm and run at the beginning of the film, the memory of the brief and infatuated love, a life of love and hate, the capacity for remembering, the vividness of the hurt? His concern to help Jessica, to try to make her remember, the intricacy of the interaction between the two? How well did he handle the case, the importance of the dinner and the reminiscing.? His not understanding her strategies for winning the case? The plea for mercy, his defence thwarted by her behaviour? His speaking the truth about her and his own experience? The revelries and the memory, the flashback technique? The ultimate possibilities of happiness? How well did the film give an understanding of the meaning of his life?

9. How, wel1 was the character of Jessica portrayed? Katharine Hepburn’s techniques and talent? The nuances of her performance? The style of the lady, her initial impact, the effect on Glanville Jones? How well was the background of her flirtation, her acting career, the Canadian memories, filled in ? The need for the exorcism by Glanville Jones of the memories of the past? Her selfishness, her sensitivity and insensitivity in leading him on? The effect of Pratt on her life, her losing her head? Her behaviour in the case, the dinner? The grand performance and the court case? The ending? Did she deserve the happiness she would have with Glanville Jones? What insight into the character of an ordinary woman did the performance give?

10. The role of Druce and the objective function he had in commenting on the behaviour of both the principal characters? His place in the court sequences?

11. How interesting were the court sequences? The ordinary manoeuvres and techniques of court drama? Glanville Jones’ memories, interplaying with his defence? The drama of Jessica’s behaviour? The decision in the case? The importance of the cross-examination of Pratt? His mother, the maid?

12. The significance of Pratt and his mother, their cheap tone, go-getting? The defence and the story told? What insight into the obvious greediness of such people?

13. The role of the maid, her loyalty to Jessica, the truth being told?

14. How gentle a film was this, hot, strong? The quality of the optimism, the professionalism?

15. Comment on the particular qualities of the film’s use of the weather such as rain, the detail of the law courts, the dinner in the restaurant etc.