WHITE MISCHIEF

UK, 1987, 107 minutes, Colour.
Greta Scacchi, Charles Dance, Joss Ackland, Sarah Miles, Geraldine Chaplin, Ray Mc Annally, Murray Head, Trevor Howard, John Hurt, Susan Fleetwood, Hugh Grant.
Directed by Michael Radford.

White Mischief is a film about the end of the British Empire, British in Africa in 1940, their decadence and decline. It is based on real events in Kenya and an unresolved intruder case.

The film has an excellent British cast, is co-written and directed by Michael Radford (Another Time, Another Place and 1984). However, the characters are too distant from the audience. The audience merely observes them - and they are in no way sympathetic. The audience looks at a gallery of characters, the behaviour of which we disapprove - and there is not much emotional response.

The film is elegantly made, has excellent production values - but the film is not as significant as it may seem.

1. Portrait of British in Kenya? Interest and enjoyment? observations of human nature?

2. The use of Kenya locations, the evocation of the '40s. the style of life of the British in Africa? The strong cast? Musical score?

3. The title, the irony with Evelyn Waugh's title 'Black Mischief'? Britons and the war, the Blitz? Empire in decay?

4. A true story, an interpretation of characters and events? Scandal in Africa? The perception of Britain and Britons in the war? Values and lack of values?

5. The pre-credits sequences and the introduction to Jock and Diana? Their social position, ages, relationship?, Money, power?

6. The transition to Kenya, the military situation, the atmosphere of Nairobi, the clubs, the wealthy, values and morals, sexual behaviour? The group in the British colony? their style, night life, wealth? Drinking? Gossiping? Their sense of superiority?

7. Jock and Diana arriving in this society? Finding their place? Diana looking at Africa and being delighted? The encounter with Joss? The attraction? His lifestyle, his military position, his relationships with women, with Jock? Kenya and the war effort? The quality of the relationship with Diana?

8. Diana in herself, age, her ambitions, arrival in Kenya, setting up household, friendships with Nina and her husband? The races? The eccentric behaviour of the colony? The encounter with Joss? Infatuation, the relationship, holding him off, the weekend together, the sexual encounters? His neglect of her? The effect on Jock? His plea to Joss? Plea to Diana? The meal? Civilised behaviour?

9. The portrait of the women in Nairobi, Lady Delamere, their lives, relationships, Alice and the killing of her husband, her eccentric manner, wearing the snake at the races, sexual encounters, relationship with Lizzie? Singing the Alphabet song? Gossip? Holding court? The women and their rivalries? The death of Joss, the visit to the morgue, Alice and her sexual behaviour and her hold over Joss? Her own death, the wake? People gathering at the cemetery? Her presence in Diana's imagination?

10. The party, the set-up for the shooting, Joss's death? Moods? Diana's reaction? Jock going to prison, her care for him?

11. The build-up to the court case, the questions? The evidence? The acquittal? Jock and his relationship with the lawyer? Friendship, fencing?

12. The place of Gilbert in this society, his withdrawal, his living with the Africans? Eccentric, not speaking? His note to Diana in the court? His words, declaration of love? Giving the information about the stockings, the photo? Diana's spurning him? The irony of her marrying him?

13. Diana and the puzzle about Jock, the encounter with Gilbert and the information, Jock shooting the dog, his suicide?

14. The finale with the wake at Alice's grave? Joss and Alice in Diana's imagination? Her future? Staying in Kenya?

15. The portrait of the Britons, human nature? The comment on the decline of Empire?

16. The Africans, the influence of the British Empire? The significance of the boys looking towards the audience at the wake in the finale?