BEYOND THERAPY
US, 1987, 93 minutes, Colour.
Julie Hagerty, Glenda Jackson, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Conti, Genevieve Page, Christopher Guest, Cris Campion.
Directed by Robert Altman.
Beyond Therapy is a play adapted by its author, Christopher Durang, with director Robert Altman. For an audience which likes filmed plays, especially those directed by Altman (Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, Streamers, Fool for Love) it will be of interest. The play is a way out and zany satire, especially on psychiatrists and relationships?
There is a contrast between the shouting acting styles of Americans Jeff Goldblum and Julie Hagerty and the more subtle English styles of Glenda Jackson and Tom Conti. Genevieve Page is excellent in a fussy French way. Christopher Guest is excellent as her gay son - a mixture of seriousness and pomposity. The film is very much a stage piece, constructed in the style of French farce with quick complexities, mistaken identities, sex farce. It is wildly diffuse and perhaps too zany.
1. The films of Robert Altman? His interesting characters, plots? His theatrical and cinematic style?
2. The work of Christopher Durang, his play, the adaptation for the screen? How successful as a blend of realistic and stylised action?
3. The stylised New York setting: the focus on the restaurant, Bruce's apartment, the psychiatrists' offices? The musical score - especially the different arrangements of Gershwin's 'Someone to Watch Over Me?'
4. The stylised structure: the couples, the psychiatrists, their clients, the couplings, the focus of the restaurant? The consulting rooms and the apartment?
5. The strong reliance on dialogue, wit and one-liners, theatrical style and delivery, cinematic style? The British manner of Glenda Jackson and Tom Conti contrasting with Julie Hagerty and Jeff Goldblum's American style? Christopher Guest and his eccentric manner? Genevieve Page and her style? Chris Campion and his nonchalance? How well did they combine?
6. The characters as caricatures, caricature situations, the style of quick French farce?
7. The comment on behaviour, human nature, madness, sanity, therapy, manners of cure - and the satire on psychological -methods and treatment?
8. Glenda Jackson's Charlotte, the psychiatrist, her memory lapses, theories about childhood, her sessions with Bruce and treatment of him, her session with Bob and evoking childhood, her concern about Andrew and setting him up with Bob? Her reaction to Zizi? The sex encounters? Stuart - time, place, anonymity, therapy? Julie, confrontation and their reconciliation? The end?
9. Sex therapy, designs on Conti as Stuart, satire, Prudence, sessions with her, the encounters with Charlotte? Going to the restaurant, posing as the waiter? Bruce's producing the gun, his wetting himself? Consolation with Charlotte?
10. Bruce as the hero, the initial concern about the blind date, his advertisements, discovering Prudence, the rose, the chatter, the awkwardness, the revelation about his lifestyle, bisexuality, Bob? His trying again, the irony that Prudence answered the ad? His sessions with Charlotte, the satire on psychiatry and sessions, the effect of the sessions on him, his inviting Prudence to the apartment, coping with Bob's presence and tantrum? His exasperation, a future, Prudence?
11. Prudence and answering the ad, her nervousness, her relationship with Stuart, psychologically, personally? -111he tangle with Bruce initially? Answering the ad again? Venturing into the apartment, trying to cope, her remarks about gays and Some Like It Hot? the rendezvous in the restaurant, the gun? Future with Bruce?
12. Bob and his primness, his putting on an act, his relationship with his mother and her protection? The meal at the apartment, his staying in his room, the silhouette, his tantrum? His going to Charlotte for a session, reverting to childhood? His future with Andrew?
13. Andrew and his work in the restaurant, the irony of Charlotte being his mother? His future with Bob?
14. Zizi and her French style, protectiveness of her son? Liberal-mindedness about his sexuality? The contrast with Charlotte, the two mothers? Her women's group at the restaurant? Her mourning for Bob? her reviving?
15. The background of people at the restaurant - in detail, atmosphere, characters, comedy, eating their meals, comment on human behaviour?
16. The themes of psychiatry, therapy, parents and children, love, sexuality, relationships? Successful satire?
