GUILTRIP

Ireland, 1995, 80 minutes, Colour.
Andrew Connolly, Jasmine Russell.
Directed by Gerard Stembridge.

A short Irish feature that packs an emotional wallop, well work seeing, though not an entertaining night out. The action takes place over twenty four hours as an army sergeant leaves his wife and goes to work. But the screenplay plays with time so that we go forward and back during the day, often seeing a sequence early in the day which takes on more significance for what we know comes after. The sergeant is brutal, especially to his loving but fearful wife. By the time the twenty four hours have gone by, we have learnt a great deal about the two of them and have seen a portrait of a seemingly respectable marriage for what it really is.

1. The title - whose trip?

2. The atmosphere of the house, the town and the streets, the cafe, the shops? The real and unreal? The naturalistic style of the film? The musical score - and the Irish tone?

3. The structure of the film: 24 hours in Liam and Tina's life? The narrative, linear and flashbacks? The judging of events in the light of knowing what happened afterwards? The structure and the impact on the depiction of characters?

4. The Irish perspective? The particularly Irish tone of the film?

5. The portrait of Liam, getting up in the morning, his harshness towards Tina, his attack on her lack of warmth? Getting dressed, meticulous, military? His comments on Joan's attitude and his giving her wrong information? His character in himself, the military background, exact, the significance of the log book, the rules, commanding Tina to write them down, examining her on them, getting her to read them back? Seeing him at work, his intimidating people? Petey and Michelle's arrival? His eyeing Michelle? His going to the bar with Petey and Frank? Their wanting to get rid of him? His overhearing them, staying in the toilet and listening? His treatment of Ron, humiliating him, telling him he was ignorant of the military and so should not attack his friends? His watching the interaction of Ron and Michelle? His taking Ron home? His attitude towards him, despising him? Comment on his tears? Leaving Petey and going in the opposite direction, his return, taking the car, watching Michelle and Petey? The young boy and his wanting money, watching Michelle? Offering to drive her home, driving her to the barracks, smuggling her in, the sexual encounter, his impotence? His being humiliated, his anger with her, her laughing at him, his murdering her? His return home as if nothing had happened? The crying child, the anger with Tina, throwing the stones and smashing the windows, frightening her? Dragging her to Joan's place and his demanding that she tell her never to come again? The log book, the rules? Tina and the sandwich? The CD player and the interrogation about the gift, making her give an exact account of the day, his suspecting of her lying? The dancing, the theme music about the most peculiar love? Morning, washing, 24 hours later in the bedroom, offering forgiveness to Tina and beginning the day? The intercutting of past and present for this portrait of Liam? His future with Tina? His future because of the murder?

6. The impact of the audience knowing the future and seeing the past? Character judgments, insights, learning about character, judging?

7. The portrait of Tina - in bed, listening to Liam, afraid, getting up, watching him out the window, seeing him lie to Joan? The baby and her love for the child? Going out with the pram, the meetings with Joan, friendship and clash? The boy and his spying on them, demanding money? Her finally standing up to him? Lunch, the attraction to Ron, hiding from Joan? Returning to the shop, flirting with Ron, the CD player and the deal, Michelle going past and his watching, her stealing the player? The confrontation with the urchin? Her running away? The end of the day, Liam coming home, the experience of his arrival, her fear, the crying baby, locking herself in the bathroom, the stones and the breaking window? His pacifying her? His demands about the day, her giving an account, her lying about the CD player? Wanting to please him with the present? The visit to Joan - before Liam came home and her having to come in the back door and his reprimand about the unlocked door, telling Joan that she did not want her to visit? The log book and the rules? Dancing with him? The next morning, lying in bed with fear? The future of her relationship with Liam? The discovery of the truth?

8. Ron as a genial and over-cheery man? The encounter with Joan and Tina, the radio, the CD player? His manner of talking, the salesman, cheerful, encountering Tina at lunch, chatting and charming her, his naivety? The return to the shop, his explaining the CD players, seeing Michelle? Going to the bar, his cheery attitude towards Frank and Petey, jokingly running them down, rebuked by Liam? His growing more and more bewildered? His being mocked, going to the bar, seeing Michelle, her humiliation of him, his trying to cope with the situation, his breaking down and weeping, going home?

9. Michelle, going to the barracks, Liam seeing her, her provocative manner? Her going out, easygoing, the credibility of her marriage to Ron? Her liking men, the wrong bar, with Petey and Frank? Her relationship to Frank? Talk, the bar, the humiliation of Ron? Liam and his return, seeing Michelle, offering her the lift and explaining that Ron had asked him to? The sexual encounter and her willingness, her laughing at Liam, her death?

10. Petey and Frank, the army, their place in the town, Frank's relationship with his sister? Petey? In the bar, the toilet and discussing how to get rid of Liam, going to the other bar, the encounter with Michelle, the humiliation of Ron? Petey and his going home but leading Liam to Michelle?

11. The urchin, his appearance, his continued reappearances, the surreal aspect of the story? Asking for money, Tina finally confronting him and beating him at his game?

12. Joan, the friendship with Tina, the ghetto blaster, her dislike of Ron, looking for Tina at lunch and Tina's hiding? Tina going to her place in the evening, the final confrontation and her hostility towards Liam?

13. The film's comment on army life, discipline, the barracks, the effect on Liam? The sentry and his lax security?

14. Themes of men and women, marriage, love, tensions? Stereotypes? Expectations? Sex, violence, lies, betrayal, humiliation, vengeance, fear?