THE COUNTRY GIRL
US, 1954, 105 minutes, Black and white.
Bing Crosby, William Holden, Grace Kelly.
Directed by George Seaton.
The Country Girl was one of the most popular films of 1954. Grace Kelly was almost at the height of her popularity - (she had just made Dial M for Murder and Rear Window for Hitchcock; To Catch a Thief and The Swan were still to come) - she won the Oscar for this performance. William Holden was a very popular leading man and had won the Oscar for Stalag 17 the year before, Bing Crosby was still well-known and popular. The three stars acted well in this film and made an impression.
The film is based on a play by Clifford Odets, adapted for the personality and musical style of Bing Crosby. It was written for the screen by George Seaton who has written and directed many 'respectable' dramas like The Counterfeit Traitor, Thirty- Six Hours and Airport.
The theme of appearances and reality is strongly to the fore in this film and is explored tellingly. At times some of the sequences are so moving that they are exasperating - the characters misunderstand one another and inflict pain. The relationship in a difficult marriage is presented well and asks for discussion.
1. What was the overall emotional impact of this film on you? Why? Was the film a worthwhile emotional experience?
2. How wise was this film? Its insight into men and women? Into problems?
3. What insights did the film offer on the nature of love? Loyalty? Fidelity? Self-sacrifice in marriage?
4. First impressions of Frank Elgin? Was he an attractive character? Did you hope he would get the job? Did you feel that people were fair to him? Did you share Frank's point of view on Georgie? Why was he so weak in himself? Were you shocked to find that he was weak and that he told lies about his wife? What made him an alcoholic? Did his son's death have a great effect on him? Or was it an excuse for the weakness that was already there? Why did he prove so difficult during rehearsals? Why was he always wanting to save himself from being hurt? Why did he try to appear friendly and nice to everyone and then deny it in front of his wife? where was the big crisis for him in the film? Why did he go to pieces and get arrested for drunkenness? What was it that eventually made him succeed? Did he have a successful future ahead of him by the end of the film? Why?
5. What were your first impressions of Georgie? Did you have the same point of view as Barney? Did she seem too hard and feelingless? When did you begin to change your attitude? How real a person was she? How noble? (The effect of the flashback with her son during the recording?). Why did she put up with Frank? Why did she love him? Why did she continue to support him? Could you understand how desperate she felt at times? Did you wish that Barney understood her? Why? What was the impact of the sequence where Barney found out the truth? What effect did this have on her? How was she transformed by Frank's success? Why was she attracted to Barney? Could she have left frank? Why didn't she? Did Grace Kelly's performance give insight into the character of Georgie?
6. What kind of person was Barney Dodds? Was he a brittle successful man? Living for his work? Why did he place such faith in Frank? Has this a good attribute of his character? Why was he so ready to dislike Georgie? Its relationship to his own unsuccessful marriage? His attitude in pushing and supporting Frank? His ruthlessness towards Georgie? His blindness? Why did he so believe in Frank? The impact of the truth on him? His relationship then to Georgie? Did he have the right to take her from Frank? Was his response to Georgie's choice honest?
7. What did the film have to show on lies and personal misunderstandings? How forcefully?
8. Was Frank's transformation possible? Georgie's? Were the proper choices offered at the end? About successful career and about marriage?
9. Did the musical background add or detract from the film? The musical play? Bing Crosby's personality and reputation? The music in the bar? The memory of the record? How effective was this?
10. Was this a real drama about real men and women and choices?
