I, ANNA
UK, 2012, 87 minutes, Colour.
Charlotte Rampling, Gabriel Byrne, Eddie Marsan, Hayley Attwell, Jhodi May, Max Deacon, Ralph Brown, Honor Blackman.
I, Anna is based on a novel by, Elsa Lewin, written for the screen and directed by Barnaby Southcombe, the son of Charlotte Rampling. It is an interesting project for mother and son to work together.
The film has a London setting, not the usual and familiar scenes, rather the housing estates, the streets and parks, as well as clubs for dating. It also has an unusual musical score.
The film is a star vehicle for Charlotte Rampling, in her mid sixties, portraying a woman who has been left by her husband, suffers the aftereffects with her mind and memory beginning to disintegrate. She thinks she is living with her unmarried daughter and her child and interacts with them. It is a surprise at the end to discover what we're really happened.
She also goes to the London Metropole Hotel for the club organized for meeting and dating. She seems aloof, but encounters an elderly woman in the restrooms who gives her advice. She is played by Honor Blackman. And she does go with a man to his home. He is later found murdered.
1. An interesting melodrama? Psychodrama? Crime thriller? Police investigation?
2. The London settings, flats and as states, the exteriors of the glass buildings, the hotel with the dating meetings, police precincts, streets? The colour style? The scenes of night? The contrast with the day scenes and the brightness? Atmospheric musical score and choice of instruments?
3. The film as a vehicle for Charlotte Rampling, in a film written and directed by her son? Her performances, strength of character, her age?
4. The opening, the phone call, audiences assuming it was in the present, re-played at the end, the past?
5. Anna, her age, separated from her husband, seemingly interested in a reunion? Her relationship with her daughter, the domestic scenes the interactions, looking after the baby, her delight and a baby, the toys, nursing her, taking her for walks? Babysitting? The absences of her daughter, her relationship with her father? Her mother encouraging her to keep contact with her father?
6. The final ironies, the police reports about the death of the child, and her responsibility, her identity, in the apartment, the phone messages that she herself left for her daughter, the empty room? The enigma of Anna’s relationship to the daughter and granddaughter?
7. Her style, clothes, makeup? Her going to the club? The hostess and the comments? Her drinks, watching the people? The date in process? Her not sitting at the tables? At the toilet, the women rushing out, the encounter with the older woman and the discussion about makeup and allure? Her meeting George Stone, hitting it off, the drinks, talk, going home with him?
8. Stone’s son, at the apartment, the wounds on his head? Going home? Clash with his mother? His going to the club, the bouncer, the deals, the violence? His being suspect and murder? Running from the police? The interrogations?
9. Stone’s wife and her fear, phone calls, not answering the door, clashing with her son, at the station, the questions?
10. The man and his flat, the dripping water, calling the police, Bernard and his coming to the scene, the rest of the police squad? The dead man?
11. The film focusing on Anna rather than on Bernard? His seeing her outside the building, the interest, his going up to the flat, weary in the lift, her coming back for the umbrella? Watching her at the phone box, her leaving the umbrella, his picking it up? His interest in her?
12. Bernard, separated, living in the hotel, his wariness? The attraction to an era? Following her, seeing the dating club? His decision to go, giving his assistant’s name? Anna friendly, their discussions, stories? The slow dance, his going with her, the potential for an affair?
13. Bernard's assistant, the other police, their investigations, their exasperation with Bernard? The briefings, the information, Bernard getting Anna’s car registration and address? Seeing Stone’s son and fighting with the bouncer? The information about Anna, their going to the house, Bernard going by himself?
14. The revelation about Anna? Her mind disturbed, her memory? The memories coming back? In jumbled fashion? Being presented to the audience, the audience building up the picture, going back to Stone’s flat, his son arriving, and later giving the sketch of Anna to the police? The sexual advances, and his behaviour, Stone and his growing brutality, her reaction, killing him, the blood on her hands, her leaving the flat, in the lift, leaving her umbrella?
15. The issue of the wound on her arm, getting treated, at work, mattress sales, weariness, going home, the itch under the cast?
16. Her taking the child to the park, the swing, empty, wandering after the phone call, the baby in the street, tragedy?
17. Locking Bernard out of the flat, her bewilderment, the empty room, going to the balcony, standing on it? Bernard bashing the door, rescuing her? Taking her to the institution?
18. A satisfying crime drama, the subordinate police investigation, the psychological disintegration of Anna?
