THE SEAGULL'S LAUGHTER

Iceland, 2001, 104 minutes, Colour.
Margret Vilhjalmsdottir, Ugla Egilsdottir.
Directed by August Gudmundsson.

The Seagull's Laughter is an entertaining story of a group of women in Iceland in the years after World War Two. One of them, Freya, returns a widow from the United States and has an effect on the lives of all the people in the town. She is ambitious, looking for a husband, wanting to settle back. Her young cousin, Agga, is an adolescent who is very critical of Freya, bad-mouths her, finally accusing her of murder.

The film has the light touch, is accurate in its portrait of the women, funny in its ironic presentation of their interactions, especially with the men of the town? Ultimately, the film goes into a touch of fantasy with Agga's imagination about the killing of Freya's husband - or is she making it up or pretending that she is making it up? A film that shows the versatility of the film industry in Iceland.

1. An entertaining comedy/drama about women? The bonds between them? Relationship with men?

2. The title, the initial images, the imagery of birds, cliffs, ocean?

3. The Icelandic settings? The town, the coast, the countryside? The period - costumes, cars, décor? The musical score? The American songs such as "Sh'boom"?

4. Freya as the focus of the film, the background story in Iceland, her marriage to the American, his death? Her arrival back, the femme fatale style, her clothes, the women all meeting her, friends, relatives, the suspicions of Agga? Giving away the clothes, the women dressing up in them, singing and dancing in them? Freya and her relationship with the women, the past, the police inspector? The decision to let her stay in the house? Her getting a job, looking for a husband? Her focus of attention on Theodor? Flirtation, the dance, his fiancee? The sexual relationship? The build-up to the wedding? Agga and her complaints to the police inspector, his not believing them? The aftermath of the wedding, Theodor going away, drinking, brutality? The confrontation, the women against Theodor, the fade-out on his death? Freya cast as the villain, murdering her husband, the support of the women? Agga's story - or making it up? Freya as a personality, style, interactions, ambitions? In a small pond?

5. Agga, her age, experience, at the beginning with the pool, meeting Freya, initial suspicions, going along with the plans, speaking directly against her? The clothes? The outings? Her speaking to the police? The continual build-up of hostility? Agga herself, age, change, growing up? The death of Theodor? Her going to the police, the flashbacks showing her scenario? Her tantalising comment about her being truthful as well as the biggest liar?

6. The men, the policeman, his role in the town, a good man, not believing Agga, attracted by Freya? Theodor and his fiancee, attracted to Freya, his wealth, mansion, going away to study? The marriage, his drunkenness, brutality, his death?

7. The other women in the house, the grandmother and her welcoming Freya? The cousin and her brutal husband? The plain woman and her being affirmed, becoming part of the group? The old woman? The retarded woman? The bonds together, shared experiences, life in the town, the home, shops? Cooking? The confrontation with Theodor, the possibilities that they acted in the violent way that Agga said? Or not? The old grandfather and his place in the house, trawling, response to Freya? Freya capitalising on her relationship with the women?

8. The comic touches, the humorous dialogue, the humorous and ironic situations? The humour out of the women bonding? The contrast with the drama, the soap opera elements of ambitious marriage, betrayal, death? The drama?