A SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

US, 1980, 112 minutes, Colour.
Brad Davis, Karen Allen, Jameson Parker, Shelley Long.
Directed by Rob Cohen.

A Small Circle Of Friends is a particularly Harvard memoir of 1967-71, explicitly highlighting the contemporary hindsight into the changing, violent, even revolutionary, times: the anger of so much American waking from naivety, war and the draft, violence and protest on the campuses. The film touches on themes relying on audiences filling in background facts and feelings for episodes and the engaging performances of the leads representing the student types: Brad Davis' tense ambitious Italian, Jameson Parker as the W.A.S.P. medical student and Karen Allen as the west coast art student. Visual and sound echoes of the songs, politics, media of the time remind us that those days were different and that they have passed. Director Rob Cohen studied at Harvard during this period.

1. The impact of the film in 1980, the response of 1980s sensibilities? Memories of the '60s, the hindsight of developments in the '70s? The viewpoint of the '60s compared with that of the '80s? Audience opinions, change?

2. The use of Harvard University, as representative of the United States? Its historic background, reputation? The W.A.S.P. background? The cross?section of students at Harvard: race, religion, from the various states? The variety of stances of the students? Tradition, unquestioned heritage, naivety, awakening, stances, reaction?

3. The visual presentation of Harvard and audience response, to Boston, to the university? The sounds and sights of the '60s, media, politics, Johnson and Nixon, television programmes, The Graduate? The '80s response to these memories?

4. The filling in of the historical background and the audience supplying it: the presidency, the war, the draft, the deaths, protests, campus revolution, bombs and terrorism? Hopes, anger? The time for anger to pass and the optimism of the ending? As reflecting America, justified?

5. The effect of beginning the film with the present that we know the destinies of Nick and Jessie? Our puzzle about Leo? The trying to understand why they are meeting after ten years? The chance meeting, Nick's pursuit by bicycle? The reintroduction of the two talking in the middle of the flashbacks? The end and the assessment of the memories? The opportunity for Jessie and Nick again? Nick's not taking it, changing his mind? The very happy, even romantic, ending? The present as a framework for understanding the past and judging it?

6. The choice of the four years from 67 to 71 for the memoir? The nature of a memoir - particular events, people? The subjective significance from the viewpoint of those remembering? The film as a subjective memoir? The audience knowing or not knowing the detail? Responding to suggestions? Filling in details? The plot emphasising particular facets of those four years? The characters and their change and development? Issues touched on? The overall effect of being immersed in a memoir and the lack of interpretation?

7. The atmosphere of Harvard studies - Nick arriving with his mother, her memories of his father, the stethoscope? The long queues, the parents, the scholarships? Leo and his act about being blind? The rules and regulations? The houses, the sharing of rooms? Lectures, research, study? Extra?curricular activities? The newspaper and its variety of attitudes? The degrees, campus life? The Harvard students responding to the social changes of the 60s?

8. The background of the Vietnam war? the various moods? The history of the early '60s, Johnson and Nixon? The cheers at Johnson's resignation, hopes with Nixon and their later ironies? The various fads of time e.g. music, Eastern meditation? The draft and its impact? The televising of the lottery for the call up? Statistics about the deaths? The long sequence of the call up and Leo's involvement? Dodging the draft and the issues e.g. going to Canada?

9. University as the opening up of a new life, changes in background and character, relationships, openness, moral issues and stances, the realistic approach to study and career, the romantic world of the student? Building for the '70s and '80s?

10. The focus on Nick, his mother and her memories, his father and the story about his not crying? Nick and his becoming a doctor? His encounters with Leo, the room, the shower sequence and helping Leo out? The gradual talks with Leo, the growing friendship e.g. at the cafe and the black man singing the anthem? Helping Leo distribute his yellow page article? The job at the bookstore, the discussions with Harry about drugs and the future? The encounter with Jessie? Holidays together? Helping Jessie especially with her painting? His work at the university? His helping Haddox at the beginning, with his injury at the demonstration after Leo brought him to the lab? The differences with Leo, fighting him and the physical punching? Trying to make contact with Leo? Living with Jessie and the bond between the two? Preoccupation with Leo and the draft, helping get the information about asthma? The bomb hoax? The holiday together and the relationship between the three? Jessica's leaving after Leo's death? How did Nick change throughout the four years, grow up? His change of appearance, manner of speaking, interests and involvement, detachment? His trip to Europe and starting over again? The humour in his remarking about becoming a psychiatrist? A sketch of a young man of the time?

11. The contrast with Leo, his blind act, the girl in the room, the shower sequence, his writing, arguments with the editors of the Crimson, the yellow page article and his joy at everybody reading it, the press conference with the Dean and his challenging, the friendship with Jessie, the enoounter in the library and his stealing, the press interview? The friendship, the discussions about the sexual liaison? Moving in and the sequence with the bed? The love and dominance? The discussions about the diaphragm? Their activities e.g. going to see The Graduate and discussing it? Going to see his father and the sequence on the roof overlooking Boston? His boorish attitudes, his being continually on the run ? and the hamster called after him? His not helping Jessle with the painting? Her anger? The sequence on the bridge and Jessie and Nick seeming to reject him? The draft, his fears? His shutting himself away, going to the draft induction? The bomb? The visit to Haddox after hearing the news of the terrorism? His talking with Haddox, advising that violence and anger had to give way? The sudden dramatic impact of the explosion and his death? Jessie's visit to his father? Leo representing the type who died in the '60s?

12. Jessie and her background from the west coast, the sequence in the library, supporting Leo with the interview with the Dean, her hesitation about the sexual relationship, her art classes and the significance of painting and social message, her painting and Leo's failing to help her, Nick's reliability? The bond with Nick, living with him? The night out and the Johnny Mathis song in the bedroom? Her changes over the years, art, helping Leo, the hoax about the bomb to save Leo? Her grief at Leo's death, leaving Nick? The visit to Leo's father? Her subsequent story of the '70s?

13. What did Haddox represent? The innocent Texan, naive? Gradual involvement, change even in appearance? Demonstrations, terrorism? The group around him and the explosion? The futility of such protest?

14. The students and the way of life, the details of campus activity e.g. dances, study, parties? The sequence of the draft and the cross section of young Americans presented, fears, hopes, comedy?

15. Themes of education, tradition, families? American values, challenge, anger, the future? Adolescents becoming adults?

16. A picture of the United States ? Harvard, study, politics? The background of the presidency? Patriotism and the singing of the anthem and the critique of American hopes? The optimistic ending?