THE BRAMBLE BUSH
US, 1960, 93 minutes, Colour.
Richard Burton, Barbara Rush, Jack Carson, Angie Dickenson.
Directed by Daniel Petrie.
The Bramble Bush was one of many big budget, Technicoloured soap operas of the late '50s following on the commercial and critical success of Peyton Place. They were generally based on current bestsellers.
This film has a New England setting, tangled marriages, suicides, euthanasia, court cases. It is a rather low key but lurid example of its kind.
One of its strengths was the presence Richard Burton, although he did not do this kind of role particularly well. There is a strong supporting cast led by Barbara Rush and Jack Carson. The screenplay was co-written by veteran offbeat writer Philip Yordan and was the first film directed by Daniel Petrie.
It had excellent credits with colour photography by Lucien Ballard and a musical score by Leonard Rosenman.
1. The popularity of this kind of Americana in the late '50s? In cinemas? On television? The material of soap opera and miniseries? Its perennial and universal appeal?
2. Production values: colour photography and tone, New England locations, the Rosenman score? The cast?
3. The credibility of this kind of melodrama? Characters, situations, heightened crises and decisions? Melodrama and soap opera as symbolic of real life ? larger than life? Comment on American behaviour, standards, values? The title and its evocativeness?
4. Richard Burton as Guy? The background of his family and the upsets, his mother's affair, the lover still in the town, his father's suicide? His leaving the town? Animosity in the town about him? His earnest attitudes, medical study? The return to the town and trying to settle and adapt? The friendship with Larry? His wanting to help him? The background of Larry's father and his continuous and mad hostility and clashes? Larry wanting to die? The friendship with Mar, the love affair and her pregnancy? Fran as the devoted nurse? Larry's death, his responsibility, Fran's concealing the evidence? Bert and his exploitation of the situation, the court case and his defence? His leaving the town - to what future?
5. Larry as strong friend, his illness, love for his wife, concern about her future, that Guy should marry her? His reaction to his father? His wanting to die?
6. Larry's father and his madness, continued animosity towards Guy? Treatment of Mar?
7. Mar and her love for Larry, the emotional entanglement with Guy, her pregnancy? Larry's death?
8. Fran and her devotion to Guy, her work as a nurse, the relationship with Bert and her reputation, his double standards, her concealing the evidence, Bert forcing her to give testimony, the court case?
9. Bert as the go-getting lawyer, push in the town, liaison with Fran and using her, success of the case?
10. The background of Stew and his affair with Guy's mother, the repercussions. alcoholism, the confrontation with Guy?
11. Themes of ethics: medical, emotional, religious? The role of Father Bannon?
12. The background of law, euthanasia, the court case?
