SWEET NOVEMBER

US, 1969, 114 minutes, Colour.
Sandy Dennis, Anthony Newley, Theodore Bikel, Burr de Benning.
Directed by Robert Ellis Miller.

Sweet November is a romantic story about two eccentric characters who meet and fall in love. Sandy Dennis plays a free-spirited character who is ill, meeting a man each month and trying to help him sexually. Anthony Newley plays a rather retiring man who meets the young woman and they fall in love. This is an unlikely role for Anthony Newley, more raucous and better known for his musicals such as Stop the World, I Want to Get Off. Theodore Bikel is strong in a supporting role.

The film was directed by Robert Ellis Miller who, at this time, made the classic of Carson Mc Cullough’s novel, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. He was to move later into television films.

The film was remade, using the original screenplay by Herman Raucher, by Pat O’ Connor in 2001 with Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves in the central roles.

1. The meaning of the title, its overtones? The importance of the title song at the end in contributing to the meaning?

2. Was this just another soap opera? Was it too romantic? Was it real?

3. What were your feelings during the film - in response to the characters, to the situations? Why?

4. What issues of morality were raised by the film? Was this a moral film? Why?

5. In terms of morality, who was good and who was bad? What situations were good and which bad? What standards of good and bad did the film offer? Do you agree with them?

6. How important was the reality of Sarah's illness? Of her lack of time? And her decision to try and be helpful to as many men as possible?

7. How was the film an image of modern American life and life in our modern world: relationships, inadequacies, people helping one another, on what basis of morality?

8. Sarah Dever: as an attractive person in herself, earliest impressions of her eg. at the exam, in the park, in her apartment? Why did she want to help people? Was she really doing this for herself? Why did she want to enjoy life as well as help others? Was she playing God in people's lives? Did she have the right to do this? Did you think she was a clear-sighted person? Why did the men respond to her: Clem and Charly contrasting with Richard?

9. Impressions of the monthly arrangements? Did this appeal to you? Was it possible in terms of human emotions and love? Was it unreal and making to many demands on emotions? eg Clem, Richard? Gordon? Charly?

10. Charly Blake: Did you like him, in himself, as a person? "Hurry, hurry, ding, ding." Wise-cracking over his inadequacies as a typical businessman, not relating well to others, hurrying away his life? Why did he agree to the arrangement? How did it change him? How did he learn love? Did he have the right to make all the months Novembers?

11. Once the rules were set, were the partners obliged to fulfil their contract? Did real love have the right to cut across the rules? Did you agree with Charley or with Sarah? Why?

12. What was the role of Alonzo in the film?

13. The importance of Clem in the film - as an example of a successful month? Continuing to be friendly with Sarah, yet finding his own life and fiancee?

14. Gordon: in himself, as a reminder of what Charlie was like when he arrived?

15. How romantic, how real,was the therapy: the apartment itself, the stairs, the meals, the walks and the shopping and Charlie's clothes, the talk about the seven-sided box, the sexual relationship?

16. The dramatic effect of the thanksgiving dinner, the tensions? The arrival of the seven-sided box? Its significance for the film, the relationships?

17. Should the film have ended as it did? Were you surprised? Why? What future would Sarah have? What future would Charlie have - would it be successful? Why?

18. What value is a film like this - helpful, is it too permissive? Was it entertaining? Was it a message film?