QUARTET

UK, 1948, 120 Minutes, Black and White.

The Facts of Life: Basil Radford, Naughton Wayne, Jack Wattling, Mai Zetterling, James Robertson Justice.
Directed by Ralph Smart.

The Alien Corn: Dirk Bogarde, Honor Blackman, Irene Brown, James Hayter, Francoise Rosay.
Directed by Harold French.

The Kite: George Cole, Hermione Baddeley, Mervyn John, Susan Shaw, Bernard Lee.
Directed by Arthur Crabtree.

The Colonel's Lady: Cecil Parker, Nora Swinburne, Linden Travers, Ernst Thesiger, Wilfrid Hyde White, Felix Aylmer.
Directed by Ken Annakin.

Quartet is one of the many films of Somerset Maugham's stories. Popular over many decades, films of his works were made by American companies, eg. The Letter with Bette Davis and Herbert Marshall and The Razor's Edge with Tyrone Power. British contributions to Maugham films were three selections of short stories: Quartet, Trio, Encore.

Quartet is very interesting and entertaining, taking us back into an old British world of the first part of the 20th century. Maugham observes accurately but seems to be making points about the individual who has a capacity for insight, art or skill which runs contrary to ordinary British expectations. This point is made quite forcibly to several of the stories. Prominent stars in the British cinema of the time played important roles of the stories eg. Dirk Bogarde, Cecil Parker. R.C. Sheriff, the playwright of Journey's End and frequent screen-writer adapted the screenplay which included an introduction by Maugham himself. The piano concertos are played by Australian pianist Eileen Joyce. A good introduction to the world of W. Somerset Maugham.

1. An interesting and entertaining British film? The style audiences are now used to from television series? Its place in the transition from the British film industry to television industry? Its impact as cinema now?

2. The work of W. Somerset Maugham and its popularity over the decades? Maugham's estimate of himself and his comment on what the critics said over the decades? His popularity amongst readers, amongst theatre-goers, amongst film-goers? The effect of having him introduce the film? The respect for Maugham as a novelist, short-story writer, observer of human nature?

3. The technical aspects of the film: having four different directors, the use of prominent British stars of the time, black and white photography, the score, the very British settings?

4. What common threads were evident during the film? British themes, British society and class, the remnants of the old world, old British manners and values? Individuals within these worlds and their self-assertion in arts or skills and the common expectations and reactions against them? The overall impact of these four glimpses of aspects of British society?

a) THE FACTS OF LIFE.

1. The impact of this short story as an introduction to the whole film, its slight tone, its ironies, the humorous punch-line contrasting tennis and cricket - and the implications for British attitudes?

2. The portrait of the father talking to his friends at the club, the club manners and games, talk and drinking? The father's values and old British traditions? His attitude towards his son and his advice to him, his being unwilling for him to go to Monte Carlo? His talking with his wife and adviser, his changing his attitude on the advice of his wife? The importance of the tennis sequence focussed entirely on three people talking and watching the game at the saw time?

3. The character of Nicky - his skill at tennis, naive young man, his attitude towards his father's advice, the temptations of Monte Carlo, his being persuaded to gamble, giving the money to the woman, his surprise at its being returned and his falling a victim to her persuasions? Talking together and not realizing the irony of what she was saying, the meal together, the return to her hotel, being robbed? The portrait of the naive young man?

4. The irony of the advice and his explanation of it? The fact that he should regain more of the money and the ironic comment?

5. The portrait of the confidence woman at the casinos of Monte Carlo, her techniques and persuasiveness, the irony of her losing her money?

6. The irony of the advice and the father's ultimate attitude?

b) THE ALIEN CORN.

1. The conventional material about the earnest young man and his unconventional career? The serious ending? The irony of the jury's statement as an expression of British attitudes - and the audience thinking that it knows better?

2. Dirk Bogarde's style as George? The earnest young man with his hopes? The very British type? The expectations of his parents, the sympathy from Paula? His determination, his gratitude to Paula for her intervention, his going to Paris and working, his confidence, his moods, especially with Paula as regards love, piano playing? His hopes for achievement and the experience of failure? His asking the pianist to play? His decision to clean the gun - did he kill himself or was it an accident? was he capable of killing himself after this experience of failure?

3. The portrait of his parents - country types, their expectations and traditions? His uncle and the offer for the job? Their mocking George's attitudes, permitting him to go? Their response to the recital, especially his fidgety father? The fact that they would lose their son?

4. Paula as heroine - her love for George, helping with the arrangements, her being fair to him, the visit to Paris and his playing for her? Her memories during the recital? Her grief at the ending?

5. The pianist and her presence, listening, the brutality of her speaking the truth and its effect? Her skill in her own piano playing? Could she be blamed for George's death?

6. The court, the jury and the irony of its verdict? The point being made about art and individuals?

c) THE KITE.

1. The title, the suggestion of puzzle? Moving towards a solution and the speculative solution offered? True, sentiment?

2. The setting of the tone with the prison and the prison visitor, the introduction to Preston and his interview with Sunbury and his reaction to him, the discussion with the Prison Governor?

3. The story by the Governor and the flashbacks to Herbert Sunbury as a boy, his relationship with his parents, the bond through kite flying, the sense of achievement, control, soaring? The kite as a symbol of Herbert? Of his parents?

4. How accurate a picture of the family group? The sympathetic father, the possessive mother? Herbert as relating to them both? The joy of the kite flying, the inventiveness and creativeness? The patterns that were emerging in his life and were to be disastrous for him?

5. Betty as a contrast to the Sunbury family? Herbert's mother's idea of Berry and seeing her intrude? Betty's arrival and her attitude towards Mrs. Sunbury, calling Herbert, Bert, her independence? The visit and her clumsiness? His parents not being at the wedding? Her hold over Herbert especially as regards the pictures, her ridiculing of kite flying? Her being hurt, packing his things? Collecting the money? How credible was her smashing the kite? Preston's intervention for their reuniting and her flying the kite? A credible portrait of a believable young woman?

6. Herbert at home, his change? From being prim to falling in love, the conflict of kite and wife? His marriage and his longing to fly the kite, watching his parents, going back to them and being under his mother's thumb? His willingness to go to jail and his prim comments about Betty? Was it credible that they should be reunited - did he really love her?

7. The portrait of Mrs. Sunbury in herself, her manner, her attitude towards Be 9, possessiveness over Herbert, having him back and treating him as a child, her surly attitudes towards Betty? why couldn't she let him go?

8. The credibility of the ending and the use of sentiment and feeling?

d) THE COLONEL'S LADY.

1. The British tone of this episode, British values, the theme of poetry and British reaction to it, expectations? The film as a love story?

2. Cecil Parker's style as George? The very British type, his taking his wife for granted, his lies to her and his liaison with Daphne? The irony of his attitude towards the book of poetry, his pretence of reading it? The fact that he did not? His growing awareness with the reaction of friends, the reviewer at the club, the bookseller, the party and the comments of the women, the American publisher, Daphne and her telling the story? The impact on him?

3. His saying that he was a man of the land, his taking his wife for granted and then the move to jealousy and the impact to get the truth?

4. The portrait of Evie - ordinary at home, her appearance and dress, glasses, living for her husband and making decisions in line with his wishes? Her being left at home? The book that she had written and her pleasure in it? The gradual revelation of the kind of book that it was and audiences seeing her through George's eyes and the eyes of the readership and critics?

5. The audience's reaction to the gradual revelation of the contents, its being a best seller, the importance of Daphne's story? The importance of the confrontation and the tenderness with which Evie told the truth? The revelation of love and a dead relationship?

6. The style of the 40s and the emphasis on the book of poetry in the light of "Lady Chatterley's Lover" and Lawrence's reputation and subsequent court cases? What point was Maugham trying to make about such literature? How wise was the observation of human nature, manners and morals? The acuteness of the observation of the English way of life in the middle of the 20th century?