QUINTET

US, 1979, 118 minutes, Colour.
Paul Newman, Vittorio Gassman, Fernando Rey, Bibi Andersson, Brigitte Fosse, Nina Van Palandt, David Langston.
Directed by Robert Altman.

Quintet is interior, meditative Robert Altman (using long, tracking, reflective cinematography and symphonic score like Three Women). It is also a social allegory - set in a frozen, sparsely populated, post-nuclear future city. Quintet is a deadly game, played by experts for the excitement of being near death and surviving. Their mediaeval garb suggests vividly both past and future. The ruins of Montreal's Expo '67 are used for a vivid environment. An international class cast including Paul Newman, Vittorio Gassman, Fernando Rey and Bibi Andersson reinforces the global survival significance. Criticised as boring and pretentious (and many will find it so), yet it has powerful and persuasive atmosphere and meaning.

1. The significance of this film in Robert Altman's work? His mosaic satiric commentaries on American society and his more subjective, dreamlike films? The film's lack of commercial success? Its critical success? The validity of the comment that the film turns its back on its audience and challenges it to stay?

2. The importance of the film's technique and texture: the atmosphere it created, the world it visualised and in which it immersed its audience, the snow-scapes, the city of ice and ruins, the recognisable old world in disarray, the changes? The importance of the visual impact: compositions, colour, designs of the decor, costumes? The mediaeval decor and weapons? The importance of the musical score - quiet and atmospheric, loud and climactic? The style of the long tracking shots, the tableau? The presentation of the game of quintet, the editing? The build-up to climax? The symbolism of the photographs used in the decor of the city, the suggestion of the oppressed and the persecuted? The goose flying north?

3. The quality of the international cast? Their acting styles? The effect of their mixed styles?

4. Altman's vision of the future: a dream of the future - the ravages of war, the continued sounds of wars and explosions, the bomb? The contrast with death by knives and spears? The destruction wrought, the elimination of most activities? The qualities of survival? The occupying of time? The excitement of being alive? The challenge and the facing of death? Food and warmth? The absence of love? The exercise of power? Philosophy and religion and the meaning of life, suffering, the void after death? The visual and atmospheric bleakness? Seals dying out in the south, birds flying to the north? The symbol and motif of the dogs eating the frozen corpses? The importance of playing quintet in this kind of world - its rules, killing order, lists, challenge, skill, murder and survival? Quintet as the symbol of future survival?


5. The film as an allegory of the present situation, international condition, war and peace? The allegory of the game of quintet - with reference to power, nuclear power, international diplomacy, war? (Suggestions of the Pentagon? War as a game? The killing list as a deadly game?

6. The focus of the title on the game, the playing of the game, the nature of the list, the organisation of the tournaments and their skill? Grigor and his supervision, his being the impartial judge? St Christopher and his skill, sinister presence? His explanation of the meaning of five, the furthering count of six, the empty space, the void? The nature of five in geometric representation? The game and getting into the game, the purpose, losing one's identity once one entered the game as someone else?

7. Essex and Vivia emerging from the snow? The long introduction indicating their trek from the south, the elimination of the seals, Vivia's excitement at the bird flying north, their passing the dogs eating the corpses? Vivia's asking for stories about history and the city? The derelict centre of information and Essex's skill in getting the information? The audience moving with them, curious, hopeful for the city - but dim hope? The revelation of their past and the hunting of the seals? The relics of a past civilisation? The fading of memories and the nostalgia? The revelation of Vivia's pregnancy and hopes for the future? Vivia's love for Essex, her easy manner, her anticipation of life in the city, her willingness to enter the game? The sudden violence of her death?

8. Essex and his absence, hearing the explosion? His revulsion and revenge? His reverent carrying of her past the dogs to float away in the river? Paul Newman as Essex? The impact of Newman as superstar in this role and in this film? His emerging from the snow with Vivia? His memories? His work in the south? His reason for coming to the city? Searching for his brother in the headquarters, finding his brother and the suspicious response? The family and his being accepted? His not pitying quintet? His going out for the wood and his being absent for the explosion? His grief and the putting of Vivia's body into the river? His search for the murderer?

9. The irony of St Christopher murdering the assassin? His discovery of Redstone's body, the list? His decision to identify with Redstone? His guest and detection? Its meaning and vengeance? The importance of changing his identity - but his being absorbed into the quintet game? His exploration of the city? The various sectors? Discussions with Deuca about the game? The encounters with Grigor and the discussions about judgment? Hs visiting St Christopher's section? His listening to his speech, the contrast between charity and the philosophising about the number five and quintet? His moving into the hotel? The cold rooms? His eavesdropping on the quintet player and the discussion with Ambrosia? The death of the man? The relationship with Ambrosia, their talking, the gentleness of the sexual encounter? The possibility for human contact? The confrontation with St Christopher and the quest in the snow? The fight and his death? St. Christopher as villain - Vittorio Gassmann's appearance and style, sinister manner, cruelty? Playing the game? Slitting Redstone's throat? His running the soup kitchen and the irony of his preaching? The preacher about five, the space of six, existence, death, hell, the void? Hope being eliminated from the vocabulary? His relationship with Grigor? The threats to Ambrosia? The death of Deuca? The build-up to the confrontation in the snow and his death?

10. Grigor as judge? His being seen as the supervisor of quintet, his knowledge of the rules, his moving alone? Sinister? His encouragement of the tournaments? The survivor? His theory of excitement, death, the loneliness of ruling? The alternate survival of the human race?

11. Ambrosia and the feminine presence in the game, her wandering the city, her capacity for playing, her following the rules? Her room, the discussion with the man about to be murdered? Essex spying on her? The sexual encounter and her radiance? The confrontation of Essex and her trying to kill him? Her death as part of the game? The absence of women in the future?

12. Deuca and her managing the game, her control, her lies, the violence of her death and her being present, dead, during discussions?

13. The glimpses of the populace: so few, in the soup kitchen, the wood cellar, Essex's brother's family? Lack of children? The death of Vivia and the loss of potential for human survival and a new generation?

14. How satisfying a film? Did it involve its audience or invite them merely to observe? The role of science fiction in portraying a possible future and commenting on the present? How optimistic a viewpoint? A satisfying parable for the present?