80 STEPS TO JONAH

US, 1969, 107 minutes, Colour.
Wayne Newton, Jo Van Fleet, Keenan Wynn, Diana Ewing, Sal Mineo, Slim Pickens, Mickey Rooney.
Directed by Gerd 0swald.

80 Steps to Jonah is a film which has had some success with younger audiences. It is a film about children made with feeling and charm, but it also has an edge of toughness in its hero-on-the-run and his pursuit. The picture of growing trust and the warmth of human relationships is appealing. The film was designed as a vehicle for star Wayne Newton, but he did not pursue a film career.

1. The meaning and the emotional overtones of the title? The two illustrations of the title in the film; the little girl and Tracy walking to Jonah and reaching him as a goal for fulfilment?

2. Was this an exciting film in its plot? Was it a delightful film in its presentation of children with Jonah? How successfully did it combine excitement with delight?

3. How was audience interest in the characters generated? How did it change from interest into feeling with Jonah and for his plight?

4. How was audience curiosity roused because of the accident at the beginning? How excitingly was this filmed? The nature of the cars turning over etc.? Was this a good structure for the film to have the accident at the beginning, then a flashback, then the accident again with the final resolution? Did this give the film a certain compact nature as well as a relentless working out of the plot?

5. Was Jonah an attractive character in himself? He said he was a jinx character because of his name. Was this true? Did he explain his own background well to Tracy? The fact that he was an orphan and his difficulties in life? What sympathy did this gain from Tracy and the audience? Why?

6. Why did Jonah react so well with the children? Why did they like him so much? Were you surprised to find that they were blind? What difference did this make to your response to them?

7. How much joy did Jonah bring to their lives? How happy were the sequences when he played with them and created the monorail etc.? Why were these happy scenes?

8. What kind of person was Tracy? Why had she set up the house? Was this the best thing to do after her accident? Why did she respond so well to Jonah? How strong was her emotional involvement with him? Why did she fight it so strongly when talking to Nonna?

9. How important a character for the film was Nonna? The dedication of her work around the house? Why was she going to report Jonah to the police? Why did she change her mind? How did she respond to his life story? How did she collaborate with him in working for the children?

10. Which incident seemed to you to best illustrate Jonah's good for the children? e.g. the fishing, the help that he got from Brian who could see, the songs creating an atmosphere of happiness especially with the planting of things?

11. What were your impressions of the police in the film? Were they presented as fools? Barney and his gambling compared with the others who were dedicating their lives to helping others? The two police and their search for Jonah and their failure? The various incidents in which the police were involved? Which illustrated best their capacities as policemen? Which sequences tended to make fools of them?

12. How much did luck play in the film? The accident itself? The fact that Barney was in the same room as Jonah at the gambling? The fact that Jonah's bust was in the window of the shop? The luck of the arrest and the luck of finding Wilfred?

13. How important was the night when Kim was wounded and Jonah set her leg? Was it important that there was a storm that night? The fact that he was arrested after doing this good? How did the audience feel? Why?

14. How satisfactory was the resolution of the film? The nature of the flashback with the truth about Jonah and his being picked up? The fact of Wilfred? How humorous was this performance of Mickey Rooney? Why? How nasty was the performance of the villain? How glad were you when the police were able to find Wilfred and he actually told the truth about the sense of direction?

15. Were you glad that the film ended happily? Why? The scene of the merry-go-round and Tracy's finding 80 steps to Jonah?

16. What value did the film have as a presentation of human beings, suffering and underprivileged? Happiness and the reward of giving to others?