THE MYSTERY OF OBERWALD

Italy, 1981, 129 minutes, Colour.
Monica Vitti, Franco Branciaroli, Paolo Bonacelli.
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni.

The Mystery of Oberwald is an experimental feature by Michelangelo Antonioni. After making many documentaries, he moved in the early 50s into features. He was adroit at observing society, relationships, isolation and alienation. In the early 60s with his famous trilogy starting with L'Avventura, he made master works on these themes. He also experimented by making Blow Up in England, Zabriskie Point in America and filming documentaries in China.

The film experiments with video technology, especially in the use of video colour, almost making colour a musical equivalent, giving atmosphere and tone to characters and situations. He takes the credit for 'electronic editing'.

The screenplay is based on Jean Cocteau's play The Eagle Has Two Heads. The musical score includes selections from Richard Strauss, Arnold Schonberg, Johannes Brahms.

1. The work of Antonioni? interest in technical experiments, use of colour? Themes of relationships and alienation?

2. The work of Jean Cocteau? His play? The change of period from 19th century to turn of the century? Royalty, death, the police, revolution, poetry, romance? Fatalism and tragedy?

3. The film as experimental in style: electronic techniques, video? The use of colours, shades, tones indicating characters, worlds? The visual impact? Emotional impact?

4. The film as character study, the characters as symbols, their style of interaction? Antonioni observing or inviting the audience to empathise?

5. The political situation, 1900, Central European Kingdoms and empires on the verge of collapse, echoes of assassination attempts, the prelude to World War One? The Queen as a recluse, the centre of intrigue, revolution, death? A world in transition?

6. The focus on the Queen, the memories of her past life, the death of her husband, Sebastian resembling the ghost of her husband? Her being veiled and a recluse? Edith and her attendance, reading to her? A spy for the Queen Mother? The Queen Mother and her concern? The Duke of Willenstein? Her way of life, the poetry? Sebastian's invasion? Her recognising him? Her seeing him 'an angel of death'? The taunts, his infatuation? His becoming her reader, his spying, advice and change of heart? The enmity of Foehn? The climax and his taking the poison, the Queen taunting him to shoot her? A tragic and fatal figure?

7. Edith and her work as attendant, reader, her communicating information to the King's mother? Her being replaced by Sebastian?

8. The Duke of Willenstein and his courting the Queen? Foehn and his intrigue? The role of the police? The pursuit of Sebastian? The announcing of the arrest of the assassin? The confrontation? The ultimatum? The police winning?

9. Sebastian as revolutionary, his subversive poem, bursting in on the Queen, fascinated by her, becoming her reader, involved in the court intrigues, his wanting her to assert herself, the ultimatum by Foehn, his slow death, the Queen taunting him with pretence and his shooting her?

10. A portrait of a contrived and artificial world - in a contrived and artificial portrait? A study of tragedy and fatalism?

MY STEPMOTHER IS AN ALIEN

US, 1988, 105 minutes, Colour.
Kim Basinger, Dan Aykroyd, Jon Lovitz, Allyson Hannigan, Seth Green, Joseph Maher, Juliette Lewis.
Directed by Richard Benjamin.

My Stepmother is an Alien is one of those old '50s science fiction titles - but is a variation on E.T. for the late '80s.
The film was directed by Richard Benjamin, has a fairly moderate performance by Kim Basinger. Jon Lovitz is fairly heavy-handed as Aykroyd's ogling brother. It is a variation on all the outer-space stories, especially E.T. Scientist Aykroyd is able to draw in from a far distant planet and galaxy. Basinger is the technologically advanced but a humanly inept visitor.

She learns human experience, most amusingly learning kissing from a whole series of old movies. The film is a moderately amusing contribution to the alien genre.

1. The popularity of outer space films? E.T. and the '80s? Variations on the theme?

2. American settings, special effects for galaxies and outer space, for bringing space creatures to Earth for close encounters? The contrast with the ordinariness of the American home? The comic special effects for Celeste and her learning to cope as a human being? The musical score?

3. The title and its focus, on extraterrestrials, on the young girl and the marriage of Celeste to Steve?

4. The focus on Steve - widower, his daughter, his assistant and devotion, his worldly brother? Authorities and their concern about him? His using extra power, the plan to draw information from the galaxies? The storm and the sci-fi overtones? His success? Celeste and her materialising? His having to cope with her, his personal limitations and his being a dedicated scientist? The encounters with Celeste at the party, her behaviour, his infatuation, going home with her? At home, his daughter and her approval? The build-up to the marriage? Sex - and the comic tones? The build-up to her getting the information? Her trying to infiltrate, his response? The authorities? The storm, the information from the galaxy and his trying to reproduce the storm? Her staying? The happy ending?

5. Celeste and the introduction to her, as an alien, her appearance and clothes, her glamour? The odd creature in her handbag? Her learning processes? Intelligence rather than emotions? her arrival, the plan to get the formula, her behaviour at the party and the exaggerations, eating and drinking the wrong things, her dancing? Her taking things too literally? Trying to get Steve to give the formula? Going out with him, sexuality and her being ignorant Trying to find out? The pornographic movie, the kisses from the gallery of famous films on television? Her drinking the battery fluid? The daughter's suspicions? her father’s reactions, preparing the enormous breakfast? The build-up to the crisis, in contact with her authorities and their visit? The creature in her purse and betrayal, trying to trap her? The climax in the laboratory? Her decision to stay?

6. The creature in the bag, its appearance, slightly obscene? The obscene variation on E.T?, The information, the transformations, supplying her with fashions and dresses? The wedding dress? The betrayal and imitating voices on the phone? Comeuppance?

7. The daughter, her love for her father, wanting him to be married, attraction towards Celeste, puzzle about her behaviour, the battery fluid, her father not listening to her? The happy ending?

8. The ogling brother, his style, causing the success of the experiment with his coat? his finale and actually going off into space with the glamorous creatures?

9. The space authorities - serious, comic touches? The elders from the other planet?

10. A popular concoction of familiar themes of the '80s - with comic and satiric variations?

MYRA BRECKINRIDGE

US, 1968, 94 minutes, Colour.
Mae West, Raquel Welch, John Huston, Rex Reed, Jim Backus, John Carradine, Andy Devine.
Directed by Mike Sarne.

Myra Breckinridge is an adaptation of Gore Vidal's satirical novel on Hollywood. It was written by Michael Sarne and David Giler. Sarne directed Joanna - but Myra Breckinridge seems to have destroyed his directing career. David Giler wrote a number of screenplays and directed the Maltese Falcon spoof, The Black Bird.

The film is extravagant in its style. Raquel Welch, in retrospect, is better as Myra than was first thought. Mae West, looking embalmed, does her usual thing as the agent Leticia Van Allen - the dialogue seems more Mae West than Gore Vidal. John Huston has a good role which he exaggerates as Buck Loner, the western-style manager of an acting school in Hollywood. Amongst the supporting cast are Farrah Fawcett in an early role as Mary Ann and Tom Selleck as one of Mae West's men. There are some guest roles by old veterans like Andy Devine and Grady Sutton.

The film is quite camp in style, enjoying its bad taste, going over the top. It also indicates some of the permissive style entering Hollywood at the end of the '60s.

Whether the film is Gore Vidal's insight into power, the relationships between men and women, Hollywood and American myths may be in dispute - and Myra Breckinridge finds itself on the list of many people's worst films.

1. The work of Gore Vidal, his novel, satire, themes of power, relationships between men and women, money, sexuality, Hollywood and American myths? Gore Vidal's view? The film version?

2. The cast, the effect of such a mixed cast?

3. The work of Sarne and Giler in adapting the novel? The issues (too many)? Camp style, Hollywood and overdone? The use of the film clips: Shirley Temple, Laurel and Hardy? Dante's Inferno? The photographs of the film stars and their use, film advertisements? Parody? The questions about film-making in the 1960s, permissiveness and pornography? Family films? The whole thing going over the top? Its effect on its audience?

4. The blend of real and surreal? The operation and the surgery, the dancing girls and Myron's fantasies? Tyron and Myra dancing in the Hollywood streets? The two aspects of the personality? Masculine and feminine and interaction? The interchangeability of Myron and Myra? The gaudy statue and its symbolism, American? Buck Loner's studs and rooms? The classes, student behaviour, the film inserts and comments? Mae Wist and her atmosphere of unreality? The fantasy of Rusty's seduction and rape? The final operation? surrealism? The finale? The effect of this blend of realism and the surreal?

5. Panavision photography, lavish style? Use of locations? The musical score and the evocation of the past? Mae West's song and its insertion in the plot? Icons of Hollywood in themselves?

6. The atmosphere of the '60s? What if the film had been made in later decades? Its comment on the 1960s?

7. The focus on Myron: his film background, homosexuality, the woman inside him, his offhand attitude towards the operation, the operation itself, transformed into a woman? Becoming Myra - in the form of Raquel Welch? His comments, dancing with Myra? Their interchanging throughout the film? His relationship with Uncle Buck? Hollywood? His determination to subdue men? Victimising Rusty? Idealising Mary Ann? Myra's accident and his return, castrated? Poetic justice?

8. Raquel Welch as Myra: glamour? The interchange between Myron and Myra? Myra's voice-over: her goals, arriving in Hollywood, the plan? Her command of Uncle Buck? Clothes and style? Buck and his reactions? Irving and the camp tour of the studio? The intercutting of the tour and her classes? her classes, manner of teaching, Hollywood references? The students? Her slapping Buck? Her answers for all his criticisms? The lawyers? Her victimising of Rusty? In her room, exposing him, his being busted, the seduction, the control, the sexuality, the rape? Her despising of Mary Ann? Luring Mary Ann, the bedroom sequences, Mary Ann's refusal? The final confrontation with the lawyers? Revelation of the truth? Leticia, Van Allen? Sending Rusty to her? Her alliance with her? The final accident and her loss?

9. John Huston as Buck: the skit on the Hollywood producer-director, his ineptitude? the western images and his offices, his wife and her friends his card playing friends, the old-timers? Sexuality and the women in attendance? Irving, and the students? The classes? Myra slugging him? Greed, the lawyers? His finally being defeated?

10. Leticia Van Allen: the satire on the casting agent and the casting couch? Mae West and her old style, appearance, innuendo, more permissive '60s jokes? The men at her office? The procession of men in and out? her song? Decision to help Myra? Her hold over Rusty?

11. Rusty as the young American of the '60s, ordinary, trying to study, his relationship with Mary-Ann? His belief in heterosexuality? Tangles with Myra? Her control over him, exposing him? Prison? In Myra's care? the seduction and rape? The break with Mary Ann? With Leticia? His being destroyed? The comparison with the men around Leticia?

12. Mary Ann as the nice all American girl? Farrah Fawcett and her style? Studying, being with Rusty, wanting to be a wife and mother? Victimised by Myra? Myra talking, her not being lesbian? Her being a final vision?

13. The gallery of oddball characters: John Carradine as the smoking surgeon, Irving and his camp style, the actors and actresses, the stunts, the lawyers? The world of Hollywood?

14. To what purpose this spoof and satire of American traditions?

MY NAME IS BILL WILSON

US, 1989, 100 minutes, Colour.
James Garner, James Woods, JoBeth? Williams, Gary Sinise, George Coe, Fritz Weaver.
Directed by Daniel Petrie.

My Name is Bill Wilson is based on the memoirs and interviews with one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill Wilson. He is played with intensity by James Woods, a master of intense roles (True Believers, Salvador, Promise). The film was co-produced by James Garner who appears as the other founder, Dr Bob Smith. JoBeth? Williams appears as Wilson's long-suffering and loyal wife.

The film is an interesting study of a personality, his struggle with alcoholism, his reaching rock-bottom, a religious experience and the meeting with Bob Smith which led to the exchange of philosophy that enabled Alcoholics Anonymous to begin.

The film is geared for a television audience, so the scenes of alcoholism are not as powerful as in some films made for cinemas. Nevertheless, the film is a good portrait of Americans, an interesting insight into alcoholism, a tribute to Alcoholics Anonymous and the message of encouragement to audiences.

Direction is by Daniel Petrie (Raisin in the Sun, Fort Apache the Bronx).

1. A film about Alcoholics Anonymous, its origins, a personal story, message?

2. The telemovie audience, the focus of the film on the widest possible audience? Style, message? Credibility? Inspiration?

3. The period: World War One, the aftermath, the '20s and the Wall Street crash, the '30s and the Depression, the comparative prosperity of the '50s? Alcoholics Anonymous grounded in the American experience?

4. The framework: Bob dying, the visit of Bill and Lois? Coming back to Bob's death at the end? Bob and his bond with Bill? The aftermath in the 1950s? The final comment about Bill Wilson's death in 1971? The spread of Alcoholics Anonymous?

5. Audience knowledge of Alcoholics Anonymous, its worldwide success, the nature of the process, the participation in meetings, alcoholic working with alcoholic, effect?

6. The portrait of Bill Wilson: the war and his sense of success, leading people? His drinking, friendships? Lois and his love for her, the marriage? His work, his flair with finance, investments in the stock market? His continually being on the phone, the deal for Frank Shaw and his refusal? His drinking, depression and further drinking? His being absent with Lois pregnant, her going to the hospital, her hysterectomy? His father-in-law and his severity? The bond between Lois and Bill? Spying out General Electric, his recommendations and success, partner? The family dinner, his talk, spilling the wine? Growing success, house and maid? Partying? Lois and her humiliation, yet her support? The financial crash, in the bar, a day of phone calls, drinking? Running away and Lois calling to him? His collapse?

7. His relationship with Lois, his father-in-law, his visiting the doctor and the comment on his liver, the possibility of an institution, his collapses and being in a straitjacket? The friend and his getting religion, going off the drink? His final collapse, the experience of the light, the change in his approach to drinking, his taking alcoholics into his house?

8. His relationship with Lois and her going to Frank for a job? His going to Akron, the temptations in the hotel, getting the nickels, the phone calls to the ministers, meeting Bob and the misunderstanding, the talk, the bond between the two, staying for a long time, visiting the hospital and testing out their theories, the philosophy of, Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholics to alcoholics, one step at a time, day-by day? The setting up of groups and their effect?

9. Bill's work in New York, the groups, Bob's arrival, interviews for the Saturday Evening Post, Time Magazine? The spread of the movement?

10. The portrait of Lois, her marriage, in 1919, her father, the hysterectomy, her worries, the good times and the bad, the humiliation at the party? Going to her father and getting his help? Getting the job, working for years, asking for the raise, Bill's visit to work? Visiting the institution with their friend?. Her final exasperation? Bill's change, the men in the house, her concern about the relationship between the two? His absence in Ohio, her visit? Her trying to assess his being sober and his being drunk? The fact that she coped for decades?

11. Bill's friend, his drinking, the collapse, religion, visiting the institution, Bill returning from Akron and his friend jealous?

12. The hospital drunk and their trying out their theories, the groups and their interactions?

13. 1951, Bill going to California, Lois happy, attending the meeting, the final talk between Bill and Fred and seeing A.A. in action?

14. Alcoholism as a fact, the question of willing to stop drinking or not, alcoholism as an illness, treatment, alcoholics helping themselves, listening to one another, a ministry to one another?

THE MAN FROM COLORADO

US, 1949, 99 minutes, Colour.
Glenn Ford, William Holden, Ellen Drew, Ray Collins, Edgar Buchanan, Jerome Courtland.
Directed by Henry Levin.

The Man From Colorado is an above average western. It is a good vehicle for Glenn Ford, giving an intense performance as a lawyer-become-military officer during the Civil War and being affected by it brutality. He is well supported by Wilier Holden (they had appeared together in Texas in
1940). There is a good supporting cast led by Edgar Buchanan and Ellen Drew.

The film focuses on the Colorado gold town after the Civil War, the men returning and seeking their gold claims, the exploiters in the town. It also focuses on law and justice and the man of law obsessed with it. Better than might be expected.

1. A western of the '40s? Style? Issues?

2. The contribution of the stars?

3. Colorado scenery, the Civil War, the western town? Action sequences? The finale? Musical score?

4. The Civil War, its effect on the men, before and after? Careers, the effect of the army, brutality? Affecting people's emotions and minds? The men with their property, gold claims, the return and the businessmen holding it over them? The rebellion of the veterans? Violence, robberies? Law and the administration of justice?

5. The initial encounter in the war. the white flag. Owen Devereaux and his decision to fire, the massacre of the enemy? The repercussions and the attack of the Rebel commander?

6. Glenn Ford's portrait of Owen Devereaux: a lawyer, his work in the town before the Civil War, love for Caroline? In war, obsessed, the decision to ignore the white flag? Return. his appointment as judge? The Rebel confronting him? His diary and his sanity? The law, taking the side of Carter and the businessmen against the veterans? His friendship with Del, wanting him to be Marshall? The marriage? The pursuing of the veterans, the hanging of Johnny, the further hangings? His being taunted in the desert but let go? Confronted by Del? Del's leaving? Caroline seeing the truth, taking the diary? His being goaded. taking Del? His decision to burn the
town? The clash with Jericho and his death?

7. The contrast with Del, his deputy, love for Caroline, protests during the war, his becoming Marshall, his friendship, ? with the men, the appeal to Johnny and to Jericho. his confrontation with Owen, his being taken to jail, the doctor letting him out, the final confrontation?

8. Caroline and her friendship with the two men. needing time for choices, decision to marry Owen? His attacks on her? her reading his diary? Helping Del escape?

9. Doc, his place in the town. relationship to Owen, his wisdom in helping with the jailbreak?

10. Carter, appointments of judges, wealth, hiring the veterans who own the claims? Decision that Owen had gone too far?

11. Jericho and the veterans, in the war, their work, claims, the forming of gangs, the robberies and the killings? Johnny and his imprisonment and hanging, Jericho and his final fight with Owen, saving Del?

12. A piece of Americana, the history of Colorado, the gold claims, the effect of the war, the establishment of law and order?

11. Jericho and the veterans, in the war, their work, claims, the forming of gangs, the robberies and the killings? Johnny and his imprisonment and hanging, Jericho and his final fight with Owen, saving Del?

12. A piece of Americana, the history of Colorado, the gold claims, the effect of the war, the establishment of law and order?

THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH

UK, 1959, 83 minutes, Colour.
Anton Diffring, Hazel Court, Christopher Lee, Arnold Marle, Delphi Lawrence, Francis de Wolff.
Directed by Terence Fisher.

The Man Who Could Cheat Death was based on the play by Barre Lyndon, The Man In Half Moon Street, filmed in 1944 with Nils Asther. The play has been adapted for Hammer Studios by Jimmy Sangster, writer of many of the Hammer Horror films of the time. It receives the Hammer treatment: lavish 1890 settings, an atmosphere of menace and horror, the strong Hammer cast including Christopher Lee. However, the starring role goes to Anton Diffring who had a specialised career in playing Nazis. This is a welcome change for the actor.

The film was directed by Terence Fisher, director of Hammer's early Dracula and Frankenstein films, who was to work at Hammer for almost 20 years. This film is far more restrained than the horror films, using only suggestions of effects and make up for climactic sequences. it is very much a 19th century style story of scientists wanting to play God. It is quite effective in a more restrained way.

1. Interest in horror films? Themes of immortality? The 19th century atmosphere of science, scientists wanting to play God?

2. The work of the Hammer Studios? Their reputation for horror films? The re-creation of Paris in the 1890s? Decor and style? Special effects? The score? The Hammer cast?

3. Opening mood of the film and the initial murder? The introduction to Dr Bonnet and the echoes of Dr Jekyll? His devotion to science and experiments? His love of art and his model? The atmosphere of violence and repressed sex of the 19th. century?

4. Dr Bonnet and Anton Diffring's presence and performance? Youthful at 104? His works of art? The change in his eyes when he lacked the medicine? Going mad and homicidal? The party and the guests, his entertaining? Time for his dose? The confrontation with the model, damaging her face? His growing desperation?

5. His friend and his late arrival? The man in his late 80s? Their work together, the photo? The friendship, the discussions, the crisis for the operation? The need for the operation every decade and the stories of the disappearing models? The old doctor persuading Dr Gerard to do the operation because of his weak hands? The falling out
with Dr. Bonnet, his death?

6. Bonnet and Dr Gerard? Dr Gerard's love for Genine? Dr. Gerard's social position, his being persuaded to do the operation? The discussions with the police? Bonnet's pressure on him and blackmailing him with Genine's safety? Dr Gerard doing the operation but not replacing the gland?


7. Jenine and her love for Dr. Bonnet, listening to his story, going to his studio and being imprisoned? The confrontation with the mutilated model? The police and the investigations, questions, information?

8. The build up to the climax? Bonnet realising that he would die? Going to his studio, the confrontation with Genine and the model? His becoming his age? The model setting fire to him? The arrival of Dr Gerard and the police? A conventional, but exciting, climactic ending?

9. The film as a 19th century fable about science and progress, the abuse of science and its consequences on human beings? The desire for immortality? The irony of the immortalised person living on when friends and loved ones die, a loneliness, a wanting others to share the immortality? The ironies for immortality with no one dying and over-population? How well were these themes explored in the thriller conventions?

MAN ON A SWING

US, 1975, 108 minutes, Colour.
Cliff Robertson, Joel Grey, Dorothy Tristan, Peter Masterson.
Directed by Frank Perry.

Man on a Swing is an interesting and entertaining murder thriller and investigation. However, it leaves its audience somewhat up in the air at the end. The film was directed by Frank Perry who had made a mark in the '60s with such films as David and Lisa, The Swimmer, Last Summer. In the '70s, he made interesting but sometimes more routine films and in the '80s made such melodramatic films as Monsignor and Mommie Dearest.

Cliff Robertson brings a seriousness to the role of the investigator. Joel Grey (Oscar winner for Cabaret) gives a tour-de-force performance, full of emotional range, as a clairvoyant.

1. Interesting thriller, police investigation, dramatising of the work of a clairvoyant?

2. The American atmosphere, the town? The world of the Policemen? The world of the clairvoyant? Atmosphere, score?

3. The basic situation of the victim's death, her background, the photos, the audiences being absorbed by the victim and her story, the Chief and his fascination, audiences identifying with him? Puzzle, information and clues, detective work, the suspects and the interrogations, the psychological atmosphere, the repetition of the rape and killing?

4. The film's portrait of police work and investigations, questionings, clues, research?

5. The Chief and his personality, dedication to his work, interviewing suspects, collaboration with fellow officers, his friends, his being fascinated with the victim ? contemplating her photos, calling her Maggie? His relationship with his wife, expecting their child? Tension and love in this relationship? The effect of the investigation?

6.. Franklin and his ringing, police suspicions and listening over the phone, his story, information, the details about the glasses, their checking him out at his work? Seeing him in person, audience response to him, his going into trances, his uncanny knowledge, the impact of the trances and his dramatic living out of the other person's experience? His personal enthusiasm, crises? His not remembering? wanting to help? The dramatic build up of the re-enactments and their effects on him? The leads offered?

7. The effect on the Chief, asking experts for background about clairvoyants, the information given to the audience, the opinions of the experts, the psychiatrists and their interviewing of Franklin, the tests and the averages? Their conclusions?

8. The threats at the Chief's home, the anonymous phone calls, the visits? The effect on the Chief's wife? ? Was it Franklin?

9. The rapist and his being brought in, interrogated? The repetition of the situation, the car chase, his arrest? The contact with Franklin?

10. Franklin and the rapist, their bonds, his knowledge ? what did this mean? Franklin as clairvoyant? Setting up the rapist?

11. The ending and the uncertainty? The film based on a true story ?and the investigation incomplete?

12. A piece of Americana: town, murder, victim, friends, suspects, the police, clairvoyants?

MANIAC COP

US, 1988, 91 minutes, Colour.
Tom Atkins, Richard Roundtree, Sheree North, Bruce Campbell, Laurene Landon, William Smith.
Directed by William Lustig.

Maniac Cop is a short police thriller with some gory overtones. The film was written by Larry Cohen (the It's Alive series, The Stuff, Q the Winged Serpent and other thrillers as well as the remake of I, the Jury).

The film uses New York city locations well, raises questions about the police the hero cop who went too far, was mutilated in prison by Mafia henchmen, comes to take revenge on good and bad alike. The confrontation of the maniac cop is also dramatic with the seeming hero killed by him an hour into the film. The ambiguous hero who defeats him has been caught in adultery with a fellow officer and his wife murdered by the maniac cop. The screenplay is not always straightforward and offers odd ambiguities for audiences to think about as they react to the gut-violence of the film. Tom Atkins is the older policeman. Richard Roundtree is the officer in charge. There is a good brief cameo by Sheree North as the maniac cop's wife.

Not for every audience, a mixture of gore and intelligent exploration of police themes.

1. Police thriller, police power, justice?

2. The use of New York city, atmosphere, the streets. Sing Sing, the precincts? Musical score and atmosphere?

3. The title and its tone? Cordell and his career, tough, the file on him, the killings, the Judge and Justice, the prison and the shower attack, his being almost dead - but living as a mutilated mad cop? The praise of the legend?

4. The madness, the berserk killings by the cop? The wife and her giving information? The range of victims, the rampage, the police and ordinary citizens? Seeing him getting dressed during the opening credits, confidence, the attacks, his disfigurement, his dream about what happened to him? The build up to the mayhem and death?

5. The victims: the girl and the attack by the youths, the man pursued in the street, the attempt on the police officer, the wife who caught her husband in the motel, the police at the station?

6. McCrae? and the investigation, the hero, his getting evidence, with Cordell's wife, the research, knowing that he was alive, the confrontation in the police station ? and his unexpected death?

7. The policeman and his affair with the officer, the confrontation by the wife, her death? At his police work, informed, arrested? In the cell? The truth? He and his girlfriend trying to solve the mystery? With McCrae? Going to Sing Sing? The final dramatic chase through the city? Cordell's death and the van going into the harbour?

8. The girlfriend, her police work, involvement, relationship, information, the pursuit and the chase? The doctors at Sing Sing, concealing Cordell's death? The prison wardens? The sketch of the various police?

10. The dramatic effect of the murders and the mayhem?
Audience response?

11. Points about justice and police work being made via an ugly horror story?

MANDY

UK, 1952, 93 minutes, Black and white.
Jack Hawkins, Terence Morgan, Phyllis Calvert, Mandy Miller,
Godfrey Tearle, Dorothy Allison.
Directed by Alexander Mackendrick.

Mandy is a humane family drama from Ealing Studios, better known for its many comedies. It is directed by Alexander Mackendrick who came to notice with Whisky Galore and The Man in the White Suit. His few later films include Sweet Smell of Success and Don't Make Waves.

The film has a strong cast with Jack Hawkins as a teacher of the deaf. Phyllis Calvert and Terence Morgan are the parents of Mandy Miller, the young deaf girl who gives a very effective performance. The supporting cast includes Australian Dorothy Allison as a teacher of the deaf.

The film focuses on the disability of Mandy, the way that her parents cope or refuse to cope, the over-care of the disabled child, isolating it from other children. It also highlights the possibilities for education of the deaf. (An interesting comparison is Lindsay Anderson's celebrated short film of 1954, Thursday's Children.)

In more recent times films concerned with the hearing disabled have included Voices with Amy Irving and, of course, Children of a Lesser God.

1. Interesting and entertaining drama? A humane film? hearing disability?

2. British production values of the 50s realism, black and white photography, family, school, the town? Musical score?

3. The highlighting of the disability, having to cope, learning, schools and skills, the danger of over care and isolation?

4. The picture of the family: Chris and Harry, their love for Amanda (the one who is to be loved)? The discovery that she was deaf? Harry's not willing to face this? The effect on their life, moving house, employing a nurse?

5.. The move to Harry's parents, the help of his mother? The teacher and her care of Mandy, teaching her the alphabet? Mandy's isolation, the incident with the dog on the road and the truck driver angry with her? The child with the ball and her beating him? The device used for eliminating the soundtrack so that audiences could empathise with the hearing disabled?

6. Chris, her friends and their help and suggestions, Harry and his fear of the school? Chris's going, the visit, the meeting with Dick and his surly manner, the friendliness of Jane and discovering that she was deaf? her achievement? Looking at the classes? Her decision, ringing Harry and his refusal?

7. The picture of Mandy: spoilt, frightened, her tantrums? Going to the school ? the dormitory, food, in class? Going to #bard with her mother? Getting to know the children? Learning, the invitation to make a sound with the balloon and her screaming and breaking the cup, her voice? The special coaching, learning to lip read? Her saying 'Mama'? Playing with the children, doing the role-plays? Her relationship with her parents, their presence and absence, fright, loved, at home with her grandparents? Her being taken away from the school, going to play with the children and saying her name?

8. Chris and her having to cope, the ambiguous situation, Harry and his weak will? The influence of his parents? The visit, his suspicions, taking Mandy away? The intervention of his father and making him face the truth?

9. Dick and his skills, his situation at the school, having left his wife and her bitterness? Clashes with the Board and especially Acland? Friendship with Jane? Working with the staff, employing them? Helping the children, his love for the children? His coaching of Mandy, in a compromising situation with Chris? The private detective? His intervention with Harry?

10. Jane and her understanding, advice to Dick? The sketch of the teachers, the frustrated teacher and then her wanting to stay? The teacher with the skills?

11. The highlighting of the techniques for teaching deaf children?

12. Acland and the Board, his antagonism towards Dick, his pettymindedness? The lawyers and his contact with them? His secretary and the relationship? Hiring the detective? His trying to oust Dick?

13. Harry's parents, the mother and her looking after Mandy? Protecting her son and granddaughter? The father and his offhandedness, final intervention?

14. Interesting drama, the melodrama concerning Dick and his place on the Board? A sympathetic portrait of the hearing disabled?

THE MALE ANIMAL

US, 1942, 101 minutes, Black and white.
Henry Fonda, Olivia de Havilland, Jack Carson, Joan Leslie, Hattie McDaniel?, Eugene Pallette, Don Defore.
Directed by Elliott Nugent.

The Male Animal is a Warner Bros comedy of the early 1940s, based on a play by James Thurber and director Elliott Nugent.

The film is a vehicle for Henry Fonda, enabling him to make (in a light vein) rather strong speeches about the United States, the Constitution and American freedom. The rest of the cast have rather stereotyped characters, especially Olivia de Havilland as Fonda's wife.

The film is rather dated in its style set, as it is, on an old-style American campus. However, the points it makes about education are still relevant. It also seems rather daring in its treatment of human freedoms and the fierce anti-communist, anti-Red attitudes that are satirised. The film was probably not popular in the late 1940s and early 1950s, during the UnAmerican? Activities investigations and the time of Senator McCarthy?.

The film was remade with a vaudeville background (and Ronald Reagan in the Fonda role) as She's Working Her Way Through College.

1. A popular comedy of the '40s? Warner Bros. style? Its comment on American lifestyles, freedoms? Anti-communist stances?

2. Black and white photography, studio filming, style? Stars?

3. The wit of James Thurber and Elliott Nugent? Thurber and his humour, his presentation of various battles of the sexes? Nugent's film career as writer and director?

4. American colleges at the time, the predominance of sport, the American universities and the romance and conflict, the sexes, errors, reconciliation?

5. Academics, students, the student newspaper, power struggles? The film as a critique of various pressure groups?
brittleness of marriage, the battle of the sexes?

6. Henry Fonda as the sturdy American type: the ordinary citizen, quiet? His love for Ellen, yet the possibility of upsetting the marriage? Friendship and rivalry with Jack? Pressures on him and his English classes? Sport and its predominance at the university? The editor of the campus paper and his using him? Tilen's sister and her romances? Jack's arrival, his being spotlighted? Ellen's attraction towards him, the past? Dance and jealousy? The authorities and the board? His plan to read Vanzetti's letter along with the writings of Abraham Lincoln? The pressures, his decision? His reading the letter, the reaction, the eventual acclaim? The importance of his speech and the reading of the letter? The Red scare? American freedoms? Literature?

7. Ellen as pleasant, but the stereotyped wife, her flirting with Jack, her anger with Tom, going off with Jack, listening to the speech, the reconciliation?

8. Jack, the sport, the past, flirting, dancing, the romance with Ellen, the clash with Tom, the reconciliation?

9. Young people, the editor and his problems, drinking with Tom, the paper coming out, Ellen's sister and the attraction? The sports hero?

10. Academics and their role at the universities, the academic remembering 42 years, bowing to the pressures of the board?

11. Eugene Pallette and his satire on the sports-conscious member of the board, pressures, not understanding education? His denunciation of Tom?

12. The happy resolution ? '40s style? Anticipation of problems that were to come? Themes of American freedom and ideologies?

_

SECOND DISCUSSION

THE MALE ANIMAL

US, 1942, 101 minutes, Black and white.
Henry Fonda, Olivia de Havilland, Joan Leslie, Jack Carson, Eugene Pallette, Herbert Anderson, Hattie Mc Daniel, Ivan F. Simpson, Don De Fore.
Directed by Elliott Nugent.

The Male Animal is based on a play by celebrated short-story writer and cartoonist, James Thurber (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty). He collaborated with Elliott Nugent who performed in the play on Broadway and has directed this film. Nugent had a varied career directing comedies as well as the 1949 The Great Gatsby.

The film is a mixture of romantic/marital comedy, with Henry Fonda as a very serious professor as a university, Olivia de Havilland his wife, a bit more scatty. Jack Carson is the football hero from the university who had previously been in love with the professor’s wife. Joan Leslie is a family friend.

The serious part of the film is its stance on censorship. It is interesting to look at in terms of 1942, the outbreak of World War Two for the United States, alliances with the Soviet Union. In this film, the trustees of a university have sacked three professors because of alleged communism. The film shows Eugene Pallette as the head of the trustees, a very strong Red-baiter. However, the student journal has an editorial against this kind of prejudice and indicates that the professor will read a letter from Bartolomeo Vanzetti, of the Sacco and Vanzetti case. The professor defends his right, saying that it was a fine letter and suitable for his course in English literature and composition, also quoting letters from Abraham Lincoln and General Sherman. (It has since been indicated that the letter was not written by Vanzetti himself but in collaboration with a journalist – but it is still quite a moving letter.)

The film is interesting in view of what was to happen within a few short years in the United States, the establishment of the Iron Curtain, the fear of communism, the House of Un- American Activities, Mc Carthyism and the establishing of the black list. This film could not have been made ten years later.

As a romantic comedy, it is a good vehicle for Henry Fonda – especially his delivery of the letter and the final speech about freedom of thought in the United States. Olivia de Havilland is very different from her role in Gone With The Wind. Jack Carson is exuberant. He represents the non-intellectual or anti-intellectual bias of American universities with the trustees thinking building a stadium and winning football competitions more important than learning.

1. The impact of the film in 1942? As a comedy, romance? The serious issues of freedom of thought? Anti-communism?

2. Warner Bros production values, the black and white photography, the university campus? The musical score? The use of Jerome Kern’s song, Who – and the reflections by the characters on the song and lyrics?

3. The title, Ellen Turner’s comment at the end about men, the male animal, and the behaviour of her husband?

4. The romantic comedy: Henry Fonda as the serious and sometimes absentminded professor? Olivia de Havilland as his vivacious wife? Their interactions, her birthday, the preparation of the party, his forgetting her birthday? The guests and the interactions? The visit to the dean and the raising of serious issues? The party, the football behaviour – and the professor taking the cup from Joe’s hand when he was demonstrating a move? The falling out between husband and wife? The jealousy as Joe took Ellen for the celebrations? His drinking, becoming ill? His attendance at the rally and not standing up? His discussions with Michael Barnes? The return home, the sorting out of the issues? Ellen: her vivacity, her birthday, with Cleota and the preparation of the dinner? Her not wanting Tommy to be serious, wanting him to give up reading the letter? Her past love for Joe, enjoying his company, the dancing, the kiss, going out with him? Her being upset with Tommy?

5. Joe, the football champion, his return, exuberance? His coming with Wally, Wally sitting in between Ellen and Joe, getting rid of him? Joe and the head of the trustees? Reminiscences, the football passes? Demonstrating the Statue of Liberty pass? His dancing with Ellen, the kiss, taking her out? Bringing her home, his matchmaking help at the end? Separation from his wife – and calling her?

6. Patricia, her relationship with Michael, disappointed with him, in the window when he was being reprimanded by the dean? Falling down? Her dating Wally? The romantic young people at university? Wally, football, a bit thick?

7. Michael Barnes, serious, editing the magazine, his editorial, his stances? His talking with Tommy, drinking? The reading of the letter, his vindication?

8. The dean, forty-two years’ teaching, subservient? Reading out the editorial? The condemnation of the faculty? The domination of the trustees? His taking a stance, his wife at the dinner? Vindicated?

9. Ed Keller, loudmouthed, the trustees, sport, hunting Reds, dismissing people? Bull-headed? Unthinking? His reaction against Tommy, threatening him, coming to the talk, his behaviour?

10. Cleota, Hattie McDaniel? as the maid – and her wisecracks?

11. The build-up to the class, everybody turning up, Tommy and his presentation, reading Vanzetti’s letter, people being moved? Joe not thinking it was bad? Everybody lifting up Tommy, Ellen, the dean? And the happy ending?

12. A film of 1942 – not being able to be made in 1952?