HEARTLANDS

UK, 2002, 95 minutes, Colour.
Michael Sheen, Mark Addy, Jim Carter, Celia Imrie, Ruth Jones, Philippa Peek, Jane Robbins, Paul Shane, Mark Strong.
Directed by Damien O'Donnell.

A small British road movie from the director of the picture of Pakistanis in Salford in the 1970s, East is East, Damien O'Donnell. This is a very localised film, from Nottinghamshire to Blackpool. It will be of more interest to local audiences, with its detailed picture of people and places, less to audiences beyond the British Midlands.

Colin is an agreeable, rather passive, newsagent, married to Sandy. Life goes on day after day in the same way, the main bright spot being the local darts competition and the possibility of going to the championships in Blackpool. One night Colin gets a shock to find that his wife is carrying on with the captain of the darts crew. Bewildered, he cuts his overlong hair, gets on his motor scooter and decides to go to Blackpool to get his wife back. It's what happens on the way that is the main thrust of the film: Colin's outward journey brings him in contact with nature in a way that he had never noticed before, with bikers, campers and singers on the road, with girls and teachers on a nature ramble, on fat Ron who gives him a lift with Mandy and her bored daughter as he goes on an illicit weekend. Needless to say, the effect on Colin is that he wakes up, his better nature emerges (especially listening to a sympathetic teacher and taking Mandy and the girl around the carnival that is Blackpool). He has a chance for a new life.

Michael Sheen is pleasing as Colin. Mark Addy is the obnoxious Ron. Enjoyable if you catch this film, but not one to pursue.

1. A British road film? The small scope of the road and the journey? Glimpses of the UK and the UK as heartland? The journey, the search for self, the search for place, the search for relationships?

2. The reality of the Midlands town, the open road, the peak district, Blackpool? The songs and the musical score - and the range of songs from Kate Rosby - composer, performer?

3. The title, its reference to the Midlands and the UK, to Colin's own sense of place in the world?

4. The credibility of the plot, character, behaviour?

5. The opening and Colin and Sandra, waking up, home life, opening the shop, the few customers, his boredom, the relief of darts (and his dreams of winning)? His relationship with Sandra, with Jeff, seeing Sandra kiss Jeff, his world shattering? The background of their being sweethearts, his buying the shop for her?

6. Sandra, marrying Colin, their home life, the shop, her relationship with Jeff, kissing him, the truth, her decision to leave?

7. Jeff as a policeman, visiting the shop, leaving the magazines askew, taking the magazine without paying, betraying Colin with Sandra? His being the captain of the darts team?

8. Colin and his realisation of the truth, separation, decision to go to Blackpool for the darts championship, his relationship with the rest of the team? His buying the bike? The slow journey giving him the chance to appreciate the countryside? At the pub, the meeting with Ron, the meeting with the couple, their friendship, Sarah finishing his joke? The lone protester? The campers? The pub and Kate Rosby and the songs? His meeting the girls on their ramble, Sonja and her advice? His appreciation of Nature, the girls covering the bike with autumn leaves? The trees and their beauty? His riding, looking at the sign, the truck destroying his bike? Thumbing a ride, the irony of meeting Ron, with Mandy and Ebony? Travelling with them, talk, the issues of relationships? Signing in at the hotel?

9. At Blackpool, his offering to take Mandy and Ebony about the town, their going to all the rides and winning the competitions, the big bear? Happy? Seeing Jeff and Sandra and watching them?

10. The darts championship, his going, the confrontation with Jeff? Talking with Sandra on the waterfront? His seeing the darts champion (whom he had seen on the television commercial) and his acknowledging him?

11. Jeff and Sandra, their affair, going to Blackpool, the reality and their being bored with each other, the decision of Sandra to go?

12. The members of the dart team, their characters, friendships, Z__ and his advice to Colin? The championship, the rival team, the comments on each other, Jeff and his being put off and losing?

13. The character of Ron, his talk, with Mandy and Ebony, his appearance, going to the hotel, Colin seeing him in the window with someone else?

14. The various people that he met on the way, their friendliness, their advice, support?

15. Colin back on his bike, searching for his future - and the way to Mandy and Ebony?

HERE, A SHINING LIGHT

Iran, 2002, 100 minutes.
Directed by Reza Mir- Karimi.

Here, a Shining Light is a film about Muslim religion, even Muslim spirituality. It focuses on a mentally retarded man, in the image of the classic idiot savants like The Idiot (or even Forest Gump). He travels on a train, going to a destiny promised by the prophet, "The end." On his return, he is reprimanded by his uncle, who is the custodian of a shrine which is going into decay, the people not caring for its upkeep and having lost their faith. His uncle has to go away and entrusts the shrine to the man. Many people come to him, engineers who are searching for mines in the area, people telling their stories, a young woman who looks after the sheep and is to be married off. Gradually, in accordance with the spirituality of the prophet, he gives away various implements in the shrine, ultimately giving it all away, especially to the young woman so that she can shelter her sheep. While the shrine is destroyed, he has fulfilled the message of the prophet by giving everything to the poor. He continues to go on his train journeys.

The film was directed by Reza Mir-Karimi?, who made the very impressive film Under the Moonlight, a film set in Teheran about a young man coming from the country to train to be a Mullah and, again, the challenge to his faith in order to be with the poor.

1. The impact of the film? As a human drama? The retarded man and his goodness? Muslim spirituality, generosity to the poor?

2. The title and its meaning, in relationship to the shrine, in relationship to the man?

3. The countryside settings, the mountains and the desert, the beauty of the countryside? The train line, the village, the shrine in the mountains? The changing seasons? The musical score?

4. The introduction to the man, on the train, audiences understanding his mental limitations? His conversation with the man reading the book? His explanation of himself? His not having a ticket, put off the train, audiences realising that he did this often, the reprimand from his uncle, the chase and the beating?

5. The uncle and his status in the village, caring for the shrine, his having to go away, his dilemma? The repair of the shrine, the uncle and his not giving much money, the workers and the old man sending the younger man back to ask for more money? The money focus of the people? The funeral ceremony and the uncle saying that the people had lost their faith?

6. The retarded man and his knowledge of the prophet, the spirituality, the folkloric stories? His being put in charge? His trying to understand, his understanding of spirituality as giving to the poor?

7. His looking after the shrine, putting it in order? The various implements in the shrine, the table, the Koran, the candles? The aspects of ritual?

8. The background to the town itself, the people, the engineers and the mining? A town in transition? The people working in the hills, the woman looking after the sheep?

9. The various people coming to the shrine, the man and his capacity for listening? The engineer and his story? The other people and their talk? The woman and the planned marriage to the older man?

10. Their satisfaction at being heard, the poor people, the man starting to give away whatever was in the shrine? His devotion to the woman with the sheep, her not wanting to go into the arranged marriage? His being prepared to marry her? Her going away, returning with the sheep, sheltering them in the shrine with the snow and its roof gone?

11. The man, the shrine itself destroyed, yet his generosity towards the poor and fulfilling the spirituality of the prophet? His continuing his train journeys?

12. A film illuminating universal spirituality, the relationship of this Muslim teaching with that of the Gospels and the Beatitudes?

THE HOURS

US/UK, 2002, 117 minutes, Colour.
Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Ed Harris, Alison Janney, Jeff Daniels, Eileen Atkins, Clare Danes, John C. Reilly, Toni Collette, Stephen Dillane, Miranda Richardson.
Directed by Stephen Daldrey.

Virginia Woolf is still being read and is still being studied in schools and at universities. Some of her novels make demanding reading. However, her smaller novel, Mrs Dalloway, is much more accessible (and was filmed in 1997 with Vanessa Redgrave in the lead role). The Bloomsbury writers were not interested in religious themes as such but they were intensely interested in human nature and values. Mrs Dalloway was written as a symbol of an ordinary middle class woman during one day in 1923, coping with her family, preparing a party, facing issues of death and trying to understand her life.

In 1999, American novelist, Michael Cunningham, published a novel, The Hours, in which he created two stories, one set in 1951, the other in modern times, paralleling incidents in the life of Mrs Dalloway. His third story was that of Virginia Woolf herself writing her novel. The novel moved fluidly from one story to the other. Celebrated playwright, David Hare, has adapted the novel for the screen and kept the fluidity and the parallels as the three stories intercut one another.

The Hours has already won Golden Globes and has been nominated for several Oscars which make it one of the more important films to be released this year. One of the great challenges to Catholic reviewers and Catholic audiences is to be attentive to the searches for values in films. Just as Jesus told 'secular' stories in his day, the parables which have now become religious stories, so film-makers today offer parables that ask questions about what we believe in.

Virginia Woolf suffered from both physical and mental illnesses and ultimately took her own life by drowning (which is portrayed in this film). However, it is the glimpse into her being mentally and emotionally disturbed that demands our understanding. Mental illness can be exhausting and exasperating for a carer (as was seen in last year's Iris, with John Bayley caring for Iris Murdoch as she slipped into Alzheimer's disease). Leonard Woolf is as desperate to protect her from herself.

The caring theme is taken up more explicitly in the contemporary story which has Meryl Streep as a New York editor caring for years for her poet and novelist friend, Richard, for whom AIDS has meant not only physical collapse but mental as well. On the day that he is to receive a literary award, his friend Clarissa (whom he nicknames Mrs Dalloway) is preparing a party for him. In a cruel, but somehow truthful way, he tells her that he lives on only because she wants him to, so that she can care for him. This disturbs her deeply, making her reassess her attitudes.

The 1951 story is really the saddest. A pregnant wife makes a birthday cake for her devoted husband but really wants to end her life of depression. Reading Mrs Dalloway influences her decision to live but she makes a more profoundly distressing decision to walk out on her family.

Responding to The Hours touches deep chords in our lives and should open us up to more understanding and compassion for those whose experience is more tormented than our own. Directed by Stephen Daldrey, The Hours has a superb cast led by Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolf.

1. The popularity of the novel, the challenge of it to be filmic, the work of playwright David Hare on the screenplay? The skills of Stephen Daldrey as theatre director and film director? Philip Glass's score? The quality credentials of the film?

2. The basis on Virginia Woolf and her writing Mrs Dalloway? Mrs Dalloway as an archetypal novel, the British middle-aged woman, 1923, the aftermath of World War One, her social life, preparing the party, her relationship with her family, someone ill, the importance of a death so that life could be better appreciated? A day with a crisis for her life and change?

3. The structure of the film, the various stories mirroring the novel, the way that they intercut and were edited? The surprise of Laura moving from the 1951 story into the contemporary story?

4. The title, the focus on time and its meaning, Virginia Woolf's explanation?

5. The introduction to Virginia Woolf, her age, experience, reputation as a novelist, her physical illness, mental illness and her voices, depression? The performance by Nicole Kidman, the nose, her submerging her personality into that of Virginia Woolf? The sketch of Leonard, the doctor, Vanessa and her children, the domestic staff?

6. Virginia Woolf's day, seeing her at work, her intuitions for the novel, talking aloud, talking to herself, the interaction with the servants, their spurning of her and her being intimidated, yet her wanting the maid to go on the journey to London to get the ginger for the children, Leonard and the printing press, bought for her and their publications? The preparations for Vanessa and the children's visit, their arriving early and her remarks about how this disrupted the timetable for Leonard? The children playing, the funeral of the bird, tea? Virginia talking to herself, the boys laughing? Their departure - and the significance of her kissing Vanessa, and Vanessa's reaction? Her deciding to go for a walk, going to Richmond station, her comments about Richmond and her suffocating there, wanting to go back to the life in the city, Leonard's finding her, their discussion, her condition, pleading with him? The finality of the death and her walking into the river to drown?

7. Leonard and his relationship to Virginia, his work, his staff, the purpose of the printing press, the visit of Vanessa and his exactness? Checking with the staff about Virginia, rushing to the station, finding her, their discussion and his plans for the future? The relationship with Vanessa, a different type, social status, Virginia's comments about not being invited to dinners, but being pleased to be invited? The children playing, her pensive mood with the funeral of the bird, her disregard of the boys laughing, the farewell, the impact of the kiss?

8. The sketch of the servants, the indignation of Nellie, complaining, talking about not having orders, the demands, the trip to London, the second maid and her reactions?

9. Clarissa's story, her being a woman who was concerned for others and caring for them, Richard calling her Mrs Dalloway, her Mrs Dalloway Day, the nature of her relationship with Sally, long-standing, Sally and her presence, support, relaxed? The visit to the flower shop and the discussion with the woman there, especially about Richard's novel and how long and difficult it was, taking ten years to write? Going to visit Richard, caring for him for years, their discussions about his condition, his life's work, the novel, her being in the novel and people realising that? Her caring for a man with AIDS? His challenge that she had a need for him to continue living? Her being hurt? Going home, bustling about, preparing the party, the arrival of Lewis, their discussions, memories, her crying? Her daughter's arrival, their frank relationship? Her going again to Richard, saying that he needn't come to the celebration or the party, his pulling down the curtains, his sitting on the windowsill, the discussions, killing himself? Her clearing up, throwing out the special crab dish that he liked, her grief, Laura's arrival, their discussions, discussions with her daughter, the support of Sally, going to rest? A Mrs Dalloway Day, a change for what she stood for and believed in, especially in her caring for others? The importance of her memories of her happy times with Richard?

10. Richard and his work, poet, the ten years and writing the novel, incorporating Clarissa, his mother, Lewis? Lewis and the relationship? His partners, AIDS, his mental breakdown, the discussions with Clarissa, telling her that he lived for her and that she needed this, the memories, the desperation, tearing the curtains down, bringing in the light, sitting on the windowsill and his discussion about death, throwing himself down?

11. Lewis, his arrival, his story, the sense of freedom in breaking from Richard, the discussion about being in love with a student, his supporting Clarissa in her depression?

12. Laura's story, 1951, the décor, cars, clothes? The well-mannered 50s? Her husband, the war experience, their knowing each other when they were young, his putting her on a pedestal? Her relationship with her son, making the birthday cake, his guiding her? The failure and her throwing it out? Kitty's arrival, the discussion with Kitty, Mrs Dalloway and her reading it, Kitty's illness, offering to drive, to visit? Her own state of mind, physical condition, pregnancy? Her leaving the boy with the neighbour, checking into the hotel, contemplating her pregnancy, planning her death, the pills? Mrs Dalloway and the reading, her deciding to live? Returning, picking up the boy, preparing the dinner, sitting watching her husband, his kindly talk, her son?

13. Kitty's story, a typical woman of the period, support for her husband, friendship with Laura, not understanding the book, her own illness, the tests, the brave face and the laughing? An effective vignette?

14. The sketch of Laura's husband, seemingly a good man, supporting her but not understanding her?

15. The irony of Laura being Richard's mother, her leaving the children, Richard's resentment, her daughter's death, her husband dying of cancer? Leaving everyone for herself, explaining everything to Clarissa, working in the library, knowing that she was in the book? The reference to her as a monster, yet Clarissa and her daughter being kind to her?

16. Relationships, heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, issues of orientation, behaviour, understanding sexual orientation in the 20s, in the 50s, in the 21st century?

17. Themes of health and illness, mental health, care for the mentally ill, the consequences of depression?

18. The coherence of each of the three stories throwing light on each other?

HARDCORE

US, 1979, 106 minutes, Colour.
George C. Scott, Season Hubley, Peter Boyle, Dick Sargent.
Directed by Paul Schrader.

Writer-director Paul Schrader has spoken of the influence of his strict Calvinist upbringing and its influence on such screenplays as Taxi Driver. Here he visualises it and shows a runaway from it plunging into the sordid sub-culture of Californian pornography. The contrast of the mid-west Dutch Calvinist way of life (so typically American) is contrasted with a taxi driver-look at lurid Los Angeles (so typically American). The screenplay falters at times and seems unreal (though how does a father searching for his daughter and emotionally and religiously disturbed react in fact?) but is sustained by another George C. Scott powerful performance. This ugly subject is treated in an unexploitive, though heightened manner.

1. An interesting film, entertaining? Its purpose? Exploration of the United States, American communities, the moral atmosphere of America? Its exploration of the world of pornography, exploitation? How soberly did the film present its subject? Sensationalising or not?

2. The focus of the title, its tone? Audience expectations? Audience moral attitudes, presuppositions, judgments? The necessity of pornography or not? The attitude to be taken - censorship or not? Legalisation, suppression? Pornography as a world-wide phenomenon of the 70s?

3. The importance of locations and atmosphere for the film? The contrasting of the world of Grand Rapids with that of Los Angeles? The comparison of the two worlds? Colour photography? Special effects especially for Los Angeles? The audience being invited to observe the two worlds, enter into them, check attitudes and judgments with them? Conclusions to be drawn? The importance of the musical score, the traditional themes, hymns, religious overtones? The contrast with the electronic and jagged music?

4. The writer-director drew on his own experience for the first part of the film especially. How evident is this? The way of life of the Dutch Reformed people of Grand Rapids, Michigan? Insight into their way of life, relationships, theology, moral attitudes? The contrast with the permissive and broken world of Los Angeles and hustling?

5. The film opening with a popular song and the lyric of 'Precious Moments? The irony of what had happened in between? A musical theme for the presentation of Grand Rapids: the mid-west kind of solid city, factories and shops, snow-clad? The atmosphere of Christmas, the family way of life, the watching of television and the adverse comments, prayer and grace before meals even for missionaries, the exchange of presents, the thanks for good food, family chatter, theological discussions about speculation and reliance on the Bible, the sense of righteousness? The focus on the youngsters going to the Calvinist convention? The bus the families seeing them off? The tightly-knit family and community atmosphere of Grand Rapids - compared with broken relationships and isolation and wandering in California?

6. Our introduction to Jake within this context? His place within the family, his relationship with Kristin? A religious man, commonsensed, alone? His seeing his daughter off? Seeing him at work in his factory - his control of the woman with the recommendation about the blue colour, his getting his own way but being gentlemanly about it? His meal with his sister and brother-in-law and the eruption of the news about Kristin? The shattering of the man of faith and his puzzle about God? His visit to his brother-in-law - and sitting on the veranda with the men, the comments about faith and belief in God?

7. The establishing of Kristin as a character, her motivations? Her sudden disappearance and the audience understanding her through her father? His puzzle about her disappearance? The convention, the hints about sex talk? The visit to Los Angeles? Jake and his arrival in California and the contrast with Michigan? The encounter with Andy Mast? The discussion about detection, fees? His return to Grand Rapids and his restlessness? The sudden arrival of Mast, the explanation of the spread of pornography even to Michigan? The sequence in the theatre, the visual presentation of the film, Kristin's presence in it, the anguish in Jake's reaction and his grief and anger? His reaction to Mast? His facing the facts of her involvement?

8. The portrait of Mast - the Californian private eye, his skill at his work, his presence, personality, style? His bringing the film to Grand Rapids? Did he enjoy humiliating Jake or not? His touring the shops, the porno film-making studios, his being invited to watch? Jake finding him in the motel with the girl? His reaction to being sacked? His relationship with the Los Angeles police? Wes and the rehiring, mast and his protecting Jake? The significance of his addressing him as 'Pilgrim'? His role in the finale, the shooting of Ratan? His wandering off when Jake had no more use for him?

9. Jake and the impact of Los Angeles on him and on the audience? The driving round and observing it detachedly like the taxi driver? The visit to the porn shops and the paying of the 50 cents. the interrogations? The atmosphere of the shops, the parlours? The girls with their routine introductions? His encounter with the prostitute and her explaining to him about tips? His anger and his being thrown out? His decision to change his clothes.. his appearance? The bravado of his interview with Ramada? His setting up his advertisement, the interviews with all the men for the pornography films - and their selling themselves and his reaction (the comic touch?)? The discovery of the actor with Kristin and his beating him? His finding information? His visit to the club, his visit to the film set. the encounter with Niki? Rediscovering her in the nightclub with the telephone? How credible was this behaviour on Jake's part? A man with money and time to find his daughter? His shrewdness?

10. The world of Californian pornography? Ramada as a businessman, smooth-talking, his being a father to the girls? His assistant Curt and his being the man who said "RighC? The contrast with the world of Grand Rapids?

11. The streets of Los Angeles, the boulevard tour, the parlours, the girls and their introduction to men, the asking of money, the pimps, the tips? The girls involved? The hustling on the streets? How adequate was the portrayal of the seamy side of Los Angeles for the purposes of the film?

12. How attractive a girl was Niki? Her presence at the film set? Her work on the telephone? Her explanation of her background? (And Jake's general unwillingness to listen?), her listening to his story and his explanations? The discussions about sex and his lack of regard for it and her considering it unimportant? The importance of the discussion of the basic tenets, of Calvinism at the airport? Her observations on this? The lack of meeting of this theological approach to the contemporary world? Her being at home in San Diego, her contacts and communications? The discussion at the marina about their lives?

13. The importance of the screenplay in elaborating Calvinist theological ideas? Jake's belief in the basic predestination theology and his presenting it to her? How did this pervade the film? Paul Schrader's basic Calvinistic approach - predestination, intrinsic corruption of man, the confrontation of the world of the elect and the non-elect? The response of Niki as symbol of the response of the contemporary world?

14. The world of San Francisco, its Californian ugliness, sleazy atmosphere? The massage parlours, the brothels? The film's incorporating murder? Jake and his poses? His narrowing down the connections for finding Kristin? His brutalising Todd and the chase through the lurid brothel? The confrontation with Ratan and the shooting?

15. Niki and her hopes that she would be cared for by Jake, her disappointment and disillusionment and wandering off?

16. Kristin and her presence in the club., her explanation of what she had done, her reaction to her father? His expressing his love for her? The credibility of her returning with him?

17. A portrait of the United States and its two worlds? The significance of religion and its theology, theological attitudes pervading behaviour? The world of pornography and the critique of this? Sexuality? Man having to cope in an ugly world?

THE HAPPY ROAD

UK, 1956, 100 minutes, Black and White.
Gene Kelly, Bobby Clark, Brigitte Fossey, Michael Redgrave.
Directed by Gene Kelly.

The Happy Road is a family film and charmingly entertaining. Gene Kelly produced, directed and starred in this simple story of two children (American boy, French girl) who run away from an expensive Swiss boarding school to be with their father and mother respectively. The comic adventures of the children as they make their way to Paris, and of the parents trying to find them, are background for some reflections on the part of their parents and for some funny tilts at the Americans, the French and the British (Michael Redgrave giving a very funny impersonation of a 'typical' British general). The film avoids the sentimental, and its best scenes are with the two children. The part of the girl is played by Brigitte Fossey, the little girl of Rene Clement's moving war drama Forbidden Games (Jeux Interdits). This could be an excellent film for introduction of film discussions to younger audiences.

1. Why did Danny and Jeanine run away from the boarding school?

2. Were they unhappy, or partly unhappy?

3. What impression did Danny's father make on the audience when they first saw him?

4. How was Mr. Andrews' behaviour (losing his temper, shouting, wanting only to get ahead in business and make money, unable to relax) a satire on the American way of life? What advice did the Pittsburgh MP give him? Did he take it?

5. What impression did Jeanine's mother make on you? Was she selfish? What decision did she make when she went off on the scooter to look for her daughter and ignore the Monte Carlo call?

6. Did you enjoy the British Army sequence? Why? Why was it included?

7. Discuss what you liked about: the children's picnic and their code for helping one another; the English aide giving them tea and cake while the parents were in the next room; the episode with the mute, and his kindness when they were frightened; the trick to get a lift with the reporters during the bike race.

8. Did you find the film happy? Sentimental? Just right?

HAPPY GO LOVELY

UK, 1950, 97 minutes, Colour.
David Niven, Vera- Ellen, Cesar Romero, Gordon Jackson, Gladys Henson, Joyce Carey.
Directed by Bruce Humberstone.

Happy Go Lovely is a pleasantly innocuous little musical comedy. Directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, a director of many musicals at 20th. Century Fox in the '40s and '50s, it was an attempt at a British musical and the film was a semi-official entry to the 1951 Festival of Britain. At this level of expectation, it is quite a disappointment. David Niven is as always a pleasantly suave hero and excels with one- liners and his smooth presence. Vera- Ellen is an attractive heroine with a talent for dancing and Cesar Romero does an enjoyable job as the would-be producer. There are some attractive songs and dances and an interesting British supporting cast including Gordon Jackson as a newspaper reporter. However, it did not establish a pattern for British musical comedies of the Hollywood kind.

1. A pleasant musical comedy, the Hollywood tradition, a British attempt at the genre?

2. The conventions of the American musical comedy? Putting on the show, difficulties, need of money, the devious producer, the attractive heroine who, through misunderstanding, becomes the star? The millionaire in the background? Love and romance? The roommate? The mistaken identities, farcical situations? Songs, dances? How well were these adapted to Scotland, the British setting? The American stars?

3. Colour photography, the Scottish setting, Edinburgh and the festival? The score. choreography?

4. The romantic conventions of the plot - the heroine and her Cinderella experience with a touch of humour? The stuffy millionaire and his being charmed and made romantic lead? The devious producer? Credible for this kind of comedy?

5. David Niven and his style as suave hero - as millionaire, his starchy approach in his firm, his staff? The question of bills? The heroine and her claiming acquaintance with him? His going along with the mistaken identity? His being charmed? The length that he went to date the heroine - the mistaken identities in the restaurant? The farcical aspects of the show and his being chased? The happy ending? The dream hero?

6. Vera-Ellen? as American heroine? Charm, honest, exasperation with the producer, the mistaken identity,, her stories, her trying to cover up for Bruno? The farcical aspects of the romance, the happy ending? Her being the star of the show?

7. Cesar Romero as producer - his wiles, imagination, deals, the mistaken sacking of the heroine, his re-employing her, Bruno and his identity, the bouncing cheque etc?

8. The supporting cast - the dancing troupe, the heroine's roommate and her not believing the story? Bruno and his staff. his chauffeur?

9. The comedy sequences - the meals, the car, the court case? The finale in the theatre?

10. The accepted values of success, the fulfilment of wishes in musical comedies like this?

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

US, 1959, 83 minutes, Black and white.
David Niven, Mitzi Gaynor, Carl Reiner, Loring Smith, Patty Duke.
Directed by David Miller.

Happy Anniversary is a light piece of froth - the type of romantic comedy that David Niven specialised in the '50s and '60s. He teams quite well with Mitzi Gaynor and there is comic support from Carl Reiner. The film is based on a play, Anniversary Waltz, but is also a tilt at the growing popularity of television and the style of American advertising. Direction is by David Miller, who has made few but several interesting films from Billy the Kid to Sudden Fear to Executive Action.

1. A romantic comedy of the '50s? Impact then? Later?

2. Black and white photography, special effects - the presentation of television programmes, discussion games, commercials? Musical score, songs?

3. The presentation of the conventional American family? Husband and his professional work? Wife and her bringing up the family? Love for each other? The in-laws? Children - precocious? The surface happy family? Differences and difficulties? Break-up? Happy resolution?

4. The plausibility of the plot? Chris and Alice? Their children? Sufficiently delineated for plot? For the credibility of the genre? Clashes? The 13th. wedding anniversary? The celebration? The indiscretion? Its repercussions? The resolution?

5. David Niven's suave style as Chris? The gift of the television set? His antipathy towards it? Love for Alice? Treatment of the children? Domestic detail? The drinks? The bravado and its consequences? The repercussions of Debbie on the television panel? Chris' reaction to the television set? Smashing it? Leaving home? The clash with Alice? The pregnancy? Another television set! The David Niven style of hero?

6. Mitzi Gaynor and her comic style as Alice? The celebration? Her reaction? Anger? Her deciding to leave? Her pregnancy? Her relationship with the children? Her parents? Jeanette? Millie?

7. Carl Reiner as Bud - friend, support? Comedy and criticism?

8. Jeanette and the touch of provocation and glamour?

9. The children - especially Debbie and her precocious attitude, her discussion on the television programme? Children in the American household?

10. The in-laws - and the comedy? The criticism?

11. Themes of surface morality, the parent generation and moral standards? Children and their reaction? Indiscretion and revelation?

12. The satire on television, advertising, programmes? The effect of television on American families in the '40s and '50s?

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

US, 1952, 112 minutes, Colour.
Danny Kaye, Farley Granger, Jeanmaire, Joey Walsh.
Directed by Charles Vidor.

Hans Christian Andersen was designed as a Danny Kaye vehicle. Kaye had emerged in films in the late 40s as a very successful comedian with such films as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and The Inspector-General?. He made this biography of the famous Danish storyteller and brought to it some of his own comedy characteristics and routines and some musical numbers. French ballet dancer Zizi Jeanmaire was an added attraction with her dancing of some ballets of his fairy tales. There is a light sentimental touch about the whole film and it is quite an engaging, if sentimental, biography.

1. The appeal of this film, its qualities of entertainment and enjoyment? For what audience was it made. in the 50s? Impact now? Its declaration of being a fairy tale about Andersen? The kind of response that it wanted? Delight. suspension of a sense of realism? Insight in to the magic of Anderson himself?

2. The appropriateness of Danny Kaye in the role, Danny Kaye's style, his comic qualities. his singing, his ability with children? Which sequences best illustrated these talents?

3. The use of colour, the re-creation of Denmark last century, village life and its detail. the voyage to Copenhagen and the imaginative aspect of the city? The use of fantasy in Andersen's mind? The significant contribution of the ballet of The Little Mermaid? what style did this give to the fairytale?

4. The importance of the musical score and its use, the songs, especially Hans Christian Andersen, Copenhagen, The Ugly Duckling, No Two People could be so in Love. Thumberlina? The musical standard of the ballet. the choreography?

5. What did the film say about the character of Hans Andersen? His work as a cobbler and his neglect of it, the quality of his stories and his imagination, the fascination of the children, the reaction of the adults, especially the serious teacher? Andersen as susceptible to his friend's suggestion? His being persuaded to go to Copenhagen, the exhilaration of the journey? His fascination with the city, and the irony of his being in prison? His work for the ballet, his fascination with the ballerina, his writing The Little Mermaid for her and infatuation with her? His encounter with the children and especially the story of The Ugly Duckling? How pleasant and generous a character? An optimistic view of human nature?

6. The contrast with the ballet people, the reality, and Andersen's imagination? His response to the husband and wife feuding? His gallantry in defending the wife but not realising the temperamental clashes? The importance of his infatuation, his imagining himself as singing and dancing with the ballerina? The effect on his life? The importance of her return and her disillusionment with his infatuation?

7. The importance of the character of Peter, his devotion to Andersen, his persuasiveness in getting him to Copenhagen and away from the village, sharing his experiences helping in his work? Getting him a job with the ballet company, with the people of Copenhagen? The importance of Peter's insight into the infatuation, their clash and its pathos? The happiness of their reunion on the way home?

8. Comment on the particular fairy tales of Andersen and the morals that they drew eg. The Little Mermaid,, Thumberlina, The Ugly Duckling? How was the moral of the fairy story clear from the ballet? The illustration towards the end of the titles of Andersen's stories? what was his achievement?

9. The fairytale nature of his return, reconciliation, acceptance by the children, by the villagers, especially the teacher? The repetition of the stories and the songs to end the film?

10. The quality of this kind of entertainment? Light family fables with optimism about human nature?

HARVEY

US, 1950, 104 minutes, Black and White.
James Stewart, Josephine Hull, Peggy Dow, Charles Drake, Cecil Kellaway.
Directed by Henry Koster.

Harvey is a pleasant fable for adults based on Mary Chase's Pulitzer prize-winning play. Some of its scenes and acting are a little bit old-style now, but it is a fantasy of faith in goodness and happiness. James Stewart fits the part of eccentric tippler, Elwood P. Dowd, perfectly and enjoys the company of his best friend, six feet three and a half inches of white rabbit - Harvey, who, alas, is invisible to almost everyone else, including ourselves. Elwood P. Dowd is one of those fools for goodness' sake who shame us gently out of our normal, intolerant humanity.

1. What is a fable and what is the function of a fable? Why is Harvey a fable?

2. By what standards is Elwood P. Dowd insane?

3. Compare Dowd's sanity, peace of mind, goodness and happiness with his sister Veta's anxiety and ambitions, Myrtle Mae's frustrations. Wilson's brutality. Dr. Sanderson's arrogant know-all-ism.

4. What does the film say about what it is to be a 'normal' human being? Discuss the taxi-driver's comments about bringing his patients to the sanatorium and their kindly fantasies and taking them home cranky. back-seat drivers.

5. Dowd says he fought the battle with reality and won out over it. Why did Dowd invent Harvey? what need did Harvey supply for him?

6. The film rather heavily satirises psychiatrists and sanatoriums. Dr. Chumly had given up seeing patients and yearned for Harveylike happiness. Where does the film say happiness comes from? Is the film fair to psychiatrists?

7. What is the point of the audience's not being able to see Harvey (although we are helped by the portrait)? With whom. therefore, are we identified?

HALLS OF ANGER

US, 1969, 99 minutes, Colour.
Calvin Lockhart, Janet Mc Lachlan, Jeff Bridges.
Directed by Paul Bogart.

Halls of Anger is one of a number of films made in the late '60s about education. The film has a very strong racial theme - a black high school in the city with a minority of whites. The prejudice and oppressions situations are reversed. The film is moralising and at times preaching in its situations and dialogue. However, it makes its points. It is a kind of To Sir With Love in an American setting and with tougher issues.

An American education film at this time was Robert Mulligan's Up The Down Staircase. Calvin Lockhart, a competent actor who has not had wide stardom, is competent in the central role. The film was one of Jeff Bridges' earliest roles. Halls of Anger reflects the breaking through structures of the late '60s and the propensity for protest. It is a film of its time but its themes are valuable at all time.

1. An interesting and satisfying message film? Exploration of education, race issues in the United States?

2. A reflection of attitudes and value-searching in the late '60s? The atmosphere of civil rights, the criticism of structures, the prevalence of protest? Fraternity and hatred? The period seen in retrospect? The influence of such films for the causes?

3. The tradition of To Sir With Love and themes of racism and education? The importance of segregation in schools? Attitudes behind segregation? The feel for oppression, minority groups? The situation reversed for blacks and whites? The moral for the white audience? Oppression by blacks?

4. Education thews: schools and their administration, boys and girls and their needs, abilities? Attitudes towards discipline? Creativity, syllabuses, tests? The heavy-handed attitudes of bureaucracy? Pressures on teachers and students? The promotion of values for blacks and whites in a united America?

5. The initial situation: Quincy Davis and his achievement, a black teacher, successful, able? His drive to get out of the ghetto, his acceptance in the school? His sports career and success? The offer of change and challenge? His being needed and used by the bureaucracy?

6. The presentation of the school: its black and white students, the white minority? The visuals of the students arriving, being harassed - the reversal of the oppression of the blacks? The staff, black and white? The principal and his declaration of attitudes and principles?

7. The classroom sequences - the inability of the students to read, the vocabulary tests, the lack of discipline? The humour of Davis getting the students to read the book about sex and improving their reading by curiosity? Sport training and the exclusion of the whites? The fights? J.T. and his arrogant attitudes? His mouthing of the oppression statements? How sympathetic a character within the school?

8. The humiliations of the whites - the sharpening of pencils, changing places in the classroom, the singing in the cafeteria? The confrontation and bashing? The stripping of the girl? The white parents and their hostile attitudes? The build-up of tension to a final confrontation and decision at the end?

9. The character of Davis - his behaviour in the classroom, his attitudes towards the boys and girls, his sports reputation and the children following him? His standing up to the principal? His friendship with Lorraine and his falling in love with her eventually? Her showing him his options? The contest at basketball with J.T., the riot and his individual action overcoming difficulties? His not needing the police at the end? His facing the problems - J.T. and the white boy going back to the school?

10. The character of J.T. - the inevitable clash, his personality and leadership, his attacks, his mouthing of hostilities towards Davis, towards the whites? Sport? His ability at art - the sequence in preparing for the painting of the mural and the pride in doing it? His reactions and defacing of the mural? The final hostility towards Davis?

11. Johnson embodying the attitudes of the ignorant student - reading, fighting, taunted by the white boy, the fight and the expulsion?

12. The white students and their attempt to fit in, their skill in reading, sport? The hostile white boy and his hatred, the fight with Johnson? The girl and her friendship with the black boy and the ridicule? Her being attacked in the toilet block? The picture of provocation? The inherited attitudes of hostility between white and blacks and their being played out in schools in the '60s?

13. Lorraine and her working in the school,' the counter-view to Davis, friendship, support, outings? Her love for him?

14. The background to Davis' final decision in staying - the temptation to be out, his walking through the ghetto? His dramatic statements of race issues?

15. The success of melodrama to highlight civil rights? The moralising and preaching tone? The conventional sequences of classroom , school activities, people. clashes - highlighting the issues? Giving insight?