THEY WON'T BELIEVE ME

US, 1947, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Young, Susan Hayward, Jane Greer, Rita Johnson, Tom Powers.
Directed by Irving Pichel.

They Won’t Believe Me is in the vein of film noir, very popular in the mid-1940s with such classics as Gilda and various versions of Philip Marlowe stories including Murder My Sweet and The Big Sleep.

Robert Young can appear charming and bland as a central character. He is cast against type here as a cad responsible for the death of a number of women. Susan Hayward is a gold-digging secretary who is murdered. Rita Johnson is Young’s wife and is driven to suicide (or is she?). Jane Greer is an ambitious young woman.

The film is complex in the sense that it is a courtroom drama with a number of flashbacks gradually revealing what happened and the true nature of the central character.

The film deals with evil, malevolence and violence, love and betrayal.

The film was directed by Irving Pichel, an actor-director for twenty years. With some low-budget films in the early 1930s, he went more upmarket during the 1940s – and his last two films were explicitly religious, Day of Triumph, A Life of Jesus, in 1954, preceded by the biography of Martin Luther in 1953.

1. A successful and interesting murder mystery? Court drama? Exploration of crime and justice?

2. A thriller of the forties - especially with black and tragic ending? The presentation of a hero who was evil? A comment on American society, American men and women, human nature?

3. The technique of the credits sequence and the showing of the waterfall, the opening in the court and the nature of the flashbacks and the effect that it had on Laurence Ballantyne as he told his story? The climax in the courtroom, the waiting for the judgment and the sudden suicide? The irony of the 'not guilty'? What did this leave the audience with in terms of sympathy, judgment?

4. The plausibility of the plot - Laurence Ballantyne and his career, marriage, playing with women? Verna and her hold on him? The sudden accident, the suicide of Greta? The mechanisms for Ballantyne's arrest? Sufficient plausibility for American behaviour and a court drama of this kind?

5. The title and its irony and what it said about Laurence Ballantyne?

6. Robert Young and his style as Ballantyne? Type, guilty of evils, the quality of his narration and its honesty and telling the truth? An ordinary callow man, his greed for money and position, his fickleness in his relationships, masculine charm? The encounter with Janice and the building of the boat, going away together and Janice's believing his lies, Greta twisting him and taking him to California? His ease in his job, love of comfort? The encounter with Verna and her challenge? The lies, their outings, his promises? Greta and her manipulating him with the ranch, his feeling tied down, his schemes to get away, the final encounter with Verna? Robbing Greta, waiting for the bus, driving? A moment of truth in rejecting the money before Verna's death? Of what was he really guilty?

7. The contrast of his relationships with the three women? His motivation, love, use of then? His being in their power?

8. Verna as the secretary gold-digger, her skill at her work, saving his face with the boss, her selfishness, outings and the good life, her reaction against his lies, her returning to him, the scheme with the cheque, her decision to give up the money? The idyllic drive, the swim, the hopes? the irony of her death at this stage? The complications with her boss looking for her and his infatuation with her, at the concert, proposal of marriage? Janice and tailing Ballantyne in the West Indies and the uncovering of the truth?

9. The portrait of Greta as an ambitious woman, her capacity for holding her husband, her pattern of calmly adjusting the situation? Wealth, society, concerts etc.? Her reaction in New York and the transition to the train? Her device of the ranch, her enjoying of the rides, the horse, the irony of her pride and suicide? The horse and his fidelity and remaining at the waterfall?

10. Janice as the career girl, the enthusiasm about the boat, going to Montreal and being hurt, encountering him in California, her presence in Jamaica, the fishing, leading him on, loading him to the court? her position in the court scene?

11. Verna as gold-digger and Susan Hayward's style? Hard, scheming, at work, home, outings? The pathos of her death?

12. Her boss and his infatuation with Verna, his calling the police, the lawyer, the judge and their attitudes towards Ballantyne?

13. Melodramas and audience involvement in them and enjoyment of them? Why?

14. Ballantyne's experience in telling the truth, his wish to go to prison and atone, the scene with him in prison behind tho bars, the encounter with Janice?

15. The build-up to the jury's coming back, the suddenness of his suicide leap and the irony of the truth and leaving the audience with...? How satisfying a melodrama, insight into values, right and wrong, good and evil?

THEY WERE EXPENDABLE

US, 1945, 135 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed, Jack Holt, Ward Bond, Marshall Thompson, Leon Ames, Cameron Mitchell.
Directed by John Ford.

They Were Expendable is a film about the defence of the Philippines in 1941 and 1942, especially the PT boats who tried to resist the Japanese. The film gives the background to the fighting of General Macarthur, his leaving the Philippines, going to Australia and planning the strategies for his return. The film ends with his return to the Philippines.

John Ford had a strong reputation for westerns before World War Two, especially his classic Stage Coach. He was to win an Oscar in 1941 for his direction of How Green Was My Valley. During World War Two he served in the navy and photographed the Battle of Midway on which a documentary film was based. This was his first film after war service. Later he was to return to westerns and make classic westerns with John Wayne.

The film was written by Frank ‘Spig’ Wead, an aviator who broke his neck in an accident in 1926 and started to write for Hollywood. He wrote quite a number of films including Test Pilot and The Citadel as well as They Were Expendable. He died in 1947. In 1957, Ford made a biographical film about Wead called Wings of Angels starring John Wayne as Wead and supported by Maureen O’Hara?.

1. The significance and tone of the title? 1945, now? The retrospect on the recent war, the relief that it is over, the exasperation of the experience of war and administration?

2. The film produced in 1945: the closeness of the memories of Pearl Harbor, the Pacific war, Macarthur, the experience in the Philippines? The closeness of the experience of war and the feel for the daily situations? how well was this filmed, communicated? American patriotism, sentiment, the relief that the war was over and won? The optimistic note of the ending with Macarthur and his return? Appropriate patriotism in the
forties? The impact now?

3. The importance of John Ford's experience during the war and his work in the Navy, his filming of naval battles, especially Midway? his friendship with the original character on whom Brickly was built? His experience of photography in the war and his transferring it to the commercial feature film? his ability to re-create his experiences in the Pacific, the Navy, the men, the day to day experiences, the dangers of war, morale, defeat? The importance of Robert Montgomery and John Wayne at the time?

4. The war in the Philippines as the focus of America's involvement in the Pacific? The background of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese Invasion, the fight against the Japanese, morale in the Philippines, the continuing defeat atmosphere, the dangers for those who remained, the capture at Bataan, the heroism? Was this what the war in the Pacific was really like?

5. The focus on the motor torpedo units to illustrate the victories and the frustrations of the war? The vital start and the impressive ships? The reputation of these units? Official administrators not being particularly interested? Brick's pride, Rusty Ryan not wanting to be in these units? The presentation of the commanders, the crew? The fact that the units were not used except for messages and for intermittent action? The dangers they experienced? Carrying important personnel through the Philippines? Stranded? The final vindication at the end of the film? How well did the film illustrate these motor boats as useful for war? The episode of the destruction of the destroyer?

6. Brickly as the hero: a solid sensible American type, his skill as a Commander, his dealings with men, his friendship with Rusty and his commonsense as regards his arm, his practical dealings with the men, tactics and strategy, building up morale? A courteous man? A hero for this kind of film?

7. Comparison with Rusty and the John Ford extrovert type? The man of action who was impatient, wanting to be transferred to the destroyer yet loyal? The continual challenge of being an individual or working with the team? His loyalty, skill on missions? The experience of blood poisoning, the altercation with the doctor and with Sandy? His affection for Sandy and growing into love? The desperation of the final telephone call after the romantic interludes? His skill with the men, survival? His concern for the men as manifested in the funeral? His being on the plane at the end and yet not wanting to be? Another hero for the war?

8. The portrayal of the crews, young and old, cooks, hands, the Irish Bosun, the people in hospital? The strong and the weak, the ordinary and the afraid, the experience of injury and deaths? Exasperation at the bombing of the ships, accidents? How well was this focussed in the injury of Andrews, the morale at the men's visits to him and the sequence before his death?

9. Sandy as providing feminine and romantic interest? Her strength of character, her presence in the hospital, work in the operations under fire, her strength, sense of humanity, the dance, the drawing of Rusty out of himself? The attention paid to her at the dinner and her enjoyment of it even to the meal, the songs? The bond of affection with Rusty, the final
telephone call cut off? The audience left to think that she was a prisoner? A tribute to American women in the war?

10. The drama of the war sequences and their effective filming? The atmosphere of the Philippines, Bataan, Corregidor, the sea, Cebu? The people involved and the experience of being under fire? Dad and his plantation? The final images of the last plane leaving and the men wandering along the seashore?

11. The drama of defeat, the men wandering the islands after the surrender at Bataan? The decision about who should be on the final plane? The two men giving up their places and writing letters?

12. John Ford's great attention to detail throughout the film to give an authentic experience? Andrews and his injury and the hospital visit, the details of the meal when Sandy was entertained, the young man announcing the Silver Star? the looking at the wrecked boat and people diving in, ignoring the man announcing the award etc.?

13. Proper patriotism and sentiment? America, the forties, now?

THEY RODE WEST

US, 1954, 84 minutes, Colour.
Robert Francis, Donna Reed, May Wynn, Phil Carey, Onslow Stevens.
Directed by Phil Karlson.

An interesting and entertaining western. It has standard cavalry material (co-author is Frank Nugent, collaborator with John Ford in many of his westerns) but the treatment of the Indians in the film echoes the sympathy towards the Indian from such films as Broken Arrow, White Feather. It was a trend of the fifties. Robert Francis, who appeared in The Caine Mutiny and The Long Grey Line and then was killed in an accident, is the serious star. Donna Reed is an attractive heroine. Direction is by Phil Karson who directed many action films over several decades.

1. The appeal of the western? Action, the cavalry, Indians and clashes? Pioneering? The landscapes of the west, distances, survival?

2. The medical focus of the film? The theories of equality of human beings, medical help and ethics? The moralising about relationships with the Indians? Impact in the early fifties, now?

3. The standard presentation of the west - locations, action shots? The cavalry code, for example, the singing round the camp fire, life in the fort, cavalry solidarity? The reaction towards Dr Seward and calling him Wood Hawk? The presentation of the Indians and their raids, life in the camp, the Comanche raids? Battles, rescues? The clashes of personalities?

4. The opening and the presentation of the cavalry, the Indian raid, the injury and the alcoholic doctor? Setting a tone for the film especially Blake's hostility? The audience in favour of Allan Seward as he arrived? his uniform, difficulties with riding, the clash with Blake, the attraction towards Miss Mackay? his behaviour during the gun raid?

5. The sick boy, the reservation, the white mother? Allan's help, his recommendation to move? his visit to the camp again, the suspicions of Blake? The decision to follow the Indians . as they moved to the high ground, the subsequent Comanche raid, the injured cavalry? and their hostility towards Allan? how responsible was he? his decision at the end after consulting with the Indian woman? Blake's shooting him? The operation and the possibility of peace?

6. Allan and his character - serious, from the east, taking himself seriously, the uniform and riding? his naivety? his
devotion to his work, the raid and the treatment of the injured cavalry man? Transforming the hospital? Diagnosing the malaria, his experiencing the opposition? his behaviour during the siege, his decision to go back? Negotiations, achievement?
his decision to go against orders for medical and human ethics?

7. The contrast with Blake and his going by the book, his courting Miss Mackay, jealousy, severity, callous attitudes especially in shooting?

8. Miss Mackay - the centre of the fort, four men attracted towards her, her jealousy towards Allan, helping him in the hospital? The contrast with the white woman turned Indian?

9. The Indian wars, laws, the harshness of the west?

10. Incidental characters and their flavour - the Irishman with the sore tooth and whisky, the Colonel and strict orders, his wife, the various cavalrymen? An entertaining western with point?

THEY MET IN BOMBAY

US, 1941, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Clark Gable, Rosalind Russell, Peter Lorre, Jessie Ralph, Reginald Owen.
Directed by Clarence Brown.

A pleasantly inconsequential jewel thief story. Clark Gable is quite debonair in the role of the jewel thief who poses as a detective and has to flee Bombay to Hong Kong with Rosalind Russell, posing as English aristocracy, in order to rob a duchess. They encounter a Chinese ship captain who betrays them. Then the screenplay goes patriotic - anticipating Pearl Harbor a little. Gable, impersonating a British officer, is called to heroism against the Japanese in China.

The screenplay is quite improbable, its Asian settings are sets. Clarence Brown directs with finesse and overcomes some of the shortcomings of the morale boosting ending. A pleasant Gable vehicle highlighting his skill and Rosalind Russell's ability to be a vivacious heroine.

1. An entertaining jewel thief story, propaganda film of 1941? How entertaining in later decades?

2. The black and white photography, M.G.M. sets with the evocation of Bombay and Hong Kong, China? The musical score? The special effects, especially for fog, ships, battles?

3. The conventions of the jewel robbery film? Establishing of hero and heroine, the basic situation, the robbery and double-crosses, the escape from the police, car chases, shipboard to Hong Kong, escape in the fog, masquerade as a British officer, war heroics and evacuations, the Victoria Cross and the heroic happy ending?

4. Audience enjoyment of jewel robbery films with the light touch? The amoral attitudes of hero and heroine, their reactions towards one another, combining efforts? Amoral hero and heroine and the romantic overtones? Reform and final heroism? The sentimental ending?

5. Clark Gable as Gerald - explaining his background, his posing as the detective, his selling up Ana? His leading her on, substituting the jewels? The car chase and the escape? The hideout in Hong Kong and the effect on him? Falling in love with Ana? The posing as the British officer and the success of his mission? His being trapped, the devices used to escape? The heroism at the impasse? His being wounded, the award of the Victoria Cross, the fine moral decision at the end? The Hollywood image of the American hero? The British touch for war patriotism?

6. Rosalind Russell's confident style as heroine? her impersonation, friendship with the duchess, ingratiating herself into her presence and manoeuvring situations? The robbery? Being outwitted by Gerald? The escape? her falling in love, participation in the evacuation, her decision at the end?

7. Peter Lorre as the Chinese captain contributing comedy, villainy?

8. The comedy at the hotel in Bombay, the duchess and her drinking, her entourage, the staff at the hotel? The continuation of this atmosphere on shipboard? In Hong Kong?

9. Gerald impersonating the British officer, his commandeering the ship? The military officials? Participation in the mission, the evacuation? Heroics and shooting? Confrontation with the Japanese? The police and his pursuit of Gerald and his being one-upped at the end?

10. The background of World War II, British involvement, the Japanese threat to America? the success of the film as American war morale boost? An engaging comedy thriller?

THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON

US, 1941, 140 minutes, Black and white.
Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Arthur Kennedy, Charlie Grapewin, Gene Lockhart, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Ridges, Walter Hamden, Sidney Greenstreet, Hattie Mc Daniel.
Directed by Raoul Walsh.

The first thing to say about They Died With Their Boots On is that Chief Crazy Horse must be turning in his grave. This is a rather glamorous and flamboyant picture of General George Armstrong Custer, not the accurate portrait of Custer in reality.

The film is the life of Custer from the time that he entered West Point, his being a poor student there but getting away with everything because of charm, a happening that he led a successful charge against the Confederates in the civil war and was entrusted with the armies in The Dakotas. The screenplay invents a deal he made with Chief Crazy Horse to prevent miners and prospectors in the Dakota hills – and gave his life at Little Big Horn to save extermination of the Indians. This is not accurate!

However, as a piece of fictitious entertainment and a portrait of the west, it is in the epic style of Warner Brothers of the 30s and 40s, especially in the films of Raoul Walsh who had been directing westerns since 1914. Errol Flynn has great charm, as always, as Custer. Olivia de Havilland plays his childhood sweetheart whom he marries. Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn had made ten films together including Captain Blood and The Charge of the Light Brigade. Anthony Quinn appears as Chief Crazy Horse and Sidney Greenstreet as General Winfield Scott.

The film recreates the period of the times, the atmosphere of the army, the work of the cavalry, the experience of the civil war, the conflicts with the Indians. The film also has a Max Steiner score.

1. A good Western epic? Why? Does it seem dated now? Does it seem a good epic of the 30s and 40s? What kind of response does it elicit? Custer - how has he been treated in films since? How would this film be made now?

2. Why are these Warner Bros. films so enjoyable still? Their popular appeal? Their zest, their characterisations, the use of the stars? How conventional are they and how unconventional? What conventions of Westerns do they use? (what conventions did they standardise and set?)

3 What presuppositions about heroism and villainy do they have?

4. Impressions of Custer from this film? His flamboyant entry to West Point? His place in the course and his unconventional behaviour, the nature of his graduation in the Civil War? Impression of his push and trying to get a position? His forwardness in working with generals? His heroism in leading during the Civil War and his interpretation of orders? His marriage and his life at home? His languishing for some activity? The sincerity and concern of his work of for the Indians? His adhering to a cause and antipathy towards the exploiters? His facing of his death and the giving of his life for others? How good a picture of the man did the film give? Did it create a myth? Was it too much a picture of Custar, too much of a simplification?

5. How did this picture of Custer make sense in the picture of the times: West Point training, the contrast with Sharp, the Civil War and the peace that followed, the situation of the Indians, the opening up of the West, the moneyed people and their hold on government, the development of the United States in the 19th century? Did the film treat Custer importantly from this point of view? How?

6. Did the film present a vivid picture of the Civil War? Its effect on splitting the soldiers at West Point? The concern in Washington and the strategy of the war? the battles and the implications for ordinary men? ordinary Americans fighting?

7 Comment on the film's picture of post-war America: How flat it was for some of the people, Custer wasting his time and drinking, the Sharps and the others turning towards exploitation?

8 Was Libby an attractive heroine? A vivacious heroine? Why did she want to marry Custer? The importance of the sequence with her father: especially his clash with Custer? The sacrificing of her way of life to go with Custer to Fort Lincoln? (How humorous was the picture of the Mammy? Was this an appropriate picture of black Mammies?

9. The picture of life at Fort Lincoln? The meaning of this opening up of the frontier? The importance of the black hills for the Indians? Custer's sense of responsibility and his handling of the position? His encounters with Chief Crazy Horse? The exploiters and their disregard of the Indians and of Custer?

10. Were the villains painted too blackly or were they painted justly? response to the frauds? Their hold on government enquiries?

11. What did the film have to say about the treaties of government with the Indians? The role of President Grant? What comment was being made by the film on the history of America and its regard for the Indians?

12. Why did Custer have to die? Did the film simplify the issues? What heroism was there in Custer's choice?

13 How vividly presented was the battle of Little Big Horn? The heroism of Custer and the men dying? The irony of Ned Sharp's being there? The conditions for peace afterwards? The irony of their being so easily acceded to?

14. An accurate picture of the 1860s and 70s? or did it give a picture of the 1930s by way of their picture of the 19th century?

15. The film is considered a classic western. What qualities make it a classic?

THEY CAME TO ROB LAS VEGAS (500 MILLONES)

Spain, 1968, 124 minutes, Colour.
Gary Lockwood, Elke Sommer, Lee J. Cobb, Gene Servais, Jack Palance, Roger Hanin.
Directed by Antonio Isasi- Isasmendi.

They Came to Rob Las Vegas is, as the title indicates, a caper film set in the desert gambling city. However, the plot is much more complicated. Gary Lockwood’s Tony is planning to rob a van and get half a million dollars. In the meantime, Lee J. Cobb’s Skorsky, a truck company manager, launders money for the Mafia. In the meantime, the police are closing in on both groups.

The film is exciting, flamboyant, presenting Las Vegas in its vividness. It is also interesting in its portrait of the interactions and double crosses.

Lee J. Cobb is very good as Skorsky. Gary Lockwood had made an impact in the same year as being one of the astronauts in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The film was directed by Antonio Isasi who began directing and writing films at the age of twenty-three in 1950 and continued for almost another forty years.

1. The significance and tone of the title? The original title was Las Vegas 500, Millones. Was this a better title? Audience expectations from the title and the robbery style of film?

2. Was this a good example of the robbery genre? Audience expectations of this kind of film? The fact that there were, so many in the sixties? Its impact then and now?

3. The point of view of the film, a continental look at America and American crime? How was it different from an American look?

4. The atmosphere of Las Vegas? The city, gambling, money, the types of personalities there? A city in the desert? The isolation of the desert? The colour location photography?

5. How well did the film establish the atmosphere of crime? The robbery atmosphere? The people involved, the evil, violence and greed? Audience response to the people involved?

6. The importance of the theme of vengeance, Tony and his reaction to his brother's death, the sense of family, the vindictive planning for the robbery, Tony's ordeal in undergoing the attempt at robbery? The futility of his laughter at the end? What had been achieved?

7. How interesting was the plan and its detail? The long attention of the film to the details? The importance of the use of the desert? How well was it used? The trench and the camouflage? The elaborate machinery for the robbery? The functioning and malfunctioning of the machinery etc.? The human element?

8. Was Tony's character well developed? Or was he a standard character? His relationship with Anne and her information? Using her? What kind of person was Anne in her relationship to Skorsky? The relationship between Anne and Tony?

9. Skorsky as a typical criminal? His business, Mafia dealings? Brutality towards Anne? His evil attitudes?

10. The portrayal of Douglas and the agents? Police work and relentlessness? The agent inside the van?

11. How well drawn were the personalities of Tony's team? The presentation of the tensions and the infighting? Cooper and his plotting?

12. How well did the film draw towards a convergence of all the people involved? The atmosphere for a kind of explosion? The presentation of the actual explosion and its destruction of the wealth?

13. Was this anything more than a routine robbery thriller? If not, was it good as such?

THEY CAME TO CORDURA


US, 1959, 123 minutes, Colour.
Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, Tab Hunter, Richard Conte, Michael Callan, Dick York, Robert Keith.
Directed by Robert Rossen.

They Came to Cordura is based on a novel by Glendon Swarthout who wrote the novel Bless the Beasts and Children as well as Where The Boys Are and The Shootist. It was adapted for the screen by Ivan Moffatt who wrote quite a number of screenplays between the mid-50s and the mid-60s including Bhowani Junction, Giant, D- Day the 6th of June, Tender is the Night and The Heroes of Telemark. It was directed by Robert Rossen, a prominent director of the 1940s and 1950s who made a number of striking films in the 40s including Body and Soul and his Oscar-winning film All the King’s Men. Further films included The Brave Bulls, Mambo, Alexander the Great, Island in the Sun. During the 1960s he had two critical successes with The Hustler and with Lilith.

The film was one of the last made by Gary Cooper. Also one of the last made by Rita Hayworth. The film is set in Mexico, after the war against Pancho Villa in 1916. Cooper plays Major Thomas Thorne who is considered to be a weak character and officer. He gets his last chance to accompany some prisoners back to Cordura including Adelaide Geary (Rita Hayworth) who gave shelter to the rebels. They encounter a number of difficulties on the way and Thorne has the opportunity to prove himself.

1. The impact of this film? Western traditions? American traditions? Impact in the fifties, expectations of action and not symbolism? Expectations and impact now? Theme, fable?

2. The use of Cinemascope, colour, desert locations and environment, the atmosphere of a parched desert, isolation and silence? Music? 1916 and American/Mexican relationships, the 20th century, echoes of World War One?

3. The symbolic significance of 1916, Pancho Villa and his status in Mexican revolution, Mexican government? America and its attitude towards the 20th century, towards Mexico? War and confusion? The transition from cavalry to motorised warfare? World War One and America's growing involvement? The presentation of war correspondents, military men, awards, Congress? The 20th century beginning? Major Thorn as a man trying to learn from the past for the future?

4. The atmosphere of World War One, cars, planes? Its place in the American memory? America's victory, America taking its place in world wars? The symbolism of the awards and Americans being ready with morale for the war?

5. The contribution of the action sequences? Especially the charge of the ranch and audience involvement? Watching the action with Thorn? Watching the heroism, the bloodshed and the massacre? Audiences being involved and then having to reflect on the meaning of the action? Battle as a microcosm of human nature of courage and cowardice? The traditions of the Americans in the West and cowardice and courage?

6. How important was the written explanation and introduction concerning cowardice and courage at the beginning? Alerting audience interest to the themes? Audiences watching with Thorn? The theorizing throughout the film about cowardice and courage? The importance of its being illustrated so strongly with the four men in the charge? The examination of their motivations by Thorn? The contrast with his own experience of cowardice? The significance of moments of courage? The repercussions of moments of courage for a man's character and his life, despite his ordinariness, meanness and capacity for evil? Courage as a presentation of human potential despite all evil? How was this continually counterpointed by Thorn's moment of cowardice?

7. The portrayal of the Villa situation? The puzzle of his invasion of America? American punitive expeditions against him? Attitude towards the Mexicans? The irony of this being a preparation for American involvement in World War One?

8. The appropriateness of Gary Cooper portraying Thorn? His style, age, impact? His discussions about cowardice and courage and the gradual revelation of what had happened to his? His interest in Hetherington and his being possessed by God? His not wanting him to be involved in combat so that the heroes would be alive? How important was this for his own self-justification and self-rehabilitation? Was Thorn a credible character? More credible after the explanations? Was the screenplay right in presenting him as a person and then only later revealing the truth?

9. The presence of Thorn and Hetherington at the charge? The preparations for the charge, the importance of Rogers' belief, his calling on God? Thorn watching the success and failure of Rogers' charge? The importance of the aftermath and the confrontation between the two men? Rogers and his pride, age, retirement, ambitions, glories? His memories of Thorn's father, his helping Thorn out of his predicament at Columbus? His anger at Thorn and its justification? Was Thorn right in not recommending him and commenting so adversely on the charge? How important a critique of militarism, the military mentality and ambition and reality?

10. The revelation of Thorn and his cowardice? Was it excusable in any way? The nature of his guilt, his wanting to make amends? Rogers' attitude? The attack by Trubee? His own explanation to Adelaide? The fact of a moment of cowardice for a lifetime?

11. The importance of the mission and going to Cordura? The punitive purpose? Adelaide as the focus? Her own courage, cowardice, Ill-repute? The detailing of the heroes for this kind of expedition, accompaniment, saving them from active duty for their awards?

12. The artificial nature of the mission and its purpose? The symbolism of the journey and its purpose? The journey and survival, accidents, hatred, things going wrong?

13. Adelaide as a focus during the journey? The explanation of her background as regards her father, the ranch and her support of the Mexicans? Marital relationships and her children? Her ultimate sense of guilt? The initial taunting, smoking and drinking, a woman taunting lonely men? Becoming the soldiers' victim? Her wanting to escape, persuade Thorn? The growing awareness of the men and their awards, weakness and courage? Her growing respect for Thorn? Ultimately deciding to help him? Thorn's torment as a catalyst for her own self-awareness? What happened to her during this journey? Ultimate courage and the facing of death?

14. The character of Hetherington, the importance of his religious background, his father as a Jehovah personality? Losing the faith, regaining it? His place on the journey, the typhoid, his illness and the demands that it made on the rest? His recovery and the effect?

15. The importance of the mission for the awards and the four men in action? The details of each of their exploits, Chawk, Trubee, the Lieutenant, Hetherington? The details of their courage? Their reaction to the mission and the journey? Their questions? Thorn's black book and his description of their valour? The gradual revelation of their past, their not wanting the award? Their fears? Thorn's explanation of them as 'crippled children'? Consider each man in himself, his background of evil, ambitions, ordinariness? The reasons for the journey, for their heroism? Their evil and cruelty? The Lieutenant and his career, his revulsion against cowardice and letting the horses go, his ultimate cruelty towards Thorn? Chawk and his continued malevolence, murder, not wanting to be identified, cruelty and fighting, ultimate change? Trubee the ordinary man, expecting to be tricked, hating Thorn and blackmailing him for the woman etc.? His illness and weakness? His transformation? Renziehausen as the ordinary young man. his running away from home, the possibility of supporting Thorn, the episode of his ear?

16. The portrayal of the desert and the wanderings in the desert, purification, identification, suffering?

17. The melodrama of the siege, Thorn’s cowardice, military strategy, Adelaide's suggestion and the surrender of the horses, the effect on them all?

18. The Impact of the walking, carrying Hetherington, the mutual distrust, Thorn's not being able to sleeps, their fights, the water, the brackish water and Illness?

19. The reaching of the train line and the walking of the train line, the finding of the carriage? Hopes and yet no hope? Their finally leaving Thorn to drag the carriage?

20. The ultimate preparation for murder? The malice of the Lieutenant?

21. The arrival, Thorn as a sign of contradiction, the effect of their reading from the book, the Irony of the Lieutenant being the only one not to change? The title and Its significance? Man redeemed by suffering and endurance?

22. How vivid the explanation of the depths of human nature?

THESE THOUSAND HILLS


US, 1959, 96 minutes, Colour.
Don Murray, Richard Egan, Lee Remick, Patricia Owen, Stuart Whitman, Albert Dekker, Harold J. Stone.
Directed by Richard Fleischer.

These Thousand Hills is a standard western with young stars Don Murray and Richard Egan supported by Lee Remick who was at the beginning of her career after A Face in the Crowd and Anatomy of a Murder, released in 1959 also. Stuart Whitman was also about to become a leading man.

There are familiar western ingredients in beautifully photographed locations. Themes of justice, violent clashes, relationships in the west are all to the fore.

The film was directed by Richard Fleischer who in a forty-year career showed that he was skilled at all kinds of genres. He emerged with Armoured Car Robbery and The Narrow Margin in the early 50s, moved on to more spectacular films like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Violent Saturday as well as The Vikings. At this time he made the crime thrillers Compulsion and Crack in the Mirror. Later he was to make Barabbas, Doctor Doolittle, The Boston Strangler and Fantastic Voyage. He continued to make films during the 1970s including Mr Majestyk with Charles Bronson and Mandingo, as well as The Incredible Sarah with Glenda Jackson.

1. The significance of the title, the Scripture reference, the song, the symbol of success?

2. The film as a western, use of conventions? Audience expectations from these situations and characters? Expectations for film conventions? The western as a cattle western, the life, the town, hunting, success in breeding, human and political crises?

3. The use of colour, Cinemascope, the scenery of the town and country?

4. Lat as the focus of the film, his growth into being a success and failure? his home life and the explanation of his going out to work? His father's biblical and religious background, his reaction against this, the strong motivation for money and success? His joining the cattle men, his interest in pay, doing double work? The nature and reality of his dreams, fantasy? Cattle men encouraging him, growing friendship with Tom, sharing his views? The success of the cattle trek? The drama of the race and the Indians cheating and yet Lat winning the money, his extracting the promise from Tom to go hunting? the encounter with Kelly and his ambitions because of the memories of his father about sexuality? The growth of warm communication with Kelly? This suffering involved with the wolf hunting, Tom’s leaving him, the Indians raiding and wounding him? The fact that he was rescued both by Kelly and Tom?

5. The unreality of his ambitions and the growing pride? Money, trying to borrow the money, the lending of the money by Kelly? His infatuation with Joyce? His clash with John in the aftermath of the race and his building up cattle? His vision about the success with cattle? and his looking forward to the future?

6, His ambitions to become respectable, weariness of his relationship with Kelly, growing infatuation with Joyce and her position? His attitude towards Tom and his wedding? His being promoted to the education board? The religious background of the town? The possibility of his becoming a Senator? His marriage in the light of this?

7. The pursuit of the horse thieves as the focus of the crisis for Lat? His being involved in the hunting, the lynching and the discovering of Tom? The actual lynching of Tom and its affect on him? The crisis about himself and his standards? The crisis with Joyce, especially when he was called by Kelly? The crisis of friendship with the death of Tom? The importance of going to Kelly and the fight with Jehu? His willingness to face the crisis and the truth? The importance of this as a basis for the future? The moral of this history of Lat as a typical man of the west?

8.. The characterisation of Kelly, her background, prostitute, her friendship with Lat, lending him the money, depending on him? Her being hurt by being abandoned by him, the domination of Jehu? Her finally being battered by Jehu? The irony of her shooting him? Lat as supporting her in her trial?

9. The characterisation of Tom: an ordinary cattle man, not a leader, sharing Lat's vision, but wary about money and hard work? Rescuing him from the Indians? Helping him, being rejected by him because of his marriage? The pathos of hie final words to Lat before his lynching?

10. The importance of Jehu as the arrogant villain? The race, domination by Kelly, cattle and selling them to Lat, forcing Lat into the lynching party, the importance of the final fight? The pathos of his being killed by Kelly?

11. Joyce as the conventional kind of heroine, external morality yet jealous and calculating? Her dependence on Lat and his place in society

12. The portrayal of the cattle men on the trek, their ordinary humanity at work? The people in the town? The people who supported Lat in his politics?

13. How valuable a western was this? Its themes of the American heritage of the 19th century? The exploration of human values and conflicts?

THERE WAS A CROOKED MAN

US, 1971, 26 minutes, Colour.
Kirk Douglas, Henry Fonda, Hume Cronyn, Warren Oates, Burgess Meredith, John Randolph, Lee Grant, Arthur O’ Connell, Martin Gabel, Alan Hale Jr, Claudia McNeill?.
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

There Was A Crooked Man is a fable about greed. Kirk Douglas portrays an outlaw from the west who is imprisoned for ten years. Henry Fonda plays the rather straitlaced warden. However, Douglas intends to escape because he has half a million dollars stashed away and encourages the collaboration of characters like Hume Cronyn, Warren Oates and Burgess Meredith to help him escape.

The film is a fable about the confrontation between good and evil. There is a witty script and good direction from Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The screenplay was written by David Newman and Robert Benton who collaborated on the screenplay for Superman the Movie. Benton was to go on to an Oscar-winning career with such films as Kramer vs Kramer, for which he won an Oscar for best director, Still of the Night, Places in the Heart, Billy Bathgate, Nobody’s Fool, Twilight and The Human Stain.

Joseph L. Mankiewicz was a Hollywood writer from the 1940s who achieved great success and reputation for his work on A Letter to Three Wives as well as the Oscar-winning All About Eve. He also directed Julius Caesar, Guys and Dolls and Suddenly Last Summer. He spent the first part of the 1960s on the ill-fated Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. He later made The Honey Pot and There Was a Crooked Man.

Kirk Douglas had been in films for many decades by There Was a Crooked Man as had Henry Fonda. They had become icons of Hollywood films and the Hollywood west. The supporting cast is a vintage group of character actors.

1. The meaning of the title? Its reference to Paris, to Lopeman? To the ending of the film? The indication of themes of human nature? The irony of the title?

2. The use of colour, Panavision? The background music? The opening song and its irony? Its reference to the characters?

3. How realistic a picture of the west? The use of western conventions of robbery, prison, escape, chase? How were these conventions upset? Audience expectations about character? Comment on the film as a prison film, with prison conventions about interactions, wardens and punishment, escape?

4. How humorous was the film? The strengths and quality of the dialogue? The quips and the irony?

5. The film as a western comedy of manners? The detail of presentation of the manners of people in the west? The morals that corresponded with the manners? Or not? The characters representing types? 'Humours'? How moralizing was the amoral look of the film?

6. What was the main purpose for making the film? Entertainment? Moralizing Instruction? Which aspects predominated? Comedy or serious?

7. The impact of the opening robbery, its style, the humorous comments, the characters of the villains, the character of the family, the detail, the maid smiling as she went in with the meal? Audience ambiguous response to this robbery?

8. The robbery turning nasty as Pitman killed his henchman? The change in audience response?

9. Pitman's escape and enjoying himself in the brothel? The irony of the robbed man as a 'Peeping Tom' leading to Paris's arrest?

10. Why did the film spend so much time on the comic details of the arrest of each character? The detailed presentation of each character and his crime? Indicating his guilt and justice? What did it indicate about Lopeman and his attitude towards justice? Comment on each of the arrests in its serious and comic tones.

11. The film's focus of attention on Paris? His ingratiating manner? His cool and calculating evil? Comment on the pleasantness of his manner and the impression that it made, even on the audience. And yet his role as a robber, a killer, a betrayer? The irony of his hiding the money with the snakes? The anticipation of the ending? How ironic that he should be caught and imprisoned?

12. How well did the film communicate the atmosphere of the prison? Its look, the tyrannical style, the work that the men had to do, the pressures, the bullying? Did this change audience response to the prisoners?

13. The crookedness of the warden, his involvement in the plan, putting Paris in solitary? The comment on legal justice and corruption?

14. The film spent a lot of time on each prisoner. How well was this done? The relationship between Cyrus and Dudley? Their religious confidence tricksterism? Their bickering with each other? The hold that Paris had over them? Moon and his gunning down of Lopeman? His loyalty to Paris? Lopeman's inability to corrupt him? The irony of the Missouri Kid, as being old, living on his legends, being in prison for so long, The irony of the west in his character? Coy, the young man and victim? The irony of his crime? His loyalty to Paris? Ah Fing and his silent loyalty?

15. The revolution in the prison and the death of the warden? How understandable? The irony of Paris's watching it from solitary? Especially the death of the warden?

16. Audience response to the re-entry of Lopeman as the Prison Governor? Having known him in the past? His aims and goals? His success in making the prison a model one? His motivation for this? His trying to get control of Parts? Using Moon etc.?

17. How did Paris keep his hold over the other prisoners? How did he exercise his control? Their involvement in his plan?

18. The importance of Paris's saving Lopeman's life when threatened by Ah Fong? The bond between the two men? Paris's hold over Lopeman? The bath sequence? The mutual outwitting of each other with the guns? Lopeman and his response to Paris's plans? The irony of Cyrus pretending?

19. The comedy involved in the dedication of the prison? The important visitors? The meal? The poetry recital? The humour about prisons, justice, manners?

20. The staging of the riot? Its timing, the preparations? All of Paris's friends involved? The effect on Lopeman and the shattering of his dreams? How seriously did it disillusion him?

21. The importance of Paris's escape? The cruelty of his killing all his associates? Cyrus and Dudley returning to prison? Audience feeling for the death of the men, especially Cavendish and Moon?

22. The scene with Mrs Bullard? As a lull in the proceedings? A preparation for the ending? The comedy and irony? Lopeman's pursuit?

23. Was it inevitable that Paris should die, bitten by the snake? The moral of the story? All the preparation for nothing? Crookedness and futility?

24. The irony of Lopeman taking the body back? Heading for Mexico? What motivated him?

25. How well did the film explore the themes of law, justice, morality, human nature?

26. Is this the proper function of westerns?

THERE'S A GIRL IN MY SOUP

UK, 1970, 95 minutes, Colour.
Peter Sellers, Goldie Hawn, Tony Britton, Nicky Henson, Diana Dors.
Directed by Roy Boulting.

There's A Girl In My Soup is the type of sex comedy that has been popular at all times. This is a stage play transferred to the screen and echoes the styles of frankness and permissiveness of the late sixties and early seventies.

It was very successful on the stage at this time. It was used as a vehicle for a Peter Sellers performance and he is very good at suggesting the ambiguities of the popular celebrity, the womaniser who leads a lonely life. Goldie Hawn, fresh from her Oscar success in Cactus Flower, gives quite a good performance as her usual kooky type. There is a good strong British supporting cast.

A lot of the humour is very broad, the tone is superficial and reflects the lightness of attitudes in morals and manners of the time. Underneath, there is some attempt at indicating the loneliness and lack of fulfilment of the hero that it presents. It was directed by the Boulting Brothers, who had made a lot of good dramas in the forties and fifties and some strong satirical comedies in the fifties and sixties.

1. The appeal of this kind of sex comedy?

2. How did the film rely on the conventions of the British sex comedy? Audience presuppositions about the battle of the sexes, sixties and seventies permissiveness, ultimate moral tone? Ambiguity, farcical elements? Sexual innuendo and wit? How good an example of its kind?

3, Peter Sellers' comedy style and his inventiveness in this role? Did it match Goldie Hawn's particular innocent yet shrewdly calculating style? What kind of team did they make?

4. Use of colour, British locations, France? Musical score representing the musical styles of the late sixties? The
romantic song? Was it evident that the film was based on a play - the contriving of scenes, characterisations? The strength of the dialogue and the style of humour?

5. Peter Sellers' interpretation of Robert Danvers? His appearance, age, clothes, television style and his making love while he is talking from the television (and the ambiguity of the dialogue in this sequence?) His being alone, his affectation? His being a womaniser, his attitude towards women, sexuality and seduction? An ageing roue, bolstering his vanity by liaisons with younger women? His apartment, the decor of his room? The film's long presentation of his technique of seduction? His remark about the girls being lovely? The irony of his encounter with Marian and the possibility of a change in his approach? The sad irony of his returning to his initial attitudes after the experience with Marian? The film's comment on what happened to him?

6. Insight into Danver's character by the comments and attitudes of John, his wife? The domestic comedy of John and his wife and their talk? The contrast with Andrew and his attitudes towards Robert? Andrew and his family life with the children?

7. The picture of the various girls and their throwing themselves at Danvers? Their expectations of a liaison? vis treatment of them? Glamour, girls being used, girls using men?

8. Goldie Hawn's style as Marian? her appearance, way of speaking, naive innocence yet shrewdness? Blunt and direct? The background of her relationship with Jim, her resenting Caroline? The party, her changing of her way of life and background? The choices that she was faced with, her going to see Jim again after the experience with Robert, her option for Jim and her going away at the end? What had happened to her during the film?

9. The initial encounter between Marian and Robert? His avoiding the party, taking her home, going into his routine with its cliches and expectation, his awkward response to her directness? Her timing him etc.? Her changing moods and her telling a sad story? His taking her back and his discovering the truth about her? The decision to go to France? The farce with her wine tasting and drunkenness? the bond between the two - the marriage suite, their being treated as if they were married? The lyrical sequence and the driving and the swimming with its humour and romance? The song that 'The Girl's In Love'? A honeymoon atmosphere and the effect on each? Newspaper reporters and the repercussions and facing of reality?

10. Robert's choice? would he or could he have married Marian and lived happily ever after? Could she have married him? The background of Jim's character and the way that he was presented, slovenly and a slob? Jealousy? His wanting to have two women? Marian seeing this and yet deciding to return?

11. The portrait of men and women? The comedy of manners in contemporary society? Themes of love, marriage, sexuality?

12. The irony of the ending? The film as a slice of life, moral comment or moral abeyance of judgement? The funniness of life, futility, hope?