MAD ABOUT MUSIC

US, 1938, 98 minutes, Black and white.
Deanna Durbin, Herbert Marshall, Gail Patrick, Arthur Treacher, Helen Parrish, Marcia Mae Jones, William Frawley. Directed by Norman Taurog.

Mad About Music was one of the earliest Deanna Durbin vehicles. The young Deanna Durbin had made a great impact at Universal Studios and, in fact, is credited with saving them financially in the '30s.

She has an attractive personality, a bit too nice and precocious. This fairytale vehicle (the original story was Oscar-nominated!), has Deanna in a finishing school in Switzerland. There are the usual assorted nice girls and catty girls. There are also the two spinster elderly women running the school. Deanna's mother is a famous film star (portrayed by Gail Patrick, with William Frawley as her controlling manager). For the success of her films she can't admit to having a teenage daughter. Deanna's father is dead, however she has invented a wild game hunter who has expeditions from Africa to the Arctic. She gets her mother to send her souvenirs. She writes letters herself and reads them to the girls. Some believe her and some don't and want to unmask her. She is forced to go to the station to pretend that her father has arrived and chooses the suave Herbert Marshall, a composer, with his valet, Arthur Treacher. After some hesitation, Marshall enters into the whole spirit of the thing and carries on the hunting stories. Enjoying himself and attracted to Deanna.

Deanna decides to go to Paris to see her mother Who is on tour, weeps as she can't get near her because of the manager. She encounters Marshall who decides to take the matter into his own hands. Needless to say, the fairytale comes to an end with Marshall and mother united and Deanna singing.

Deanna sings attractively, including 'I Love To Whistle' and 'Ave Maria'.

The film shows the popular entertainment styles of the '30s, the fairytale romances popular in such teenage films ? but also the strength of Deanna Durbin's screen presence and her singing.

RETURN TO MACON COUNTY

US, 1975, 89 Minutes, Colour.
Nick Nolte, Don Johnson, Robin Mattson.
Directed by Richard Compton.

Macon County Line is an unexpectedly effective little drama. The setting is the 50s, the heroes two young men on the verge of settling down, the heroine an attractive hitchhiker. Their story begins comically and lulls the audience into responding to ephemeral incidents laced with homespun philosophy. But gradually we are led into violent melodrama, police brutality and senseless deaths consequent upon American fondness for guns and lethal solutions to problems. The cast is virtually unknown but competent. The follow-on film Return to Macon County is by the same director and company but uses the title for box office purposes only. It is not a sequel, but uses similar ideas.

1. The title and its emphasis that this was a sequel? Comparison with the original? Exploiting the original and its title?

2. The quality of this film as a small piece of Americana? The 50s as revisited by the 70s? The view of youth, cars, he-men, music, police? The values underlying the people concerned? The truth of the memory?

3. Bo and Harley as young men of 1958? Purpose in life, easy rolling, their dedication to the cars, their friendship? Strengths and weaknesses of character?

4. The character of Junelle? First meeting her at her waiting, creating havoc, her decision to leave, her impulsiveness, capacity for easy thrills? Her use of the gun and her smartness? Growing relationship with Bo, jealousy of Harley and his encounter with the girl? Her experiencing it all and then going off for more? A credible girl of the time?

5. The melodrama of the drag race, the betting, the cheating, turning ugly, the bashing? Young men trying to prove themselves with the car? Junelle's getting the money back?

6. The introduction of Whittaker? The generation gap, the police, his obsession, his chasing the young men, his disobeying orders, the violence of his mistake and his final shooting? A credible obsessed policeman? The judgement on him?

7. Junelle holding up the store, more than the boys expected? Everything being more than they expected?

8. The final irony with Tom and his vengeance, taking the car and being killed in ugly America?

9. The final fiasco with Whittaker being taken away? A pessimistic outlook on the events and the times?

10. The film's comment on America in the 20th century?

MACON COUNTY LINE

US, 1973, 89 Minutes, Colour.
Alan Vint, Cheryl Waters, Geoffrey Lewis, Joan Blackman, Jesse Vint.
Directed by Richard Compton.

Macon County Line is an unexpectedly effective little drama. The setting is the 50s, the heroes two young men on the verge of settling down, the heroine an attractive hitchhiker. Their story begins comically and lulls the audience into responding to ephemeral incidents laced with homespun philosophy. But gradually we are led into violent melodrama, police brutality and senseless deaths consequent upon American fondness for guns and lethal solutions to problems. The cast is virtually unknown but competent. The follow-on film Return to Macon County is by the same director and company but uses the title for box office purposes only. It is not a sequel, but uses similar ideas.

1. How enjoyable a film? What was its overall impact? Audience involvement and interest? The film was a great success, despite its lack of stars. How would this be explained?

2. what was the purpose of the makers of this film? Human drama, the characters, the violent situation, audience entertainment? A thriller?

3. How important were the comparisons of the 50s and the 70s? The lifestyle, the characters.? the pressures, the themes of the 50s seen in the light of the experience of the 70s?

4. The impact of the film in so far as the story was a true story? The basic themes? How well were they illustrated? were they in any way exploited?

5. How well did the structure of the film work: wanderers and their seeming irresponsibility, the hitchhiking and the
journey, the girl joining the group, the story of the policeman, the thieves? The drawing together of these strands of plot for the climax? Comment on the gradual mounting of tension and the final impact of the film.

6. What were initial impressions? Theme music, the exploits of Chris and Jess, their running away etc.? How much sympathy did they engage? When did audience attitudes change towards them?

7. How interesting were the characters of Chris and Jess? The establishing of them as types, their way of life, the lack of responsibility, their going into the army, their hitchhiking, their playing games with the police, as Americans? As young men of the 50s? Was the time of the 50s important? Did their characters develop during the film? The relationship to each other? To the girl? In such sequences as the discussion with the garage man? The final confrontation and their fears? The tragedy in their lives?

8. How attractive was the girl? As a heroine for the film? As part of this 50s way of life? Her relationship to Chris? Sharing the adventures, humour, dangers? The tragedy of her death?

9. How was the garage man the symbol of the older generation? The importance of their speeches and their themes?

10. The introduction of the police and the story about the policeman: the cleancut Americans, hunting, the proud father, the wife, the judgements of the police? The impact of this way of life on the boy?

11. The contrast of the criminals: their cruelty, the robbing, shooting, torturing? The way that the police treated them? Audience sympathies here and judgements on violence?

12. Audience response to police methods? Did the police have the right to such cruelty, even though the criminals were guilty?

13. The judgement of the policeman in pursuing Chris and Jesse? Audience response to this, especially in feelings? The suspense and drama of the hunting of the three? The shooting? The terror and the fear? The darkness, the setting, the unexpectedness on the part of the young people? The plight of victims? The terror of the boy and the fact that he shot them?

14. What judgement did the screenplay make of the character of the policeman? On the boy? Was the film right to emphasise the factual details as an epilogue to the film?

15. How valuable is a small film like this? In showing the aspects of the times? In character? The American heritage? How was this emphasised by the musical background in the words of the songs?

THE MACOMBER AFFAIR

US, 1947, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Gregory Peck, Joan Bennett, Robert Preston, Reginald Denny.
Directed by Zoltan Korda.

The Macomber Affair is an adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's short story The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber. The film was written and produced by veteran writer Casey Robinson. It was directed (with African locations) by Sir Alexander Korda's brother Zoltan Korda (who worked on so many of his brother's London Film productions and directed Humphrey Bogart in Sahara). Gregory Peck is effective as embodying the Hemingway hero, as he was to do in The Snows of Kilimanjaro five years later. Joan Bennett is also excellent as the disillusioned wife (in a role similar to her performance in Jean Renoir's Woman on the Beach, made at the same time). Robert Preston is good as Macomber.

The running time is brief, the device of the flashbacks well used to get some tension as regards guilt and responsibility in the central characters. The film highlights in its dialogue a lot of the elements of Hemingway's image of what it is to be a strong American man - and some implied criticisms of it. The film compares favourably with other versions of Hemingway's books e.g. The Sun Also Rises.

1. An interesting and entertaining version of an Ernest Hemingway story? Hemingway's interest in Africa? on hunting and hunters? Men and women and their relationships? Tensions? Types? An effective adaptation of his short story?

2. Comparisons with other film versions of Hemingway's work especially The Snows of Kilimanjaro. again with Gregory Peck? Production values, black and white photography. African locations? The contribution of the stars and their personalities? The interpretation of Hemingway by Hungarian/English Zoltan Korda?

3. Hemingway's drama of the eternal triangle? In the African setting? Authentic atmosphere of Nairobi and the jungle? Wild life? The musical score for atmosphere and feeling?

4. The title? Its focus and ironies? As explained? The original title and its irony about Macomber?

5. The structure of the screenplay: the initial information, introduction to the characters. tensions, focus on the accident, suspicions? The flashback? Expectations about Macomber's death? The puzzle about the motivation? The resumption of the court case at the end? Margaret's confession?

6. 'Forties style drama: love, hate, sexuality, infidelity, murder? The realism? The importance of suggestion, gesture, innuendo? The use of hunting symbols to express psychological realities? The strength of the film psychologically?

7. Gregory Peck's strong performance and presence as Wilson? A Hemingway hero? The return from the hunt and the accident? The encounter with the journalists? In the bar? His report? official questions? Suspicions? Audience suspicion about his relationship with Mrs. Macomber? The memoir and his explaining things to the official? The meeting of Macomber and his wife? The hunting job, talk with the couple and the easy relationship? The attraction to Margaret? Macomber as a genial fellow? The expedition? The hunting and the feel for hunting? Macomber's running away from the lion? Camping, the meals and their tension, the nights? The increasing unease after the experience with the lion? The reaction of Macomber and his physical abuse of the servants? The talk with Wilson and his changing? The taunts of Margaret and Wilson's reaction? The build up to the buffalo-shoot? Macomber's death and Wilson coping with it, with Margaret? His official report? The court case? The discussion with Margaret and checking out her motivation? A man of integrity, the strong American Hemingway hero?

8. Robert Preston as Macomber? The rich and spoilt American? His place in society? Brittle personality? His idle life, holidays? Talk, buying the guns etc.? In Africa to prove himself, to reconcile himself with his wife? Setting out on the expeditions? The relationship with Margaret and the tensions? Love and memories of love? Cynicism? The possibility of proving himself and his manhood with the confrontation with the lion? His fear? Subsequent moodiness? Margaret's jibes? His bullying of the native bearers? Margaret's explanation of his being a bully? His reaction to her disdain? His change of heart, and Margaret saying that he always said this? The friendship with Wilson? His being ready to die? The irony of the bullet from his wife? The sketch of a spoilt affluent American?

9. Margaret and the ambiguities of her presence? Her relationship with Macomber? Bitchiness? Giving Wilson the come-on? The buying of the guns - and her saying she knew nothing about them? The irony of the subsequent death? Her caution? Growing interest in Wilson and admiration for him? Her being more at peace out on the expedition? The meals? The nights and her memories? The possibilities of reconciliation and Macomber's attempts? Her later discounting these? Her enquiries about masculinity, fear and bravery in confronting animals? The sexual tension and innuendo of her character and enquiries? Her reaction to her husband's cowardice? Her wanting to know what it was like to kill? Despising her husband, audience ambiguity about her shooting him? Her reaction ? did she mean to shoot him? The return from the hunt? The interrogation? Her explaining herself to Wilson? murder in the heart? Not in actuality? Her confessing, her real feelings to Wilson? A credibly ambiguous character?

10. The traditional triangle theme but its strong presentation? Fear, love ambition, passion, despising? The image of men and women? The strong man, the hero, the coward, truth?

11. Africa as a location for testing out American manhood and relationships? Satisfying drama?

THE MACKINTOSH MAN

UK, 1973, 99 minutes, Colour.
Paul Newman, Dominique Sanda, James Mason, Harry Andrews, Ian Bannen.
Directed by John Huston.

The Mackintosh Man: there is always a place for the continuing tradition of the spy-thriller. And, apart from a touch or two of brutality, John Huston's new film is as good an entertainment as most others. Paul Newman is himself; James Mason brings suave finesse to an ambiguous role. Many excellent British actors like Harry Andrews, Michael Hordern, Ian Bannen have cameos. Dominique Sanda is the glacial heroine. The plot concerns patriotism. spy rings, infiltrating agents; there are chases and shootouts and locations in London, Ireland and Malta. These are obviously the ingredients of popular movie-making. The film is above average in an ordinary kind of way and quite enjoyable.

1. How good a thriller was this? What special techniques of the thriller did it use and how did it use them? Conventions of the mystery? The atmosphere and styles of the spy film? How did these all add up to a successful film? The significance of the title and its implications of loyalty? As a tone for the whole film?

2. How important was the central character of Reardon? As played by Paul Newman, audience sympathy for him and interest in him? The reaction to his part in the robbery and the jail sentence? His behaviour in prison? The need for his escape and his suffering during the escape, especially the torture? The realization that he was an agent to infiltrate the gang? The significance of his relationship to Slade and his doing his job? His ingenuity in escaping? The risk of exposure? His relationship to Mrs. Smith? His ingenuity in Malta and exposing the villain? Why was he satisfied to let Wheeler go at the end? How typical an agent and spy character was he? How well was his character drawn?

3. Mackintosh as the official dedicated government man? How important to the film was he? The enigma of his daughter? His suspicions about Wheeler and the horror of his death? Mackintosh as important for motivation in the film?

4. The enigma of Mrs Smith - the personality of Dominique Sanda, her dedication to her work, Resistance background, loyalty to her father, appreciation of Reardon, supporting him in Ireland, helping him in Malta? His being drugged and taken? Her reaction to the final confrontation? How surprised were you when she shot Wheeler? Why? Why did she shoot? What choices did she have? The impact of the spy world on her character and actions?

5. The character of Wheeler? The stress on patriotism in his Parliamentary speeches, his seeming nobility, appearances and reality, his slipperiness? His luxury on the yacht contrasting with his speeches about morals? His brutality and organization, his sureness at the end? The surprise of his death, the comment on politics and the use of power?

6. Slade as a character, communist, his values, contrasting with Reardon? was he worth the risks taken?

7. The moral judgement on Brown and his sadism and torture?

8. The suave Soames-Trevelyan? and his organization? The skill of the organized escape in the prison?

9. The use of location photography and atmosphere, London offices, prison, Ireland and its barrenness for chases, Malta, the sun and sophistication, the church and the killing?

10. What did the film have to say about the ethics of spying and the use of people for spying? Political statement and private behaviour?

11. How much value did this film have in itself as a commentary on contemporary behaviour and questions? How valuable a thriller was it?

MACBETH

UK, 1971, 140 minutes, Colour.
Jon Finch, Francesca Annis, Martin Shaw.
Directed by Roman Polanski.

Macbeth: This version is well worth seeing. Roman Polanski's greatest achievement is in communicating the violent, wild atmosphere and background of Macbeth's Scotland, the mountains, rain, castles, people. Scene after scene is barbarically beautiful and gives credibility to Shakespeare's verse which is clearly spoken. Everyone has mentioned the blood and gore, which is certainly there, but the textual bases are always given and we have always said that blood was an important theme of Macbeth. On the whole, this is a disturbing but satisfying version of a melodramatic tragedy that shows us the depths of ambition, cruelty, murder and its consequences.

1. The impact of this film version of Shakespeare? Expectations of film presentation of the play? Shakespeare himself, poetry, themes? Roman Polanski and his reputation, experience, Polish background, cinema style? Kenneth Tynan and the Playboy backing for the production of this version? How well did the film come across as a cinema version of Macbeth?

2. How well was the text used for a cinema version of Macbeth? The amount of pruning done and the criteria for the selection of the poetry? The importance of the visual presentation of the poetry ? the locations of Scotland, the witches, the barbaric atmosphere, warlike attitudes, politics, the violence, especially the emphasis on blood?

3. How well did the film use visually and thematically the poetry of foul and fair, day and night, the blood, the imagery that Macbeth used, of Lady Macbeth? The actions visualised that are described so vividly in the poetic text?

4. The use of colour, Panavision, the mediaeval and modern score? The importance of the use of close-ups especially for character and the poetry? Polanski's attention to detail for atmosphere and what this communicated to the film e.g. the opening with the witches? Macbeth's various castles? Banquo's death and the visions, the long battle at the end and Macbeth’s death?

5. The importance of the attention to authentic Scottish detail, the actors, accents, the bleak atmosphere of the Highlands, Scottish traditions, dress and manner? Situating the play very much in the Scottish tradition?

6. Macbeth as a play of violence, in the revenge tragedy tradition, tragic deaths of the hero etc? The film's official presentation of blood and gore, deaths, physical violence, emotional violence, symbols? The importance of ghosts and visions and nightmares for the violence? Was this appropriate for a response to Shakespeare's Macbeth?

7. The film's focus on Macbeth, as a character, man, noble? How did he fulfil the definition of a tragic hero? the nature of his flaw? The strength of his ambition and how much came from the witches or from himself, from his wife or the occasions? The dramatic presentation of his soliloquies and their effect? The impact of the witches as voices of his hopes? His relationship with his wife and her urging him on? Seizing the occasions and profiting by them and his swift movement, with his wife urging him when he hesitated? The effect of the violence on him. of his ambition, the experience of the death of Duncan, the death of the servants, the covering up? The inevitability of his plunging himself into more deaths? Banquo and his son? His dealing with the assassins and their deaths? The impact of his tyranny and the way this was presented? His poetry becoming less imaginative, his caring less for people and withdrawing from them. his growing fear and fright. the consequent defiance of all? The confrontation for the battle ? did he really expect to win? How much insight into Shakespeare's portrayal of Macbeth's character did the film give? How much did the audience experience of the farces as they shared the experience of Macbeth?

8. ion Finch's style as Macbeth ? his youthful appearance, an agile and athletic man, his strength and presence in the early part of the film, the visual effects of the violence on him, his coronation and its arrogance, the nobles fawning on him. his wife and their liaison and their alienation? The imaginative breadth of most of his poetry and his resumption of this in his final soliloquies? How did he surrender to his ambitions and the violence by his final battle and death?

9. The portrait of Lady Macbeth her youth, beauty? The effect of the letter and this being reprised later? The intricacy of her plans, her smile and reliance on appearances covering reality? Her welcome of Macbeth, her urging him on especially with his hesitation? Her femininity, her being the equivalent of a witch? Her dancing with Malcolm? Her participation in the killing, the guards and the smearing of blood? Her pretending to faint? The repercussions of ambition and violence on her as queen, her presence at the banquet and wanting to control Macbeth especially in his madness. The effect on her and her gradual talking in her sleep. her sleepwalking scene? The way that this was visualised? Her wanting to sleep and the final violence of her death? Was there any catharsis in the experience of Lady Macbeth's tragedy?

10. Themes of masculinity and femininity? The more feminine and sensitive Macbeth and the more ruthless Lady Macbeth? The confusion and mixing of masculine and feminine expectations? Lady Macbeth and her cry for evil to unsex her so that she could become a witch? The sexlessness for evil consequences?

11. The presentation of the monarchy and its order, Duncan as a good king within the context of the time, the battles, victories, dealing with traitors and the execution sequence, bringing order out of chaos? The importance of Malcolm and Donalbain being present at the time of his murder, their fear? The sons having to bring order into the monarchy? The importance of the background of Shakespeare's attitude towards the right order of things?

12. The religious background - the god who was worshipped, gods, witches and the devil? The appearance of the witches, their incantations and prophecies and the origins of these? The importance of Macbeth's visit to them in the forest? The long sequence of the coven of witches, their presence, nakedness, incantations, brew and the mixture, the curses? Macbeth sharing their vision? Shakespeare's attitude towards the presence of witches?

13. Banquo as the contrast with Macbeth? sharing his initial fortune, yet wary, seeking the explanations of the prophecies? The good man? his support of Macbeth but his being betrayed by him? The build-up to Banquo going out with Fleance, the protractedness of the murder? Macbeth's murdering of Banquo and the implications of this? The violence of his death, the irony of Fleance escaping and the witches' prophecy? The importance of Banquo's presence in his gore and violence to haunt Macbeth at the banquet. Macduff taking Banquo's place as the contrast to conscience for Macbeth? His reaction to Duncan's murder, his reaction to the slaughter of his wife and family, the man finally to confront Macbeth and the irony of the nature of his birth and prophecy?

14. How well did the film build the background of the courtiers, the various supporters that Macbeth had, traitors, time servers? Seton and his loyalty, the nobles turning against him and killing him? An accurate portrayal of the intricacies of court politics? The final abandonment of Macbeth?

15. Malcolm as son of Duncan, his reaction to the murder, his going to the English court, his attack against Macbeth? His restoring order? The irony of Donalbain at the end of the film going to the witches ? Polanski’s touch to Shakespeare's themes? A pessimistic touch?

16. The presentation of Scotland and the times, battles, killings, the execution of the Thane of Cawdor, the battles, Macbeth's tyranny, the visual presentation of the murder of Macduff's family, the irony of the ending?

17. The importance of the porter sequence? in its dramatic context, the comedy and the earthiness, Shakespeare blending comedy with tragedy, making the audience take the tragedy more seriously?

18. The minor characters and the way the Shakespearian text was used, their physical presence - families, assassins, courtiers?

19. How much insight into Shakespeare's play, a satisfying cinema presentation of Macbeth?

MACBETH

US, 1948, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Orson Welles, Jeanette Nolan, Dan O'Herlihy, Roddy Mc Dowall, Edgar Barrier, Robert Coote.
Directed by Orson Welles.

Macbeth is Orson Welles' interpretation of Shakespeare. It is a companion piece to his Othello as well as his big-budget and more inventive Chimes at Midnight, based on Henry IV Part 1 and Part 2.

The film was made for a very small budget in 22 days and released in 1948. It is a stylised version with Welles as Macbeth and as director of the film. Critics were very hostile to Jeanette Nolan's performance as Lady Macbeth. Roddy Mc Dowall, is the other name in the cast.

Welles had achieved a great deal cinematically in the early '40s with Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons and had just worked on The Lady From Shanghai. Welles' commanding presence and voice make the film an interesting interpretation of Shakespeare - as well as the stylisation of the whole enterprise. Other film versions include an American '60s product~ ion with Maurice Evans and Judith Anderson as well as Polanski's interpretation with ion Finch and Francesca Annis.

1. The skill and work of Orson Welles? The small budget, 22 days' work? The stylised sets etc.? The achievement?

2. Orson Welles' skill as star, director, interpreter? Action? Realism and stylisation? Black and white photography? The use of light and darkness? Screen compositions, angles, movement? The soundtrack? (The history of the film and being cut, later restorations?)

3. The fidelity to the structure of the play, the text? Shakespeare's mind and interpretation? Diction, poetry, drama?

4. The tragedy of Macbeth: the downfall of Macbeth, his flaw: with the witches, temptation, his wife, acting. killing, the results, his being unhinged, covering, cruelty, fate and superstition, Banquo, the slaughter, madness? The collapse of his wife. the confrontation? The witches in the wood? Macduff? His coming alive again and fighting? Tyranny and defeat? Welles' characterisation, interpretation, Macbeth as a warlord?

5. Lady Macbeth as a tragic figure? Evil? 'Unsexed'? Temptation, opportunity, 'mannish', action, covering, her bewilderment, her torment, 'Out damned spot', her death?

6. Macduff, vanity, companion. the confrontation, exile? His wife and the gentleness of the sequences. the children? The horror of the massacre? His return? Grief? Leadership? Battle and heroics?

7. Banquo as Macbeth's companion, influence, death, haunting?

8. The King and ceremony, the entry into the castle, his death, Malcolm and his youthfulness, the uproar, departure, return, the new King and the restoration of order?

9. The witches and the prologue, as witches, fate, prophecy, their reappearance? Their conjuring up prophecy? The end? Background of Satan and evil? Exorcism?

10. Seton, the doctor and the nurse? Characterisation? Contribution to the plot? With Lady Macbeth?

11. The nobility, the lords, loyalties, tradition? Changes of allegiance?

12. Welles' handling of the best-known sequences and speeches?

13. The ending, Burnham Wood and the battle?

14. Audience sharing Welles' interpretation and insight? The cathartic experience of Shakespeare's Macbeth?

MY BRILLIANT CAREER

Australia, 1979, 91 minutes, Colour.
Judy Davis, Sam Neill, Patricia Kennedy, Wendy Hughes, Robert Grubb, Max Cullen, Aileen Britton.
Directed by Gillian Armstrong.

My Brilliant Career is Miles Franklin's autobiographical novel, published in 1901. Its feminist tone anticipated women's movements of later decades. This adaptation is a strong portrait of 19th. century Australian society, highlighting the aspirations and frustrations of a girl who symbolises the vigour and potential of a pioneering spirit. Made with wise perception of human behaviour and with beauty and taste, it is a fine contribution of women artists to Australian cinema. They range from Gill Armstrong's direction of Eleanor Whitcombe’s screenplay to Judy Davis' natural and engaging performance as Sybilla. The supporting cast, both
men and women, is excellent.

1. The quality of this film. Its acceptance at the Cannes Film Festival? Its awards? The particular qualities?

2. Miles Franklin, her reputation? Audience interest in her work, influence in Australia? A film version of her autobiographical novel?

3. The importance of women's contribution to Australian filmmaking, 1979? Miles Franklin's viewpoint on the career in writing of a woman? Producer, director, screenwriter? The feminine sensibilities? The quality of the acting, especially Judy Davis?

4. The contribution of the colour photography, location photography? The editing and pace? The re-creation of the 19th. century atmosphere? The musical score, especially Schumann?

5. The portrait of Australia at the end of the 19th. century? Life in the bush, the impact of drought, poverty and the struggle for existence? The contrast with wealthy families? The elite and their way of life? The wealthy farmer and struggles, the banks? An overall picture of a pioneering society?

6. The introduction to Sybilla? The impact of the opening, her writing the title of 'My Brilliant Career'? The accent on 'brilliant'? Sybilla as a young girl in her family context, creative, ambitious, her comments on culture, her hopes? Her wilful approach to life, spirited? People commented that she was selfish. How true was this? Her achievement and what she learnt in staying with her grandmother and moving in the circle of society, her service of the poor family, her experience at home? Her drawing on all of this for her book? How did it change her? Set her on to a career? How sympathetic and attractive a heroine?

7. The initial farm sequences, the wind, the drought, the cattle? Her hardworking parents and her father's attitude to the farm? Her mother and the contrast with the background in which she grew up? Gertie and her relationship to Sybilla? The possibility of her working as a governess and supporting herself? Her mother's hard approach to her to get her to earn her living? The difficulties of the mortgages on the house? The classes with the family, her relationship to the parents, to the kids - their hostility towards school, friendship with her, winning them over? The ugliness of the farmhouse, her room - even compared with that at how? The family singsong? The boy with the sling and punishing him? The contrast with food? How well did she learn? The irony of the wrong interpretation of her relationship with the son? Her returning home?

8. Sybilla's going to her grandmother's - and the difference, the elegance, the train ride, the coach and horse, the meals and the elegant service, piano playing, clothes and the commissioning of new dresses, beauty techniques, the emphasis on manner? Her easy adaptation to this role despite her lack of confidence in her appearance?

9. The world of her grandmother? Her aunt, her mother coming from this world? Her grandmother's ideas, standards, angers at Sybilla's behaviour? Her offering her chances for the future? Her grandmother's strong presence and the confrontation sequences? Her letting her go for the sake of the tutoring job and her grandmother's comments on Sybilla’s selfishness?

10. Aunt Helen and her kindness towards Sybilla? Gentility, the experience of the broken marriage and her explanation of this, her helping Sybilla with her beauty treatment, with her dresses? Her helping in her emotional crises?

11. Uncle J.J. and his robust attitudes, Sybilla's liking for him, the singing and the dancing, the party? Uncle J.J. and Harry? His role in Sybilla's going to be a governess? A different angle on family life?

12. Aunt Gussie and her household? In comparison with Sybilla's grandmother? 'Her direct talk and the implied criticism of Sybilla? The elegance of her home? Her pleasantness, relating well to Sybilla with a lighter touch? Her wanting Harry to marry? Her comments after they were both in the lake, the throwing of the ball and her observation, her sympathy for Sybilla and her happiness in Harry marrying her?

13. Harry as the hero? The film's presentation of him in comparison with Sybilla? The audience hearing about him, his being forward and approaching Sybilla as if she were a maid, the incident with the tree, the humour of his humiliation of the meal and his comments, the singsong and his reaction, the dancing? The bonds between the two - Sybilla's visit, the long pillow fight and the chase, rowing on the lake and falling in, the comments and conversation afterwards? His promise to see her and her reaction to him when she met him in the town? The hostility? The build-up to the ball and her ill-treatment of him? Her going to the barn and dancing, the altercation, his proposition and the slaps? Why could she not marry him? Her apologies to him and trying to explain the situation? The two year wait? His return to her and her joy in this, her asking him to marry Gertie, his wanting Sybilla, his trying to understand her choice of the career? Harry as an Australian young man, his prospects in the 19th. century, the farm and his inheritance, the foreclosure of the banks, his success with the farm, making a living for himself, his hopes and prospects for family and marriage with Sybilla?

14. The contrast with Frank? the humour of his meeting Sybilla at the station, their coach ride, his very English manner? His manner and its being ridiculed throughout the film? how gently? His being self-opinionated, his proposals to Sybilla? His singing manner., his dancing? His falling in with the sheep? Sybilla making him walk? His flirting with the girls at the ball. Gertie marrying him? The portrait of the younger son sent to Australia and bringing his British manner to a very different kind of culture and background?

15. How well were the characters drawn, how sharply. individually? The details of interaction? Audiences understanding the characters even when briefly sketched?

16. The skill of the film in creating the atmosphere of the farm and drought, the sequences at the pub with Sybilla seeking out her father, the elegant N.S.W. society at home, on the land, social events? The use of atmosphere and scenery, town, countryside, drought-stricken areas, pastureland, rivers? The weather?

17. Comment on the impact and style of the important sequences e.g. the scene with the milking and the two girls, the encounters with Frank, the staging of the pillow fight throughout the house and outside it, the singsong and Sybilla drawing on her experience at the pub, the dancing with Uncle J.J., the various moods at the ball and the sequence in the barn with the aristocracy visiting the farmers, the piano duet with Harry?

18. The exploration of Sybilla's character and motivations? Judy Davis' skill in communicating to the audience the nuances of Sybilla's experience, feelings and thought?

19. The emotional impact of the climax with Sybilla having learnt from experience, facing the future, refusing Harry?

20. The quality of the cinematic achievement and audience response to this?

21. Treatment of the basic themes of life and its meaning, men and women and their identity and relationship, love and marriage, friendship, mateship, ambitions, self-centredness, career, society?

MY FIRST WIFE

Australia, 1984, 96 minutes, Colour.
John Hargreaves, Wendy Hughes, Lucy Angwin, David Cameron, Anna Maria Montecelli, Betty Lucas, Bud Tingwell, John Finlayson, Julia Blake, Renee Geyer.
Directed by Paul Cox.

The comment on My First Wife was that it was a requiem for a marriage. It is an autobiographical story by Paul Cox collaborating with regular writer, Bob Ellis.

The film was part of the emerging of Paul Cox as one of Australia’s leading directors in the 1980s. After a number of short films and small-budget films, he began to make small-budget features which gave the impression of much higher budgets and showed skill in film craft. He made Costas at the end of the 1970s and won awards for Lonely Hearts in 1982 and for Man of Flowers in 1983. My First Wife comes after this.

Cox made quite a number of films during the 1980s and during the 1990s – but always a cantankerous personality, complaining about the lack of support he got from Australia and from the Australian industry even if he did receive numerous subsidies. However, Cox with his European background, the acerbic Dutch touch and the influence of some hard Germanic ancestors, brings a certain quality to his Australian perceptions and comic touches.

Cox was always interested in religion even if he was rejecting a lot of his Catholic background. Orthodox religion becomes a theme in My First Wife. As he grew older, Cox became more interested in religious themes, in the 1990s making The Nun and the Bandit as well as Exile. In 1998 he travelled to Hawaii to film the story of Blessed Damien, The Leper Priest of Molokai, on Molokai Island itself.

Many of Cox’s regular cast appear in this film. John Hargreaves won a best actor award for his role as John. Wendy Hughes complements his performance as Helen.

Cox uses an authentic Melbourne background of suburbia and homes and Port Phillip Bay. He also uses a great deal of classical music to give a tone to the film as well as a characteristic technique, the use of grainy film stock for dreams and for flashbacks.

A very interesting and mature Australian film on themes of marriage, commitment and break-up.

1. The focus of the title? Expectations? The focus on Helen, the focus on John (my)? The focus on marriage, breakdown of marriage? Prospects for the future?

2. The work of Paul Cox: personal, his contribution of writing and directing? His skill in small-budget films? Acclaim and awards? His interest in filmmaking, in visual art, music?

3. The film's use of music: the classics - Gluck, Orpheus and Eurydice, Requiem, Children's Songs? The themes of the music? Sound, meaning, explanations? Beauty? John's compositions, choral work, the range of voices, countertenor work? Instruments and skill? The comparison with pop music when John visits the disco? Renee Geyer and her humorous, ironic comments on pop music?

4. The background of Melbourne, suburbia, homes? Port Phillip Bay, the beach? The affluent bay suburbs? Radio stations? Cemetery? The authentic feel of the city?

5. The use of trains - realistically and symbolically? The train motif throughout the film? Coming and going, empty carriages, carriages passing to and fro? The use of boats, cars, the sound of the plane overhead at the funeral? The effect of these symbols? Life as journey etc? The insertion of the motif, the particular camera styles ? hand-held, home movie etc.? How obvious or subtle was the use of these motifs?

6. The importance of dreams, memories, the imagination? The grainy film stock, the trees, moonlight, sunset, feminine beauty? The dreams and the images as part of John's psyche? John's memory: the wedding, the characters at the wedding, Lucy's birth, Helen's response, Lucy playing with the dog? The editing and pace of the memories and dreams?

7. The opening with the train carriages and the ending with walking away from the funeral? What had happened in terms of experience, life and death, change? The future?

8. John and his relationship with his wife, the quality of the sexual relationship, his memories at the opening of the film? Ten years? The house and its furnishings, stained glass windows etc.? Affluence? His hopes? Seeing him at work, the radio station? His skills, capacity for information, people listening to him, relationship with the staff? His choral compositions, his attending rehearsals, relationship with the conductor? His lecturing? An ordinary man, professional man? His comments about going home in the train? Lifestyle? Tensions? His discussions with Helen? The tensions in the bedroom, her lack of response? His needs? The visit to the choir? Friendships? The complication of his father dying?

9. The Russian migrant background, his father and his bonds, talking with his father, learning truth from his father? His mother and her emotions, emotional religion? His father telling him the story about his mother's infidelity? Their learning to come to terms with each other? John's appearance, manner? The ten years of his marriage? The pros and cons? His love for Helen, infidelities, lack of awareness? His love for Lucy? His memories of her being born, growing? The illustrations of his love for wife and daughter? The build-up to his comment about being observant, the article and marital fidelity and infidelity and the casual build-up to the strong revelation of the truth and the shattering of his life?

10. His reaction to Helen's telling him the truth? The variety of stages of reaction ? the banal comments, shock, disbelief, anger. resentment? His arguments with Helen? The taunts about fidelity and infidelity? His standards, her standards? His pleading with her to stay? The discussion with Kirsten and his discovery of the truth about Tom? His confronting the conductor and swearing at him? Helen's parents and their wanting him to be reasonable? His emotive reactions against them? The visits to his father and his sadness? Hilary and her support at the radio station? His decision to go home with her and spend the night? His return, despair, memories, his feeling her had enough? The credibility that he would attempt to kill himself at this time?

11. His recovering, the depression at being alive? Discussions
with the doctors, with the psychiatrist? The lack of commun¬ication with the psychiatrist? His memories, dreams, the place of Lucy, the place of Helen? His talking? Helen and Lucy coming to visit him? The psychiatrist persuading Helen to try to mend the marriage? The hopes? The return home, the sexual encounter - and Helen's loathing? His going to Tom's place and seeing Helen with Tom? Taking Lucy from her grandparents, going to the motel? Meeting Helen in the park the next day? The accusations and bitterness?
12. John's father's death, the importance of the funeral, the re¬ligious service, his father not a religious man, John's speech, the ritual at the graveside? The family as a unit walking away - to what?
13. Where did audience sympathies lie? With John? With Helen? Audience capacity for understanding? The masculine point of view, the feminine? John's needs, Helen's needs? Marriage, commitment, love? Sensitivity and insensitivity? The poss¬ibilities of mending the broken marriage? John and his de¬pression and the pressure on Helen to come back? Her inability? The experience of the death and John's grief as a grounds for trying a new future?
14. The portrait of Helen: attractive, loving John, loving Lucy -and the scenes between them and Helen supporting Lucy in her love for her father? Audience response to her wariness of John on his return home? The discussion about the article, the build-up to the clash between the two, the revelation of the truth? Helen and her work in the choir, relationship with Tom? Hurt, blame, argument? Her decision to walk out? The support of her mother and father? Her mother worried, saying that she never wanted the marriage etc.? The father and his pleas for reasonableness? Having Lucy with her parents? The memories: the wedding and the wedding photo¬graphs, giving birth to Lucy, the family bond? The import¬ance of John's father dying, Helen's visits to him? The re¬action to John's attempted suicide? Going back to Tom, the night with him and John's reaction? Her discussions with Tom and accusing him of being like John? The funeral and the future?

I5. Lucy, her way of life, loving household, at home, playing with the dogs, love for her father, her mother? The scenes with each? Her playing the cello and her father's concern for her? Playing at home, at the performance and his tilting her elbow etc.? Her questions? Going to her grandparents? Going to the hospital? Her father taking her off to the motel? The effect of this experience on her?
16. Helen's parents, affluence, prejudice, the father's rationality and his not wanting to be emotionally upset? The mother going to the funeral - and apologising for her husband's absence at a board meeting?
17. John's mother, her grief? His father and his wisdom? The
sister and her coming from Perth, the grief? The funeral and its emotionality?
18. Kirsten and her telling the truth, her help with Lucy? Hilary and her support? But her not being always available to John?
19. The background of the choir, the choral work, the scenes of re¬hearsal, the conductor and John's attack on him, his presence at the funeral?

20. Tom as a pleasant man, role in the choir, his relationship with Helen and deceiving John, the callow reaction in the fight with Helen?

21. The psychiatrist and the film's poking fun at psychiatrists and their techniques, lack of understanding? The hospital staff? The support of doctors and nurses?

22. The significance of the pub scene (the guest spot with Bill Hunter and Denis Miller and Renee Geyer)? The discussion with the barmaid about music? The contrast between pop music and classical?

23. Migrant themes: John's family background? Helen teaching English lessons? The range of the students and their practising of English? The teachers and their advice for Helen?

24. Themes of family, relationships between men and women? Marriage break-up and its consequences?
25. Cox's themes and his emphasis on the importance of the family unit? The paralleling of John and Helen with Helen's parents' marriage and John's parents' marriage? John's father remarks before dying, in the end, the family is the most important.

26. The significance of the quotation from W.H.Auden which opened the film?

THE MILKY WAY (LA VOIE LACTEE)

Spain, 1969,
Paul Frankeur, Laurent Terzieff, Alain Cuny, Edith Scob, Michel Piccoli, Pierre Clementi.
Directed by Luis Bunuel.

Veteran director, Luis Bunuel, had been using religious and Catholic themes as the targets of his critique, Nazarin, El, the Last Supper parody in Viridiana. He made The Milky Way (1969) where his pilgrims on the way to Compostella enter into the Gospel stories: Jesus about to shave and a statue-like Mary urging him to keep his beard, Jesus at Cana and discussions about him laughing.

By this time in his career, Bunuel was back in his native Spain after some decades and prolific film-making in Mexico. The story is told that he said, ‘Thank God, I’m an atheist’. However, he had a Dominican friend, a friar who had denounced Viridiana. Bunuel shows here a great knowledge as well as a satiric appreciation of the Christian, Catholic, tradition. The pilgrims encounter a great number of heresies and discuss Transubstantiation, the equality between good and evil, Gnosticism, the Inquisition and hell – with a flash to the Marquis de Sade.

The screenplay was written by Bunuel’s collaborator on Belle de Jour, Jean Claude Carriere, who began writing in 1961 and was still writing prolifically after 2000. For more of Bunuel on God, his Simon of the Desert (1965) is a comic meditation on St Simon Stylites.

1. The work of Luis Bunuel. His film career, exile from Spain, antagonism towards the Catholic Church, fascination with religion and its critique, his personal humanism, his contribution to cinema art, surrealism and the influence of Salvador Dali? His age at making this film and its being hailed at the time as one of his last? Its place within his filmmaking?

2. The style and structure of the film: the picaresque form and the succession of events in the life of the pilgrims, their passing through France, journeying to Spain? Stylish colour photography, use of locations? The range of events along the way? The visualising of church history? The lavish presentation of the past? The intermingling of past and present?

3. The final comment of the film on the accuracy of presentation of church doctrine? The opening and the remarks about St. James and Compostella? Christianity and its pilgrimage throughout the centuries? The significance of the title and the image of the Milky Way - religion amongst the stars? The title as a satiric comment on church history? The influence of the past on the present - good or bad, both? The role of religion in the contemporary world, sensible or not, humane or not, truly religious or not?

4. The final comment of Jesus from the Gospel and his coming to cause dissension and bring a sword upon the earth? The highlighting of the consequences of Jesus preaching in the heresies of the church? The presentation of doctrine - the letter of doctrine, interpretation and explanation? The repercussions of doctrine? The six major areas of heresy: the question of the presence of Christ in the Eucharist; the origin of evil and the gnostics; the dual nature of Christ; grace and free will; the Trinity; Marian doctrines?

5. The style of the film: colour photography. the use of locations, the decor and costumes in the range of church history, spectacle and pageant? The presentation of biblical scenes - echoing religious art, popular holy cards, kitsch style? The realism and the parody? The musical score? The use of hymns? The use of a large cast of French stars?

6. The focus on Compostella, the apostolic connection with St. James, a place of pilgrimage, superstition and true religion, the goal of a pilgrimage, its spirit? The irony of the ending with the prostitute saying the shrine contained the wrong bones? The pilgrims and the man with the cape (and his dwarf)? Impact. significance? The quotations from the prophet Hosea about religion, Israel and its relationship with God ? the image of lover and prostitute? The symbolic names of the children? The spirituality of Hosea ? God wanting obedience. not sacrifice? The use of quotations from Hosea in the New Testament ? especially against the Scribes and Pharisees? The literal relationship with the prostitute and the pilgrims at the end of the film? Ambiguous images of religion, from the Old Testament?

7. The portrayal of Jesus? The Jesus figure - Jesus as real person? The parody, how gentle, of the Holy Family at Nazareth? Mary appearing like the statue? The carpenter shop? Jesus and his being about to shave? His mother persuading him to keep his beard? The ironic touch with the humanity of Jesus? This being continued with questions about whether Jesus laughed or not? The marriage feast of Cana and Jesus enjoying it? His telling of the parable of the servant with such vigour? Jesus as an actor and the acclaim of the audience? The dilemma with the running out of wine? Mary and her word to the servants and to Jesus, his traditional answer, the miracle? The final miracle of Jesus with the apostles. the encounter with the blind men, his healing the blind men and their gradually seeing? Jesus' final words about coming to bring a sword, not peace? The reverent/irreverent treatment of Jesus? Bunuel's attitude towards Jesus as a person, his message? As different from his views on Christianity?

8. Pierre and Jean as the pilgrims? Their initial encounter with the man with the cape? The puzzle about his quotations? Puzzle at seeing the dwarf? Their being 20th century pilgrims on the contemporary road., their needing lifts? Their being given one and their swearing in relief and being ousted? Going to the inn where the priest was disputing about the Eucharist and the innkeeper being kind but the police and the priest throwing them out? Their puzzle about the encounter with the shepherd in the storm? Their encounter with the 4th century heretical group and their ceremony? The concert of young children in Bordeaux and the pleasant picnic, the irony of the children uttering the denunciations of doctrine from church councils? Their encounter with Rodolphe and François at the inn. the 16th century men and their moving into the 20th century story? Meeting them finally at the inn? The final encounter with the prostitute in Compostella? Their personalities their interaction with one another? Manner. behaviour. memories? Jean's age, experience, his declaration of his belief in God? The two men representing the ordinary citizen on his pilgrim path?

9. The drama, the parody, the comedy of the individual incidents along the way: the inn and the discussion between the priest and the policemen, the theological argumentation about the Eucharist, the hunger of the pilgrims. their being spurned by the police and the priest, the kindness of the innkeeper, the ambulance men coming for the priest? the restaurant and its stylishness, the master of the restaurant and the discussions about the person of Christ, the guests being involved, their being against the pilgrim beggars? Bordeaux, the friendliness of the institute and the staff, the concert, the children and their concert item quoting church councils and the anathemas? the inn and the two Spaniards, their escape from their pursuers, their involvement with the church group and their denunciation of the Trinity, their changing into 20th century hunters' clothes, their arrival at the inn? the innkeeper and the priest and the discussion about the Virgin Mary, the separate rooms for the hunters, the woman suddenly appearing in the bed, the discussion with the priest outside the door, the Jesuit appearing in the other room? The surreal comedy of these encounters? the prostitute and the final prophecy?

10. The doctrines considered, the nature of heresy in the history of the church, heresy and divisions, orthodoxy, fierce loyalties and fighting? The relevance of the doctrines?
(a) Transubstantiation: the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the language of theology, the discussion in the inn, discussions about bread and wine, realism and symbolism of the Eucharist, literal interpretations, such theological discussion in casual cafe discussion? The priest and his violence, the emergence of his being mad? His being taken away? The comment on a mad priest putting forward doctrines of the Eucharist?
(b) Priscillian and his heresy? The origins of good and evil? Evil as equal to good? The gnostic tradition and the discussion in territory traditionally associated with the Albigensians? The elaborate ritual of the group. the use of Latin for prayer and conversation, the shepherd speaking in Latin? The bishop? The faithful? The finishing of the prayer and the movement towards sensuality and sexuality? The spirituality of the soul unrelated to the needs of the body? Bishop Priscillian and the women? The bizarre aspects of church history and the gnostics and their later successes?
(c) The stylish restaurant? The head waiter and his knowledge about the natures of Christ, the waiters doing their work and suddenly bursting into questions of theology, the involvement of the customers? The flashbacks to visualising Jesus? For example. whether Jesus laughed or not?
(d) The pilgrims finding themselves in discussion about grace and free will? The Jesuits and their traditions of education and theology? The Jansenists and their severity? The clash in the church? The nun being crucified and the satire on strict Jansenist practice? The duel of words, of swords? The later reappearance of the Jesuit in the room of the Spanish young man? The parody in the swashbuckling style of the theological duel?
(e) The Inquisition and its severity, torture, interrogations about orthodoxy, the two young men shouting slogans against the Trinity and their having to escape? The grim aspect of religious persecution?
(f) The discussion by the parish priest in Spain of Mary, visions, the rationale of Mary as mother of God? Disbelief and the young man having a vision of Marg? Her appearance in the style of holy cards and of the flashbacks to Jesus' life?
(g) The flashback to the Marquis de Sade and his sadism, torture, reflections on the meaning of life?
(h) The discussion about Hell and the radio broadcast (Bunuel himself speaking this part)?
(i) The pilgrims and their anger at the car not giving them a lift, the wishful thinking and the crash? The encounter with the Angel of Death and the discussion about judgment, Heaven and Hell? His invitation to take the shoes of the dead man? The wishful thinking for the accident and the parallel with Pierre challenging God to strike him with thunder?

11. The value of the film as entertainment? As exploration of the church and theology? 20th century men and their times. the influence of Christ, the influence of the church and its doctrine? The use of the serious and the absurd for a contemporary fable?