FLESH ON GLASS

Australia, 1981, 40 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Ann Turner.

Flesh on Glass was a final year short feature made by writer-director Ann Turner at Swinburne Institute. It is an interesting exploration of relationships, sexuality, relationships between women - using metaphors from religion, especially the Catholic church and nuns.

The film was well-acted, uses Melbourne and Victorian countryside locations well. It probably has too much plot - the delineation of characters, their interrelationships, the crisis for the central character including the influence of her mother, her decision to become a nun, her leaving the convent, her yearnings for her sister-in-law.

This is one of the few films to explore religious " metaphors in Australian cinema so explicitly. A comparison might be made with the works of Michael Lee, Mystical Rose, his critical reflection on his upbringing as a Catholic and Turnaround, his film about his rediscovery of God and religion.

1. The impact of the film as a short story? Character study? Exploration of themes? The work of a film student?

2. The use of Melbourne locations, the countryside? The house and interiors, beach locations? The flashbacks and the dreams? Reality, dream reality? Musical score?

3. The title and indication of themes: flesh with its sense and sensuality and warmth? Glass and its brittle beauty, cold? Class as encapturing shapes and forms? Class as gift? The use of flesh and glass throughout the film: the touching of the glass for the occult experience, the touch of the statues, Kate's mother swallowing glass, drinks, the smashing of glass? 'The glassmaker is too excitable?

4. The atmosphere of the film and its opening with Kate as a nun, with the Rosary beads, her incantatory prayer? The use of religion as reality, superstition? Metaphor? Traditions of piety, intensity of prayer? Devotion and madness? The board and the glass, the discovery of Pamela and Ruth, their being in hell, love? The cry for help? Love of flesh as the ultimate sin? The possession of Kate by Pamela and its effect on her? Kate in herself, the experience of the possession, her living out Pamela's love? Pamela's love as a symbol of her own? The theme of sisters - in religion? Community? The visit to the convent, the discussion with the old nun and the discussion about the cemetery, Sister Pamela and Sister Ruth? The memories and dreams about the sinful nun being put in the cave, being walled up? The nuns and their breaking stone in the barren landscapes? The final brick? Kate being seen as Pamela, removing her veil, cutting her hair, and as the nun putting in the final brick? The atmosphere of mystery, dream and nightmare? Sexuality and prayer? Love of God, love of others? Kate and her making a decision to enter the convent, moving towards vows and her experience of doubts, the old nun bringing Aggie's letter? Its effect on her? An affirmation of love? The Superior giving her her name, Sister Ruth - at the suggestion of her brother? Her running away, the incongruity of the nun in old robes on the road, hitch-hiking? In the city, the phone call? Breaking free, taking off her convent clothes, putting on the modern clothes - and resuming life in the world and becoming free? The film's comment on religion in Australia, explicit religion, the churches? Tradition, superstition, repression? Odd and quaint aspects? The individual? Relationships? As a context for the lesbian relationship? The sexuality, mud and laughter? Guilt and punishment? Exorcising the spirit of the nun? The reference to Catholic themes – or metaphors for religion in general?

5. The title of the film and its relationship with Kate? Her past, her relationship with Hal, her 8th. birthday and taking his present and her selective memory? The holiday, her relationship with Aggie, the seductive manoeuvres in their relationship, the throwing of the bread, the gift, the kiss, the sharing? The visit to the convent together? Her response to Aggie's impulsiveness? The sensuality of their physical encounter, the mud, the laughter? The transition to her praying? The effect of the convent experience, Aggie's letter as an urge to leave and join her? Aggie's betrayal, Kate's anger and her smashing the glass? Achieving a freedom? The importance of the flashback, herself as a child, the same actress taking the part of the mother? The smashed glass, her picking it up, her mother swallowing it? The suicidal attitudes of her mother, being in the institution? Her falling in love and her husband tormenting her? Would Kate follow in her way - or break free?

6. Marriage: the mother's marriage and its failure, suicide attempts, withdrawal and madness? Hal and Aggie, their laughter, warmth, sharing, banter, the sexual relationship (and Kate hearing the noise and turning the light out)? Hal and his relieving as a doctor? Aggie as impulsive? Hal's reaction to the two women in the mud? Laughter - humour, nervousness? Aggie's pregnancy and the warning about drinking? The baby? Aggie's letter to Kate, her hesitating while packing to go, the visit and her formality, her mothering of Rebecca, her holding the dog most primly? Opting to be satisfied, on the whole, in marriage?

7. The occult experiences, the board, the glass, done in fun, serious repercussions, the effect on Kate and her being possessed, Aggie and her involvement, detachment, Hal taking it seriously? The name of Sister Ruth?

8. The environment, the countryside, the beach and its beauty, ruggedness, shoes off, footsteps in the sand. freedom? The convent beauty with its ordered gardens and bridges? Corridors? The sequences in the Melbourne streets, shops? Reality? The fashionable home, railway stations, the trains? Kate's return to the locked house, the freedom of the open beach?

9. The communication of themes within a short story framework, via narrative and symbolic images?

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER

US, 1960, 79 Minutes, Colour.
Vincent Price, Mark Damon, Myrna Fahey.
Directed by Roger Corman.

The Fall of the House of Usher is one in the series of Edgar Allan Poe stories filmed cheaply but spectacularly by Roger Corman during the early 60s. Corman took great interest in transferring Poe to the screen in colour and widescreen lurid melodrama. Critics and the public were in acclaim for this series which included such films as The Masque of the Red Death, The Tomb of Ligeia and The Haunted Palace. Vincent Price was to star in most of these films. They form quite an interesting series as versions of Poe and for the work of Roger Corman.

1. The quality of this film as horror, its creation of horror atmosphere and menace, the title, the theme in the physical collapse and the family collapse?

2. Audience interest in Edgar Allen Poe, his mentality, horror and madness, an American Gothic horror writer? The madness underlying American society? The 19th century?

3. The attitude and mentality that director Roger Corman brings to this film? The first in a series of eleven films of Poe's work? Quality production, commercialisation, insight into what Poe was communicating? These films as visual equivalents of Poe's language?

4. The quality of wide screen, the use of colour, special effects, devices for showing madness, fright? The lurid colours and the gaudy effects?

5. The use of wide screen with the confined scope of the plot: the fewness of the characters, their interactions. the confined space of the house and the various rooms, the confined time in which the plot took place? The effect of this for involving the audience?

6. The device of having the audience enter into the plot via the character of Winthrop: Winthrop as the young dashing hero, his heroics when confronted with the peril for his fiancee, the madness of the brother, the impeding butler? His participation in the terror, the importance of his nightmares and the way that these were visualised, his becoming a victim of the Ushers, the narrowness of his escape from the collapsing house and the collapsing family? The audience sharing his terror and escape? The understanding of what was happening through Winthrop's eyes?

7. How well did the film show the normality of Winthrop, his attitude towards the exotic and menacing house, towards Roderick and Madeline? The role of the butler in providing a balance between the madness and the normality? The character of the butler, his service of the Ushers, his service of Winthrop, the house collapsing on him?

8. The character of Roderick Usher and the epitome of this kind of madness? His explanation of what had happened in the family, his fears for Madeline, his wanting to kill her? The result of such an inbred family, his relationship with his sister, his explanation of his ancestors, the device of having him so sensitive to sounds and touches? Vincent Price's personality and style for this role? Cruelty and madness? The final destruction and the collapse of the house on him?

9. The contrast with Madeline and her seeming normality, the gradual revelation of her madness, the horror of her death and her being buried alive, her place in Winthrop's nightmares revealing his attitude towards her, throwing light on the impression of her madness? Her being a victim of Roderick, making Roderick a victim of her madness, wanting to destroy him and Winthrop?

10. How important are dreams and nightmares in this kind of horror? what do they reveal in their visual presentation, characters, symbols and colours?

11. The importance dramatically of the final confrontation between Winthrop and Roderick, Roderick's death? The culmination of themes?

12. The house destroying itself, the preparation of the various collapses during the film, the final fire and the consuming of the house?

13. How interesting as an expression of American Gothic and 19th century madness?

A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT

US, 1949, 106 minutes, Colour.
Bing Crosby, Rhonda Fleming, William Bendix, Cedric Hardwicke, Mervyn Vye.
Directed by Tay Garnett.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is a Bing Crosby vehicle of the late forties and tailor-made for his style. Beautifully and colourfully photographed, this story by Mark Twain takes us into the world of fantasy and takes an American innocent abroad to the European past. It is quite delightful as a twentieth century man goes back and tries to talk, in American jargon, to the people of the past about the things of the present. There is some good social satire implicit in Twain's story.

Bing Crosby is certainly an easy-going hero. Rhonda Fleming is an attractive heroine. William Bendix carries the comedy, somewhat strangely, as Sir Sagramore and Cedric Hardwicke is quite a humorous and effective King Arthur. This present version of the story is musical and the style of the songs is that of Bing Crosby. Directed by Tay Garnett, a veteran film-maker from the thirties to the sixties (Valley of Decision, The Postman Always Rings Twice).

1. 40s entertainment in terms of comedy, musical, Bing Crosby and his popularity? Entertainment value, now?

2. The contribution of Mark Twain to American literature and images of America? The transferring of his novel to the screen? Insights into America of the 19th century and the 20th? The fable about the new world transported to the old and the old world in the light of the new?

3. The setting of the musical adaptation, the Bing Crosby style, Rhonda, Fleming’s songs, the song with King Arthur and Sir Sagramore, with Bing Crosby? What did they contribute to the overall impact of the film?

4. The importance of fantasy, imagination, dreaming? The possibility of movement in time and going back into the past while retaining the attitudes of the present? For Americans to go to Arthur's England?

5. The symbol of Camelot? King Arthur’s times, the Knights of the Round Table, adventure and heroism? How well did the film use the Camelot ingredients and highlight the symbolism? An American in Camelot?

6. The 20th century framework of the film? The tour of the castle, Bing Crosby's presence and style, talking to the guide, communicating with knowledge about the history? The visit to the Lord of the Castle and his cold and the link with King Arthur? His niece and the fact that she was the same woman? The happy ending? The atmosphere of
unsolved mystery?

7. The atmosphere of Connecticut at the turn of the century? Hank and his work, the blacksmith and the cars taking over, the children and the singing? The basic situation and the horse riding and the transition to Camelot? The audience identifying and travelling back with him?

8. The humorous introduction of Sir Sagramore and his story? Their fear that Hank was a monster? His taking him captive, introduction to the Court? Hank's not being sentenced to death because of Sir Sagramore being beholden to Hank and becoming his steward? Sir Sagramore as an ironic contribution to the irony of the film? William Bendix as a very American Sir Sagramore?

9. The comparisons with the past and the present? England and America? Inventions, the explanation of these? The use of the magnifying glass for flames and the magical interpretation? The dancing and the comment on reserved manners? The various other instruments especially the pistol?

10. The character of King Arthur, old and crotchety and contrary to heroic legend? His colds and his humour? His court and atmosphere, the round table, the personalities of the various knights? The various anomalies of the king and of Hank? Sir Lancelot and his taking himself seriously?

11. The humour of Hank being understood as a monster, the danger of death and imprisonment, his magic? His being transformed into Sir Boss and his place, at the court?

12. The romance, and the conventional heroine of the court? How attractive was she? The jealousy for Sir Lancelot and his meeting Sir Boss? The humour and the parody of the joust and the tournament? The heroine's reaction and siding with Sir Lancelot?

13. The importance of the advice to the king to tour the countryside and know his people, the political and social comment, the king being maltreated by aristocracy, being sold as a slave? The danger, the humour of the eclipse and people's superstitions, the rescue?

14. An American dream? America and the new world having a look at the old and its values and traditions? How interesting a piece of Americana?

CONFIDENTIAL REPORT

US, 1955, 105 minutes (2006 restored version), Black and white.
Orson Welles, Akim Tamiroff, Gregoire Aslan, Patricia Medina, Jack Watling, Mischa Auer, Peter Van Eyck, Michael Redgrave, Susanne Flon, Katina Paxinou, Paola Mori, Robert Arden, Terence Longdon.
Directed by Orson Welles.

Confidential Report was written and directed by Orson Welles – also using black and white photography and the various styles of camerawork that he developed for his classic Citizen Kane in 1941. Welles had had a chequered career in directing in the fourteen years between the two films. He had made The Magnificent Ambersons which was cut by the studios. He made Journey into Fear as well as Lady From Shanghai with his then wife Rita Hayworth. He also ventured into two Shakespeare ventures, Macbeth and Othello.

After this Welles had an even more chequered career, acting a great deal to finance projects but not finishing some of them. Some that he achieved included Chimes at Midnight (based on the Henry IV and Henry V and Merry Wives of Windsor plays by Shakespeare), The Immortal Story and F for Fake.

Welles himself plays a mysterious millionaire who has a shady background. He hires an ex-prisoner to investigate his previous life, wanting to cover up this life. Robert Arden plays the investigator. The supporting cast is made up of a number of actors who had appeared in Welles’ earlier films.

Complex in its characterisations, elliptical sometimes in its plot developments, more than a touch arty with Orson Welles’ techniques for filming, it is nevertheless an intriguing Welles production. His next film was to be A Touch of Evil – and both of these films were cut and were restored after his death.

1. The quality of this film as an Orson Welles, film? The importance of black and white photography, Welles’ particular style? Welles’ themes of tycoons, power, corruption within the framework of Welles’ films and career?

2. The emphasis on techniques, the quality of the black and white photography, angles and tilt shots etc.? Overlapping dialogue and its creation of atmosphere and communication? Music?
3. The dramatic importance of the structure and audience interest and involvement: Van Stratten and his warning Zouk as framework; the flashback to the waterfront, the revelation about Arkadin and Raina, the series of flashbacks to Arkadin’s past as well as the interviews with the people from his past? The building up of a visual confidential report? The culmination in Van Stratten’s realization of what was to happen to him and Arkadin’s death? An angled portrait of a man, a type, a man in his times?

4. The blending of the acting styles? Orson Welles, overall presence as Mr Arkadin? The style of the principal characters, The style of the principal characters, they were considered amateurish. Is this true? The important actors and their style within the flashbacks and the interviews? Do all the styles cohere well?

5. The importance of the international locations? The atmosphere of Europe, the docks at Naples, the Riviera, Spain? The background of America in the 20s? Latin America and Mexico? The international at homeness of the characters? Their place in the world?

6. How was Arkadin the centre of the film? A brooding presence, enigmatic character? A man of power and deception? The way that he was photographed, Orson Welles and his style and manner of speaking? Van Stratten as trying to understand him and pursue the mysterious name and identity? The importance of Van Stratten’s quest for fortune and Arkadin being the ironic holder of the fortune? Arkadin’s relationship with Raina and his love for her being his downfall? His background, past, being part of the gang, his relationship with the members of the gang, with Sophie, love, hate, betrayal? His wealth, his despotic use of power, sexuality? The disillusionment with Van Stratten's report and Raina’s discovering the truth? The melodrama of his death? How much insight and understanding of a man who wanted to play God?

7. Van Stratten as hero? American, character in himself, petty smuggler, greed? Dangers and violence at Naples, the mystery of the name, the motivation of his pursuit? Millie and her enigmatic relationship with him? His conducting of the interviews? The use that Arkadin made of him? His reaction to violence and the deaths, to his being pursued and having to hide?

8. Millie as a type, relationship with Van Stratten, her place in the puzzle, the motives for her death?

9. How-well drawn was the picture of the past? Via strong character sketches? The quality of each of the character sketches in themselves, their relationship with Arkadin past and present: Sophie and the white slave gang, the clash with Arkadin, her retirement to Mexico and her marriage, her lack of bitterness, the death of herself and her husband? Burgomil? Zouk? The professor, the marquis, the countess? The members of the gang?

10. How well did the film contrast the world of the rich and powerful and the sleazy gangster world?

11. The popular thriller, atmosphere of danger, death? Power and corruption?

12. The life and death of Mr Arkadin and 'What doth it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?'

CONFESSIONS OF A LADY COP

US, 1980, 100 minutes, Colour.
Karen Black, Don Murray, Patricia Crowley.
Directed by Lee H. Katzin.

More or less an it sounds. It obviously echoes such television series as Policewoman. In fact, it seems something like a pilot for a television series. The situations of the film are fairly conventional - especially in police work as well as the behind the scenes frustrations and pressures for policemen and women. The film is carried by the strength of Karen Black's personality and performance. There is good support from Don Murray and an interesting cameo by Patricia Crowley as his strong, long-suffering wife. Direction is by Lee H. Katzin, director of many telemovies as well as features like The Salzburg Connection, Whatever Happened To Aunt Alice. Routine material, although highlighting the difficulties of being a law enforcement person.

1. The entertainment value of the pictures of the police at work. their private lives? The conventions of the cinema tradition of police stories? The popularity of the police on television during the seventies? The emphasis on policewomen? This film within this context? Its overall quality - better, average?

2. The conventions of the police story: the establishing of life at the precinct, seeing the police in action, the pressures and the eruptions of violence? Frustrations? The ugly and violent side of the criminal world? The courts? Personal pressures, career, inability to cope with difficult situations - the temptation to suicide? Tangled personal relationships? The need for achievement? The demands made on emotions and the possibility of fulfilment? How well did the film illustrate these various conventions?

3. The effectiveness of the film as telemovie? The tension and action? Commercial breaks? Californian setting? Special effects for action sequences?

4. The plausibility of the plot: how real did it seem, how contrived? Evelyn as a personality? Her relationship with Jack, with the other members of the team? Seeing her in action? Her investigations, her skill in arrests, detection? Her need for fulfilment in her work, to get the breaks, to achieve? The contrast with her frustrations her friendship with the policewoman who killed herself and the discovery of the body? Her own desperation? Jack and Gloria? Her being rescued? Her involvement in the case and detection? The arrest and the interrogation and getting the lead on the gun? The violent confrontation with guns? no contrast with her friendship with the children, their reliance on her? The teacher and his courting her? Her future? Sufficient for a portrait of a busy policewoman?

6. The sub-plot with Jack and Gloria? Evelyn and her friendship with Jack, the affair? His weakness in not telling his wife? Gloria and her strong stand and Jack's reaction? The effect on Evelyn? the attempted suicide, the ringing of Gloria? Gloria’s intervention? Jack's rising to the occasion to keep Evelyn alive? Future relationships between the three?

7. The children and the emotional aspects of the film? Evelyn breaking the news of their parents' death, helping them in the institute? The teacher and his criticisms of her? Her going to see the children? The bonds with the teacher and the possibility of her giving up the police to teach?

8. The members of the police force? various styles of personality, good friendship, jokes, tensions? Seeing them in action? the initial arrests at the club, trying to detect bosses behind rackets? The siege of the man in the house and the ruse about getting the pets out? The final gun-down?

9. The criminal world of Los Angeles? sufficiently suggested for the purposes of the film? Audience familiarity with these characters from other films?

10. The significance of the title - the point of confessions? A portrait of a policewoman? The policewoman as symbolizing people trying to cope with life, work, challenges, frustrations? Society and its attitude towards the police? expecting the police to protect, to confront ugly situations so that the public does not have to be involved? How fair is this towards the police? The help that the police get to cope with their work and personal problems?

THE CONDEMNED OF ALTONA


US/Italy, 1962, 114 minutes, Black and white.
Sophia Loren, Maximilian Schell, Frederic March, Robert Wagner, Francoise Prevost.
Directed by Vittorio de Sica.

The Condemned of Altona is based on a play by French existentialist author, Jean- Paul Sartre. It is Sartre’s perspective on World War Two and the consequences, especially for Germans as well as his condemnation of Nazism. The play was adapted for the screen by television writer, Abby Mann, who had success on the big screen the year before with Judgment at Nuremberg. He wrote a number of interesting films during the 1960s including Ship of Fools and The Detective. However, he returned to television with writing for his character, Kojak.

The film was directed by Vittorio de Sica who had emerged after World War Two as one of Italy’s greatest neo-realist directors with such films as Bicycle Thieves and Shoeshine. During the 1960s he directed Sophia Loren to her Oscar in Two Women (1961) and made a number of comedies with Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni including Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. He was to win another Oscar in 1972 for The Garden of the Finzi- Contini, returning to World War Two themes and their consequences in Italy.

The plot concerns a Nazi officer hiding out in his father’s house in Altona, Hamburg. He is played with great vigour by Maximilian Schell, who had won the Oscar the year before for Judgment at Nuremberg. He is visited by Sophia Loren (who had won her Oscar also the year before for Two Women). His parents are played by Frederic March and Francoise Prevost and his brother by Robert Wagner.

The film highlights the German memories of the war, the effect of the war on Germany and its post-war reconstruction. However, the family have shielded their son from the fact that the war has ended and, memorably, at the end of the film, he leaves the house thinking that there is still a war still raging, is shocked to find that there is peace. He enters a theatre where a play is being performed with an actor playing Hitler – whom he salutes.

The film is a serious version of the kind of story that was used more comically in Goodbye Lenin where a woman is shielded from the fact that the wall has come down in Berlin and East Germany and West Germany are to be united.

1. Meaning of the title? that it was based on a play by Sartre? His pessimistic outlook? His involvement in the war and French and German guilt? Did this give an important basis for this film? Critics attacked the film as eliminating Sartre’s issues and it being a poor film. Do you agree?

2. How was this family in Altona meant to represent the guilt of Germany, of the world, humanity? Was this communicated in the film? What picture of Germany did the film give? The contrast between Germany in war, Germany in recovery? As focused in the mind of Franz?

3. Sartre is interested in hell and humans being their own hell. People are enclosed in themselves. How was Franz in his room a representation of hell? His father? What was his hell?

4. How pessimistic was this film? The overall view of life? The view of the war and Germany’s recovery? Its faith in human beings? Cruelty? Their love? The ultimate meaning in life being death? Was there any hope in this film?

5. The significance of death in the film? The belief that Franz was dead? He might as well have been dead. His killing people during the war? the war dead? the final death of Franz and his father its meaning, lack of meaning?

6. How important was the character of Gerlach? Was he central to the film? His role as father in the family, influence, his love and lack of love? His power in industry? His wealth and capacity for manoeuvring? His relationship to Franz and his relationship to Werner? What was the impact of his confrontation with his son? Did it change him? Could Joanna change him? What did he realise when Franz comes out of his room? Did he accept guilt and reality? Was his death meaningful or not?

7. How central to the film was Werner? The young modern German? The new generation? His pleasant personality end the change because of industry and his father’s hold over him? His relationship to Joanna and her influence on him? Werner as a victim of modern recovery and industry? His toying with power and its influence on him? His relationship to Franz? He survived - in whet kind of world? Would he turn into his father?

8. Franz and all that was encapsulated in his character about the Nazi past? In prison in his room? As mad? The fact that he was being concealed in the modern world? The truth and falsity of his view of himself? His sister’s explanation of him? His relationship with Joanna and her seeking the truth, his lying to her? The significance of his speeches and his continued trying of himself for justice? The impact of his death? Had he accepted his guilt by going out of the room and confronting his father? What had he discovered about the modern world compared with Germany in ruins? The impact of his final words on tape?

9. Joanna as a catalyst? How important? Her love for her husband? Her curiosity about Franz, her relationship to Gerlach? Her discovery of the truth about Franz? Her reaction to Werner’s changing? Was there any hope in her character?

10. The character of Leni? And her role within the household? Why did she tell Joanna the truth? Her hold over Franz?

11. What did the film have to say about guilt, reparation, atonement? How is atonement made for crimes against humanity and society?

12. What did the sequences in the theatre add to the film? The influence of Brecht?

13. The visualising of the images of industry? The plant, the city, modern Germany, the sequence of Franz’s discovery of the modern world and its style of photography?

14. How important were the themes in this film for the modern world? In relation to the success of the way they were filmed?

COMPULSION

US, 1959, 103 minutes, Black and white.
Dean Stockwell, Bradford Dillman, Orson Welles, Diane Varsi, E.G. Marshall, Martin Milner, Richard Anderson, Robert Simons.
Directed by Richard Fleischer.

Compulsion is an excellent crime drama. It was considered something of an art film, ahead of its time. It screened in competition in Cannes in 1959 and won the ensemble (**OR Ensemble?) acting award for Orson Welles, Dean Stockwell and Bradford Dillman. (Dean Stockwell was to be part of an ensemble award for best acting in 1962 for his role in Long Day’s Journey Into Night.)

The film was directed by Richard Fleischer, who had begun directing in small-budget films like The Narrow Margin, moved to bigger-budget films like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea and The Vikings but proved that he was skilful at all kinds of genres. He continued directing into the 1980s. In relation to Compulsion, he also directed The Boston Strangler with Tony Curtis as well as Ten Rillington Place, about the murderer John Christie, with Richard Attenborough.

The screenplay was based on the actual Leopold-Loeb? murders of the 1920s where two rich young men plotted and carried out the killing of a young man. The story was sensational in its time, especially the court case. This is re-enacted here in dramatic fashion with Orson Welles as the leading lawyer. Bradford Dillman and Dean Stockwell work very well as the two killers, especially in the psychological interactions, seeing who was leader, and, as the events unfolded, who really was controlling the situation.

The story was also used by Alfred Hitchcock in his 1948 Rope with John Dahl and Farley Granger as the killers and James Stewart as the lawyer. The story was also filmed in 1992 by Tom Kalin. However, this time the leading characters were called by their real names, Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold Jr. This film was more frank in its presentation of the characters, their homosexual relationship, the cruelty and coldness of their kidnap and murder of a child.

1. The significance of the title?

2. The effect of the black and white photography? The plain direction? The nature of any effects, e.g. superimpositions? The plain photography during the trial? The angle shots and profiles?

3. How credible was this story? The fact that it was true?

4. What basic message did the film have about such events? What did the film have to say about evil and compassion? Was this clear throughout the film?

5. The significance of the prologue and its emotional impact? The robbery and the escape, the driving down of the old drunk? The immediate impressions of evil and cruelty? And then the sudden impact of the credulous? How well did this prepare us for our response to this film and the moral judgments we were asked to make? How did the prologue indicate the hold that each of the two men had on each other? The dependence and the obedience required? This being continual during the film? In their evil acts? In their testimony? During the trial?

6. What kind of person was Jud? Was he in any way sympathetic? How sensitive a person was he? How intelligent? His place in his family? His initial clash with his brother? His relationship with Ruth? His behaviour in the class and his challenging of the professor? His knowledge of the law? His wit enabling him to apply the law? His theory about supermen? His suspicions of emotion? The fact that he could not kill anyone? Dean Stockwell’s performance? His terse manner of speaking? The angles at which he was photographed?

7. How evil a person was Artie? Did his home background explain him? His relation to Mumsie? His jokes, showing off, his lies? How vicious was he? How attractive to Jud? The homosexual relationship?

8. How effective was the limited view the audience had of the behaviour of Jud and Artie? We saw much of them. We did not see everything, especially the murder of the boy. How did this give us some sympathy for the two of them? yet distance us from them and their crime? Did the film intend that the audience partly identify and partly look from the point of view of the public? Was this effective?

9. How attractive a person was Ruth? How much were the audience meant to identify with her? Her attraction to Jud? Her sharing his looking at the birds? The attempted rape sequence? The insight into Jud from this? The insight into Ruth and her compassion for Jud?

10. How important was Sid as a character? Jud’s helping him to get into the lecture room? His work for the paper? As a normal person at the university? This love for Ruth? Were the audience meant to see through his eyes?

11. The importance of Horn in the film? As representing the law? His techniques for getting the truth? His hunches? His taking the boys out to dinner? The accident of the discovery of the truth? How cruel a person was he?
How vindictive? How much was the audience meant to identify with him and his horror at the boys’ behaviour?

12. The importance of the sequences with the press? The fact that the two boys were celebrities? Their family background and money? The importance of rich criminals compared with the poor?

13. Comment on Jud and Artie’s response to their arrest? Jud’s surliness and his trying to fence with Horn? Artie’s showing off and telling lies, dramatising the situation? Their breakdown under stress? Did they fulfil their ideas of supermen in this situation?

14. What were your impressions of Jonathan Wilk? What values did he stand for? Why did he take the case? His attitudes towards capital punishment? His aims to get justice for his clients? His own personal style? Orson Welles’ performance? Audience response to Wilk?

15. Wilk’s stress on psychological factors? The reaction of Horn and others to the use of psychology? How important was this for Wilk’s case? For the truth? His establishing of the psychotic and schizophrenic nature of the boys? Did this explain their cruelty and their actions? The relationship of their psychotic stage and their guilt and responsibility? How important was this for the case?

16. The importance of the sequence where Ruth was in the box? The plea for compassion? Sid’s reaction to this and his later apology? How effective was Wilk’s long speech? In the way it was filmed? In the screenplay? In Orson Welles’ low key performance? What was the gist of his speech? The appeal to compassion? How convincing was this appeal to human reaction? The ambiguity between horror at actions and compassion for human beings? Was it effective propaganda against capital punishment? Why? Its effect on the judge?

17. How horrifying were the reactions of Jud and Artie to their sentences? How did this effect the audiences who had been moved by Wilk’s speech? Jud’s speech about God and his surliness? Wilk’s answer about his uncertainty and leaving the question about God and justice open? How was this a final confrontation on which audience response was to be gauged? How effective was this?

18. The final sequence with the glasses? The dramatic effect of this and its irony?

19. What was the final impact of this film? Entertaining? Interesting and absorbing? Too moralistic? A just and adequate presentation of a criminal issue and the issues involved?

COMPANY OF KILLERS

US, 1970, 84 minutes, Colour.
Van Johnson, Ray Milland, Brian Kelly, Fritz Weaver, Clu Gulager, Susan Oliver, Diana Lynn, John Saxon, Robert Middleton.
Directed by Jerry Thorpe.

Company of Killers was originally a television movie called The Protectors but was released in cinemas. It is a standard thriller, a group of hired and trained assassins. What is of interest is that the staff consists of many of the film stars of previous decades who are beginning to find their home in television movies like this. Director Jerry Thorpe (son of celebrated MGM director Richard Thorpe) directed television series and telemovies from the mid-50s to the mid-90s.

1. An entertaining thriller? Critique of big business? Police film?

2. The overtones of the police investigation drama. conventional? Newspaper story? The presentation of big business and the hired killers?

3. Denver location photography? Authentic atmosphere? Music?

4. How credible was the plot? The police work and its ordinariness, methods of detection? The newspaperman? Big business people, home life, penthouses etc.? Means for gaining control? The credibility of such a company of killers, with such contacts, methods? The personalities of those who are hired killers and the hold of the company on them? Relentless dedication to killing?

5. The film’s opening with Dave and his asthma: the character of the killer, hospital experience, delirium and revelation of the truth, his wandering the city, relationship with Thelma, meeting of the bosses, taking on an assignment, failure. following through in order to murder? The build-up to the final encounter with Owen Brady? A credible kind of killer?

6. The portrayal of Sam Cahill as the typical policeman, his methods, home life? A pleasant character? His assistants?

7. The contrast with Lasalle and the business meeting, his money difficulties, relationship with his wife, decision to hire the killers, the hold of the investigators over him, the carrying out of the conspiracy?

8. The importance of the characters of the newspaper reporter and his ever presence, the doctor at the hospital? Thelma and her devotion to Dave, the hold over her, her revelation of the truth? Johnny Shanks and the piety of his presence in the church and yet his ruthlessness, his assistants, the interrogators of Lasalle? Lasalle's wife and her loneliness?

9. The build-up to investigation, crises? memorable sequences? The build-up to the final confrontation? Owen Brady as victim and his immorality and deserving to be killed?

10. Conventional themes of good and evil, right and wrong?

COMPANIONS IN NIGHTMARE

US, 1968, 100 minutes, Colour.
Gig Young, Anne Baxter, Patrick O’ Neal, Dana Wynter, Leslie Nielsen, Melvyn Douglas, William Redfield, Louis Gossett Jr.
Directed by Norman Lloyd.

Companions in Nightmare was an early telemovie and employed quite a number of famous stars. It is a murder mystery but the setting is a sensitivity encounter group, reflecting the popularity of such groups in the late sixties. This provides some melodramatics in interactions amongst the stars as well as occasion for detective work and the probing of human themes. Melodramatic, somewhat implausible, but certainly interestingly entertaining.

1. The quality of this early telemovie? The impact of telemovies and their techniques? The audience for which the film was designed?

2. The qualities of the telemovie, plot, stars, breaks for commercials etc.? The bringing of the murder mystery into the home? Psychology?

3. The effectiveness of the murder mystery framework, the giving of clues, the analysis of personalities? The contribution of Bernard Herrmann and his dramatic score?

4. Audience interest in group therapy around 1969? The interest in psychology, group work? The value of this kind of therapy? Suspicions, benefits, fears? The using of therapy by the police? The importance of psychodrama and the revelation of people's motives and understanding one another?

5. How well did the police techniques, the detective story framework and the psychological therapy and psychodrama blend? How credible?

6. The range of murder suspects and audience suspicion? Sufficient clues, insight into personality - especially by psychodrama and the gradual revelation of their true stories? The build-up to the ending and the revelations?

7. The importance of showing so many sessions? Their style? Could the truth be found out in such sessions? The running of the meetings, the role of the doctor, the various personalities involved, hatreds, expressions of feelings and suspicions? The standing up, sitting down and moving around?

8. The patterns of the film in showing meetings between the various individuals outside the sessions? The way they left the sessions, the visits to one another. the revelation of various aspects of life? The revelation of the true natures of the people involved in the sessions?

9. The portrait of Dr. Nicholson, his control of the sessions, his suspicions, the irony of his death?

10. The character of Dr. Strelson, his hopes? his not being present at so many of the sessions? His explanations to the police about various personalities, cases that he had met and analysis of the situation especially for the police?

11. how plausible was the character of Philip? his personality, home life, the revelation that he was a presence even though dead? His effect on each of those present? Their motivations for killing him?

12. Eric as the seeming hero? How suspicious was the audience of him? His constant presence throughout the film? How much of his character was revealed in the encounters with his wife and the failure of their marriage? The imports of his visit and the truth told especially by his wife? The encounter with Julie, and the truth?

13. How plausible was the character of Carlotta? Relationship with Philip, wealth and being spoilt, the formalities of her marriage? The importance of the visit to Jeremy, the killing of her dog and the effect on her?

14. Jeremy and his bitterness and the telling of the truth of his story? Especially the sequences with Carlotta? His cynicism in the sessions?

15. The truth about Julie, seeing her at home, her cases of guilt in the past? Its being played on for the present crime?

16. Richard and the reasons for his silence?

17. How much of each other was re-enacted when the psychodrama was attempted? How useful for dramatics, a way of getting to the truth?

18. The effect of the truth and the culmination? The irony of the repetition of the opening?

19. The presentation of the police especially in McKay? The importance of his being black? Were race issues raised?

20. How effective is the use of psychology for exploring the motives for murder mystery and the psychology behind such aberrant behaviour?

COMMAND DECISION

US, 1949, 112 minutes, Black and white.
Clark Gable, Van Johnson, Walter Pidgeon, Brian Donlevy, Charles Bickford, John Hodiak, Richard Quine, Edward Arnold, Marshall Thompson, Cameron Mitchell, Ray Collins.
Directed by Sam Wood.

A World War II film made soon after the war, it is partly a tribute but also a critique of America’s involvement in the war, at least as regards preparations, responsibilities for bombing raids, public relations and morale boosting. The film was based on a play and is opened out with some action sequences, especially when Clark Gable has to bring down a pilot who eventually crashes. However, the film follows the play in its staging of scenes, long speeches, dramatic interaction.

Directed by Sam Wood, a stylish director whose range includes the Marx Brothers' A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races, the original Goodbye Mr. Chips and such action films as For Whom the Bell Tolls. The cast is expert and Clark Gable gives a very strong performance in the central role but is matched by Walter Pidgeon and Brian Donlevy. While the focus is World War II and its dilemmas, the issues discussed and the indications of cover-up are more relevant to later decades. The film still has a great deal of relevance.

1 . The impact of the film in the post war years? The tribute, the tradition of propaganda war films? The nature of the critique? The purpose of the film?

2. The film based on a play - the drama, interaction, speeches? How well was the screenplay opened out?

3. M.G.M. production values, black and white photography, the Miklos Rosza score? The all male cast and their dramatic talent? The stylish production, action sequences?

4. World War II and 1948? The experience of the war, involvement in Europe, the Pacific? Victory and assessment? The cold war era? How does World War II seem in later decades? New assessments, attitudes to war, the truth, reportage, cover-ups, heroism, decisions?

5. The significance of the title and indication of themes? Responsibility and personal involvement, the need for overview of strategy, security risks, morale boosting, finance, sacrifice for greater good?

6. Americans in Britain - the British base, handling situations in a foreign country? The raids and the skills required? The necessity of the bombing, the factories? Mistakes? The cost in lives and planes? Congressional visits and investigations? Reporting and the need for morale boosting?

7. The realities of war and the way these were presented, life on the base, the relentlessness of the raids, the influence of politics, pre-war finance, the need for morale boosting and American opinion, stories, Photos, public relations?

8. The personal interaction, clashes, power struggles, persuading others of point of view, changing of command, etc.?

9. Clark Gable as Casey Dennis? His strength of presence, his role in Command, his sustaining of the loosest the interaction with John? Kane and his visit, the interaction? The clashes about the bombing targets? Blackmail? The visit of the congressman? Friendship with Martin, Garnett and his presence, succeeding Dennis? The raids and the effect, the loss of planes and men? The sequence with Dennis guiding down the pilot who crashes? His relationship with Evans and his assistants? His personal involvement with the men, his not knowing the details of their lives? His reaction to the congressman, the discussion with Kane with the voices coming from the other room? Pressures, the reaction to Martin's death, the telling off of Congressman Malcolm? The transfer, the nostalgia, the support of Garnett? The transfer to the Pacific? The American hero? strengths, weaknesses?

10. Kane and his Command? His talk, P.R. work, secrecy, decisions? His voicing of opposite opinions to those of Dennis - and the audience being able to gauge the correctness of views?

11. Garnett and his talk, hopes for the Pacific, his relationship with Martin? His having to take over? The importance of Lancing and his strategic advice? His final advice for the target? The personal touch and Martin's death?

12. Martin and his missions, the personal story, the birth of his son, his death? The importance of the bombing mistake and Goldberg’s reaction, his sense of guilt?

13. Evans and his role as assistant, his way of dealing with situations, diplomacy? Discussions with Garnett? Transferring with Dennis?

14. Congressmen and their visits, pomposity, investigations? The talk about losses? The relationship between Malcolm and Jenks? The giving of the medal and the interruption of the news of Martin's death? Jenks’ reaction?

15. Brockhurst and his role as reporter, his criticisms, hindrance, later wanting to help?

16. The portrait of the individual men? Prescott and his press relationship work? Lee and his drinking and the encounter with Garnett? Good men, skilled, tired?

17. The film as a character study? An exploration of war and its significance? Its continuing relevance?