PATERNITY

US, 1981, 94 minutes, Colour.
Burt Reynolds, Lauren Hutton, Beverley D'Angelo, Paul Dooley, Norman Fell, Elizabeth Ashley.
Directed by David Steinberg.

Paternity is a pleasing Burt Reynolds vehicle. During the '70s Reynolds alternated his action films with more sophisticated comedies and dramas. The action films were very popular, especially the Smokey and the Bandit features and Hooper. He tried to enter into the world of sophisticated comedy with such films as Starting Over, Rough Cut. He himself directed a variety of films including the action feature Gator, the very black comedy The End and the police thriller Sharkey's Machine.

Paternity is old fashioned in its style but contemporary in its themes. The manager of Madison Square Garden discovers him self in midlife crisis and wants a child for some kind of immortality. He employs a surrogate mother, they fall in love and there is a conventional, pro-life, happy ending. The film generally has the light touch and its appeal is a matter of taste and response to Burt Reynolds and comic routines. He has a very good supporting cast with him, headed by the charming Beverly D'Angelo (from Hair, Coalminer's Daughter, Honky Tonk Freeway). There are glossy New York locations, a gallery of humorous characters and a pleasant romantic score made up of old songs. The credit sequence is amusing with David Shyers' ironic song Baby Talk. Beneath the light comedy touch is a serious underlying theme of midlife crisis, love, children and family.

1. A satisfying Burt Reynolds vehicle? Burt Reynolds' popularity? His action style, suave comic style? His playing his comic style against his tough style? How well does it work here? In the tradition of the sophisticated comedies of the '30s and '40s?

2. The film as New York comedy: the use of the city, its skyline, Madison Square Garden, cafes, apartments, parks, clinics? A contemporary '80s American story?

3. The score and its atmosphere? The credits song and its tone? The pictures of the babies, the music, their squealing? The humorous comment?

4. The contemporary moral attitudes towards mid-life crisis, surrogate parents? The characters' emphasis on the biological contract, non emotional involvement, legal and financial contracts? The inevitability of change in both partners? The human contact, the acting out of fantasy, the repercussions on feelings, sense of responsibility, belonging? The change in both partners? Their growing to share the experience of parenthood? The experience of parenthood? The fostering and growth of love? How credible was this contract partnership transforming into love and marriage?

5. The title and the ironic reference to babies? The importance of maternity? The focus on the children during the credits, Buddy and his friendship with the children in the park with the humorous comments? Kurt's son, their discussions, basketball playing? The motivation for wanting a child? Self centredness, shock of middle age, questions about immortality? His self centredness, possessiveness, anxiety? His masculine approach of contract without realising emotional involvement? His experience of change?

6. The doctor and his support? Examining him? His advice as a friend? His continued consultations with him? The growing friendship with Maggie? The preparation for childbirth and the lessons? How good a friend to Buddy and Maggie?

7. Kurt and his friendship with Buddy, his marriage and family and highlighting Buddy's aloneness? The man about town being envied by the father? The father being envied by the man about town? His talk, work, his not having Buddy's skill but supporting him? The humour of the birthday sequence, the singing telegram and Buddy's embarrassment? The quality of his friendship?

8. The humour of the auditions sequence, the irony of auditions for maternity? The range of characters? The variety of aspects of the feminine: the frightening of the girl in the butcher's shop ? with the overtones of meat, flesh, blood? The various ugly girls? The inadequate girls? The smugness of Buddy's holding the auditions? The irony of Jenny coming for the interior decorating, the long tradition of dialogue of misunderstanding, Buddy's liking her, the long chase, the boat and the ironic meeting with Maggie?

9. The introduction to Maggie, her work in the restaurant, music lessons, ambitions for Paris, lacking finance? The chance encounter with the pursuit of Jenny? The quick making of the deal? Her ingenuity and initiative in getting a contract, a lawyer, a woman lawyer? The deal about the money and her role as baby maker?

10. The build up of the relationship: business side, acquaintance? Emphasis on the biological? The difficulties of the conception, the hotel comedy, the fantasy? The beginnings of a personal relationship?

11. Maggie's pregnancy and Buddy's concern about her? The lessons, the meals? Maggie's growing jealousy? Buddy and his cavalier attitude - especially in the encounter with Sofia? Sofia's shrewdness in realising the situation? The woman talk and Sofia's withdrawing after giving advice to Maggie? Maggie and her determining her future, running away and provoking Buddy?

12. Buddy and the realisation, his pursuit of Maggie, the reconciliation?

13. The happy ending - and the irony of Buddy having girls, not boys?

14. The light touch in the contemporary love story with ironic variations? Audiences identifying with characters,, settings? Values and lifestyles? The positive approach to love, parenthood, children?

PAT AND MIKE

US, 1952, Black and White.
Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Aldo Ray, William Ching, Charles Bronson, Sammy White.
Directed by George Cukor.

Pat and Mike is one of the later Tracy/Hepburn comedies and is enjoyable and delightful. Written for them by the team of Ruth Gordon and her husband Garson Kanin, personal friends of the team and writers of their hit Adam's Rib, the film capitalises on Katharine Hepburn's sporting skills. She is herself but gets an opportunity to show her talent on the various sports arenas. Spencer Tracy plays the inevitable sports reporter. The film is light and, of course, the battle the sexes. Aldo Ray has an enjoyable role as a slow-witted boxer. Charles Bronson has a small role as a gangster, and can be seen thrown in a martial arts toss by Katherine Hepburn herself. Direction is by George Cukor, who had directed Adam’s Rib, and who directed both stars in numerous films? A good addition to the Tracy/Hepburn canon.

1. An enjoyable Tracy/Hepburn vehicle? The appeal of the stars, their comedy teaming, the sports theme and the satire on things American?

2. The quality of George Cukor and his direction and finesse, his working to get the maximum effect from the team? The writing of the Kanins and their work for Tracy and Hepburn?

3. M.G.M. production values of the 50s, black and white photography, gloss and finesse, presentation of sports, the comedy style?

4. The focus of the title, the Irish humour background, the indication of the relationship between man and woman, team? The theme of American men, American women? Overtones of chauvinism? Mike's comment on he's being he's and she's being she's? The humorous presentation of the battle of the sexes, comparisons and contrasts? Mike and his domination of the boxer, Pat and her domination of Mike at the end but his ironic final comment?

5. The film's focus on Pat at the start, Collier and the college, her domination by Collier and his intimidating her, especially at the golf-game (and the humour of the golf game with the nagging wife)? Pat's flaring up and showing her skill? The leading into her going into the tournament, being approached by Mike and being tempted to lose? The themes all being presented within this atmosphere?

6. Katharine Hepburn's sports skills and their presentation? Her characterization of Pat as tough yet vulnerable, intimidated? The relationship with Collier and her bowing to him? Her decision to leave from the train, her joining Mike's team? The making of the contract and the humour of its repercussions during the meal and her ironic comments, even about being burped? Her successes in sport, her failures and the nightmare tennis game with Gussy Moran?

7. The film's presentation of the world of sport? The long golf tournament at the beginning with the professionals of the time? The photography's focusing on golfing skill? The world of competition, money? Sport in America as pastime and big business? The presentation of real life stars of golf and tennis in the film?

8. Mike and his partner, background of the humorous tradition of gangster films , Damon Runyon style? The offering of the bribe, his being attracted to her and his comments about her figure, watching her play? The contract and the session at the restaurant? The growing bond between them, sparring, the massage, trading blows? Mike becoming good, the temptation to Pat to adopt his way of life and his resistance of this? mike and his control over his partner, his promotion of the boxer and his having him in control with the three questions, the humorous wisecracks with him?

9. The repercussions of success and failure on Pat? Mike's discovering the link with Collier? His building her up but the intervention of the gangsters and the encounter in the room, at the restaurant, the fight? The court case?

10. The characters of the gangsters, the humour of the fight and Pat's judo skills? The humorous repetition of this in the court room?

11. Pat and her final success, marrying mike? A happy ending with an ironic twist,, especially in his description of their unlikely combination?

12. A humorous presentation of America, a slant on men and women, the enjoyment of the sports background?

A PASSION

Sweden, 1969, 100 Minutes, Colour.
Liv Ullmann, Bibi Andersson, Max von Sydow, Erland Josephson, Erik Hell.
Directed by Ingmar Bergman.

A Passion: a Bergman island in colour and with cars and TV sets, at first homely territory and a seemingly accessible film. But we soon move to Bergman's land scapes of the human spirit, the purgatorial land where souls are searched and lives relived in constant seeking of the meaning of success and failure, appearances and reality, truth and lies. Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann are excellent in roles that require subtlety as they move from external actions to the inner significance of their roles they take. Bergman also has the actors themselves explicitly describing how they see their characters. A typically fine Bergman film. It fits into a trilogy : Shame and Hour of the Wolf, also with Liv Ullmann and Von Sydow.

1. The meaning and focus of the title: suffering, act of suffering, experience and suffering felt? The reference to Christ and the Christian mystery, agony? The focus on the passion of Anna?

2. The religious background of the film: Nordic religions, deaths of animals and sacrifice, the sun and portents in the sky? The Christian overtones of Christ, belief in God, the Book of Revelation and portents in the sky?

3. Ingmar Bergman and his thematic preoccupations: life, art, science, psychology, suffering, God, relationships, poor? How well were these visually presented and explored? The preoccupation of the artist and his insight into relationships: Elis as the architect and his comments on photography and the limits of understanding by photography?

4. The particular contribution of cinematic techniques: colour, light and darkness and shadow? The use of profiles? Groups? Editing? The brightness of fire, the dark of night? Sinister atmosphere? Use of sounds, eg. the supper conversation?

5. The contribution of the structure: the presentation of the four main actors and punctuating the narrative with their being interviewed about their interpretation of the roles? The placing of these four interviews and the order in which they occur? How much information did this give the audience that was not supplied in the narrative? The narrative by the director himself to explain what had happened? These techniques as involving the audience or distancing them?

6. The nature of the screenplay and the gaps in information and narrative? Consistencies and inconsistencies? The audience puzzling over what they have not seen or heard and which is suddenly given as information taken for granted? A sense of wonder? The strengths and weaknesses of the characterizations with this lack of information? what repercussions for motivations? For the passing of time and the nature of time?

7. The film beginning and ending with Andreas? Who was he really? The identification at the end? Depending on his identity, who were the rest of the people? Their relationship with him? The suggestion that the experience is one of purgatory? Knowing and not knowing the present and the past? The reliving of the past? Of sins and grace? The necessity of suffering and purging oneself of guilt? The importance of sickly interpretations of life? Human beings being trapped in the same cycles? How relevant are these observations to the major themes and interpretations of character?

8. The character of Andreas? First impressions with his building the house, the sun, dropping the bucket? His kindliness towards Johannes? Allowing Anna to telephone and then listening in? Returning her purse but reading the letter and knowing about her? The encounter with Eva asleep in the car? The happiness of the visit to Elis and Eva? Conversation at the table and the effect of Elis' comments on Milan? Eva and her belief in God? Anna and her statements about the truth? The discussions with Elis about the photography and the nature of photography, posing for the series? The effect of the affair with Eva? Denying it to Anna later on? Living with Anna, their love, work, the desperate nature of their fights leading to hatred and violence and attempted killing? And yet the contrast with Andrea's care for Johannes, concern about the animals, especially the dog, the dead sheep? The horse? Tenderness in reading Johanna’s letter and visiting his house? The clash with Anna in the car and his pacing up and down at the end and burning up? Strengths and weaknesses, mixture of good and bad? Max von Sydow interpreting his house as a hideaway and a self-imprisonment?

9. The focus on Anna and her passion and suffering? AS a cripple, the telephone call and her anxiety and weeping, her steeling herself to meet Andreas? Her explanation of her background and marriage, the child, the accident? Eva's explanation of it? Her strong declarations at dinner, her reactions to others? Her emphasis on the truth and Liv Ullmann's interpretation of her emphasis on the truth? Her living with Andreas as not explained? Their work together, scenes of tenderness? Her explanation of her marriage? The importance of the long focus on her monologues and their content? Her wanting to help Andreas and yet his exposing her hypocrisy? Her moral strengths and the demands that she made on others and her expectations? Her praying? Her driving to Andreas and asking his forgiveness? The emphasis on goodness in her character?

10. Eva as a straightforward character, asleep in the car, losing her husband's love, conversation at dinner, especially about childhood and belief in God? The reason for her spending the night with Andreas and the significance of their talk? The quality of her love? Bebe Anderson's interpretation of her future, the possibility of suicide, working for the disabled, especially the deaf and the isolated?

11. Elis as a character in himself, his arrogance and explanations about Milan and the mausoleum that he was build? His mask covering his real self? Cynical sounding comments? His showing Andreas around, the comment on Annals nightmares? Explaining his photos? Audience response to such a collection of photos of people experiencing all kinds of emotion? Having photos of Anna, Andreas as her husband, Johannes? His comments on photography and the possibility of understanding people through photographing them? His reaction to Eva and her affair? Andreas having an affair with his wife? A devilish aspect in his character and facial expression? The man who taunts? Erland Josephson's interpretation of him?

12. The significance of Johannes, his initial isolation, a good man, his cough? Becoming a victim, caring for Andreas in his drunkenness? His premonition of death? The pathos of his letter and Andrea's visit to his home? The ugliness of his being lynched?

13. The atmosphere of war? Andreas and Anna watching it on the television? The violence of the animals and the mad slaughter? The animals killed? A lynching mood that drove Johannes to kill himself? The war and the violence between Andreas and Anna?

14. Themes of love, lust? Good and evil? Each individual being incomplete?

15. What was the vision of the world and catastrophe behind this film? Human needs and their fulfilment? The vision of Ingmar Bergman?

PASSION

US, 1955, 84 minutes, Colour.
Cornel Wilde, Yvonne de Carlo, Raymond Burr, Lon Chaney Jr.
Directed by Alan Dwan.

Passion is a colourful action melodrama of the '50s directed by veteran Alan Dwan. Cornel Wilde and Yvonne de Carlo appeared in many of this kind of film. Raymond Burr and Lon Chaney also.

The colour photography of old California is an asset. Otherwise the film is expected action adventure ? critics wondered whether there was anything in the story or action to justify the title!

1. An enjoyable Californian western? The 18th. century and the Spanish occupation of California? The opening up of the land? Violent clashes?

2. Colour photography, locations, the open plains, the snow and the mountains? Period costume and decor? Musical score?

3. The title and audience expectations? Justified? In action, characters?

4. Juan Oberon and his vaqueros? The ownership of the land, the ancient rights and claims? Don Domingo and the clash? Domingo’s attacking the ranch? The killing of Gaspar, his wife, Rosa? Juan's love for Rosa? Their child? Vengeance? The pursuit of Domingo's men? The stalking of them, the killing? The confrontation with Sandro? The mountain chase? The discovery that his child is alive? The confession from Sandro, the police captain and the confession? Tonia and her love for him?

5. Yvonne de Carlo as Rosa and Tonia? The clash of type? Their infatuation for Juan? Rosa and the marriage? The child? Her death? Tonia and the pursuit? Following Juan? The mountains?

6. Rodriguez and his role as police captain, the investigation of the killings, the pursuit of Juan, the confession of Sandro? Political and financial links?

7. Domingo and the land claims, the gang, the cruelty of the attack on the ranch, the murders? The members of the gang? The pursuit? Sandro and his being pursued into the mountains?

8. The saving of Juan's child, her being cared for, Tonia discovering the truth? The happy news for Juan? The)reunion?

9. The American heritage, California, the ingredients of. the western in 18th. century style?

THE PASSENGER

Italy, 1975, 119 minutes, Colour.
Jack Nicholson, Maria Schneider, Jenny Runacre, Ian Hendry, Steven Berkoff.
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni.

The Passenger is an international film by Michelangelo Antonioni. Antonioni had a reputation in Italy in the 50s and 60s culminating in The Red Desert. He then moved to England and made Blow Up. In the late 60s he went to America and observed its society within the framework of his theme of man's alienation from his environment: Zabriskie Point. After this he spent some time in China making a long documentary. The Passenger is his film after his observations on China. In The Passenger he has made a film which is an impressive and valuable cinematic exploration of modern man, his identity going to pieces, his meaning lost, his search for himself and making new identity, the search for something to challenge him.

Jack Nicholson portrays excellently a T.V. journalist, the everyman observer and commentator, who moves to Africa, England, Germany, Spain, a citizen of the world kind of passenger. Antonioni asks questions about man, implying a vast hopelessness, yet suggesting that absolute pessimism is not his answer, Maria Schneider, from Last Tango in Paris, is attractive and intelligent as the co passenger. Antonioni's use of locations, colour, camera movement,(especially the already famous final seven minute take) put this film into the realm of the classic. It is almost as if the photographer from Blow-up, as well as the victim in the photographs, are incorporated. into the one character of David Locke who is photographer and chooses to become victim.

1. The significance of the title, a citizen-of-the-world passenger, the implications of a journey, destination or not, vehicle for the journey? The purposes of the journey? The Italian title of the film was 'Profession: Reporter'. Is this more suitable?

2. Comment on the film as the work of an Italian director with an Italian point of view. However, his principal star was a well-known American; he also chose a well known French actress for the lead. The international emphasis and attitudes of the film? The response drawn from an international audience? An attempt by the medium for the universality of the message?

3. Comment on the use of worldwide landscapes and countries: Africa and its desert atmosphere; England and its civilization and rather comfortable homes and studios; Germany with its busy airport and traditions as in the church; Spain as an old country where old and new meet, a place of birth and death? The interaction of all these atmospheres?

4. The impact of the structure of the film: the focus on one nun and his one life? The decision for a new life, a journey to death? Audience interest in and involvement in this structure?

5. The importance of the use of colour, atmosphere and environment, landscapes and their emptiness, full landscapes? The contrasting buildings, styles of architecture? The contrasts of old and modern, civilization and non civilization, home situations and foreign situations? An alien world?

6. The theme of man's communication with man? Man's inability to communicate? The significance of words and gestures, what they contain, what they cannot convey? Foreign languages, misunderstandings? The world of non-communication? The importance of encounter, the use of names, the fact that the girl did not have a name? Communication and the background of television, interviews and questions, tape recorders? The transience of so much communication, the strange permanence of film and recorder, even after a man's death?

7. The importance of the opening and its being set in Africa? The atmosphere of the African people, the mystery in Africa, the visualizing of the desert? Locke's curiosity and search for information? The sequences of the camels moving through the desert contrasting with the jeep; the military situation, world of revolution in the desert, revolutionaries hiding away? The contrast with David Locke and his noncommunicating with his guide, his impatience, his exasperation with his truck, the skid in the desert and his invocation of Christ? His screaming out of 'I don't care!'? Allah and the desert? His walk, the arrival at the hotel, flies, heat, his shower? The significance of the encounter with Robertson and finding him dead?

8. The background of the military coup in Africa? Its significance for the later interviews with the President, the Witch Doctor? The interweaving with Robertson's job as a gunrunner? The initial interest in the military coup, audience interest then in the various rendezvous, the information about the guns? The Embassy in London? The drawing together of the pieces for Locke's death? The interest in modern ethnic situations, the global warfare and the individual within this world?

9. The importance of his changing of identity? How did the film indicate that David Locke's identity was crumbling? what motivated his decision to change? The technique of the tape playing, the flashbacks while David Locke changed the passport, etc.? The audience's involvement in the detail of the change in personality? A transition of commitment from Locke to Robertson? Locke choosing to become Robertson in Robertson's world and the framework of his world? The significance of the conversation between Locke and Robertson: the two voices and their revelation, their comments on the desert and waiting, Locke preferring men to landscapes, Robertson the globetrotter? Their comments that men are the same and are men of conditions and habits? Locke as a run of words and images versus Robertson the man of concrete merchandise?

10. The impact of the transition to London? The television discussion, the file on David Locke? The consideration of Locke as dead? The comments on his personality and upbringing, British and American, his detachment yet powers of observation? Locke arriving within the British house landscapes? A dead man returning to his own world? The coincidence of seeing the girl in London? The contrast of the civilized world of London with that of Africa?

11. The irony of the audience watching Locke as if he were a dead man revisiting the places of his life?

12. The importance of the character of Rachel and the way the film delineated her character? The character of Martin? The significance of their relationships with David Locke? The TX. world? Rachel's lack of love for her husband; her lover; yet the effect of Locke's death and her searching for his memory? martin and the modern decision to make a television portrait? The search for the authentic interviewer? The film's use of the television material, its being edited into the narrative of the film? The various places in which we were introduced to television material and asked to think about Locke and his past and contrast it with his present? Rachel's visit during the interviews and the impact on her?

13. The content of Locke's television material? The interview with the President and his double talk? The later discussion with the Witch Doctor? His turning back the questions on to David? The mutual interview?

14. The world of Germany as a contrast with England and Africa? The busyness of the airports, the chatter with the car hire girl, Yugoslavia as a possible destination for a passenger? The sinister atmosphere, the box in Munich, the guns? The look of Munich and its old-world beauty? The significance of Locke's being at the back of the wedding, the religious symbolism? Why so much attention to marriage? The irony with Locke's flashbacks to Rachel? The symbolism of the burning and the flashback? The widow, the empty grass? The irony of examining the alms in the church? The threats? And then Locke's comment and expletive, 'Jesus Christ?

15. The contrast with Barcelona and the comparison with Germany, England and Africa? The significance of the kidnap and the torture and the revelation that this is what the Africans and the gunrunners were like? The environment of Barcelona, the language difficulties flying over the water and the symbolism of this? Barcelona and the rest of Robertson Locke’s life? The significance of the old man, the same old tragedy and the old man telling his life story? The insertion of the documentation on Africa, the picturing of the execution and showing the man being shot three times? The point of this kind of violence at this moment of the film? A preparation for an anticipation of Locke's death?

16. Locke's growing commitment to the character of Robertson? His reaction to Martin's searching for him? The irony of Rachel's going to the Embassy, the impact of receiving his clothes, giving the Government information about Robertson's location? Her desire then to go to Spain to save him?

17. The character of the girl, her beauty, intelligence, the impact on the audience as well as on Locke? Her work in architecture, presence in London, presence in Spain? The nature of their encounters, no names, friendship? The significance of her helping him, becoming his companion, the sexual relationship? The accident of their meeting on the roof? Her asking 'who are you'? His comment on people disappearing everyday? The symbolism of their driving away and looking at the past receding? Her ingenuity in getting the clothes and eluding Martin? What was Locke running away from?

18. Locke finally devoting himself to some cause, even though it was unknown? The significance of the appointments? The girl's contribution to his meeting the appointment? The atmosphere and build-up to Locke going to the appointment and Rachel wanting to rescue him?

19. The significance of so much of the end of the film being given to Locke's last day? The scenes of driving, meals, the police investigation about the car, the chase by the police, eluding the police? A growing sense of peace? The significance of Locke sending the girl away? The significance of her return? The fact that she was urging him to the appointment, which meant she was urging him to death? Was this kind of commitment better than nothing?

20. The significance of the visualizing of the piazza, the people who were there, Locke's asking who were there? The atmosphere and the music? The old man, children with bubble gum? The contrast with the room and the insect and blood on the wall? The irony of the Hotel de la Gloria?

21. The significance and symbolism and application of the story. of the blind man and the recovery of his sight and his fear of the world and death?

22. How ready was Locke for death? The dramatic significance of the seven minute take? The way that it was done by slow tracking outside the building round the piazza and back to the room? The fact that Locke was not seen? The irony of his death as not being seen by the audience? The ~significance of the girl wandering in the piazza, the people there, the arrival of the cars and the sinister noises?

23. The significance of the two women's comment on Locke's death? Rachel saying that she never knew him, the girl saying she did recognise him? The two responses to the differences in the one personality?

24. What was the audience left with at the ending? People driving away, death, sunset, the piazza remaining the same and the electric lights coming to life? The theme music?

25. The film as an allegory about modern man and his life in this world, as a passenger, destination, motivations? Identity, loss of identity and the need to search for identity?

A PASSAGE TO INDIA

UK, 1984, 163 minutes, Colour.
Peggy Ashcroft, Judy Davis, Alec Guinness, Victor Bannerjee, Nigel Havers, James Fox.
Directed by David Lean.

A Passage to India is a David Lean film. Lean made Ryan's Daughter in 1970, tried to make The Bounty in the succeeding years but was unable to complete it. This is a work of his old age, both mellow and acutely observant. It has all the hallmarks of Lean's epic films (Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago), a real feel for the setting, the beauty as well as the harshness of India and its people.

The film is based on E. M. Forster's novel, considered by many unfilmable. Lean has been able to portray a narrative and also to suggest the psychological and religious implications of the situations for the character. He is aided by an excellent cast led by Judy Davis, Oscar nominated for her Adela Quested and Dame Peggy Ashcroft, who won for her Mrs. Moore. Victor Bannerjee is excellent as Dr. Aziz. A strong supporting cast including Nigel Havers and James Fox also includes an eccentric performance by Alec Guinness as Professor Godbole.

The musical score is by Maurice Jarre (who composed Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, Ryan's Daughter) and it resembles the Ryan's Daughter theme in many ways. There is a strong period feel for India in the '20s, both for the British and for the Indians as well as suggestions of the fight for independence to come. The film was a success even though there had been a great focus on television and cinema on India with such films as Gandhi and such series as A Jewel in the Crown and The Far Pavilions.

A masterwork by a master director.

1. The quality of the film? Nominations and awards? A David Lean film: his inspiration, direction, editing? Its place in his career?

2. A portrait of India in the '20s: its sense of history? Eighties audience watching in retrospect and in knowledge? Visual impact: Bombay and the wharves, the railways, the countryside, Chandrapore, the Malabar mountains and caves, the Himalayas, the Ganges River? The capturing of India's beauty, uniqueness? People, wealth. poverty, crowding? Religious backgrounds? Social differences, the castes? The British in India, the Raj? The Indians who adapted to English ways? The British not adapting to Indian ways? The audience sharing a passage to this India?

3. Colour photography, the use of locations, the recreation of period? India as colourful and exotic? As real? The importance of the editing and pace? The power of the visuals? The use of Indian symbols? The musical score, Indian themes, western themes, western music? Evocative of the characters?

4. The status of E. M. Forster's novel: a classic, his character drawing, relationships, exploration of cultures and their interaction, themes, psychological and sociological implications? The strength of the adaptation to the cinema medium? The cinematic suggestion of themes and subtlety of character?

5. East and West: the British Empire and presumptions about its importance, presence? The history of the Empire and its achievement? The presumption of the British? The overlordship of Asian nations? Condescension, colonialism, abuse? The reluctance to adapt? The westernising of the Indians e.g. the army, clothes, music, bands, cinema? The effect on the Indians: people of two worlds? The growing hostility towards the British? The '20s and the impact of Gandhi and his movement into the '30s and '40s to revolution? The British and their superiority, aloofness, arrogance? Transplanted not integrated? Their prejudices (attraction of dark men for white women and not vice versa?), administration of justice? David Lean's own view of the British Raj, observation, critique? Helping audience response and understanding?

6. East and West: men and women and their roles, equality and inequality, the sacredness of customs and traditions, sacred places, religion? The lack of British understanding and even respect? The traditions of the sensual and sexual in religion. art? Statuary? These traditions for Indians? Their impact on more reserved westerners? The overall impact of 20th century change and permissiveness?

7. The credits sequences and the focus on Indian art. beauty, tradition, sensuality? The transition to England in the '20s, Miss Quested and her prim behaviour, appearance. the prospect of the voyage. a new world, the comments of the liner company? The audience focus on Adela? Her passage to India. through India? Adela at the end. having shared her experience. identified and not identified? Perceiving the effect on her. the change in her. on others?

8. The voyage and the arrival at Bombay, the Viceregal presence, the Collector and his wife, the wife's behaviour in the train and her superiority. the welcome to Chandrapore, the formality of the reception, the Collector and his home, the British compound. the clubs and their codes: the current musical comedies staged in India, polo playing., court justice and its rituals hospitals? Compounds and seclusion. manners and the right thing? The British sticking together? Insiders outsiders? And the Indian's observations of how long it took men to change. shorter time for women to change?

9. Peggy Ashcroft's portrayal of Mrs. Moore? Her awards? British. traditional but with wisdom. undergoing experience and changing? Her openness? The voyage, her delight, her relationship to Adela and care for her? Her past and her explanation of her two marriages and their effect on her, reserve, exhilaration? Her regard for her son, wariness? The train journey and her reaction to the Collector's wife, disdaining her? The arrival and its pomp, the effect on her, watching her son? Affected by the heat and the climate? Wary about Ronnie,. going to court with Adela and watching him administer justice? Their later clashes and his accusation that she did not understand him? Her reaction against the pomposity, wanting to meet Indians but prevented? Her disgust at English rudeness towards Indians. especially at the afternoon tea party with the segregation? Her moving amongst the Indians and delighting in meeting the women? Her leaving the musical, her going into the mosque, Aziz confronting her, the growing friendship, listening to him about the Muslim religion, the presence of God, the Ganges and its sacredness. its crocodiles? Her respect for Indian religion? Her visits and the audience seeing India and Indians through her? Friendship with Fielding? The encounter with Professor Godbole, her fascination, his talk about reincarnation, the suggestions by visuals, music and movement of some spiritual intercommunion, mystery? her being overwhelmed by the experience, protesting Aziz's innocence? Her decision to return? Her opting out of the whole case? The relief of being on the ship again, the persuasive filming of her heart attack and the audience understanding it, her death? Professor Godbole looking at her as she left Chandrapore, his comments on reincarnation? The overall impact of her leaving? Her not being able to adapt to India despite her sympathy? The irony of the chanting of her name when she was dead, the evidence in court when she was dead, the Indians chanting her name and mistaking Adela for Mrs. Moore? Adela as identified with Mrs. Moore?

10. Adela in Mrs. Moore's pattern, her companion, sharing the voyage, the audience looking at India through her but not identifying with her reserve? Her repugnance for the Collector's wife? The arrival, her going to Ronnie, kissing him? Her being puzzled by his behaviour, pompous attitudes? The play, the polo and her decision not to marry him and declare this? The garden party and her trying to assess British manners? The encounter with Professor Godbole, paddling in the pond with him? Fielding and Aziz? Her interest in Aziz? The important sequence of her bike riding so far from Chandrapore, her fascination by the temple ruins, the eerie and sacred atmosphere (as a parallel to the caves), the statuary and the prim girl of the '20s looking at the expressions of sexuality, her being alone, the temple, the monkeys and her being frightened, her hurrying away? The overall impact? As an explanation of her susceptibility to the caves? The trip and its rush? The train Journey and Aziz, even as Douglas Fairbanks over the railway bridge? The caves and her experience, the buzzing in her ears, the crowd? The darkness? Her going on alone with Aziz, the discussion about his relationship with his wife, her sexual curiosity, her prying, the raising of her own questions? Her being left alone outside the cave, her decision to go in, the buzzing noise, the overwhelming aspect, hearing Aziz call her name, seeing him crouched in silhouette at the entrance to the cave? Her suppressed feelings coming to the surface? A feeling and experience of being violated? Her rushing away down the mountain, the thorns? The credibility of the charge? Her illness and her being tended in the compound? The courtroom, her going into the box, her seeming hardness, her attitude having changed? The experience of the trial? Her going on oath, the gradual telling of the truth, the influence of Aziz, the reaction of McBride? and the people in the court, the Indians, the Indian lawyer? Her declaring publicly that she did not love Ronnie? Her remembering and telling the truth? The flashbacks? Her being abandoned by the British and labelled 'bitch'? Her being rescued by Fielding in the rain? Going home with him? Aziz and his spurning her, wanting the money damages? Her return? The final sequences and the letter from Aziz and her gratitude for it,' the effect of the experience on his life, for the better? Her symbolising the British: presuppositions, the harsh experience of the climate and the terrain, the traditions and religion? Her eventual honesty? For the benefit and independence of Aziz?

11. Ronnie as Mrs. Moore's son, relationship with Adela, the expectations? His welcome to the Collector and his wife? His appearance in court and sentencing the Indian? Presence at the club, his formalities, his being changed? His being shocked but then allowing Adela and Mrs. Moore to be free? Clashing with his mother? His never having been to the caves? His response to Adela's experience? Hostility, his stepping down to let an Indian hold the trial? Her support from the club, his shock at Adela's declaration?

12. The Collector and his wife and their arrogance, as typical of other British, the doctor and his wife, the other members of the club? Mc Bride and his judicial role, his interviewing Aziz and invading his privacy? Presuppositions? Offensive questions to Aziz? His trying to be fair, his being shocked at Adela's response? A portrait of the British establishment?

13. The contrast with Fielding: his role as a teacher, his memories, the war? His being on the outer? His place in the club? His pleasure in Professor Godbole's company? Entertaining him - and having the right food? The friendship with Aziz ? and the touching sequence of Aziz showing him the photo of his wife? His helping Aziz at the caves after missing the train? With Mc Bride, telling the truth, the discussion about the photo etc.? His going to the club and his protesting Aziz's innocence? His resigning? His being ousted by the society? The experience of the trial, listening to Adela's testimony, the happy ending? Yet Aziz and Fielding separating? His helping Adela? Aziz refusing to answer his letters? The visit, Aziz's expectation that Adela was his wife? The joy of finding that it was Stella and that he was to have a son? The happiness of the visit, the farewell? Fielding gaining fulfilment through his friendship with Aziz?

14. Victor Bannerjee's performance as Aziz: presence, sympathetic personality? As an Indian, a doctor? His relationships with the British? His deferential manner, his honour? Skill at his work? His lawyer friends? The Begum and her husband planning for a future marriage for him? His experience of being a widower, his absent children? His loneliness and the sex magazine? The treasured photo of his wife and Fielding as the only white man to have seen it? His code, honour, Muslim religion? His being humiliated by the British, the Collector not waiting, the women taking his carriage? His spiritual experience in the mosque, prayer, sense of the presence of God. respect for the Ganges? His accosting Mrs. Moore and then his respect for her? The growing friendship? The outing to Fielding's and his promise to go to the Malabar caves? The irony of his never having been there? The importance of keeping his word. the detailed preparation and the elaborate detail. his managing? His encounters with Godbole and a sense of fate? Godbole's missing the train? The early arrival at the station, and his sleeping entourage? The trip and the sense of not everything going perfectly with Godbole missing? His Douglas Fairbanks impersonation on the train? The trip. the great caravan and elephant ride? The crowd at the cave? The experience of the cave, the echoes. Mrs. Moore and her being overwhelmed by the echoes and the crowd? Her urging him to go alone to the higher cave with Adela? His response to Adela's questions about sexuality and his wife? His going quietly to smoke? His anxiety about Adela? His becoming the victim object in Adela's mind? His alarm at her flight, Fielding rescuing him, the trip back. the atmosphere of his arrest, imprisonment? The humiliation, his reputation? His earnest pleading with Adela? Her telling the truth, his release? Being carried as a hero, the rains coming? His joy but his turning anti British, anti Fielding, anti Adela? His Indian clothes? His moving to the Himalayas, his satisfaction in his work, his bringing his children with him, friendship with Godbole? The refusal of contact with Fielding, Fielding's arrival, the reconciliation with him, delight in Stella's presence? The freedom to write to Adela? A portrait of an Indian?

15. Professor Godbole and Alec Guinness' performance? Indian traditions, caste, his being treated with reverence and yet mocked? Food customs, prayer, dancing? His fatalistic philosophy? Reincarnation, premonitions, visits? The encounter with Mrs. Moore? Friendship with Fielding, Aziz? His missing the train for the picnic? At the station to watch Mrs. Moore go? His wrong timing during the trial for the name of his new school? His going to the Himalayas, finding a home, genial presence, a man of the East and eccentric for westerners?

16. Aziz and his relations and friends? The lawyer and his wife, their concern for him, the court case and pleading for him? His friendship with the hothead lawyer and revolutionary, his protest in the court, his rousing the crowds to frenzy and chanting? The lawyer from Calcutta - and his not having to defend Aziz? The judge and his seeming subservient to the British yet trying to administer justice?

17. The caves, the mountains, the distance, the sacredness, barrenness, the journey by elephant, their darkness, the echo, the religious implications, sexual implications? The use of rain and water, storms, the river, pools? Myths, reality? Themes of life and death?

18. The film as a film for westerners and their passage to India?

PASSAGE HOME

UK, 1955, 102 minutes, Black and white.
Peter Finch, Anthony Steel, Diane Cilento, Cyril Cusack, Geoffrey Keen, Hugh Griffith, Duncan Lamont, Bryan Forbes, Gordon Jackson, Michael Craig.
Directed by Roy Baker.

Passage Home is a grim British melodrama of the mid?'50s. Set on a ship, it focuses on a voyage from South America to England. The focus is on the Captain, played with morbid relish by Peter Finch. It is the picture of the loner who becomes infatuated and breaks down. Anthony Steel is the conventional hero. Diane Cilento is the sign of contradiction for the Captain. (Her name in the film is Ruth. Advertising said 'She was Ruth. He was ruthless.') The film captures the atmosphere of life on the small boat, the manic driving of the crew by the Captain, the treatment of the crew. There is interesting supporting work from Geoffrey Keen as the sympathetic Bosun and Cyril Cusack as an insinuating steward. Michael Craig is a trouble maker.

The film is the work of the Boulting Brothers who made a wide range of films in Britain from the '40s to the '70s.

1. Interest? Entertainment value? A story of the sea? Action drama? Melodrama? The ship as the microcosm ? a variation an the ship of fools theme?

2. A British film: cast, locations, black and white photography, music, special effects ? especially for the voyage, storms? Authentic atmosphere?

3. The British and the sea, the tradition in the navy, British sailors and their coping with isolation? Resources? The '30s and the atmosphere of the era? As seen in retrospect?

4. The framework of the Captain receiving recognition, his memories ?grim? The ending with his meeting the Vospers?

5. The Captain as the focus of the film? The initial tribute? His ship, his abilities as captain? The South American route? Intense, principles? The cattle? Deals? His taking Ruth on board? A tough man, disliked, stickler for rules? The problem of the potatoes and its consequences? The steward and his insinuating presence? Sneering at the Captain? Ike and his loyalty to the men and to the Captain? The Chief, the mates? Their contacts with the Captain, dining with him? His ability in running the ship? His courtesy towards Ruth, liking her, the: plan for his marrying her, worked out beforehand without reference to her, the proposal? Her refusal and its effect on him, the attack, his humiliation, drinking? The crew and Ruth trying to get him on his feet? Ike's death and his conduct of the funeral even though drunk? The storm? The men taking control? Growing more isolated? A portrait of a disintegrating loner?

6. Ruth and her story: governess, going onboard, her place on the shop,; the men and their reactions to her? Her presence a catalyst for change? Her femininity, the effect on the men? The steward and his talk, suggestions? Vosper as the upright man falling in love with her? The Captain and his courtesy, proposal, her repelling him, being attacked? Her concern for Ike? Her help to get the Captain to the funeral? The ending with Vosper?

7. Vosper as hero, the upright officer, his conduct with the Captain, his falling in love with Ruth? His clashes with the Captain? Marriage?

8. Ike and his work as Bosun, illness, ulcer? A good man? The issue of the potatoes? The coat? The fights? His death? The funeral? The memory of his wife and children? Shorty and his help, the umbrella?

9. The mates, their behaviour, ambitions, criticism of the Captain, coping during the storm? The management of the ship ? and the Captain, even though under the influence, directing the ship and being daring?

10. The sailors and their toughness, relationship with Ike, rebellion about the potatoes, hatred for: the Captain? Burton and his making trouble, the fight? Ike covering for him?

11. The steward and his manner, presence, insinuating, continually, gossiping, laughing at the Captain and being caught? The end?

12. Chief and the running of the engines, the amount of coal necessary for the voyage, the bluffs?

13. The impact of the sea, the ship on the sea, the passage and the victims of the sea?

14. Isolation, isolated men, the presence of a woman? The old ship, tensions? The microcosm of human nature?

PARTY GIRL

US, 1958, 98 minutes, Colour.
Robert Taylor, Cyd Charisse, Lee J. Cobb, John Ireland, Kent Smith.
Directed by Nicholas Ray.

Party Girl is a colourful gangster thriller, made in the late 1950s, at a time when the gangster films of the '30s had begun to be classics. There was a revival of gangsters in the late '50s early '60s. However, with The Godfather and many similar films as well as police stories, the gangster film came into its own in the '70s and '80s. This film was not so well received in its time.

Robert Taylor is solid as the crooked hero; Cyd Charisse has some glamour as the title party girl. There is quite a strong supporting cast. Direction is by Nicholas Ray. He had made an impression with his earlier films including They Drive By Night, The Lusty Men. During the '50s he made what seemed to be some heightened, even lurid, melodramas. His career was cut short by illness during the '60s after making The King of Kings and 55 Days at Peking. A film study of him was made by German writer director Wim Wenders, Lightning Over Water.

1. The popularity of the gangster thriller in American cinema? The classics of the '30s? The revival in the '70s and '80s? Comparisons for this film?

2. Production values: M.G.M., Cinemascope, colour? Chicago, the '30s? Sense of period? Musical score? Song?

3. The M.G.M. cast, playing in and against type? The work of Nicholas Ray and critical acclaim?

4. The presentation of gangsters in the '30s - warnings, encapsulating history as it was made? The moralising? Yet the attractiveness of the gangsters? What had happened by the '50s? Later? The world created ? real or unreal? Audience response to the world of crime. wealth. violence? Gangster types? Power, the law? The vicious subculture of the gangsters and their wheeler dealing?

5. The moral judgment filmmakers made, audiences? Mirroring a world? Audiences identifying with it? Repelled by it?

6. Robert Taylor's style as Thomas Farrell? His presence, lameness? Symbolic? Attitude towards the law? His reputation, connections? His principles? Reaction to Cannetto? His care for Vicky? Ricco and his relationship? His success and his physical and moral disabilities? Cookie and his mania? The build-up of the gang wars? The role of the law? The prosecutor and holding Farrell? The kidnappings? His being picked up. biding for time, saving Vicky? An ambiguous hero? The importance of his lameness, the trip to Sweden. the operation and its success? Relating to Vicky - her saving him, his saving her?

7. Ricco and his power. wealth, father-figure for Farrell and for Cookie, lavish entertainment, glamour and girls, Cannetto and Cookie, the clashes, the violence, his decisions, the kidnapping, the acid threat for Vicky, the violent end? The Godfather type portrait?

8. The sketch of the gangsters, Cannetto and his toughness, Vicky? Cookie and his insanity? Violent deaths? The mad mania. attitude towards the law. believing themselves above the law?

9. The portrait of the law, the ability of administration to hold the gangsters, corruption, the earnest prosecutor?

10. Vicky and her background, type, contacts, victim, the kidnapping, the acid threat? Rescued by Farrell, urging him to better things, mutual help? Love?

11. The issues of gangster films and reflection of American lifestyle? Values? Morals?

PARTNERS

US, 1982, 93 minutes, Colour.
Ryan O'Neal, John Hurt, Robyn Douglass, Kenneth Mc Millan.
Directed by James Burrows.

Partners is a variation on the theme of cop partners, a genre very popular in the 1970s on screen and on television with Starsky and Hutch, Cagney and Lacey and various other variations on the theme. This time of the two detectives, one is straight, the other gay. They are played by Ryan O'Neal and John Hurt. In order to solve their case, O'Neal has to pretend to be gay. The investigation is in the gay community of Los Angeles.

What gives the film extra interest is that it was written by Frances Veber, the author of La Cage au Folles as well as a great number of very funny comedies from the 70s to the first years of the 21st century including his film about Gerard Depardieu and his having to come to terms with homosexuality in The Closet (with Daniel Auteuil pretending to be gay in order to save his job). Veber also wrote such films as The Dinner Party and Tais- Toi. He is a master of the odd couple and the various slapstick predicaments that they can fall into. The film was directed by James Burrows who had a strong career in television directing such series as Will and Grace.

1. Impact of the film as police story, murder mystery, comedy, comment on the gay society? The blend of these aspects? The use of conventional material of each aspect for entertainment? Insight?

2. The title and its ironies? The other work of author Francis Veber with the advertisement for La Cage Au Folles II? Audience response to homosexuality themes: presuppositions, a minority, a minority that has been attacked, issues of coming out and closet, fair judgments on homosexuality, homosexuals and their behaviour, prejudice in society? Biases? Focus on sexuality, relationships, love? The background of perversion, crime, blackmail? How fair was the film? Biases? Accusations of ridicule of homosexuals? Understanding?

3. The measure of heterosexual relationships? Male and female stereotypes in behaviour, style? Emotions? Sexuality? The parallelling of homosexual relationships with heterosexual? Aspects of macho? assertion, tenderness, domestic sequences, jealousy, love, service? Benson's comments on the harassment of women after he experienced harassment from men?

4. Los Angeles, the gay community? Murders? The apartments, motels? Attitude of the police ? and harassment? The jaunty musical score?

5. The focus on the murders: in themselves, the investigation and accusations of prejudice, attitudes of the police and harassment? The gay world: the motel manager and his flirting, the nightclubs, the apartment block, the sex magazines, the coffee shops, swimming, the pickups, businessmen, the landlord of the apartments? Comic aspects, ordinary everyday aspects, squalid aspects? The murders within these contexts?

6. How funny was the film? Comic situations, offbeat touches? How real?

7. The focus on Benson and Kirwin? The parallels with the everyday police story? Discussion about their work. their compatibility? Benson's prejudice? The introduction with his eyeing the secretary and Kirwin's not? Their beginning to work together, clothes, the pink car, bickering? The move to the motel? Setting up house? The neighbours and the party? The development of their partnership and relationship ?Kirwin looking after Benson, Benson accepting it, domestic scenes, bickering, tenderness and friendship? Their support for one another? Kirwin's attachment to Benson? The clashes at the end and Kirwin's saving Benson? How well did the film incorporate the police style into the gay world situation?

8. Ryan O'Neal and his macho style? Relationship with Clara? His distaste for the job? Antagonism towards Benson? The pink car, the clothes, the motel manager, his jogging and impotence with the girl. the party and his pushing Kirwin to partnerships for interrogation, his date with the coffee assistants and the romp on the beach, being arrested and harassed, the comedy of his posing for the magazine, his coming home and being waited on by Kirwin, the parallel with the domestic scene, even with him going out shopping? The change in him? Prejudices, confusion, anger? Jill and the photography? Her visit with the stills, his staying home for the meal with Kirwin and her intrusion, the night together? His dates with her? His ignoring of the evidence? The build up to the confrontation with the businessman? Learning the truth? His trying to revive Kirwin and the comic touch with the end and Kirwin's hoping they would set up house?

9. John Hurt and his acting abilities? A convincing American? The closet homosexual? His worrying about it showing? His unwillingness to do the investigation? His reaction to the car, clothes? A fearful homosexual and his repugnance to dancing with another man, etc.? His growing attachment to Benson? Jealousy? His observing Benson at work? The arrest? Cooking, the meal at home and Jill's intrusion, his reaction, arrest? cooking, Jill's intrusion, his reaction?

10. The police chief and the mixture of cynicism and humour? Commissioning the job? Keeping in touch? His admiration for the two men? His attitudes towards homosexuals? His participation in the raid? The end? The range of police presented, helpfully, as harassers of gay people, at the end?

11. Jill and her work, her attitudes towards photography, the visit to Benson, the seduction? The truth about her? Her contacts? Photography, killing? Her death?

12. The heterosexual angle with Clara and her wondering about Benson at the beginning? Her visit to the apartment?

13. The photographer and the raid? The villain and his set ups? Murders? The melodrama of the final confrontation?

14. The film's reliance on stereotypes? On conventions of the police genre? The impact for the popular audience in terms of entertainment and insight?

PARRISH

US, 1960, 117 minutes, Colour.
Troy Donahue, Claudette Colbert. Karl Malden, Dean Jagger. Connie Stevens, Diane Mc Bain.
Directed by Delmer Daves.

Parrish did not receive very good reviews. However, it was very popular with world wide audiences. It was written, produced and directed by Delmer Daves. Daves had tried his hand at a number of film genres and had succeeded quite well. He was also a popular Hollywood writer. In the 40s he made thrillers. In the early 50s he made a number of serious westerns including Broken Arrow. In the mid?50s he made the significant 3:10 to Yuma. However, in the late 50s he moved into the soap-opera field with A Summer Place, Susan Slade, Rome Adventure, The Battle of the Villa Fiorita and so on. Parrish fits into this pattern.

It is big, long, glossy, treats popular American themes of wealth and romance. Claudette Colbert returned to the screen as Troy Donahue's mother. Troy Donahue appeared in a number of these Delmer Daves' soap operas and this was probably the high point of his career as a popular idol. Karl Malden gives another of his snarling performances. It is very easy to dismiss this kind of film. However, within its own limitations, and appealing to the widest possible audience, it takes on a number of American themes, including family, wealth, big business, personal integrity. Clearly this kind of film, even as soap opera, raises many questions for discussion.

1. The appeal of this kind of film? For what particular audience? The late 50s and early 60s? Later?

2. The ingredients of soap opera? The human stories, romance,, melodrama? The fact that soap operas rely on utterly conventional behaviour and attitudes? That people are good and bad, black and white, etc.? Why do audiences like soap operas?

3. Comment on the tradition and values incorporated in soap operas like this one: the questions of appearances versus reality, tyranny versus freedom, work versus weakness, rich versus poor, love versus hate, happiness versus unhappiness. What audience presuppositions are supposed and catered for in this kind of film? The audience liking to know where it stands in attitude towards the people and the issues?

4. The film's use of colour, locations the tobacco world,, music, style?

5. How realistic was the film in its presentation of place and people? Were they identifiable? Credible? A picture of America and society?

6. The background of the valley? The world of tobacco growing and processing, the fields, the selling, diseases, dangers, investing one's whole life in this world? The ethos among the people in the valley, their morale, values? The portrayal of the tobacco world as an example of American enterprise?

7. How interesting a character was Parrish himself? The film's use of Troy Donaghue's appeal, for younger audiences? What kind of person was he in himself? His youth and growing up? His relationship with his mother, his discontent. his love for her? His involvement in the ordinary work? His not being allowed in the home with Allison? His friendship and love for Lucy? His learning and experience with Lucy? His attitude towards the pregnancy? The nature of his infatuation with Allison and his wanting to marry her? His relationship with Judd's family? His treating of Paly as a young girl? His involvement in the Judd family through his mother? His attitudes towards the sons forcing them to respect his mother his blackmail? His involvement in the firm, his dedication to his work, the potential for ruthlessness? The reasons for his moving out of this, the freedom of the Navy? What did he learn? The confrontation with Judd? The decisions to go by himself, the attacks, fighting for his survival,, success? How did the audience see through the situations of business and ruthlessness through his eyes? Parrish as a man who would win?

8. The film's focus on his mother, her qualities as a woman and as a lady, her work with Allison, with Sala? Her advice, her falling in love with Judd, her comments on reputation, the marriage, her explanation of why she understood Judd, her being hurt by Parrish's rejection, standing by him? The quality of her character?

9. The contrast with Judd and his empire? A typical American businessman, building from nothing, the visual presentation of his office, his ruthless driving of Parrish, the reasons for this, checking him, his deals, his marrying his wife, his despising of his sons? The confrontation with his ruthlessness, his choices? Was he credible?

10. The character of Lucy, the ordinary farmhand girl, the background of her family, her love for Parrish, pregnancy and birth, the return with the family to help Parrish?

11. The contrast with Allison, the spoilt rich girl, the snob, trying to force herself and organize her marriage and her life, her petulance, her marriage and its failure, her lies? Parrish's mother having to save her face and reputation? How credible a woman?

12. The contrast with Paige as a young girl, growing up, corresponding with Parrish during his service, rounding up her friends to help him, her future with Parrish?

13. The presentation of old tobacco values with Sala? A model for Parrish? A good man trying to do his work and work his fields? The ups and downs of the farming as seen through his career? His investment in Parrish at the end?

14. The film was big build-up to big events: the various sequences with the crops and the diseases, the social life of the valley, the burning of the barns and the use of the water, etc.? Parrish supervising and going about his work, etc.?

15. How valuable is this kind of melodrama? Is it too glossy and unreal? Ought audiences enjoy and benefit by the presentation of its characters and issues?