DAY OF THE OUTLAW

US, 1959, 92 minutes. Black and white,
Robert Ryan, Burl Ives, Tina Louise, Nehemiah Persoff, David Nelson.
Directed by Andre de Toth.

Day of the Outlaw was written by Philip Yordan, a prolific writer of screenplays, taking a strong anti-Senator Mc Carthy stance during the 50s.

The film shows an isolated Wyoming town, hemmed in by snow in a bleak winter. The film has striking black and white photography creating the atmosphere of winter in the Rockies. There is a confrontation between the farmers, who want to cut off their land with barbed wire, and a cattle king. As they confront each other, the day is interrupted by the arrival of a group of Confederate robbers, being pursued by the cavalry. They take over the town, are finally persuaded to be led out into the mountain snow by the cattle king.

Robert Ryan is a strong and sturdy figure as the cattle king, a man bitter against the farmers because he has, with his associate (Nehemiah Persoff) made the area safe for twenty years. His freedom is threatened. Burl Ives is the gentlemanly leader of the gang, wounded, yet keeping control over his men and keeping them away from drink and women. Tina Louise is the wife of the rancher who is in love with the cattle king.

The film is a strong critique of the absence of law and order in the Wyoming territories, the post-Civil War greed and brutality of some of the criminals. It also reminds audiences of how grim marauding men can be and their merciless attitude towards women and using them. Director is Andre de Toth (who had only one eye) who made a range of strong action films as well as House of Wax and Play Dirty.

1. An impressive western? The town, the issues of free range and farm, the issues of criminal, of masculine brutality and violence?

2. The black and white photography, the town itself, the snow, the mountain peaks? The action staged within the bleak snow and storms? The strong musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Bruhn and his men, their taking over the town, the response of the townspeople, the end of the day?

4. The focus on Blaise Starrett and Dan, the resentment against the barbed wire fences, coming to down, the confrontation with Crane? Neither giving way? Starrett and his having kept law and order? His wanting freedom of the range? His relationship with Helen Crane, the affair, her breaking it off? The confrontation in the bar, the townspeople and their support of Crane? Helen coming to his room, trying to persuade him to spare her husband? His coming down the next day, the build-up to the confrontation, rolling the bottle along the bar, the attempt at a shoot-out and its being interrupted by the arrival of Bruhn and his men?

5. The ranchers, Crane and his wife, the people in the store selling the barbed wire, wanting to put down their roots in Wyoming, the barbed wire and the fences? The long speech by Starrett explaining the history of the twenty years and his sense of belonging, the ranchers coming in and taking over?

6. Bruhn, his arrival and the men, the surprise? The cavalry pursuing them? Their robbery? Starrett knowing about the Mormon massacre? The character of Bruhn and his leadership, his ability to keep the men under control, his commands? His severe discipline? His forbidding of the liquor, of the men going near the women? The women going to the store? His taking the boy as a hostage? His allowing the fight between Starrett and Tex, sending two other men to brutalise Starrett? His injury, undergoing the operation for the bullet extraction, his courage, wanting to talk? His recovery, the morphine? The men and their behaviour, his keeping an eye on them? Being persuaded to allow the dance? His dancing with Helen? His being persuaded by Starrett to go out into the mountains? His knowing that there was no track, his wanting to die with dignity? Out on the mountain, his fall from the horse, his death?

7. The men and their brutality, Tex and Pace, their leering, wanting drinks, fighting Starrett? Tormenting the boy to find the key for the liquor? The approach to the women, the dance and the advances? Their agreeing to go into the mountains? In the mountains, the clashes, the shootings? Sending Gene back? The deaths, Pace and Tex remaining, the man frozen in the night, Tex and his wanting to shoot Starrett but unable to? The Cheyenne Indian, Shorty, the other men and their characters?

8. The townspeople, the owner of the store, the doctor and his performing the operation, the barber? The man who owned the hotel, providing food? The women, Helen Crane and her leadership, her relationship with Starrett? Ernina supporting her father in the store, concern about her brother? The other wives? Starrett attempting to get them out of the town, their being turned back?

9. Starrett and his change of heart, realising that he was no better than Bruhn and his men, leading them out where there was no track? Sending Gene back, Gene as different from the others, protecting the boy, Ernina attracted to him? Starrett's return, Gene working for him? A different town?

DEATH AT CLOVER BEND

US, 2001, 95 minutes, Colour.
Robert Urich, David Keith, Barry Corbin, Erin Gray, Shane Hunter.
Directed by Michael Vickerman.

Death at Clover Bend is a police drama. It focuses on an officer, about to retire. He goes on holidays with his wife and two children and is confronted by violent criminals during a hold-up. His wife is killed. He pulls his gun and the brother of the lead criminal is wounded and eventually dies. This sets up a situation where the policeman has to face his desire for vengeance and his defence against the criminal who comes to get him. Various stances are presented: his father is the mayor and sheriff of Clover Bend but urges caution and speaks against a vigilante approach; his young son wants to be a policeman and wants his father to act decisively; the people in the town (a bit like High Noon) don't want the criminals coming disturbing their peace.

The film spends a good deal of time showing the relationship within the family, the reaction of the two children to their mother's death, their feelings of alienation towards their father, having to talk things over and deal with their grief. It also focuses well on the father-son relationship of the policeman and his policeman father. There are also sympathetic people in the town. The film also shows the relationship between the criminal, his devotion to his young brother, his attitude towards the rest of the gang. At the end, there is a kind of High Noon shoot-out in the woods outside the town. The film takes a stance against being vindictive and taking revenge, making the point that it destroys the person taking the revenge. The film was one of the last films by Robert Urich, who died the year after the film was released.

1. Police drama? Family drama? Issues of grief, revenge?

2. The city settings, the police work, homes? The contrast with the store on the highway and the robbery? Clover Bend and its isolation? Musical score?

3. The focus on Bill, the credits and his police work, his having to shoot, missing? His coming home, relationship with his wife and children, the domestic scenes? The teenage daughter and her not wanting to go on holiday? The son and his wanting to be a policeman, wanting to fire guns? The caution of the mother? On the road, the hold-up, his wife being taken hostage, his son urging him to shoot, eventually shooting when the bottle dropped? His wounding the younger criminal? His wife being wounded, her dying in his arms, the grief of the children?

4. The focus on the criminals, the hold-up, their violence? The getaway? The dying criminal and his dying for a month? His brother's devotion? The drug deals, the impatience of the others in the group? Finding out where Bill lived? The criminal's death? The decision to go and find him? Arriving in the town?

5. Bill and his decision to take his children to Clover Bend? His father as sheriff and mayor, the people in the office, Maude and the others, their wisecracks? The old lady and the council and their caution and complaints? The doctor and her support, her admiration for Bill and his wife, looking after the boy and his anger with her? The life in the town? The uncle and his drinking, his wife? Her phone call, Bill finding him on the railway tracks, their discussions, the train going past?

6. His decision to be a deputy, his motivations? The possibility of legally shooting the criminals? His father and the discussions about vengeance?

7. The build-up to the showdown, the father and his shooting, taking the criminals prisoner? Sam and his not staying with the doctor, getting his slingshot, firing it at the criminal, enabling his father to shoot? The two-gun stand-off, Bill and his not shooting the criminal dead?

8. The aftermath, his imagining his wife, the town, the dancing, his memories, being at peace with his conscience and his family?

DON'T LOOK BACK

US, 1995, 87 minutes, Colour.
Eric Stoltz, John Corbett, Josh Hamilton, Billy Bob Thornton, Annabeth Gish, Dwight Yoakam, Peter Fonda, Amanda Plummer, R.G. Armstrong.
Directed by Geoff Murphy.

Don't Look Back is a small-budget thriller but has quite an impact. It was written by the team of Billy Bob Thornton and Thomas Eperson (Slingblade, One False Move). Billy Bob Thornton also appears as a threatening drug lord. However, the film belongs to Eric Stoltz, the star of many such low-budget films and adept at playing washed-out drug addicts. John Corbett (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Sex in the City) is one of his friends, Josh Hamilton the other boyhood friend. Annabeth Gish plays Hamilton's wife. There are cameo appearances from Peter Fonda and Amanda Plummer and a strong performance by R.G. Armstrong as Eric Stoltz's grandfather. Dwight Yoakam, the country and western singer, appears briefly as a drug dealer.

The film is familiar material, an addict finds a case full of money and absconds with it, going back to his boyhood town in Galveston, being pursued by the criminals, getting the support of his friends, a final shootout. However, with the performances, the tight writing and the direction of New Zealand's Geoff Murphy (The Quiet Earth, Young Guns 2), the film is far more effective than many such routine films.

1. Portrait of a drug addict and his possible redemption?

2. The Los Angeles drug area and bars, apartments? The contrast with Galveston, the coast, the town, ordinary families? Musical score?

3. The title, the pre-credits sequence with the three boys and their playing together on the island, their bonding? The irony of Jesse's separation for seven years? Looking back on his past as he went home to Galveston? The impact, confronting his difficulties?

4. The portrait of Jesse: unkempt, drugs, Los Angeles, seeing the shootout, taking the money and running, with Bridget, going to Galveston? Establishing contact with Morgan, the memories of the friendship, Steve and his attack, the reconciliation? Michelle and her suspicions? Going to see his grandfather, the story of his mother, the bonds with his grandfather? The money, gradually telling the secret? Marshall and co coming to town, the confrontation with his grandfather, his grandfather being shot, hospital? Marshall threatening him, taking him to the island, the money, digging it up, the attack by Morgan and Steve? The chase, the shootout, Morgan's death? Jesse and his change of heart, the bait shop with his grandfather, reconciliation with Steve? Putting the past behind him?

5. The contrast with Morgan and Steve? Morgan, the services, gung-ho in his attitude, welcoming Jesse back? Letting him stay with him, going out with him? Drinking, buddies? The contrast with Steve, his marriage, child? Going out, caution? Michelle's reaction, coming to tell Jesse to stop leading Steve astray? Morgan and telling the story of Steve's mother and Jesse's saving her? The bonds between the three, Jesse in trouble, the two sailing the boat, the shootout on the island? The death of Morgan? Steve and his future?

6. Skipper, the shootout in Los Angeles, losing the money, trying to track down Jesse? Seeing him at the crossing on the road? Marshall and his henchmen, their dominance? Pressure on Skipper? Going to see Bridget in the bar, torturing her, her being murdered? Going to see the room-mate, the pressure on him? Going to Galveston, the cover, the confrontation with the woman bringing the dinner for the grandfather - and her almost being murdered? Pretending to be music agents? The confrontation with Jesse, the island, the shootout? Their deaths?

7. The supporting characters and giving tone to the film: Bridget and her relationship with Jesse, the bar, her murder? Peter Fonda as the dealer who was roughed up? The fat room-mate and his drumming? The woman on the island? Michelle?

8. A "crime does not pay" story, the drug setting, middle America in Texas? A satisfying portrait of a young man in today's difficulties?

DEEP BREATH

Iran, 2002, 83 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Parviz Shahbazi.

Deep Breath is a piece of sophisticated film-making from Iran. It focuses on three young characters, and shows youth alienation in Teheran. It focuses on an alienated middle-class young man, who refuses to eat, commits acts of vandalism and theft, depends on a young friend and who eventually dies. The young friend is more positive, joins in the vandalism, but is attracted to a young student whom he picks up hitchhiking. His whole mood changes and he gives all his attention to the young woman, taking her for outings, coming alive in discussions. However, he fails to meet her when his friend becomes sick and he has to take him to hospital. Fortunately for him, the young woman waits for him. The young woman is also from a middle-class family, sorting herself out, moving into a student dormitory from her family home.

The title of the film refers to people drowning and the need for breath, the opening (which is also the end of the film) where two young people have driven into a dam and died while the alienated student practises holding his breath in a swimming pool.

The film shows a contemporary Teheran, universal problems with disaffected young people, alienation, and the possibility of some kind of hope. However, with the deaths of the main characters, the film has a rather pessimistic tone.

1. The impact of the film? Contemporary Teheran? Iranian society? The portrait of the young people? The pessimistic tone with their deaths?

2. The city, the streets, apartments, homes, shops? Authentic atmosphere? The contrast with the countryside, the mountains, the reservoir? The musical score?

3. The title and its reference to holding one's breath, drowning? As applied to each of the characters?

4. The structure of the film: the opening with the divers recovering the bodies, the indication that the young couple had died? The final car at the end - observers or, in fact, the young people who had not drowned?

5. Kamran and the swimming pool and holding his breath? His surliness at the university, dropping courses, his discussion with the professor on the steps? His vandalism with the cars, even the car his parents had bought him? His mobile phone and its being stolen? Mansur and the further vandalism on the motorbike, stealing the car? His refusing to eat, simply smoking? Surly attitudes? Travelling around with Mansur, sleeping in the back of the car, speeding when driving? Going to the motel, meeting the twins? The return there? His becoming ill, staying in, bleeding, going to the hospital, dying? A wasted life?

6. The contrast with Mansur, not so well educated, a happier view of life, participating in the vandalism, hijacking the car from the woman, eating the food in her shopping? His hunger? Care for Mansur, taking him to the motel? Giving a ride to Ada, infatuated, ringing her, going back, their outings, the discussions? His being pulled over and not having a licence? Ada coming to his rescue? His promise to meet her, Mansur ill, taking him to the hospital, keeping vigil? The return, the authorities and the car? Their going driving, the playful attitudes, the cassettes? Did they crash? Or did they observe?

7. Ada, her family background, liveliness and talk, student, the dormitory, her girlfriends? Friendship with Mansur, the phone calls, going out with him? His finding her on the mountainside? Her own home, the return? Not going to class, the letter from the university? Her waiting for Mansur and his not coming, forgiving him, their going for the ride, the playfulness, the cassettes? Their possible death?

8. The twins, deceiving people, the room, the tea, their helping Kamran?

9. The man running the hostel, his assistant, being deceived, wanting the payment before allowing Kamran to go to hospital?

10. The background of the universities, professors? Homes and parents? The woman who was hijacked, her fears, leaving her shopping behind? The police and the interrogations?

11. A portrait of contemporary Iran, disaffected youth, the reasons, their behaviour, prospects?

DANCE IN THE DUST

Iran, 2002, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Asghar Farhadi.

Dance in the Dust focuses on a young man, a migrant from near the Turkish border, who falls in love with a young woman he meets on a bus in Teheran. Very soon he is being pressured by his parents to divorce her because her mother was a prostitute. They are unwilling to go through, but the woman realises that this has to be done and he is to find the money for her marriage portion to restore to her. He gets a number of odd jobs in factories but eventually runs from the police because he cannot repay his debt. He hides away in a van of a lonely man who goes into the mountains to catch snakes. They clash in the mountains, but eventually when the young man is bitten by a snake, the older man takes him to hospital. In their discussions with each other, they each come to some understanding of their situation, especially the young man towards his wife. He reconciles with her and when he finds the van of the old man, he has vanished as has the photo of the love of his wife which he had kept in a box for many years.

The film gives an interesting portrait, especially of the two men, the generation gap, the emotional gap, but shows each man finding some kind of salvation.

1. The impact of the film? Iranian society? Marriage and divorce pressures? Work, money, debts? Possibilities of hope and reconciliation?

2. The city settings and their authenticity, the countryside, the desert, the mountains?

3. The focus on the young man, genial, a stranger in the city, in the bus, with the baby, the young woman, the marriage? At home, watching the Indian movie? The wife wanting to get a diploma? The suddenness of the pressure from his parents, the divorce? The judge and his being mystified? The lending of the money for the marriage portion? The young man and his friend, the various odd jobs, deliveries, cooking? The legal situation and his running away? Hiding in the van, the old man, their clashes, the old man's abandoning him, the young man being cold, hungry? His angers, fearing the old man was dead after seeing him sick? Breaking the window of the van? Tidying it up? His own attempts to catch a snake after disturbing the old man? Success, his being bitten? The option of his finger being cut off - and the flashback to his buying the ring? In the van, the finger packed with ice, the long journey, the hospital, the operation? His running away, going to his wife, the reconciliation? Going to the old man, finding the van, the photograph gone? His future and hope?

4. The wife, her mother being a prostitute, seeing them in the bus, the young man following them? The audience not knowing the facts until the end? Her willingness to have the divorce because of the situation? The reconciliation at the end on his return?

5. The old man, van, silent and surly, his reputation of having killed someone, the truth and his explaining it to the young man? His antagonism, the fights, his being sick? The snake market, the catching of the snakes, his skills? Disturbed by the young man? The stick and his beating him? The gradual understanding, the young man being bitten, deciding to take him to the hospital, wanting to find money for the payments? The discussions and his explanation about the young woman that he loved, the man that he killed? His disappearance with the photo, the possibility of hope?

6. A portrait of Iranian society, people at the fringes? Ordinary life, the workplaces, the pressures on people?

7. Divorce in Iranian society, the pressures, the judges, the prevalence? An insight into the Iranian people

8. The snake market, the catching of the snakes, his skills? Disturbed by the young man? The stick and his beating him? The gradual understanding, the young man being bitten, deciding to take him to the hospital, wanting to find money for the payments? The discussions and his explanation about the young woman that he loved, the man that he killed? His disappearance with the photo, the possibility of hope?

9. A portrait of Iranian society, people at the fringes? Ordinary life, the workplaces, the pressures on people?

10. Divorce in Iranian society, the pressures, the judges, the prevalence? An insight into the Iranian people

DONYA

Iran, 2002, 105 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Manouchher Mosayeri.

Donya is the name of a very strong middle-aged woman. She has been overseas and returns to Iran to confront the real estate agent who has taken over the family home after it was confiscated. She feels that he has destroyed her father. She approaches the man, a sixty-year-old who has grown tired of his wife, irritated with his children, and relies on them as servants to his well-being.

Donya confronts him in the office, claiming that one of his assistants proposed to her. She then demands to have the house when the estate agent offers to give her compensation for her trouble. Almost miraculously, they fall in love. He is infatuated with her, accompanies her everywhere, listens to her advice. He dyes his hair, shaves his beard, goes exercising, learns to play tennis - and the film is very wry in these sequences poking fun at a deluded middle-aged man trying to regain his youth. However, Donya is a very serious character, agrees to the marriage, but wants the estate agent to tell his wife and family. He is reluctant to do this.

Ultimately, the family who have been sent out of the city while the house is being painted, return and his suspicious behaviour is uncovered. He then discovers the truth about Donya and her manipulation to get back possession of the family house.

The film is grim in these sequences, focusing on justice, double-dealing. Finally, the man is left alone wandering the streets, in disillusionment over what he has done with his life.

The film blends realism, an autumn kind of romance, satire at the behaviour of the estate agent and social criticism of manipulation of property and wealth in Iran.

DYING ROOM ONLY

US, 1973, 73 minutes, Colour.
Cloris Leachman, Ross Martin, Ned Beatty, Louise Latham.
Directed by Philip Leacock.

Dying Room Only is a brief enjoyable telemovie thriller directed by Philip Leacock. Leacock had directed many English films including the classic The Kidnappers. He then moved to the United States, directed effective small budget dramas and then moving into telemovies. The screenplay is by Richard Matheson and is based on one of his short stories. Matheson wrote several screenplays for Roger Corman for the adaptations of Edgar Allen Poe stories with Vincent Price. He has written quite a number of contemporary horror thrillers e.g. Duel, The Strange Possession of Mrs Oliver, The Stranger Within.

1. An entertaining short story, telemovie? The mystery and horror overtones?

2. How well did the film establish its atmosphere, the strange circumstances of the motel, the growing eeriness of the disappearing husband and the frantic wife? The strange characters out in the desert? The police? The solving of the mystery? The importance of mood and atmosphere for audience identification?

3. Colour photography, desert locations? The mysterious motel? The special effects - especially for scares and atmosphere of mystery?

4. The irony of the title - the possibility of this happening to a couple driving through the Arizona desert? The mystery - and the later ordinariness of the explanation? The plot of the people at the motel, the attitude towards the police, violence? How contrived did the plot seem?

5. The introduction to the squabbling couple? The audiences identifying with husband and wife in their holiday, their clashes? Their having something to eat and drink at the hotel? Their response to the hostility? The disappearance of the husband? The effect on the wife? The film asking the audience to Identify with Jean and her experience, fear, exasperation? Cloris Leachman's personality and style? Jean and the puzzle about her husband, the search? The open hostility of Cutler? King and his being pleasant, sending to collaborate, offhandedness? Vi and her offhand behaviour? The mounting tension with the action of the group in the motel? The arrival of the Sheriff and his search but not believing? The growing desperation? The taking of the motel room and her searching? The telephone calls? The seeing of the car drive off? Discovering her husband? The parolee? Her desperation, moving with the Sheriff and the violence of the finale?

6. The suspicious people at the motel - Cutler and his continued hostility. his arguing with Jean, lack of collaboration with the police? The revelation of the truth? Vi and her offhandedness, her part in the plot?


7. King and his being around the bar.. seeming collaboration, offhandedness.. impeding the investigation? His growing involvement? The parolee and his violence?

8. The Sheriff and his ultimate collaboration and the ugliness of his death?

9. The explanation of what was happening around the motel? The greed of the people? The eruption of violence and the deaths?

10. The comparative calm of the happy ending with Jean's telephone call - in the light of the violence, the meeting of Jean with her husband again?

11. The nightmare aspects of the plot - all the action happening during the night and the couple waking up to a new day and their ordinary life?

12. The value of this kind of short story for entertaining people, giving the audience a jolt - that this could happen to you?

DUMMY

US, 1979, 96 minutes, Colour.
Paul Sorvino, Le Var Burton, Brian Dennehy, Gregg Henry.
Directed by Frank Perry.

Dummy is an effective telemovie, allegedly based on real life incidents. It is an interesting courtroom drama with social and racial overtones. However, it is important in its presentation of a deaf mute defended in court by a lawyer going deaf. The film takes the audience into the subjective world of the deaf mute and his grave disabilities in communicating. Le Var Burton is very good in the central role. He began his acting career in the teleseries Roots and has appeared in Looking For Mr. Goodbar and The Hunter. Paul Sorvino is excellent as the deaf lawyer - an actor who is excellent in comedy roles e.g. A Touch of Class as well as drama e.g. Cruising. The film was directed by Frank Perry who has made many interesting films over the decades, especially
with his former wife, Eleanor: David and Lisa, Last Summer.

1. Audience interest in courtroom dramas? Films with social themes? The plight of the disabled? How well did they combine here?

2. The atmosphere of Chicago, its streets, houses, working places? Its institutions? The courts? The film as a piece of '70s Americana?

3. The impact of the telemovie: serious themes, strong characterisations, social issues - for the home audience? Emotional impact? Understanding?

4. The background of racial themes - blacks in the large American cities, treatment by the police, treatment in courts, in institutions? Background of civil rights?

5. Social themes: the poor and the deprived, lack of education, finance for disabled children? The background of institutions for the insane, jails? Victims brutalised in such institutions?

6. The theme of the disabled: the deaf mute, the possibility for education, improvement? Illness? The treatment of the deaf mute by people with all their faculties? Criteria for normality? Limited lifestyle, introspection, relationships? The subjective silent world? Inability to communicate by word? The need for touch, lipreading, feeling? The deterioration of powers? The film as a special plea for the disabled?

7. The parallel in disability between the man accused of crime and the man defending the accused? Their mutual needs and dependence? The effectiveness of the relationship, each helping the other?

8. The boy and his world? Seeing him in the bar, eying the prostitute, the discovery of the violence? whether he killed the prostitute or not? The audience sharing the inability to communicate as well as the inability to understand the boy? Was it in his character to murder? The re-enactment of the crime in the alley?

9. The importance of the flashbacks in showing the boy as a child, his relationship with his parents, the need for finance, his inability to be educated? The growth in the family, love of his brother? His going to work and ingratiating himself with the workers in the markets?

10. Seeing him at work, eagerness, being well-liked? The sudden transition to the arrest, his terror in the car, the interrogation, imprisonment, his presence in the court - and his being taunted by the mocking policeman, the re-enactment of the crime? The film suggesting the bewilderment of the boy in these events?

11. The justice of the verdicts: his being declared incapable of defence, his being institutionalised, the experience in the institutions, work, the homosexual rape, the possibility of learning?

12. The film's emphasis on the boy's basic drives and their being unco-ordinated? The early scene with the prostitute, the effect of the gang rape in the prison, his saving the officer from assault, his advances to the lady teacher? The need for education and co-ordination?

13. The boy being brutalised, the effect of his coming out of the institutions -and the later killing? Coincidence or did he do it?

14. The points made about justice: the long time being taken, the nature of evidence, evidence being lost over the years? The nature of proof? Sanity and disability and their unjust linking? The psychological tests - the presuppositions of the tester? Medical opinion? Legal opinion? The role of the judge? The judge's moral obligations, legal obligations?

15. Grief for the boy, for his family? The sequences with his brother - discussing with the lawyer, co-operating? The return?

16. Paul Sorvino's portrait of the lawyer - the background of his character, deterioration of his hearing, reliance on his sister? His legal skills and commitment? His deafness and his manner of talking - his explanation of it and the deterioration of his hearing? Investing his energy in the job? The questions, the means taken to inspire confidence, means of communication? The re-enactment of the crime? The frustration in the administration of justice? The intensity and persuasiveness of his speeches in the court? The plea for compassion? The scenes of his visiting the boy in prison, the busyness of his work, not knowing what the boy was suffering? The values that the lawyer stood for?

17. The dramatic impact of the court sequences - evidence, injustice, the taunting of the boy by the policeman? The picture of intolerant normal people towards the disabled?

18. The emotional and intellectual response by the home audience? Moved to understanding, compassion? The effectiveness of the telemovie for social change?

DULCIMA

UK, 1971, 98 minutes, Colour.
Carol White, John Mills, Stuart Wilson, Bernard Lee.
Directed by Frank Nesbitt.

So many modern films do not seem to be about very ordinary people. This one certainly is - a simple (except in money matters) aging widower farmer and young Dulcima from a poor family of ten. She too is simple, although wily. She is ambitious without realising the consequences of using and playing on others' emotions. This is an old story, filmed straight-forwardly in beautiful but plain Gloucestershire rural settings, creating a realistic and recognisable atmosphere for the conflict, love and jealousy between John Mills' Mr. Parker and Carol White's Dulcima. A story and theme for ordinary audiences which, apart from an over-melodramatic ending, has something to say in an entertaining way.

1. The name of the heroine has overtones of sweetness. were these true of her character? How did this give significance and point to the whole film?

2. The film went for realism in its style. How effective was this? How well did it use sentiment and sweetness contrasting with rugged realities in rural England? Did this make the film and its story convincing? Why?

3. The film seemed to stress ordinary persons and ordinary conventions in rural England. How well did it explore these ordinary persons for ordinary audiences?

4. The impact of the credit sequences? The presentation of Mr Parker, his drinking, his loneliness, his farm work? The importance of John Mills playing this role? The impact of Mr Parker for the rest of the film, contrasting with the view of him at the end?

5. How well did Dulcima fit into her own family life? The clashes between her and her father? Why? Her looking after the children. her fantasies and fancies? Her life on the farm and her attraction to Mr. Parker's farm? What initial insights into Dulcima's character did we get?

6. What insights into Dulcima's character did the film give - her naivety, innocence her wiliness, as she was presented at home, subdued by her father, attitudes to conventional morality and going to the farm? What moral standards did she have? How did they change with life at the farm? Her preoccupation with fashions.. money?

7. What effect did Dulcima have on Mr Parker? Did he suspect her at all and her wiliness? The help she gave, how gratified and appreciative he was. his proposal to her. his love for her? His reaction to her wiliness with the money? His wiliness in the auctioning of the animals? How similar were they?

8. The impact of the love on Parker and his growing jealousy? Why did Dulcima contrive the character of Charlie to have a hold over Parker? Her fantasy about him and its danger? The growing passion and jealousy of Parker? Her fascination with the gamekeeper and Parker's identification of him with Charlie? Was this enough to make Parker's shooting at the end credible?

9. Why did Parker finally shoot? What had happened to him? Was this too melodramatic for this film? The amazement for Dulcima? Was it satisfactory to have the film end here? Should it have gone on? What would the future be for Parker and for Dulcima?

THE DUELLISTS

UK, 1977, 101 minutes, Colour.
Keith Carradine, Harvey Keitel, Albert Finney, Edward Fox, Cristina Raines, Robert Stephens, Tom Conti, John McEnery?, Diana Quick, Jenny Runacre, Alan Webb, Arthur Dignam. Narrated by Stacy Keach.
Directed by Ridley Scott.

The Duellists is a masculine story/theme of an ordinary young soldier in Napoleonic times challenged fatuously and arrogantly to a duel by an obsessive ruffian soldier and haunted and forced to fight him over many years. The soldier grows from fear and honour stances through brutality to self-control. Keith Carradine is unusual casting in this role. From a story by Conrad, and exquisitely photographed (as if one were in a moving gallery of 19th century paintings), there is excellent British star support in featured roles. The plot seems an allegory of Napoleon's ruffian rise to power and over-reaching himself in exile. Harvey Keitel is the aggressive duellist.

1. The overall impact of the film.. historical drama, personal study, war, duelling as a symbol of past society and honour? A man's film?

2. Conrad's title of 'The Duel'? The personalisation in the film's title? The way the duels were presented visually, at the various points of the screenplay?

3. Visual impact of the film, the patterning on paintings, costume, decor? An 18th. and 19th. century atmosphere? The Napoleonic wars, soldiers? Towns and cities? Rich estates? Classes? The patterns and visuals of the war e.g. in Russia?

4. The significance of the Napoleonic background of the film? Napoleon as an upstart, duelling with the aristocratic powers of Europe, being imprisoned? St. Helena? Feraud as a symbol of Napoleon and parallelling his career and personality? His style?

5. The significance of war - the purpose of the Napoleonic wars, the expansion of empire, countries defending themselves? The Royalists and their attitudes, the Revolutionaries? The realists adapting themselves to the situations?

6. A portrait of men in war? Their lives, growth and change, destiny and fate?

7. Themes of honour, control, dignity? The standards of values of d'Hubert? The contrast with Feraud? Audience response to this kind of 19th. century honour? The law and its attitude towards duelling?

8. The narrative flow of the film, the narration by Stacey Keach, the episodic screenplay, the movement to the various places and their linking with the wars, the passing of the years and the audience glimpsing the main characters at periods of their life? The overall effect of this episodic presentation?

9. The importance of the initial duel, its visual impact, audience feeling the nature of duels in fighting, to the death, skill, violence? The later duels and their increased violence? The point of the duel, the lack of point? The nature of aggression and honour linked with aggression? Was there just cause for this kind of clash? For its continuity over so many years?

10. Feraud and his background, class? In the salon, an ordinary soldier, his bitterness, the street and house sequences, the challenge to d'Hubert? The cocky and strutting personality, arrogance, bitterness, chip on his shoulder about the aristocracy? The continual bitterness towards d'Hubert?

11. The film's showing Feraud through the years, the effect of his moods, of d'Hubert’s continued attitude towards him and his fear for its repercussions? The clashes with him by sword, sabre, on horseback? The irony of their meeting in Russia and their having to fight side by side and survive? The effect of the Napoleonic defeat on each of them?

12. Feraud's background as prisoner, being saved, the compulsion to duelling - the pistols? Seeming to be dead but his continuing to live? (and the Napoleonic similarities?)

13. D'Hubert as central to the film yet always seen and understood in the light of Feraud and his hostility? His background, aristocracy, his work, involved in the wars, sense of honour, his wounds? His being treated by the Frenchwoman?

14. The passing of the years and their effect on him, the woman and the choices offered to him? How well did the film highlight his character through the episodes - e. g. cards, his return?

15. How aggressive was d'Hubert? His continuing his military practice, his superiority, his superiority at the end and his domination of Feraud?

16. The contrast of his rise in the military, his success, rank, the experience of Russia?

17. Did he mature over the years? Seeing him at home, cripple, his sister, the love sequences with Adele, his relationship with his uncle? His becoming a Royalist, the prospects of marriage?

18. The libels, loyalties, the fact of his survival?

19. The encounter with the various officials and their posts of command, his learning that Feraud was to be tried as a Bonapartist? The irony of their rank of General? His interventions with Fouche to secure Feraud's release? The encounters with the doctor? The repercussions of the release and the duel? The contribution of the minor characters - the Colonel and the spy, the amiable second and the Captain encountered by d'Hubert, the chevalier?

20. Adele and her child? A future for d'Hubert?

21. The build-up to the final duel, the clash, the forgiveness? The symbolism of the orange?

22. A portrait of men and the impulsiveness of youth, living their adult lives with grudges and bitterness, sense of honour, self-importance? The instinctive man vs the man of reason and spirit? How successful an adaptation of Conrad's writing?