DREAM LOVER

US, 1986, 99 minutes, Colour.
Kristy Mac Nicol, Ben Masters, Paul Shenar, Gayle Hunnicut.
Directed by Alan Pakula.

Dream Lover is a slow moving dramatisation of dreams and the effect of dreams on young women. It was directed by Alan J. Pakula, a change of pace from his more active dramas, which include All The President's Men, See You In The Morning, Klute. The film is carried by Kristy Mac Nicol as the tormented young woman. There are many dream sequences, repetitions, an invitation for-the audience to share the heroine's dream life experience. Many audiences will not want to accept the invitation as too slow, too difficult. Ben Masters is a scientist exploring the meaning of dreams. Paul Shenar is the heroine's possessive father.

1. Psychological drama, fantasy and reality, dreams and their effect?

2. The work of Alan J. Pakula? His creation of Kathy's world and her music, the family? The dreams both realistic and fantastic? The laboratory work? Editing and pace, repetitions, the slow dream style? Musical score? Katherine's performance? background music?

3. The title: Katherine as loving dreams, the murderer and her relationship with him, Mike and his presence both threatening and loving in her dreams? His final rescue?

4. Kristy MacNicol? as Katherine: in herself, the music, her boyfriend and his performance? Her relationship with her father? The dead mother and the background? The friends? The intruder and the violence, her fears, the effects of the dreams, the intruder moving into her dreams, bar wanting help? Her playing music and success? Going to the psychiatrist, not being able to be helped, Mike overhearing, inviting her to the laboratory, acting out the dreams, observation and video, the injections? Mike not stopping her dream when he was part of it? Her going to England, the interaction with her father, the violence of the dream and her father's presence, the crisis on the balcony, the rescue?

5. The dreams: corridors, doors, costume and garden? Her mother? Herself as her mother? The intruder and her killing him - and the repetition of the dream? Learning to stop the dream? The laboratory, Mike in her dreams? The possibility of acting out, moving, stopping, the videoing of this action? The violence overcoming her, the final nightmare?

6. Her father and his hold over her, in society, the covering up of the violent episode, allowing her to play music, his attitude towards her mother and her death, the comments of the friends, his going to London, his trying to
help her, experiencing her violence?

7. The musician, Katherine's love for him, sharing with him? His support?

8. The doctor and his skills, the experiments, trust, learning, the injections, acting out and the video? His decision to take responsibility, stop and not stop? Going to England and rescuing her, the peril of his own death?

9. Audience response to dreams: fear, violence, sexuality, loss of power, acting out the dreams? Dramatising them?

DREAMBOAT

US, 1952, 83 minutes, Black and white.
Clifton Webb, Ginger Rogers, Anne Francis, Jeffrey Hunter, Elsa Lanchester, Fred Clark, Ray Collins.
Directed by Claude Binyon.

Dreamboat is one of several star vehicles for Clifton Webb in the early '50s. A dancer and entertainer, he made a film comeback in the '40s with Laura and The Razor's Edge. With his comic role as Mr. Belvedere in Sitting Pretty, he made a number of sequels and some funny comedies for almost ten years. This is a satire on television and the re-running of silent films. It also takes a poke at commercials. Webb is, as ever, his sardonic self. Ginger Rogers enjoys herself as a silent star. Anne Francis is prim as Webb's daughter and Elsa Lanchester has a comic role as an infatuated college head. There are some humorous re-enactments of silent films - especially Webb trying to organise a fight, watching himself in his old film and following his actions. There is an in-joke at the end with the premiere of Webb's own Sitting Pretty.

1. An entertaining comedy vehicle of the '50s? Clifton Webb and his comic style? The sardonic, serious comic?

2. Production style, black and white photography? The shooting of old style silent films? The parody of television commercials? The Mid-West?, New York, Hollywood?

3. The rivalry between movies and television in the '40s and '50s? The tradition of the n7ovies,,,the television seen as an interloper? The re-running of old movies, the rebirth of old stars' careers? Commercials? The contrast with education? Themes of snobbery? Ivory tower education as out of touch? Entertainment reaching mass audiences? The point of view of the film about the movies?

4. The self-satire of the cinema: the parody of Zorro, the World War One ace and the heroine, the bar-room brawl - and the hero following it for his own brawl, the French Revolution - and the changing of the captions for contemporary advertising? The enjoyment of films? Presentation of stereotypes? Exaggerated heroes and heroines? Stars and glamour, idols? Feminine swooning? The name Dreamboat?

5. The background of the university, the nickname of Ironheart? Professor Sayer and his reading of Hamlet's Soliloquy? His acidic style? Clifton Webb's persona? The way he had brought up his daughter? Love for her mother? The infatuation with Gloria and Hollywood? The clashes with Sam Leavitt? His going to New York? Legal attitudes? His high-handed attitudes towards Leavitt? Succumbing to Gloria’s singing and her story of poverty? Pretending that he had not been taken in? The confrontations with Leavitt? The bar-room brawl? The court case and his defence of himself? The infatuation of Dr. Coffey? His final decision to go to Hollywood?

6. Carol and her prim attitudes, the student showing her up in front of the television set? Her disgust with her father? Her being considered the museum type? The infatuation with Bill, going to his room, dancing, changing her attitude?

7. Gloria and her style? On the television show? Her self-promotion? The background of the making of the films and Sayer's career as Bruce Blair? The song in the nightclub, her pretence, scheming and its failing? The court case and her losing it? The final talk in the bar? The happy ending?

8. Leavitt as the big producer, advertising, big talk, scheming and manipulating?

9. Dr. Coffey and her infatuation with Bruce Blair? The finale?

10. The incidental characters: the waitress and her watching the television set, the husband and wife in the bar and the fight, the students at the university, the judge in court - and his eating popcorn during the film?

11. The humour of the clash between cinema and television? The role of entertainment? The American tradition?

DR DETROIT

US, 1983, 91 minutes, Colour.
Dan Aykroyd, Howard Hesseman, Donna Dixon, T.K. Carter, Fran Drescher.
Directed by Michael Pressman.

Dr Detroit is a short running time comedy vehicle for Dan Aykroyd. Aykroyd, from Saturday Night Live on American television, was teamed with John Belushi in such films as 1941, Neighbours and The Blues Brothers.

After Belushi's death, Aykroyd wrote and acted in a number of comedy vehicles including Trading Places.

Aykroyd is quite good in comic turns in this film - imitating, amongst others, Harold Lloyd and Jerry Lewis. He is the naive and innocent college professor, mistakenly identified as a gangster by Detroit, he begins to live the role and become the Protector of a group of prostitutes against vicious pimps (echoes of Henry Winkler and Michael Nightshift). Many critics found the film laugh-less. While the situations are corny and sometimes exaggerated, the whole film is silly but, despite oneself, there are a number of laughs - even to the send-up of Star Trek, The Wrath of Khan Probably more suited to a telemovie.

DRACULA

US, 1979, 104 minutes, Colour.
Frank Langella, Laurence Olivier, Kate Nelligan, Donald Pleasence, Trevor Eve.
Directed by John Badham.

The long cinema tradition of Dracula has been serious, frequently gory, lately tongue-in-cheek. This film aims at being the stylish, serious version for the 70s - straightforward plot, marvellous Panavision locations and sets (England 1913), fine effects (some horrendous touches) and a John Williams score. Frank Langella (in the Christopher Lee vein) is a seductive Dracula, Laurence Olivier is continental-accented pursuer Van Helsing (with a vintage car and carriage and horse chase). Kate Nelligan is a very attractive Lucy. Given the lavish treatment and care, it is a pity the film does not have the extra spark to make it great rather than very good.

1. The 70s popularity of horror films, the occult, films dealing with symbols of evil, the vampire film and the Dracula trend? This film as echoing these genres, fashions?

2. The importance of the vampire traditions, the Undead and their mythology? The importance of blood, violence, death and Hell, evil resurrection, sin, sensuality? The pervasive evil of the vampire and the threat to ordinary human beings? The evil making others like it?

3. The Dracula tradition, the Rumanian origins, Dracula's age, cruelty, the living dead, his needs, blood lust, preying on beautiful women and destroying their life?

4. Bram Stoker's interpretation of Dracula and making him popular at the end of the 19th. century? The plays and films which widened the popularity? Dracula as a figure of evil, the image of Dracula? The basic plot, the continent, England? The influence of the various cinema versions on each other? This film within the tradition?

5. A straightforward presentation of Dracula, less tongue-in-cheek? The use of Stoker's original and the play version? The film as a horror story treated seriously? Dracula's existence, his needs, cruelty? His intruding on an ordered way of life? The chaos that ensues. the pervasiveness of evil? A serious treatment of these themes within horror conventions?

6. The contribution of the colour photography, the use of Panavision, the atmosphere of the sea and ships, the town on the coast,, the cemetery and its atmosphere, the underground caverns? The Abbey, the castles? The vaults? The photography of all these locations contributing atmosphere? The variations in the use of colour, light and dark, shades, the colours of blood and the use of the sun? The special effects and the emphasis on gore? The importance of the crawling of Dracula up the castle wall, the swirling colours to suggest passion and lust? The blood sequences? The importance of the John Williams score and its melodies and themes? The Yorkshire setting and the overtones of Wuthering Heights?

7. Frank Langella's presence and style as Dracula? Handsome, sinister, erotic, menacing? His success on the stage and his bringing this interpretation to the screen? How well matched was he against Laurence Olivier as Van Helsing? Kate Nelligan and her presence as Lucy and response to Dracula?

8. The impact of the opening with the ship, the rats, the violent deaths, the wreck, the caves? Mina and her going to the caves? Dracula's use of the caves and the ship for his escape? The importance of the background of the sea and the town on the coast?

9. The suggestions and overtones from the asylum? The portrait of the inmates and their madness, riots, routines, atmosphere? Jack Seward and his management of the asylum ? His staff? Lucy as his daughter, Mina as visitor? The friendship of the girls as contrast to the people in the asylum? Lucy and her ability to work in the asylum? The recurring asylum scenes as an alternate madness to the seeming suave but sinister madness of Dracula?

10. The presentation of the girls as attractive, as victims? Mina and her searching the coast and the caves, the fascination with Dracula, her being vampirised? The ugliness of her evil, her menace, confrontation, burial, the stake through the heart? Van Helsing seeing his daughter turned into a monster?

11. Lucy as heroine and victim? Her presence in the asylum, friendship for Mina, devotion to her father? Her presence at the party and her vivacity, the attraction towards Dracula? The growing infatuation, his presence especially crawling up the wall, taking over and lessening her resistance? His making her one of the Undead but only gradually? The importance of the chase, the ship coffin and her presence with him, her looking up to the sky at the end? The ambiguity of the relationship of the woman to the vampire? Femininity, sensuality, passion and lust? The special effects used for communicating this?

12. Jack Seward and his role, the Yorkshire background, the host, his guardianship of the women, his bringing in Van Helsing, the cemetery sequences, his rescuing Van Helsing against Mina's attack? His participation in the final chase?

13. Renfeld? His presence with Dracula, his ugliness, the eating of the insects? His being under Dracula's authority? Dracula's harsh treatment of him?

14. Dracula within the framework of the film, of the conventional plot, interacting with the characters? Tall, dark and handsome, his cape, a romantic figure? His appearance on the ship, hid transition into a bat? The effect of his coming up and down the wall? The ominous nature of his presence? Suave manner, sociability? His home and the ugliness of the castle and its cobwebs and vaults? His coffin? His passion for Mina, his passion for Lucy? His discussions and seeming normality? The film's emphasis on his needs and attraction towards blood? Towards women? The confrontation with Seward?

15. Van Helsing and Laurence Olivier's interpretation? His knowledge, his understanding of the situation, his investigations? His grief for Mina, the cemetery sequence, the attack in the vaults? The confrontation with Dracula? The importance of the long chase? The ugly violence of his death? Dracula's victory?

16. The build-up to the climax on the ship, van Helsing's death, the rescue of Lucy? Dracula hooked and raised above the ship? The ominous floating away of his cloak with the bat suggestion?

17. The success of the film as entertainment, as a horror story? The treatment of the horror themes and the symbols of evil?

DOWN TWISTED

US, 1987, 84 minutes, Colour.
Carey Lowell, Charles Rocket.
Directed by Albert Pyun.

Down Twisted was directed by Albert Pyun, who worked with Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. However, his output of films has been popular (and somewhat pedestrian despite the imaginative settings): Sword and the Sorcerer, Radio Active Dreams, Cyborg.

This is a variation on Romancing the Stone, similar to such films as Miracles (with Tom Conti, Teri Garr). It has a touch of The Maltese Falcon - a sacred vessel allegedly stolen and replaced, the various crooks trying to recover it. A young girl, inadvertently caught up in the adventures, travelling to South America - all because of her roommate's connection (and apparent assassination).

The screenplay is fairly complicated, difficult to follow. The heroine is conventional - a nice girl who struggles against the enemies, gets mixed up with an ambiguous hero (played by Charles Rocket in a deadpan style). Eventually, of course, everything is resolved.

Charles Rocket is the Indiana Jones, Michael Douglas type hero - though not so heroic. There are some ugly villains who get their comeuppance.

Familiar material, all in all a step down derivative from the enjoyable originals.

DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS

US, 1986, 99 minutes, Colour.
Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss, Nick Nolte, Little Richard, Elizabeth Pena.
Directed by Paul Mazursky.

Down and Out in Beverly Hills is another of Paul Mazursky's satiric comments on the American dream and lifestyle. In the late 1960s he satirised Southern Californians with Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice. He returned to this area in successive films including Blume in Love. His range of films includes Harry and Tonto, Alex in Wonderland, An Unmarried Woman, The Tempest, Moscow on the Hudson. With this film he is back in Southern California - satirising the trendies of the 1980s.

His screenplay is based on the Jean Renoir 1930s film, Boudou Saved From Drowning. While Renoir's films (like The Rules of the Game) take artificial looks at society and offer critiques, Mazursky blends both the artificial and the realistic. It does not always work well - audiences would tend to look at the film realistically where it should be seen as a fable.

Bette Midler is subdued as the fashionable wife. Richard Dreyfuss returns to his excellent timing as a comic actor as the husband. Nick Nolte is persuasive as the shuffling bum who enters the household and transforms people's lives. Unfortunately the end opts for American pandemonium and sweetened finale.

1. The popularity of the film in the mid-180s? For American audiences? World-wide audiences?

2. Paul Mazursky and his capacity for observation, satire? The contribution of the stars?

3. The look of Beverly Hills, for rich and for poor? Affluence, Venice still trying to live in the '60s? The contrasts? '80s styles and fads? The contemporary score, songs? The use of songs from the past - especially by Little Richard for comparisons with his presence in the film?

4. The original: Renoir, France in the 1930s? How well translated to the U.S. of the '80s? The blend of realism and lack of realism? The film as a fable?

5. The intercutting of the two focuses during the credits and opening sequences: Jerry and his dog, the life of an L.A. bum, wandering, garbage tins, shabby and dirty, his beatnik dog, Kerouac? Kerouac abandoning Jerry, following the fashionable jogger? Jerry's search and desperation, his decision to drown himself in the pool? The contrast with entering Dave and Barbara's house, their affluence and style? The bringing of the two parties together? The crisis?

6. Nick Nolte's portrait of Jerry - a persuasive intellectual bum? His story and stories? The stranger who enters the family and changes everyone? Telling people what they want to hear? Allowing them to be selfish, enlivening and changing them? His stories about film-making, festivals, his sister with leukaemia, Linda Evans and Dynasty? His attempt to drown himself, clashing with Dave, the rescue? Revived, uninhibited? His being transformed, haircut, shave, clothes, eating? His being fussy? His friendship with bums - Al sitting down in the restaurant with him? The reactions of each of the family to him? Dave and his taking Jerry to the factory, his going to Venice and meeting the 1960s types and relaxing? Barb and her hostility, massage, sexual fulfilment? Max and his anxiety, Jerry urging him to communicate and tell the truth to his parents? Jenny and her not eating, the sexual liaison? Carmela. sexual relationship, buying the books and her being interested in socialism? The Iranian boy and the gift of the apple - and his father's appreciation of the money? Jerry relating with dogs, with Matisse and control, training him? His not wanting to work? Ups and downs in the family? The truth - and people having a sense of betrayal? The final party, Santa Claus as a symbol of Jerry? Dave chasing him through the house? Into the pool, the police, ousting him? The family waiting in the street -and his return? on what conditions? A credible portrait of this eccentric character?

7. Dave and his wealth, middle age, uptight, his story about coat hangers and his successful firm, his car, house, portrait of himself and Barbara? Relationship with Barbara - falling out of love? Max and the video for communication with his parents? Tensions in the night, the visit to Carmela, passion? The arrival of the police? His deals with the Chinese? The factory, going to Venice and relaxing? Change of attitude? Suspicion of Jerry? Throwing the party? His reaction to Max and his friends? A man of anger - captured in Maxis video? Final exasperation at the party, the chase? Finally relenting? The comment on the upwardly mobile Beverly Hills millionaire?

8. Barbara and her stuffy manner, her gurus and fads? Her friends and relations? Angry with Jerry? Attacking him? The massage and sexual encounter? Her eating and drinking again? Suspicion with Carmela? The party and her relenting?

9. Max as the mixed up L.A. teenager, his continually filming people, his communicating to his parents via the video - the succession of images in his video including slapstick comedians, sex, nuclear and social issues? His being around the home. capturing his parents' anger and communicating that to them'?' Jerry persuading him to tell the truth? The androgenous group and their make-up, dress? His father's reaction?

10. Jenny as smart and fashionable, not eating? The visit to her parents' for Thanksgiving, the boyfriend and his drugs? The break? Meeting Jerry and the transformation?

11. The portrait of Carmela, the Hispanic maid in the L.A. households? Barbara learning Spanish? The sexual relationship with the husband? Friendship with Jerry, her interest in political books?

12. The range of fashionable friends. the Thanksgiving Dinner, the parties, walking over hot coals? The guru

13. The gurus and their influence, money? The dog psychologist and his treatment of Matisse as if he were human?

14. The black neighbour, the police alert and his anger, the similar Rolls Royce, snobbery about the Iranians coming into the area? The party and his playing the piano? Little Richard and the soundtrack of 'Tutti Frutti as well as his '80s playing?

15. The importance of the dogs: Kerouac as the Beatnik dog, abandoning Jerry to go to a more fashionable household? Matisse and his anger in the house, the treatment that he got, relating to Jerry - tricks, swimming and diving? The film's close-ups on Matisse’s reactions to all the situations - his not needing a dog psychologist!

16. The portrait of Beverly Hills society, money, ostentatious, happiness, unhappiness, values, trends and fads? A legitimate target of satire?

17. The pandemonium of the ending - American loud humour? Persuasive? The soft finale and welcoming Jerry back?

DOUBLE INDEMNITY

US, 1944, 107 minutes, Black and white.
Fred MacMurray?, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Tom Powers, Porter Hall, Jean Heather, Byron Barr, Richard Gaines.
Directed by Billy Wilder.

Double Indemnity is one of the Hollywood black thrillers. It received many Oscar nominations in 1944. It was co-written and directed by Billy Wilder, a refugee from Nazi Germany who spent the '30s writing many scripts in Hollywood. His collaborator was frequently Charles Brackett. His first directorial role with the comedy The Major and the Minor. He then made the war film Five Graves To Cairo. The present film was followed by The Lost Weekend, for which he won his first Oscar. His second Oscar was for The Apartment in 1960. Billy Wilder has a rather bleak and sardonic outlook on life - he focuses on the offbeat and sometimes the bizarre. Several of his successful films are: Sunset Boulevard, Ace In The Hole, Stalag 17.

Fred MacMurray? was popular lead in light comedies and romantic dramas in the '30s and '40s. He was cast against his popular image to great effect in this film. Barbara Stanwyck had had a versatile career up till 1944 in all kinds of films. Here she effectively incarnates the evil woman. Edward G. Robinson, who had played many gangster roles, plays the insurance investigator. The film is very effective in involving the audience with the characters, in the perfect crime, in the falling out and the vengeance.

The story is based on factual incidents written up by James M. Cain, author of The Postman Always Rings Twice. Novelist Raymond Chandler collaborated with the screenplay. Originally the film was longer. There were cuts of up to 20 minutes of sequences with Fred MacMurray? going to the gas chamber.

Double Indemnity is a very fine example of the best in Hollywood film-making. There was a television remake with Samantha Eggar and Richard Crenna and Lee J. Cobb, directed by Jack Smight.

1. The classic status of this film? Its particularly American tone and style? The crime drama, detection? The collaboration of Raymond Chandler and Billy Wilder on a James M. Cain story?

2. Black and white photography? The Miklos Rosza score and its atmosphere? The editing for pace and suspense?

3. The standards of the Hays Office at the tine? The presentation of a crime, the leads as initially sympathetic? The demand of the Office that crime not pay? The casting of the stark., audience expectations of them at the time, their playing against these expectations? To what effect?

4. The audience involvement in the screenplay: the initial sequence with Walter Neff speaking to the tape recorder, the flashback and the description of the crime, the ironies? The importance of Neff's talking to the tape and therefore the voice-over technique throughout the film? The voice-over addressed to Keys? The development of the plot and the value
judgments being made throughout? The ironies being highlighted - and yet the final solution not known? The Raymond Chandler style of story and narrative?

5. The significance of the title, the focus on insurance, money and greed? The credits?

6. The portrayal of a crime in detail, the evil of the crime, the motives, the possibility of choice especially for Walter? Phyllis and cold evil? The seduction of Walter? Walter and his weakness, fears, passion and greed? The husband as victim - not sympathetic, wealthy?

7. Fred MacMurray's character portrayal of Walter: the introduction, the speaking to the tape, the tone with which he addressed Keys? The first person narrative and voice-over? His effectiveness as an insurance man? Weakness, greed - an ordinary worker? The visit to Phyllis, the attraction and his description of her? The subsequent visits and allowing himself to be led on? The tentative discussions about policies, the possibility of murder? Walter's attitude towards Dietrichson? Lola? The deeper involvement, the discussion about policies and his knowledge, the artifice for getting the signatures? The plan and the tensions? The car and the timing, the train trip, Walter's disguise? The pushing of Diedrichson and carrying him through the plan? The effect after the crime? Phyllis and her coolness? Lola and her anxiety? Nino and the truth? The build-up to the confrontation with Phyllis, her intent to kill him, his killing her? The portrait of an ordinary weak man, his death and the possibility of assessing his life?

8. Barbara Stanwyck's style as Phyllis? Blonde, cool? The explanations of her past and marriage to Diedrichson, Lola’s suspicion? Lola’s antagonism? Her smooth talking, her wiles, seduction? Passionate involvement? Her work with Walter for getting the signature, taking out the policies? Making the plans? Her lies? The effect of the death? Nino? The final confrontation with Walter and her death? A personification of evil with no redeeming features?

9. Diedrichson: the wealthy type, his manner, business background, brusqueness, signing his death warrant, the murder? The lack of audience sympathy - and therefore not so much blame for Phyllis and Walter?

10. Lola and her love for her father, her genuine concern, suspicions of Phyllis? The humane aspect of the family?

11. The attention to detail, signatures, time, the train and the dropping of the body, the irony of Walter being seen? The suspense with the car and the ignition not starting etc.? How well did the film blend character study and suspense?

12. Edward G. Robinson's portrait of Keys: his efficient work, friendship with Walter, his comments on his behaviour, his theories about the murder, the seeking of evidence? The interviews with the witness? (The comic touches with the witness and his being brought south, the possibility of identifying Walter?), his following Walter, the final confrontation?

13. The fascination and appeal of looking at the perfect crime? A portrayal of evil, weakness? Victim? The perfect crime and the falling out of criminals - mutual betrayal? Why is the film a classic of its kind?

DON'T CRY, IT'S ONLY THUNDER

US, 1982, 108 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Christopher, Susan Saint James, Kisa Lu, James Whitmore, Robert Englund.
Directed by Peter Werner.

Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder is a Vietnam story, but focuses more on orphans rather than combat. Dennis Christopher is a young assistant in the medical corps who gets involved with nuns and orphans. Susan Saint James is a doctor who also gets involved. There are the familiar crises, deaths, effects of the battle as well as the effects on the Americans of their involvement in Vietnam.

The film was shot in the Philippines (by Australian photographer Don McAlpine). The musical score is by Maurice Jarre. A routine, but enjoyable film with sentiment.

1. The impact of the Vietnam stories? The humane aspects of the war?

2. Authentic atmosphere, Philippine locations, the city, the orphanage? Action sequences? The musical score?

3. The title, war, storms, the orphans and their fear?

4. The Vietnam war, American tours of duty, combat, battles, the wounds, death? Supplies, doctors, administrators?

5. Brian and his arrival, young, inexperienced? His work, friends, the bet about Katherine? His meeting the orphans and the effect on him, of Anh and her not being able to speak? The nuns? Finding a place, the setting up of the orphanage, the continued number of children? the hard work, after hours? Katherine and her involvement? The emotional demands? Scrounging supplies? The wounded and his work with the dead?
The morgue? The bombs? Anh and wanting to take her to the U.S? Her accidental death, Brian's grief? The funeral? The strong words from the nun about life in Vietnam, the work, emotions? The emotional response to Katherine? The boss and his support? The return, watching the photos? His future?

6. Katherine, her work, her training, dedication? Encounter with Brian, clash and friendship, the work, her wanting to give up, the extraordinary demands? Continuing, the farewell to Brian? Her future?

7. The orphans, the consequences of war, babies, the battles, the need for food and shelter? Emotional response? Anh and her not speaking, her death? The young boy and his talking to Brian?

R. The nuns and their work, emotions, dedication?

9. Officers, anger, arrangements, the morgue, combat?

10. The experience of war for Brian? Emotional demands? Growing up?

DONOVAN'S REEF

US, 1963, 108 Minutes, Colour.
John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Jack Warden, Elizabeth Allen, Dorothy Lamour, Cesar Romero, Mike Mazurki.
Directed by John Ford.

Donovan's Reef is a knock-about comedy melodrama directed by John Ford. It was one of Ford's last films. He had specialised in Westerns over many decades and had won acclaim for such films as Stage-Coach? and The Searchers' amongst others. He was to make Cheyenne Autumn the next year and his final film Seven Women the year after. Ford had worked with John Wayne in very many films from Stagecoach on. Prior to Donovan's Reef he had worked with Wayne and Lee Marvin in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. This film is set in Hawaii and is an entertaining, colourful, if inconsequential, film. Elizabeth Allen makes a strong heroine and there is a guest role by Dorothy Lamour. The film is a relaxing mixture of sentiment, pro-American feeling and the glorification of male camaraderie and the battle of the sexes.

1. An entertaining action knock-about comedy melodrama? Its ingredients for perennial appeal?

2. The work of John Ford as an action director with the comic touch? (The writer and star and director had combined ten years earlier for the Irish Quiet Man - how much similarity in treatment and theme?). The film as a John Wayne vehicle and the reliance on his presence, style, American heroism? The Hawaiian background as suitable setting? The relationships between men and women, a variation on The Taming of the Shrew?

3. The importance of the Hawaiian locations and the emphasis on the sea, the mountains and the canyons, the beauty? The villages and the islands? music? The Hawaiian atmosphere?

4. American presence in Hawaii? The aftermath of World War II and the memories of Japanese invasion and occupation, heroism and deaths? The way of life of the island and its remoteness? The importance of indigenous culture, religious traditions? The opening up of Hawaii to the modern American world? Life lived on the surface, the need for doctors and healing, brawling and camaraderie, religion? The spontaneity of the way of life in contrast with that of Boston? The effect of Hawaii on the American spinster with her culture and primness? The response of each of the characters to the atmosphere?

5. The background of the battle of the sexes The Taming of the Shrew? Donovan and the clashes with Amelia? Gilhooley and Miss Lafleur?

6. The way of life on the island - the governor and his Chinese assistant with his Amhearst training? His schemes for marrying well? His charm and his manoeuvres? The priest and his continual appeal for money for the roof, his religious services, his going along with Donovan's deception, the Christmas celebration in the rain? Miss Lafleur and her entertaining, drinking gin, fashions, hoping to marry? The police and their trying to keep order? The nuns and their nursing? The pace of life and raising hell on the island? The incidents that illustrated this?

7. Donovan and Gilhooley as American types? The pairing of John Wayne and Lee Marvin? War achievement, living on the island, brawling, status? The continued brawls - especially the visit of the Australians? The sentimental side with the juke box, Christmas celebration and Gilhooley as king of America?

8. The contrast with Dr Dudham and his doing good, his marriage, children, leaving the Bostonians? The importance of the Boston sequences and showing their stuffiness in comparison with the Hawaiians? Amelia and her attitude towards him, her coming out to Hawaii, her falling into the water, the various clashes with Donovan, the story about the children, her taking care of them - the storm, Christmas celebrations etc.? The visit to the canyon? Her change and recognition of her father and brothers and sisters? Dr Dudham and his achievement?

9. The happy acceptance of the truth at the end? The various marriages? Again, the overtones of The Taming of the Shrew?

10. A happy and optimistic film, the picture of human nature and equality?

DONNER PASS - THE ROAD TO SURVIVAL

US, 1984, 98 minutes, Colour.
Robert Fuller, Diane Mc Bain, Michael Callan, Andrew Prine.
Directed by James L. Conway.

Donner Pass - The Road to Survival is one of many films made about the pioneering treks from East to West in the 19th. century United States. This is a Sunn Classics Illustrated - which means that the emphasis is on attractive visuals, simplified plot and narrative with moralising for the wide television audience. It begins as standard of its kind - but changes with some complexities of the plot as the hero joins General Fremont fighting against the Mexicans and questions of cannibalism for survival during the Rockies winter come to the fore. The Utah location photography is attractive and effective. The cast are regulars of such telemovies and television series. Of impact for American audiences - illustrating something of the American heritage and spirit.

1. The popularity of westerns? The pioneer westerns? The appeal to Americans, non-Americans? The heritage of the opening up of the West?

2. The film's blend of the popular material as well as the serious? Telemovie treatment for home audiences? Colour photography, Utah locations? Action sequences? The score? The style of a Classic Illustrated?

3. Audience expectations and conventional stories of pioneers, harsh winters? How predictable the material and the characters? Unpredictable? The invitation to judgments to be made about the characters and their behaviour?

4. The voice-over device and the hero's comments about his own experience, the others, value judgments? The blend of narrative and action?

5. The establishing of the group, their pioneer background, goals in California, the difficulties of travelling the Rockies? The dangers, the difficulties? Their readiness to face these? The men, the women. the children? The film's quick establishing of characters - without making them particularly clear? Invitation to understand the experience of the pioneers?

6. The clashes? Reid as hero and Kaiser as villain? Kaiser and his exclusion from the group? Others vouching for him - and his later expelling Reid? Reid being outlawed? The later ironies, especially with Kaiser's lack of co-operation and murders?

7. The picturing of the struggles, the hopes, the scouts. the possibilities of moving on., wagons falling, waiting, the change of seasons?

8. The focus on Reid and his survival, his meeting with the scouts, getting food, going to California after failing to reach the party, the encounter with General Fremont, the plan for the capture of the Mexican general, the final rescuing of the group?

9. The picture of the group during the winter: suffering, survival, the man in the ice pool and his freezing to death, the number of deaths, the confrontation with animals - especially the fight with the bear, the cold Christmas and the singing of songs?

10. The reality of cannibalism - and the characters facing reality. difficulties. repugnance, survival? The film's treatment of the reality of cannibalism for survival - not exploiting it but presenting it realistically, especially for the television audience? The invitation for judgment about behaviour in such situations?

11. A romantic and realistic picture of the opening up of the western trails and the hopes of the pioneers of California?