DONNER PASS - THE ROAD TO SURVIVAL

US, 1984, 98 minutes, Colour.
Robert Fuller, Diane McBain?, 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?

THE DON IS DEAD

US, 1973, 117 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Quinn, Frederic. Forrest, Robert Forster, Al Lettieri, Angel Tompkins.
Directed by Richard Fleischer.

The Godfather's characters were interesting since we got to know them well, even as we were horrified at their behaviour. This film gets us back to the horror at incredibly brutal actions of young and ageing punks consumed with self-importance and ambition. As such, any Mafia story is ugly. This one, with its gory emphasis on a gang-war engineered by a Iago-like villain, is an average gangster thriller, far less than the excellence of The Godfather. Anthony Quinn lends his presence to a somewhat secondary role. The central character is the shrewd young hit-man (Frederic Forrest) who profits by every death. Directed efficiently by Richard Fleischer.

1. Why are Mafia films interesting to modern audiences? what particular aspects of Mafia life, of Mafia violence arouse audience attention?

2. How real is the Mafia world and its moral standards? How does it clash with the norms and values of audiences? The Mafia world has its own presuppositions - of one's word and brotherhood and moral values follow from these. How real is this?

3. How did the film create its atmosphere during the credits and the initial encounter with the gunmen?

4. What were your first impressions of Frank and Tony and Vince? Were they able to be sympathised with? Or were they merely Mafia punks? How did the film present them? Were they interesting characters? why did the background of family life add to the significance of these punks?

5. The sequences with Vince and his wife? Tony and the wife and the children? How was this background helpful in situating the reality of the Mafia feuds?

6. What were your impressions of the Mafia executive meeting? The way in which it was run? The style of the gangsters in their business suits and their decorum at meetings?

7. What impression did Don Angelo make on you? How successful a Mafia chief was he? Why? Did Anthony Quinn's portrayal of Angelo add to Angelo's significance? How shrewd was Angelo in composing a solution to the difficulties?

8. How inadequate was Frank as a Mafia leader? Why was this obvious? How badly did he handle situations? How successful a man was Luigi Orlando? How well did he play his strokes?

9. How was Angelo a kind of Othello figure? Led by the nose in some way and manipulated for his own destruction?

10. How was Luigi a kind of Iago-figure - a master mind of evil - manipulating people without their being aware of it, achieving his own ambitions? How was Luigi's character illustrated by his relationship with Molly - his brutality, her goading, their double ambition? How successfully did he manipulate the families into war? Did he see their weak points and play on them well?

11. The character of Ruby? How important was she for the film? What was her relationship with Frank? Why did she give herself to Don Angelo? Why did he fall in love with her? Did she understand the danger? What were your reactions when she was bashed by Frank?

12. How did Frank's reaction to Ruby's living with Don Angelo typify his unsuitability for Mafia leadership? What did it reveal about Frank as a person?

13. Was the presentation of the Mafia war too brutal? who had the power to stop the war? How senseless was the war? Comment on the variety and styles of hits and the contracts? What was your impression during this part of the film? Does the Mafia have anything to commend it?

14. Why was Tony wanting to opt out of the Mafia life? Did he really want to opt out? Did Vince sense this or did Vince persuade him to stay? What effect did Vince's death have on him? How shrewd was Tony? How successful a leader was he?

15. Did, in fact, Frank's death - and the Neapolitan style, the apologies - pay the debts owed in honour? The inevitability of Frank's death? The long close-up of Frank's face before he drinks the wine? What moral comment on the proceedings did this make?

16. How important was the sequence of Luigi's death? Was it convincing? Were you glad that he got what he deserved? And Maria? How shrewd was Tony in realising what happened?

17. Don Antonio - was this inevitable from the beginning? The power that Tony had over Don Angelo in his incapacitated state and the other family? What future was there for Antonio?

18. Why was this film made? As crime and entertainment? As a comment on human behaviour? As a social comment on the Mafia and American life?

DOMINIQUE

UK, 1979, 100 minutes, Colour.
Cliff Robertson, Jean Simmons, Jenny Agutter, Simon Ward, Michael Jayston, Judy Geeson, Ron Moody, David Tomlinson, Flora Robson.
Directed by Michael Anderson.

Dominique offers nothing new, just a 1970s version of the Gaslight, Suspicion plot - terrify your wife to madness and death. Despite a let-down in the too swift, unexpected solution, the screenplay has some nice shock effects (of the old fashioned variety), a stately house for terror and some mysterious atmospherics. Best is the cast: Jean Simmons is Dominique, suffering valiantly, and pleasant Cliff Robertson terrified when roles are surprisingly reversed, and a lavish supporting cast including Jenny Agutter, Simon Ward, Judy Geeson, Michael Jayston, Ron Moody, Flora Robson and David Tomlinson. I still can't quite work out how the dastardly deeds were done but this is an acceptable thriller for the middle aged.

1. An entertaining thriller, horror, suggestion of occult dram? The tradition of the husband haunting wife melodrama e.g. Gaslight? The echoes used here, the reversal of torment? The quality of the entertainment and themes?

2. The conventions of this genre? The wife and audiences identifying with her in her terror, the stately house, the devices used to upset her e.g. the hanging body? Noises? Stolen jewellery? Humiliation in front of guests? The heroine and her disability and finding it difficult to cope? The reversal of these roles as they were perpetrated on the husband? The ironies? The background of the plot, the mystery? The suddenness of the final revelation? The murders, clues, red herrings? Audience suspension of disbelief?

3. The colour photography, English locations? The special effects - and the way these were explained at the end? Decor and style? The contribution of the stars? The British cast and the guest roles? Enhancing the texture of the film with the quality of acting?

4. The plausibility of the plot - the menace, the deaths? The suggestions of the occult and ghosts? The explanation, rapidly given at the end? The characterisation and the plausibility of the torment? The contrivances?

5. The initial focus on David - Cliff Robertson and his style, American background, business? His seeming devotion to his wife? The accident, her mistakes? The discovery that he was engineering these? The suggestions of smile? His collaboration with Mrs Davis? Dominique's growing fear? Her death and his satisfaction? The reversal of roles and his inability to cope with the torment? The presence of Dominique in the house, the piano-playing etc.? His relationship to Tony and use of him as chauffeur? Ann and her presence in the house? His friends the Cravens, the doctor? The appearance of the tombstone and its inscription, the visit to the stonemason, the dismissal of Mrs. Davis? His inability to cope? Sequences at his office, at home? The climax to his death? The irony of Dominique's will, his won will? His being defeated in poetic justice?

6. The contrast with Dominique - Jean Simmons as the lame heroine, her suffering and torment? Her fears - sequences at the dining room, the jewellery etc.? Her friendship with the Cravens? Mrs Davis? Her relationship to Ann, Tony? Her death? Her reappearances and the audience thinking she was a ghost? The irony of Ann using Doirdnique's mask for the torment? The tape recording and the explanation of her vengeance on her husband?

7. Ann and Tony as villains - Ann and her taken for granted presence around the house, her consoling of David etc.? Tony and his cavalier attitude and subservient behaviour? The revelation of the truth? The relationship between the two, their clash, Ann killing Tony? Credible villains?

8. The gallery of minor characters and their contribution - Mrs Davis and her sinister presence, the Cravens and their visits? The ugliness of Dr Rogers and his presence, deceptions, the violence of his death and the search of his house? George and the discussions at the cemetery about the headstones?

9. The special effects especially Dominique as ghost, the headstone, the hanging body, the noises, the walking of the house, the conservatory etc.? Audience response to this kind of fright and suspense?

10. Themes of relationships, greed, mutual torture, revenge - how adequately communicated in the thriller techniques?

A DOLL'S HOUSE

UK, 1973, 106 minutes, Colour.
Jane Fonda, David Warner, Trevor Howard, Delphine Seyrig, Edward Fox.
Directed by Joseph Losey.

This certainly is a cinematic version of Ibsen's play, attractively filmed in Norway by Joseph Losey. The play has been pared of words (especially in the final confrontation, so strong in the Bloom version) and reliance given to shorter sequences, swifter cross-cutting and editing and non-verbal techniques. The result is an interesting film, and insight into Ibsen's presentation of a doll being forced into adulthood and decision as a woman. Jane Fonda (miscast or not) gives an impressive performance as Nora. The supporting cast of David Warner, Edward Fox, Trevor Howard and Delphine Seyrig is competent, although Anthony Hopkins in the other version was a better Torvald. Topical, interesting and enjoyable.

1. Considering that Ibsen wrote last century, how much ahead of its time was the play and its message? How valid and significant a drama on women is A Doll's House?

2. What impact does its theme have today (more or less than when it was written?) Although set in Norway, how universal is the plot and theme?

3. Although based on a stage play, this version is very cinematic. How successful is the transition from stage to screen? How?

4. Comment on the use of location filming in Norway. Comment on Michael Legrand's musical score.

5. The impact of the prologue? Nora and Kristine as friends, skating, eating the cakes? The intrusion of Krogstat?

6. What were your first impressions of Nora? Did the modern Jane Fonda embody the nineteenth century woman well?

7. What were your first impressions of Nora and Torvald? The quality of their marriage, their happiness, their relationship with their children?

8. Nora as a married woman, her shopping, her need to spend money. Torvald's calling her his squirrel, her seeming irresponsibility? How important was the fact that Nora had deceived Torvald about the source of her money loan? How ironical was this for the film? How destructive?

9. Did you like Torvald? He was absorbed in his work, health, his ambitions? was he too self-righteous? Why couldn't Nora reveal the truth to him? His loathing of Krogstat? His promotion of Kristine? How was the relationship of Torvald and Nora symbolised by his pressing her to practise the tarantella?

10. Doctor Rank - his role in the film, his relationship to Nora, the nature of her love for him. his friendship with Torvald? His support of them both? The fact that he was dying. the fact that he revealed this to them? The realities of life and death as focused in him?

11. The importance of Krogstat in the film? The initial sequences where he wanted Kristine to marry him. His rejection by Kristine for a rich husband? His bitterness. What had made him bitter and evil? Krogstat as seen with his family? Why did he persecute Nora? Why was he bitter that she escaped blame for the kind of thing he was blamed for? The question of differences of class? Why was he able to be persuaded by Kristine? How genuine was his hope that all would be well? Kristine - how sincere was she? How good a friend to Nora? Why did she try to do the right thing? How ironical was it that all backfired? Did she really love Krogstat?

13. How did the relationship between Krogstat and Kristine parallel and differ from the relationship between Nora and Torvald? How important was this for the dram of the film?

14. Nora's growing anguish. why did she become so anxious? why was it so important to conceal the truth from Torvald? Why could she not imagine that he could understand her? How was she justified in this belief?

15. How desperate was her plight as the arrival of the letter approached? The letter locked in the box? Her love for her children, and the way that this was shown? The desperate nature of the dancing of the tarantella?

16. The final confrontation between Nora and Torvald. How did you react to Torvald and his reaction to the letter? His thinking only of himself and his position? How shocking was his failure to realise Nora's feelings? Nora's response to him? The truth she told about their marriage, their life together, her change from girl to woman, what had she realised about herself, her right and duties to herself? Was this confrontation credible and dramatic enough for the film?

17. Were you surprised that she walked out of Torvald's life, leaving him and her children? What future would she have?

18. The implications of this film for women and their rights? The dignity of women? Was this an important comment on women in the 19th century? Is the film a contribution to an understanding of the relationship between men and women now?

A DOLL'S HOUSE

UK, 1972, 90 minutes, Colour.
Claire Bloom, Anthony Hopkins, Ralph Richardson, Denholm Elliot, Anna Massey, Edith Evans.
Directed by Patrick Garland.

Ibsen's play is most interesting and, in these days of equality for women, most forceful. What must have been its impact 100 years ago? Claire Bloom's performance is well worth seeing, a compelling change from silly, pretty doll to independent woman. Anthony Hopkins as the insensitively arrogant husband is also excellent. A pity, then, that the film is basically a filmed play. Visual techniques are well done, but in a theatre, the time effect is so different from a cinema. A three-act play has intervals allowing the audience to assimilate character changes. Three acts in 90 continuous minutes is too rapid for the drama to be as convincing as intended.

1. How much was the impact of the film affected by the fact that this was very much a filmed play - confined sets,, stage-style performances, the lack of intervals between acts to distance the time-span of the action?

2. Considering that Ibsen wrote last century, how much ahead of its time was the play and its message?

3. How valid and significant a dram on women is A Doll's House? What impact does its theme have today? (More or less than when it was written).

4. How did Claire Bloom's performance carry the film?

5. Although set in Norway, how universal is the plot and theme?

6. What kind of woman was Norah and how did the film show this: the initial ride, and return from shopping; the talk about money and Norah's performing tricks for it; Norah as giddy - dresses. parties. dancing; her love for her husband; the situation regarding Krogstat and the loan; her motives. her predicament, her inability to tell her husband; her love for her children relationship with the nurse; her love for Dr. Rank, the impact of his imminent death; the encounter with Krogstat, her attempts to persuade her husband; her friendship with. Kristine and the contrast of her own life and marriage; the help of Kristine and the possibility of all being smoothed over happily; the tarantella the party. being decorative and tasteful for her husband; the confrontation and the opening of her eyes. the change for her; her inability to see her husband's principled viewpoint.

7. What kind of man was Torvald - his work, his principles, ruthlessness, coldness, possessing of his wife and controlling her, his inability to think of her as an equal?

8. How evil a man was Krogstat? The sequence of his meal with his son? His manoeuvring of Norah and Kristine? His relationship with Kristine in the past? His change of heart?

9. Kristine as a person, in relation to Norah, in relation to Krogstat. The Kristine-Krogstat? sub-plot as an echo of the main plot?

10. Dr Rank - his place in the film? Friendship, the meaning of life and living and death?

11. The impact of the final encounter in the film? How telling? How important for the theme of the film and its message? The technique of filming, especially the use of close-ups; Torvald's immediate reaction, thought of himself and his reputation, his savage attack on Norah and her irresponsibility, his wanting her away from him and the children; his superficial sudden change on the good news. His trying to go back on everything; the complete selfishness, pharisaic hypocrisy of the man; his inability to feel for or appreciate Norah; Norah's explanation of why she was leaving - how convincing? Her self-understanding? Her insight into the nature of love and marriage? How was it possible for her to walk out on her children as well as her husband? What future did she have?

A DOLL'S HOUSE

UK, 1973, 106 minutes, Colour.
Jane Fonda, David Warner, Trevor Howard, Delphine Seyrig, Edward Fox.
Directed by Joseph Losey.

This certainly is a cinematic version of Ibsen's play, attractively filmed in Norway by Joseph Losey. The play has been pared of words (especially in the final confrontation, so strong in the Bloom version) and reliance given to shorter sequences, swifter cross-cutting and editing and non-verbal techniques. The result is an interesting film, and insight into Ibsen's presentation of a doll being forced into adulthood and decision as a woman. Jane Fonda (miscast or not) gives an impressive performance as Nora. The supporting cast of David Warner, Edward Fox, Trevor Howard and Delphine Seyrig is competent, although Anthony Hopkins in the other version was a better Torvald. Topical, interesting and enjoyable.

1. Considering that Ibsen wrote last century, how much ahead of its time was the play and its message? How valid and significant a drama on women is A Doll's House?

2. What impact does its theme have today (more or less than when it was written?) Although set in Norway, how universal is the plot and theme?

3. Although based on a stage play, this version is very cinematic. How successful is the transition from stage to screen? How?

4. Comment on the use of location filming in Norway. Comment on Michael Legrand's musical score.

5. The impact of the prologue? Nora and Kristine as friends, skating, eating the cakes? The intrusion of Krogstat?

6. What were your first impressions of Nora? Did the modern Jane Fonda embody the nineteenth century woman well?

7. What were your first impressions of Nora and Torvald? The quality of their marriage, their happiness, their relationship with their children?

8. Nora as a married woman, her shopping, her need to spend money. Torvald's calling her his squirrel, her seeming irresponsibility? How important was the fact that Nora had deceived Torvald about the source of her money loan? How ironical was this for the film? How destructive?

9. Did you like Torvald? He was absorbed in his work, health, his ambitions? was he too self-righteous? Why couldn't Nora reveal the truth to him? His loathing of Krogstat? His promotion of Kristine? How was the relationship of Torvald and Nora symbolised by his pressing her to practise the tarantella?

10. Doctor Rank - his role in the film, his relationship to Nora, the nature of her love for him. his friendship with Torvald? His support of them both? The fact that he was dying. the fact that he revealed this to them? The realities of life and death as focused in him?

11. The importance of Krogstat in the film? The initial sequences where he wanted Kristine to marry him. His rejection by Kristine for a rich husband? His bitterness. What had made him bitter and evil? Krogstat as seen with his family? Why did he persecute Nora? Why was he bitter that she escaped blame for the kind of thing he was blamed for? The question of differences of class? Why was he able to be persuaded by Kristine? How genuine was his hope that all would be well? Kristine - how sincere was she? How good a friend to Nora? Why did she try to do the right thing? How ironical was it that all backfired? Did she really love Krogstat?

13. How did the relationship between Krogstat and Kristine parallel and differ from the relationship between Nora and Torvald? How important was this for the dram of the film?

14. Nora's growing anguish. why did she become so anxious? why was it so important to conceal the truth from Torvald? Why could she not imagine that he could understand her? How was she justified in this belief?

15. How desperate was her plight as the arrival of the letter approached? The letter locked in the box? Her love for her children, and the way that this was shown? The desperate nature of the dancing of the tarantella?

16. The final confrontation between Nora and Torvald. How did you react to Torvald and his reaction to the letter? His thinking only of himself and his position? How shocking was his failure to realise Nora's feelings? Nora's response to him? The truth she told about their marriage, their life together, her change from girl to woman, what had she realised about herself, her right and duties to herself? Was this confrontation credible and dramatic enough for the film?

17. Were you surprised that she walked out of Torvald's life, leaving him and her children? What future would she have?

18. The implications of this film for women and their rights? The dignity of women? Was this an important comment on women in the 19th century? Is the film a contribution to an understanding of the relationship between men and women now?

$S (THE HEIST)

US, 1971, 121 Minutes, Colour.
Warren Beatty, Goldie Hawn, Gert Frobe, Robert Webber, Scott Brady.
Directed by Richard Brooks.

$ (The Heist) shows robbery comedies are still with us. This one originally called $, is bigger than most - in the money stolen, ingenuity, complicated plans, comic capers and final chase. Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn are the "brains" behind the Heist, but writer-director Richard Brooks is behind it all, perhaps trying too hard to make it the breeziest, cleverest, breathless, film of its kind. Give the film twenty minutes or so to work out who is who, and who is up to what.

It seems to be making some comment on robbery, money and greed, but the main thing is the plot, made for easy entertainment.

1. The place of this film in the genre of crime capers and robberies? How much did it rely on the conventions of the genre? How was it different? An emphasis on the style of the robbery, skill, the type of money taken and the implications for social justice and the police?

2. The tone of the title, the credits with the dollar sign, the song recurring throughout the film, the night club act with its linking of strippers with money?

3. How important was the atmosphere of Germany? The technical and technological background? The techniques and the efficiency? As a place for drug trafficking and the story of hot money?

4. Colour photography and locations? Music? The importance of the stars and their appeal? The set piece of the robbery, the climatic chase?

5. The introduction of the film with the rehearsal of security measures? The introduction to banks, the tone of the film, Mr. Kessell, a man to be tricked? The introduction to Joe Collins and his work and his attitudes?

6. Joe Collins as a Warren Beatty character? An American, his work in Europe, his plans, motivation? The importance of his set speeches, especially to Mr. Kessell about the nature of banks, robberies and security? His speech to Dawn about money, the dishonesty of society?

7. The character of Joe Collins and the attention to detail? His plans, his preparation for the robbery? The selection of the victims and the reliance on Dawn? The implications of violence, especially at the night club and with the drug peddling and the prostitutes? The detailed build-up to the plan and his part in its execution?

8. Dawn and Goldie Hawn? The humorous light-headed character? The dumb blonde type? Her Las Vegas and Hollywood background? Sexuality, clients? The sequence with the Las Vegas man as the fireman etc.? Her participation in the robbery? Her amoral approach? Her fears and apprehension? Her phone call to Kessell, her participation in the plan and its success? Her exhilaration in recuperating the money?

9. The presentation of the victims: the ugly side of the American army with its emphasis on patriotism and yet its exploitation? The Las Vegas types? The drug pusher and murderer? The types involved in these crimes, murders, greed? The effectiveness of their combination in pursuit? Their deaths?

10. Mr. Kessell as the humorous manager, as a type, as the hero with television and the breaking through the door?

11. The tension and drama and humour of the sequence of the transferring of the money and the drilling? The nature of the film's editing for pace?

12. Why were the pursuit sequences so long? How plausible? How effective?

13. The appropriateness of the ending for this kind of film?

14. The perspective of the modern world with its observations on society, individuals within society, money and wealth, honesty and dishonesty, exploitation, good and evil and justice?

THE DOGS OF WAR

UK, 1980, 118 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Walken, Tom Berenger, Colin Blakely, Hugh Millais, Paul Freeman, Jean- Francois Stevenin, Jo Beth Williams, Robert Urquhart, Winston Ntshona.
Directed by John Irvin.

Dogs of War is a streamlined adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's controversial novel about mercenaries and multinational manufactured coups in Africa with some wry observations on emerging nations - Idi Amin's Uganda style. The story is told fairly straightforwardly and is an action film (rather than doing justice to Forsyth). The film works well and is a particularly grim look at the unrelenting dedication of the modern men of war. Christopher Walken does well in the star role and, while unsympathetic, does engage audience interest (and even support). The climactic battle is gruesomely exciting. The implications for the kind of world we live in are quite frightening and one wonders what makes this kind of single-minded tough man tick. other versions of Forsyth's novels include Fred Zinnemann's The Day of the Jackal and Ronald Neame's less successful The Odessa File.

1. The popularity of Frederick Forsyth's novels? The world issues, contemporary, dramatic and melodramatic? International espionage emerging nations, the role of mercenaries in the 20th. century? Power, violence? The authentic nature of his insights. characters and situations? Their echoes in the history of the 160s and '70s?

2. How well did the screenplay adapt and streamline the long novel? Gains and losses?

3. The focus of the title, mercenaries, war? The significance of the opening quotation? The film's attitudes towards mercenaries, their work, emotions, involvement and commitment? Prices paid? Neutral loyalties? Audience response to mercenaries? The pros and cons? A fact of history? Nations and their needs? Multinationals and their using mercenaries? The methods? Morals? Humanity and inhumanity?

4. The introduction to Shannon? The rescue work? Latin America and his involvement? Speed, violence, toughness? Getting results?

5. The contrast with his arrival in Chicago. his apartment and its dark, isolation, loneliness? His relationship with family, ex-wife? The isolated man? What sustained him? The significance of the baptismal sequence and his being godfather? The hostility of the mother? The details of his living alone, his caution as regards his apartment? How well did the film fill out his background e.g. Vietnam and his skills? A serious minded man?

6. The film's presentation of multinationals, their smooth speaking anonymous representatives? The international interests, plots, lack of scruple? The visit of the representative to Shannon, caution, proposition, pressure? The ability to arrange covers and details? The discussion of Shannon's cover as a photographer, the background of birds and his being Interrogated for detail? The flight to Zangaro? The customs, the hotel, the manager? His taking photos and journeying? The sequence with his guide and losing him - and the later irony of the guide's speaking English? His access to various places in Zangaro? Photography of installations? The preparation for the coup? The fascination with Gabrielle? Her manner, wealth? The discovery that she was the mistress of the president? His encounter with the British journalist team, his friendship with the journalist? The background to their discussions and audience information about Zangaro and the president, the economy? Communications and security? The drinking? The flogging in the street? Shannon's arrest, torture? His not giving information under torture? The brutality of Zangaro and police states? The encounter with the doctor in prison and his being a presidential candidate? His wounds being treated by the doctor? The deportation and his reporting back to the multinationals?

7. The portrait of an emerging nation: the background of Idi Amin and the abuse of Uganda, the ineffective leadership, the stagnation in the country, work and possibilities, army and appearances, poor communications and media? Gabrielle and what she signified? Money, bribes? Secret police? The hotel manager and his comments?

8. The British television reporter and his work, pride, stagnating in the country, drinking, friendship? His response to the violence in the country? The later encounter in England? Friendship, his programme, the drinks? The ugliness of his death?

9. Shannon and his reaction to Zangaro, his agreement to lead the coup? The contacts? The planning of the strategy? The range of contacts to build up his mercenary army? The friendship with Drew and getting him to join? The Frenchman? The work in England and France? Shannon and his presence in England, the encounter with the journalist? The African contacts? Armaments? How interesting was this detail of Shannon's contact and building up his army?

10. The men in the army, their drill and training? The captain and his ship and its cover? The plans for sailing, landing? The possibility of this kind of raid in the contemporary world? The sophistication of the weaponry and its being planned, built, financial deals with mercenary businessmen?

11. The sailing to Zangaro, the suspense in their being detected or not? The attack and its detail, the strategy? The fighting, the weaponry, the explosions? Drew's death? The smashing and destroying of Zangaro?

12. Shannon's confrontation with the president, his getting the money, his death? Gabrielle and Shannon's flicker of emotion? Her fear? Violence?

13. The coup and its blood-letting, its success? To what purpose?

14. The surprise ending as Shannon installed the doctor as the head of Zangaro and not the ineffective candidate planned by the multinationals? The death of the alternate candidate? The repercussions for Shannon, for Zangaro, for big business and the multinational bosses?

15. The moral perspective of the mercenary? His self-preoccupation? Capacity for violence, espionage? The impossibility of having an emotional life? Sympathies? Relationships? The tough individual loner? How much a hero of our times, anti-hero, villain? The success of the film as a war adventure story? How perceptive its comments on the mercenaries of today?

DOG DAY AFTERNOON

US, 1975, 130 Minutes, Colour.
Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon, James Broderick.
Directed by Sidney Lumet.

Dog Day Afternoon was nominated for several Oscars for 1975 - they include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor. It is quite an impressive film and a strange comment on modern America. The incidents portrayed in the film really happened. Director Sidney Lumet made Serpico and uses the atmosphere of New York again in this film. He also has the same star - A1 Pacino. Pacino is a very good actor indeed, one of moods and intensity which is convincing in such varied films as Scarecrow, Serpico and the two Godfather films.

The character that Pacino plays in this film is a representative of the strange mixture of influences in the modern mixed-up America. He is the migrant son, with a dominant mother, highly emotional and impulsive. He has a wife and children, yet has gone through the form of a homosexual marriage. He has organised a bank robbery, yet it all goes wrong. He is violent, but considerate. And on an August afternoon, despite his inefficiency, he becomes a celebrity with the fickle crowd cheering him on, then jeering. And the police come in droves. This means that the film is quite funny at times, at other times full of pathos. Some of the monologues that the script gives to Pacino move the film from almost being a parody of the robbery genre to a genuine and moving character study.

The film seems to work on several levels. It is entertaining in its way. It is filled with real people. It is a social comment on modern America.

1. The impact of this film? Its quality? The variety of qualities it represented?

2. The emphasis and the meaning of the title? The focus on the afternoon and its style? The irony?

3. How well did the film communicate the atmosphere of heat, the Brooklyn locations, the time passing, the atmosphere of the afternoon, the mood of the people concerned? The documentary background of the film? The variety of photography, especially the overhead photography for overall dramatic effect?

4. The importance of the film as a representation of New York in the 70s? The types and heroes and villains of the city, the mystique of New York? The mystique of robbers, police and criminals? A representation of a cross section of people of the time? The role of violence in the 70s? How interestingly communicated? What kind of reflection?

5. The tradition of robberies and crime in America? The cinema tradition over the decades? How did they come together in the visualising of this robbery? The mentality of the people concerned, criminals, hostages, police, crowds? The audience response to the atmosphere?

6. Sonny presented as an American hero? As an American villain? How did the characterisation retain interest? Was he a sympathetic character? The initial impact, waiting at the bank, initiating the robbery, the things beginning to go wrong? His coping and his inability to cope? How was he seen as a man? Coping with the robbery, with people, with Sal? The gradual explanation of his background, incompetence? The growing nervousness? The importance of his motivation?

7. How well did the film and Al Pacino's performance help us understand Sonny? As a potential criminal? His responsibility for the crime? His good qualities. sympathetic? His failings?

8. How was Sonny a summing up of America at that time? His migrant background? His growing up in New York, the urban influences, Vietnam (an explanation for the violence), his relationship with men, women, Leon, his wife? The screen's portraying his mother and father and their attitudes? The American confronting the police? Show-off and modest? Success and failure? A man of dreams, almost achieving them, doomed to failure and reality?

9. The contrast with Sal? Why was he involved in the robbery? The nervous young man who went off? Sal's lack of brains, his violence? His annoyance about the homosexuality? His gullibility? The growing nervousness throughout the day? How good a characterisation? The pathos of his plight? His worry about the escape and the flight? His lack of relationship to the people held up? His final death?

10. Comment on the characterisation of the bank manager. His actions, his heroism, his diabetes? How well did he act in the situation? His relationship with Sonny? With the police? His helping, his staff? How credible?

11. The portrayal of the staff? The variety of women concerned? The characterisation of each of them? The particular incidents in which they were involved, for example, the pregnant wife ringing her husband? The gum chewing girl learning to use the rifle? The elderly assistant, wanting to go to the toilet, her helping Sonny? How credible did the portrayal of the staff make the whole proceedings?

12. The presentation of the police? The huge numbers, the readiness for violence? The negotiations? The head of the police and his ability to negotiate with Sonny? By phone, their conversation? The way that the negotiations were fouled up?

13. The personalities of the FBI men? Undercover, his waiting in the background, his suave presentation, his cool menace, his achievement of success? A commentary on the methods of the police and the FBI?

14. The importance of the crowds in the film? Their championing of Sonny? Their continued shouting, treating the whole thing as a show? Their liking for violence? Their fear during shots? Their changing of attitudes? The comment on the fickleness of crowds?

15. The importance of the television coverage? A feature of the seventies? The fact that Sonny could watch himself on television? The wide publicity, Sonny's mother and his wife seeing everything? The kind of invasion of privacy by television and the media? The comment on character and morals? The influencing of the crowds pro and con? The comment on the role of modern media?

16. The importance of Leon and the time that he was introduced into the film? Trying to understand Sonny in the light of what we had seen and of his marriage with Leon? The importance of Leon's monologue to the police? Of his phone call to Sonny? The pity for Leon? The plight of the homosexual? The operation? How real a character was Leon despite the bizarre background? His inability to help Sonny, his fear of him? The overtones of madness and nervous breakdown in American society? Gay Liberation demonstrations?

17. The contrast with Angela? How credible that Sonny had married her? Her continual talking, reactions with the children, with the police? Her unwillingness to help Sonny? The contrast of Sonny's attitudes to Leon and Angela? His greater attachment to Leon?

18. The dramatic importance of Sonny's mother's arrival? American momism, her hold over Sonny, his rejection of her and what it meant?

19. Individuals in the crowd wanting to become celebrities? The boy with the food and his song and dance act? The doctor coming in?

20. Trace the reactions of the crowd during the afternoon. What insight into human nature?

21. How interesting was the plan of escape? The various details in its planning? Sonny moving inside and outside the bank? The fact of the FBI and the police agreed?

22. How was the trip the climax to the dram? Huddling the hostages in the bus, the people chasing the bus and their hostility, the shouts? The arrival at the airport and the fore-boding of the plane? The emphasis on Sal's gun? The swiftness of the FBI? Sonny's shrewdness e.g. the driver of the bus and his inability to save Sal? The final catching-up?

23. What were the main themes of American society portrayed in this film?

24. The main human themes? The study of individuals? Their strange behaviour? The importance of Sonny's phone calls and monologues? what insight into his character?

25. How good a film of the 70s was this?

DODSWORTH

US, 1936, 101 minutes, Black and white.
Walter Huston, Mary Astor, Ruth Chatterton, David Niven, Paul Lukas, Gregory Gaye, Maria Ouspenskaya, Spring Byington, John Payne.
Directed by William Wyler.

Dodsworth is an interesting and entertaining American drama of the '30s. It was adapted by playwright Sidney Howard from Sinclair Lewis' best-selling novel. Howard had adapted Lewis' Arrowsmith for the screen in 1932 (directed by John Ford). Both were Sam Goldwyn productions. This film was directed by William Wyler who was at the beginning of a most successful and prize-winning career - Jezebel, The Little Foxes, Mrs. Miniver, The Best Years Of Our Lives, Detective Story, Roman Holiday, Ben Hur to Funny Girl. He gets excellent performances
from Walter Huston as Sam Dodsworth and, especially, from Ruth Chatterton as his wife longing to remain young. There is a sympathetic performance by Mary Astor as a divorcee. The young David Niven has a small role, as has Paul Lukas.

The film portrays familiar material but it does so with insight and intelligence that raises the film from danger of stereotype or cliche. Photography is by Rudolph Mate and music by Alfred Newman.

1. The film as an example of fine 130s movie-making? A piece of Americana: American industry. characters. plot, observation and critique? The talents of Sam Goldwyn's production. William Wyler's direction, Sinclair Lewis' novel. Sidney Howard's adaptation? The contribution of the musical score?

2. Sinclair Lewis and his celebrated status as an American novelist? His creation of situations and period? observation of character? Society, wealth, Americans travelling in Europe? Values, morality? observation and critique? A satisfying film version of his novel?

3. Black and white photography, sets and the atmosphere of the United States and Europe? A feeling for the '30s? The strengths of the cast?

4. The impact of the opening. the introduction to Sam Dodsworth, his manufacturing firm and the importance of his name? His decision to leave, his hopes, the acclamation of the workers, the beginning of a new life? His eagerness, gradual disappointment and disillusionment? His love and his love not being answered? The hollowness of his marriage? His becoming dissatisfied and listless - the possibility of new life, new support and love?

5. Walter Huston's presence as Sam - leaving his firm, the return to Fran and her incessant chatter. his love for his daughter? His friends and their support? His ease of manner, age. experience, self-made man, having earned his rest and retirement? His enjoying life, eagerness to see the European heritage? The beginnings of the cruise, his enjoying the cruise, making friends? His exhilaration at seeing land and the lighthouse? Fran's lack of response? His beginning to cope with Fran? His enjoyment of Paris? His decision to return home - and Fran's refusal?

6. The film's character portrayal of Fran: her marriage. age. love for Sam and signs of affection. love for her daughter? Her chatter. memories of Europe from her girlhood, the longing for the opportunity to break out? Her enjoyment of the cruise. dressing and formality? The encounter with Clyde and the flirtation. leading him on, his responding to her advances and his insulting her? Her tantrum? Sam's support and understanding? Paris and her exhilaration. going out. the boredom of her birthday celebration at home, the infatuation with the men. the romantic attachment to Arnold? Her decision not to return home? Her liaison with Arnold? The surprise of Sam's return after her not answering his letters - and burning them at Arnold's suggestion? The confrontation with Arnold and his retiring? The reconciliation? Vienna and her infatuation with Kurt? Her exhilaration with life. affectation. snobbery, flirting,. wanting to be carefree, her self-centredness,. the growing preoccupation and pretence with being young? Her reaction to Sarn's letters. refusal to come home. lies. superficial reconciliation,, refusing to go to the birth of her grandchild,, refusing to ring and acknowledge that she was a grandmother? Kurt's proposal? a picture of the future? Kurt and the influence of his mother and his postponing the marriage? Her impulsive ringing of Sam, her demand of reconciliation? The visit to Naples, her behaviour on the boat, the incessant chatter, the criticisms of others, the self-centredness, the blaming of Sam? The audience seeing her through Sam's eyes and his leaving her? Her being left on the boat lonely and lost?

7. Sam and his return to the United States, crankiness with the family, disappointment with Fran? His return to Paris, the detective finding Fran's whereabouts, summoning Arnold? The confrontation? The momentary reconciliation? The confrontation in Vienna? His listless travelling, arrival at Naples? The encounter with Edith and the peacefulness of staying with her, fishing, the boat? The future and his dreams , coming to life again, industry and invention? The phone call and his sense of responsibility for Fran, old habits? His listening to her on the ship and audiences agreeing with his decision to leave her? The exhilaration of his return to Edith? Life and energy?

8. Edith and her presence on the boat, as a guest, Naples and her invitation to Sam to live in the villa, gossip and her disregard of it, companionship, falling in love, her concealing the phone call, her sadness at his leaving, the future with him?

9. The American lifestyle compared with that of Europe? Emily and Harry and their building a life together, the birth of the child? Sam and his friends and their sympathy and advice?

10. The portrait of Arnold and the suave Austrian? Clyde and the military conman? Kurt and the naive young European aristocrat?

11. Themes of Europe and America? Innocence versus experience? The effect of Europe on the Ame-ricans? Their feeling themselves hicks and wanting to keep pace or return home? The film's portrait of Dodsworth as symbolising the American man? How satisfying a piece of Americana?