MAXWELL

UK, 2007, 90 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Patricia Hodge, Dan Stevens, Ben Caplan.
Directed by Colin Barr.

Maxwell is a portrait of the entrepreneur and tycoon, Robert Maxwell, who died accidentally falling overboard from his yacht in 1991. This film focuses on his final years. However, in the middle of the film, enough information is given about his background in Czechoslovakia, his war record, his changing his Czech name, his buying companies, becoming a millionaire as well as the rivalry with Rupert Murdoch. This is the subject of Jeffrey Archer’s The Fourth Estate with the two central characters more than resembling Maxwell and Murdoch.

David Suchet (best known as television’s Poirot) is the embodiment of Maxwell. There is charm, he is sinister, he is ruthless. Patricia Hodge is his wife. Dan Stevens (In the Line of Beauty) is Basil Brookes, a financial adviser, and Ben Caplan is Kevin Maxwell, the son whom Maxwell himself humiliated and did not promote (and who was to go into court after Maxwell’s death for charges of fraud).

The film was written by Craig Warner who also wrote a telemovie about Princess Margaret. The film was directed by Colin Barr, director of Get Carman: The Trials of George Carman QC (with David Suchet also) as well as The Lavender List, about Harold Wilson.

The film is an interesting look at British finance, risk-taking, huge amounts of money between banks, company fraud.

1.Audience knowledge of Robert Maxwell and interest in him? Maxwell as a person, tycoon, criminal activities? The film telling the truth – as well as being something of an expose?

2.The style of the film as a television movie, for the BBC? The quality of the writing, performance? Fifteen years after Maxwell’s death?

3.The scope of the film: the mid-film giving information on his early years, relationship with his mother, the war experience, the Czech background, journalist work, buying companies, building up his empire? Changing his name? His long marriage to Betty, the nine children, talking to Kevin about the deaths of some of his children, inability to show grief, weeping? His wanting to divorce Betty? Andrea as the young woman giving him possibilities for his final years of life? The last years of his work, Maxwell as a person, oozing confidence, treating other people, living the high life, favouring employees with gifts, yet humiliating Kevin, the issue of his successor? Hiring Brookes, the deals, relationship with his board, the difficulties with cash flow, the various loans, losses, the banks demanding repayment, his downfall? Followed by his death?

4.David Suchet as Maxwell, his impersonation, creating a character, Maxwell’s skills, shrewdness, use of time, reading, quick decision-making? The scenes with Betty, their going to formal gatherings together, their life in private? Kevin and his humiliation, not promoting him? His other children? His friendship with Brookes? His hiring and firing, Andrea as his secretary, the letter to Betty for the divorce, Andrea as his last chance? His spying on his employees, bugging the phones? The confrontation with Andrea? The meeting with the board?

5.Brookes, his age and experience, the introduction to Maxwell, phone call to his family, the gifts, hard work, the discussions with Kevin, raising questions, researching accounts, seeing the differences in the accounts, the secret meeting with the board, Maxwell overhearing them, the plan, Maxwell’s signature about the loans, his letter of resignation?

6.Kevin, one of nine children, relationship with his father, working with him, in his shadow, his pretending that he had spent hours negotiating a deal, Maxwell and his humiliating his son by the phone calls in the board meeting, finding that he had lied? The private companies, Maxwell heading them up, giving authority over to Kevin, taking it back?

7.Andrea, competent, flirtatious, Maxwell’s success, looking after him, the relationship between them? His misunderstanding? Her boyfriend, the phone conversation, his overhearing it? The end?

8.Betty, at home, locking the fridge, his overeating, dictating the letter, writing the letter for the divorce, her reaction, talking to Kevin and her weeping?

9.The financiers, the bankers, calling Maxwell Bob or not? His handling situations and people, borrowing from banks and repaying the banks, the succession of banks?

10.As a newspaper proprietor, the rivalry with Rupert Murdoch, acquiring papers, writing and reading editorials, checking the references to himself? Trying to have the manners and taste of a paper baron?

11.A portrait of 20th century tycoons, post-World War Two, life and styles, motivations, achievement and loss?

SHADOW RUN

UK, 1998, 94 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, James Fox, Matthew Pochin, Rae Baker, Kenneth Colley, Christopher Cazenove, Rupert Frazer, Leslie Grantham.
Directed by Geoffrey Reeve.

Shadow Run is a routine crime thriller, rather ugly in its presentation of brutal villains.

Michael Caine is a businessman, gangster, who lacks any kind of scruple – except, perhaps, a soft spot for a fat boy (whom he might see an image of himself). James Fox is a well-to-do criminal. The focus is on the planning of a robbery of paper to be used for the production of Sterling notes. The Caine character gets a number of colleagues, including Kenneth Colley, as a former security guard.

In the meantime, there is a focus on an affluent school where the boys perform in choir. Matthew Pochin is a fat boy who witnesses Caine committing a crime, whose father is in prison, who is bullied by the other boys, and who becomes friends with the criminal. However, he is also the star singer in the choir. Christopher Cazenove appears as the headmaster of the school and Rupert Frazer the choirmaster.

The film is ordinary – the material of a television episode in a series. Direction is by Geoffrey Reeve who directed several Alistair Mac Lean adaptations, Caravan to Vaccares, Puppet on a Chain, Dust Be My Destiny.

1.The popularity of this kind of crime thriller? The robbery and its preparation? Execution? The portrait on criminals?

2.The British setting, the countryside, the country town, the affluent school, the cathedral? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score? The hymns and the choir?

3.The focus on Haskell, the initial attempt at the robbery, the failure, the killings, the blood? Haskell wearing the balaclava? Joffrey and his run, watching, testing the blood? Haskell’s threats? Giving him the money? The bond between the two, Haskell watching him at choir practice, getting his help in using the crane for the iron plates on the cathedral, abducting him, his presence at the final crime, seeing Haskell dead? The money, the gifts? The effect on Joffrey?

4.Landon-Higgins, affluent, respectable, business deals, ambiguous way of speaking? The meetings with Haskell, commissioning him? Holding his past over him? The preparation for the new robbery? Haskell gatecrashing his wife’s party? Other meetings? With the racehorse? His character, his mistrust of Haskell? Coming with the gun at the end, shooting Haskell? Haskell shifting the brake and backing over him, killing him?

5.Julie, the escort service, the phone call from Haskell, the meals with him, the nights together, the friendship with Larcombe, her indiscretion, Haskell forgiving her – and murdering her? Larcombe, his being sought out, the medical records, the interview, the discussions with Haskell, the shadow run, the cathedral, the explanation of the lack of phone signal? Participation in the crime – and his being killed?

6.Haskell, his character, seeing him only smiling and charming, seeing him as brutal, his murder of the informer, of Julie, of Larcombe? Yet his sparing the boy?

7.Liney, friends with Haskell, coming in on the job, participation, reluctance to go on the cathedral roof?

8.The crime itself, the planning, alterations, Haskell and Liney going to the cathedral, getting the crane, adjusting the signal? The crime itself, the men in the van, unable to phone, the explosion, the robbery?

9.The school, the principal and his wanting rich students? Joffrey as a scholarship student? The discussions with Maunder? The interviews with Joffrey, Maunder and wanting Joffrey to sing, pleading with the headmaster?

10.The boys, bullying Joffrey, his wanting to do something in their eyes, lies about his family, telling them about Haskell, their not believing him? The friendship with Victoria? Going out with her, the party, meeting Zee? Infatuated? The boys forcing Victoria to call him? His doing the daring thing – the banner on the cathedral?

11.The choir, the singing, the headmaster and Maunder and their criticising the boys for their bullying? Joffrey turning up – and the final singing and his memories?

THE CLIENT

US, 1994, 119 minutes, Colour.
Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones, Mary Louise- Parker, Anthony La Paglia, J.T. Walsh, Anthony Edwards, Brad Renfro, Will Patton, Bradley Whitford, Anthony Heald, Kim Coates, William H. Macy, Ossie Davis.
Directed by Joel Schumacher.

The Client is one of the best adaptations of a John Grisham novel. It was co-written by Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind). It was directed by Joel Schumacher who made the other Grisham adaptation, A Time to Kill. Schumacher had a long tradition as a writer and director with such films as Flatliners, Falling Down, the two Batman films, The Phantom of the Opera.

Susan Sarandon received an Oscar nomination for her role as former alcoholic lawyer, Reggie Love. She supports the young boy, played by Brad Renfro in his first film, who witnesses a suicide but who has information that the Mob wants. He and his brother and his mother (Mary-Louise Parker) are threatened by the Mob. Anthony LaPaglia? is the Mob killer. Tommy Lee Jones is the investigating officer – trying to get himself a platform to be elected governor of Louisiana. There are some good sparring scenes between Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. However, Brad Renfro (Bully, Apt Pupil) is very good as the young lead. Stalwarts like Will Patton, Bradley Whitford, William H. Macy, J.T. Walsh and Ossie Davis round out a very strong cast.

Other adaptations of Grisham novels include The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Chamber, The Gingerbread Man, The Rainmaker.

1.The work of John Grisham? Popularity and success? The law, legal cases, corruption, politics? The ingredients for interesting drama?

2.The New Orleans and Memphis settings? The cities, the woods? The courts, the prisons? The mansions? The musical score?

3.The title, Mark and his relationship to Reggie?

4.The introduction to Mark and Ricky, their harassed mother, the situation with the ex-father, his alcoholism and beatings (and the later explanations)? The children at play, smoking, Romey and the car, the hosepipe, the gas? Mark pulling the pipe, Ricky’s reactions, Mark being caught, in the car, the gas? The talk with Romey about Barry, the burying of the body? The issue of the gun? Ricky and his approach, Mark getting out, their hiding? Romey and his shooting himself? Mark ringing 911?

5.Sergeant Hardy, discussions with Mark, his suspicions, Mark’s lies, Mark knowing Romey’s popular name? At home, Ricky and his trauma, thumb in his mouth, his mother worried? Going to the hospital, for the indigent? Doctor Greenway and his explanations, treatment? Diane Sway and her reaction?

6.Mark and his continued lying, his fear? The approach of the FBI personnel? Roy Foltrigg? The sergeant? The discussions, his finding the fly in the hospital, going to the office, asking for Reggie, his reaction to her being a woman, the talk, his explanations, giving her the dollar? Her giving him the tape for the discussion with the FBI, their later denials of what they said, her producing the tape? His greater reliance on Reggie?

7.Mark and his age, poise, caring for his mother, his brother? His hatred of his father, the divorce and the judge’s decision? Lies and fear? At the hospital, the approach by Paul Gronke and threatening him in the elevator? The private eye pretending to be a distraught father, his later pursuing him, stalking outside Reggie’s house? Roy, his determination, wanting Mark to tell the truth? Talking about Reggie as a drunk? Mark firing her, his upset about her not telling him the truth? His leaving, escaping from the pursuing media in her car? At her house, the friendly mother? His coming in, telling the truth about her family to Mark, his telling the truth about his family? The background of her drinking, study, not having access to her children? The witness protection program? The preparation for the meeting with the judge, her urging him not to lie and be like the others?

8.Diane, her age, inexperience, the jobs and the turnover, her fears, her talking with Reggie – and then turning against her, her medication, worried, leaving the search to the FBI?

9.Roy Foltrigg and his entourage, their personalities, his wanting to be governor, quoting Scriptures? Determined, his mixing up the names for McThune? The questioning of Mark, Reggie and her reaction, the tape? Wanting further interrogations, Mark going to prison, the plans, the preparation for court, his performance in the court, the judge thwarting him?

10.Barry the Blade, swaggering style, his Uncle John looking down on him, the murder of the senator, hiding the body, his plans, the police filming him and his mocking them? The henchmen, Gronke and the others going to New Orleans? Hiring the private detective? Threatening Mark in the elevator, the later chase and Gronke being tricked into the freezer? Their going to the boathouse, The Blade and his going to the restaurant, the mess with the digging up of the body, the henchmen taking him away to execute him?

11.Susan Sarandon as Reggie, her back-story, the office, meeting Mark, talking, his insult, becoming his lawyer, the tape of Roy and the others? Roy’s insult about her life? Mark firing her, in the car, taking him to her home? Her telling her story to him, her relationship with her mother? Her assistant and his continued help? The interview with Roy, calling off the next one? With the judge, their past, the court preparation, urging Mark to tell the truth, to take the Fifth Amendment? Mark in prison? His escape, his phone call to her, driving, the plan, her urging friendship and the need to ask for help, in the motel, the phone call to her assistant?

12.The judge, friendship with Reggie, upholding the law, his court, putting down Roy and his entourage? His questioning of Mark? Putting him in jail for his own protection?

13.The discovery of the body, Reggie and Mark, Barry and his henchmen, the confrontation, the escape? Barry and his being shot, Reggie and the gun, Mark not firing, her shooting the alarm and alerting the police?

14.The deal for the family, the witness protection, Reggie’s demands, Roy accepting them, the timing?

15.The farewell, her giving Mark the compass, the embrace, Diane and her future? Roy preparing for his press conference?

16.The presentation of the law, lawyers (and Mark’s joke with them ordering the pizza on the credit card)? The police? Justice? Individuals and rights?

THURSDAY

US, 1998, 87 minutes, Colour.
Thomas Jane, Aaron Eckhart, Paulina Porizkova, James Le Gros, Paula Marshall, Michael Jeter, Glenn Plummer, Mickey Rourke.
Directed by Skip Woods.

Thursday is a bizarre film written and directed by Skip Woods (who wrote and produced the John Travolta film Swordfish). It has a very strong cast led by Thomas Jane (Original Sin, The Punisher) and Aaron Eckhart.

The film is bizarre and brutal. It starts on Monday – there are plenty of days and times indicated in the film – and offers a confrontation in a convenience store ending with a brutal murder. The film changes to Thursday and shows the episodes on Thursday where Thomas Jane as Casey does not want his former crime partner Nick to come to visit him in Houston. He is tense with his wife (Paula Marshall) and wants to develop as an architect. However, Nick arrives, takes his car, leaves drugs behind. When a black drug dealer comes in and threatens to shoot him, Casey turns the tables on the dealer. However, various people come to the door including the doctor to interview him and his wife about prospective adoption (Michael Jeter), Nick’s friend whom he had betrayed (James Le Gros) and the femme fatale, Dallas (Paulina Porizkova – Her Alibi, Wedding Bell Blues). Finally Mickey Rourke turns up as a corrupt policeman. All the problems concern the drugs which Casey has put down the sink.

The film is particularly brutal in some torture scenes and murders, on Dallas’s attempted rape of Casey, of bloodthirsty shootings, of a final shootout between drug dealers and corrupt police.

The characters are immoral – or amoral at best. So is the tone of the film – with Casey finding the money that Nick had earned from the drugs, offering his wife to come to Paris with him – and her accepting. A happy ending.

1.The impact of the film? A bizarre story? Violence?

2.The title, the focus on times and places, Houston on Thursday? The prologue on Monday? The bright colour photography, suburbia? The musical score? The songs?

3.The moral tone of the film, the characters, Casey and his trying to reform, Nick and his friendship for Casey, the brutality of the other characters, sexual and violence?

4.The prologue in the convenience store, Nick and Dallas with Billy Hill, their guns, the issue about the price of the cup of coffee, the free cake? The shooting? The policeman’s arrival, the conversation – and his returning, his death?

5.Thursday, Casey, the flashbacks to the violence of his past, brutality, drugs, working with Nick? His reform, studying to be an architect, the passing of four years, his not telling his wife? The tensions with his wife, her being bored, loving him, her own career? Going off for the day? Casey at home, the phone call from Nick, Nick’s arrival? Taking his car, leaving the case? Casey discovering the drugs, phoning Nick, pouring the drugs down the sink? The arrival of the pizza man – and the irony that he was the drug dealer, his musical career, violence, the gun? Casey turning the tables, tying him up, hanging him up? The arrival of Doctor Jarvis, the discussions about adoption, Casey and his being nervous, the gun? Doctor Jarvis and his pursuing the questions, his intensity? The arrival of Dallas, Casey wanting to get rid of her, her sexy style, verbal abuse, her flirting with Doctor Jarvis? Doctor Jarvis going? Dallas tying up Casey, wanting the drugs, the money? Her sexual ambiguity, the attempted rape? Her being shot by Billy Hill? The confrontation, Casey getting the better of Billy Hill and tying him up and hanging him up as well? Nick and his phone calls? The final arrival of the police, Kasarov and his corruption, the deadline for the money? Casey and his shrewdness, ringing the Jamaican drug dealers, agreeing for the police to come at seven? The two groups coming – the shootout? Casey and his having to think where Nick would have hidden the money, in the car tyres, getting it, driving to the airport, putting the situation to Christine, her choosing him? Revealing the money – and the ticket to Paris? A character stud, in crisis, sex and violence, love and ambition, the ending?

6.The character of Nick, friendly, ruthless, the drugs, the car, the deals? His death? Dallas, cold-blooded, the shooting in the convenience store, pursuing Nick, confronting Casey, with Doctor Jarvis, her death? Billy Hill, betrayed, violent? His death? The irony of the police shooting the two men hanging?

7.The overall impact of the film – film noir in bright colour?

INCIDENT IN JUDAEA

UK, 1991, 60 minutes, Colour.
John Woodvine, Mark Rylance, Lee Montague, Jim Carter.
Directed by Paul Bryers.

Pontius Pilate is a principal focus of The Inquiry. He is the central figure in another imaginative interpretation of the Gospel story, Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita. Before considering the adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis’ The Last Temptation of Christ, some attention needs to be given to Bulgakov (1891-1940, son of a professor of theology).

Bulgakov wrote his novel in Stalin’s Russia. It was thought that he burned the manuscript. However, his wife had preserved it. Within its broad scope, Satan visiting Moscow of the 1920s and 1930s and entering debate about literature and society is a different dramatising of some of the events of the last week of Jesus’ life. Bulgakov calls him Yeshua Ga Notsri. Ga Notsri has a meal with Judas of Keriot who asks him about his teachings. He is brought before Pilate and, despite Pilate’s admiration for him, he is condemned to death. He is crucified.

The Master and Margarita has been adapted for the screen several times. Celebrated Polish director, Andrez Wajda made a version for West German television, screened in 1972: Pilatus und Andere – Ein Film fur Karfreitag (Pilate and Others). This film consisted of the Pilate and Yeshua episodes. Several prominent Polish actors were featured including Wojciech Psoniak as Yeshua (he was to be a sinister Robespierre in Wajda’s Danton ten years later) and Daniel Olbrychski (star of Wajda’s bitter story of the Napoleonic Wars, Ashes, 1965).

That same year an Italian/Yugoslav production of The Master and Margarita appeared. In 1989, there was a Bulgarian version. After the collapse of the Soviet Empire, the Russians were able to make their own interpretation, 1994. However, the producer prohibited its release. Ten years later, it could be seen in a four hour version and a cut down version running two hours. A new eight hour television series was screened at the end of 2005.

The Yeshua episodes featured in a 60 minute television film for Channel 4 in the United Kingdom in 1991. It was called Incident in Judaea, written by Mark Rogers and Paul Bryers and directed by Bryers. John Woodvine had the central role of Pilate. Mark Rylance was Yeshua.

The film opens with Jim Carter dressed as Afranius, the head of Pilate’s secret service in Rome informing the audience about Bulgakov himself, how he was Stalin’s favourite author, how his manuscript disappeared, how his wife saved it. Afranius then moves into the action, at first a seemingly diabolical figure and then key to the action after Yeshua’s death.

Woodvine’s Pilate is a dignified official who finds Jerusalem hot, chaotic and impossible. However, he is loyal to Tiberius and values his career. Yeshua is brought before him. Rylance’s Yeshua seems, at first, a simple fool and Pilate treats him as a vagrant stirrer, calls him a tramp. He is gently spoken and immediately addresses Pilate as ‘good man’. For this he is lashed. Pilate is continually troubled by a blinding headache but nevertheless is bemused, then intrigued by this strange little man who speaks Greek and who complains that a reformed tax-collector, Matthew, follows him around, noting down all he says. Pilate had already consulted Herod after Yeshua was arrested but Herod’s view is that the laws of the Sanhedrin should be followed and Pilate alone has the power to execute. He orders him hanged.

But, the discussion on truth follows. Here, Jesus is not silent. He denies inciting the crowds to destroy the Temple. Rather he wants a new Temple of Truth to be built. ‘What is truth?’ Yeshua knows Pilate’s headache pain, concentrates and heals him. He knows that Pilate is lonely, the only affection he feels is for his dog. Pilate’s wife is absent from this story.

Bulgakov’s idiosyncratic speculations about Jesus include familiar Gospel events but offer quite different perspectives. Yeshua’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem has been reported. Yeshua says that there was only Matthew.
The only witnesses testifying against Jesus are Dismas, Hestas and Barabbas, but their testimony is that of thieves. Yeshua surprises Pilate by declaring that there are no evil people in the world and that is what he has preached.

The conversation veers towards the centurion in attendance. He has been wounded and scarred in battle, a fight in which he was rescued by Pilate. Pilate makes a great deal of his courage. This is dramatically important since Yeshua will repeat that that only mortal sin is cowardice.

When Yeshua is charged with disloyalty to Caesar, there is a flashback to a meal a few nights earlier where Judas (also a good man) who was interested in and curious about Yeshua’s ideas aksed his views on the power of the state. Yeshua states that any kind of power is a form of violence against the people. The state will wither and then there will be no need for power. Justice will prevail. At the end of the meal, Yeshua is arrested.

At this point, we lose sight of Yeshua. Pilate summons Caiaphas to talk about the release of the Passover prisoner. They argue with Pilate hostile towards Barabbas, especially in view of sending Yeshua, ‘a peaceful philosopher’ to death. For Caiaphas, Yeshua is a demagogue, inciting people against religion, a profaner of the truth. Pilate announces Yeshua condemned to Golgotha.

The crucifixion sequence is brief: Yeshua squatting on the cross, rain with the storm that had been anticipated beating down. The water spout runs with blood – and Pilate drops his bowl of wine, which also runs red.

Afranius now appears to reassure Pilate that Yeshua is dead. He explains how Yeshua thanked those who took his life and said he does not blame them. It is now that we hear Yeshua’s statement that cowardice is one of the worst of the mortal sins – Afranius refers to Yeshua’s look, his stare, his puzzled smile. Pilate orders a secret burial, that there be no remains.

The story then returns to Judas. Pilate’s ambiguous talk veils his desire that Judas be quietly killed before Yeshua’s friend do it – they had planned to throw back the thirty pieces of silver into the high priest’s house to stir up trouble. Judas is set up by Afranius who persuades the married Lisa with whom Judas is in love to come that night to Gethsemane – and kisses him. When Judas arrives, he is set upon and killed.

Yeshua appears to Pilate in a dream. He has that same look (and appears in the vein of Holman Hunt’s The Light of the World). He repeats his saying about cowardice. Pilate is glad that Yeshua is not dead. But Yeshua tells him that the two of them will always be remembered together – remember me, remember you, in the same breath.

Now Matthew appears. Afranius has reassured Pilate that Judas is dead. Pilate slyly suggests that Judas may have committed suicide, that many rumours would be circulating. Afranius agrees, and happily accepts Pilate’s offer of career advancement with him. Matthew is angry, has stolen a baker’s knife to kill Judas and is shocked when Pilate claims he has killed Judas.

Pilate wants to see Matthew’s manuscript – again the words about cowardice. The manuscript also contains Jesus’ words saying there is no death. Pilate offers Matthew a job as librarian in his palace at Caesaraea but he refuses. Pilate quotes Yeshua against him, that Yeshua would have taken a gift and Matthew is a cruel disciple not to follow. The only gift that Matthew asks for is a new, clean parchment.

The film ends with Yeshua appearing again to the sleeping Pilate, reminding him that they would always be remembered together.

Yeshua is a good and sincere man. However, there is no developed context for his claims and his mission. He is a good individual, betrayed and condemned to death. The story presupposes a knowledge of the gospel stories and Jesus’ claims. Bulgakov sees him as a Christ of culture rather than a Jesus-Saviour? of faith.

1.An adaptation of material from The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov? Condensing it to a one-hour story?

2.The Judaean settings, the praetorium, the palaces, the courtyards? The costumes and décor of the times of Christ? The atmospheric score?

3.The title, the focus on the Gospel story – as an incident in Judaea? For Jesus? For Pilate?

4.The focus on Pontius Pilate: his age, role in Judaea, with the military and the legionaries, with the Secret Service? The clashes with Caiaphas and the religious leaders? His loyalty to Tiberius, his ambitions? His feeling exiled in chaotic Jerusalem? The background to his confrontation with Jesus?

5.Jesus called Yeshua? Mark Rylance and his appearance, staring, slightly smiling, the simpleton look? His being brought before Pilate, calling him a good man, his being scourged to teach him manners? His calling everybody good? The accusations that he had incited riots, the destruction of the temple? His wanting a temple of truth? The discussion with Pilate about the nature of truth? His background not being filled out? Audiences supplying their own knowledge and response to Jesus? The story of his entry into Jerusalem, Matthew following him, copying everything down, Matthew’s becoming his disciple? No crowds following him into Jerusalem? Pilate seeing him as a tramp? Yet his knowledge of Greek? His being misunderstood? The importance of the accusations by the high priests? His being condemned to death, Pilate saying he was a good philosopher, Caiaphas saying that he was a pedagogue and rabble-rouser? The background of Jesus meeting Judas, not knowing him, saying Judas was a good man, his curiosity about his ideas, the discussions about power, that violence was a form of power? That society would wither? That there would be no need for power? A place of justice? Jesus’ arrest for this? His being condemned, his being crucified?

6.Pilate, a civilised man, the discussions with Yeshua, his being fascinated by him, scourging him, the discussion about his knowledge, Greek, the discipleship of Matthew and his words being written down, the discussions about truth? Yeshua understanding Pilate’s headaches, curing him? Pilate lonely, his affection for his dog? The clashes between Caiaphas and Pilate? About the death of Jesus? About Dismas(*?), Hestas(*?) and Barabbas being the only witnesses? And that Yeshua would say there were no evil people in the world? Pilate and his washing his hands? The death of Yeshua? The report, the centurion (and Pilate’s explanation of saving the centurion when he was in battle, his battle scars)? The fact that Yeshua would say that cowardice is the worst of the mortal sins? The discussion with Afranius after Jesus’ death? The arrangements for the burial, no remains? The discussion about Yeshua’s words on the cross, forgiving everybody, thanking them for killing him? Pilate being mystified?

7.Afranius, his sinister presence, the opening and his explaining about Bulgakhov and Stalin? His moving into the action? Lurking, satanic? The talk about Caesar? The report of the execution? The issue of Judas, Judas and the disciples planning to kill him, throw the money back into the house of the high priest to cause trouble? Pilate and his ambiguous talk? Authorising Afranius to kill Judas?

8.The flashbacks to Judas, his meeting with Yeshua, the death of Yeshua, his planning to meet Lisa, her betraying him with a kiss, the rendezvous in Gethsemane, his being murdered? The irony that the disciples took the money and threw it into the high priest’s house? Pilate pleased or not? His wanting Afranius to serve him and further his career with him?

9.Jesus’ body, the burial, the death of Judas – and Pilate wanting the rumour to spread that it was suicide?

10.Yeshua appearing to Pilate in a dream, Pilate glad that he was not dead? The discussions about cowardice? The final appearance of Yeshua in the dream – and saying that he and Pilate would be remembered together?

11.Matthew, coming to Pilate, his anger, having stolen the knife, wanting to kill Judas, Pilate revealing that he had killed him? Wanting Matthew to be his librarian in Caesaria? Matthew refusing, Pilate saying that Yeshua would have taken gifts and that Matthew was cruel? Matthew warning of bloodshed? His asking for new parchment?

12.A different perspective on the relationship between Pilate and Jesus, Jesus and Judas, the high priests?

JASON’S LYRIC

US, 1994, 120 minutes, Colour.
Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett- Smith, Bokeem Woodbine, Eddie Griffin, Forest Whitaker.
Directed by Doug Mc Henry.

Jason’s Lyric is a story about African Americans. It focuses on a young man, Jason, who works in a TV store, who lacks self-confidence, is fearful about love and relationships. He is diffident in his role in the family. However, he is in love with Lyric, played by Jada Pinkett- Smith (Scream, Collateral, The Matrix, Reign Over Me). Forest Whitaker has a significant role as Jason’s aggressive father.

The film is confident in its presentation of the African American community, families, relationships, struggles.

1.An African American story, for an African American audience? American audience? Worldwide?

2.The tradition of American movies about the south, types, violence, power, drugs, sexuality? Was this film different?

3.The Houston setting, the atmosphere of Texas, the city itself, the homes, shops, clubs? The Texas countryside? The musical score?

4.The impact of the title, the song?

5.The structure of the film: memories, the father and his being lyrical? The bus? Lyric?

6.The portrait of Jason: as a boy, Joshua and sullen, protective? His father and the war, drunk, violence? The gun, the shooting (and it not being revealed)? The nightmares? The later talk, slides, guilt?

7.Gloria, her marriage, fear, the boys? Later? The prison, anti-drugs? Losing her job? Jason and the future?

8.Joshua, prison? Getting out, resentful? The house, the drinking, the party cake? His friends, arguing with Jason? The drugs? The dinner? Alonzo, the drink, play, the planning, the warning? Mixing, torture, siege? Shooting Lyric? Depending on Jason?

9.The character of Lyric, the shop, pleasant, poetry? The sunset, the bridge? The picnic? The greyhound? Love and sex, hopes? Wanting to leave? Her relationship to Jason and Joshua? The visits? Mark and his appeal? Alonzo, the warning, the separation? The shooting?

10.Alonzo and company, the group, drugs?

11.Jason, creative, poetic, in love, his work, his love for Lyric, the warning, the choices? The siege?

12.Violet, contribution to the plot?

13.The tone of the film, for the black audience? The impact of the ending?

BLOWBACK

Canada/US, 2000, 91 minutes, Colour.
Mario Van Peebles, James Remar, Sharisse Baker- Bernard.
Directed by Mark L. Lester.

Blowback is something of a conventional police thriller. However, there are some religious twists. The policeman played by Mario Van Peebles is a former seminarian. He was able to catch a religious killer with his religious knowledge. However, the killer was executed – when a series of murders happens, the question is raised whether the killer was actually executed or whether these are copycat murders.

The film was directed by Mark L. Lester, an exploitation director who made a number of mainstream films in the 1980s including the version of Stephen King’s Firestarter as well as directing Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando. He also made Class of 1984 and Showdown in Little Tokyo.

1.Entertaining police drama? Action? Mystery, thriller? Conspiracies?

2.The atmosphere of the city, the police precincts, the police activity? The musical score?

3.The director, his reputation, blunt action? A Mario Van Peebles vehicle?

4.The opening, the religious connotations, the religious mania? The Scripture quotations? The killer and his story? The trial, the jury, the execution – and his being revived?

5.Mario van Peebles as Don Morrell, his work, personality, collaboration with his partner? The house, the slashing? Nightmares? His work with the other police? The discussions with the chief?

6.The capture of the criminal, the trial, the witnesses?

7.The execution, the impact on Don, his ex-wife?

8.The revival, the brainwashing? But the candid killing? Leading to revenge? The murder of the jurors?

9.The visualising of the murders, grisly? The frustrations in the investigation? The biblical clues?

10.The finale, the confrontation – and good versus evil?

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY

France, 2007, 120 minutes, Colour.
Matthieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seignier, Anne Consigny, Max von Sydow.
Directed by Julian Schnabel.

This is a fine film, well worth seeing. It is demanding and harrowing, but excellent.

Oscar-nominated writer, Ronald Harwood (and winner for The Pianist), was commissioned to adapt the autobiographical book of the same name by Jean- Dominique Bauby. Since Bauby, at the age of 42, a successful editor of Elle magazine in Paris, was unexpectedly cut down by a stroke with the consequence of a rare condition, lock-in syndrome, which meant that his only way of communication from his still clear and active mind was through the blinking of one of his eyes, Harwood thought that the screen adaptation was an impossible task. However, he decided to follow the book and tell the story, especially for the first part of the film, from the confined point of view of Bauby.

It is to the credit of the writer, the director, American artist and painter, Julian Schnabel, and the intense control of actor, Matthieu Amalric as Bauby, that this way of storytelling involves the audience fully in Bauby’s experience and creates an extraordinary empathy. Later, the film will move a little away from the confinement, but it works so well initially, that this sense of sharing Bauby’s hardships and his creativity stays with us.

And his creativity is important. Initially, shocked to find himself so limited, he is tempted to despair. His plight is more severe than that shown in Javier Bardem’s character in The Sea Inside where the plea is made for assisted suicide or Hillary Swank’s paralysed boxer in Million Dollar Baby which shows an assisted suicide. Yet Bauby, tempted by suicide, opts for life. He loses the use of an eye but, when carers realise that they can get his answers to questions by his blinking letter by letter, he begins to communicate intelligently. He lets his imagination wander and he writes, letter by slow letter, his book. He uses the diving bell as the image for his paralysed situation. He uses the butterfly as the image of his unfettered imagination.

If ever there was a film that advocated life and a quality of life, it is The Diving Bell and the Bell Jar.

Harwood wrote the screenplay in English. When the decision was made that it would be more appropriate to make the film in French, the screenplay was translated, American Schnabel quickly learnt French – and the film was nominated for and has won some awards for Best Foreign Language film. Schnabel was named best director at Cannes, 2007.

Matthieu Amalric does eventually have the opportunity to appear in flashbacks, showing the stroke, showing his relationship with his wife, children and lover. Particularly moving is a flashback where he shaves his father, an emotional moment, especially with a very fine cameo by Max Von Sydow as the father.

While so much of the film is confined to the hospital, the film is not restricting. And the fine performances from the carers and the women in Bauby’s life (awkwardly communicating with each other to know how he is) complement the focus on Bauby.

An extraordinarily life-affirming film.

1.The impact of the film? Critical acclaim? Humane? Themes of life, hope, achievement, communication? A human heritage?

2.The acclaim for the book in the 1990s? The skill in adapting the book to the screen? Communicating the experience of the book?

3.The structure: the camerawork for the initial awakening from the coma, the point of view of Jean-Do? The gradual shapes and light? His condition? His point of view for the first part of the film? His limited vision, coping, seeing the treatment, the visits, the therapy? Learning to blink for communication? His not being able to speak? His imagination and memory being alive? His wanting to die, his moving from self-pity to affirming life? The good and the bad in his life, the insertion of the flashbacks? The role of his father, Ines and the visit to Lourdes, Celeste and the children? The meals, the phone calls? Finally going back to the event of the stroke?

4.The skill of the visuals, the camerawork, the point of view, the stylised and the realistic? The imagination? Its being wide-ranging, around the world? The realism of his life and treatment? The musical score and the songs? The importance of the credits, the ice falling and being restored? The flashbacks to the origins of the hospital, the period of the Empress Eugenie, the 19th century look and costumes?

5.The audience identifying with Jean- Do? Middle-aged and older men identifying with him, his experience, stroke, illness? The medical background of the stroke, the Locked Syndrome? Its limits, the paralysis, complete dependence? The hard work in communicating? The desire for death, to self-pity, to life?

6.The filling in the background of Jean- Do’s life, his early forties, his relationship with his wife, the children, his relationship with Ines, with his father? His being the editor, at Elle Magazine? Fashion, work, skills, writing, wanting to rewrite The Count of Monte Cristo from a feminine point of view? The visit to Lourdes? The day of the accident, visualising the stroke?

7.The importance of the inner monologues, articulate, the fact that the audience only could hear them? The detailed learning of how to converse, the significant letters, the blinks, the method for his transcribing the book? The letters, the eyelids, the slow process – yet the achievement of the book? The phone in his room and his being able to hear the callers?

8.The doctor, the information, the sewing up of the eye to prevent infection, being left with only one eye, with distorted lips? His glasses? The distorted face? His breathing, the drips, the therapy to get his tongue moving backwards so that he could swallow, the episode with the fly on his nose, his attempts to sing? The range of exercise, movement, massage, in the pool?

9.Henriette, coming to teach language, his impatience with her, hurting her, her coming back and apologising, the progress? The detail of the repetition of the letters and the blinking? Marie and her therapy, her Catholic background, talking about prayer, taking Jean- Do to Mass? Meeting with the priest, the discussing, the blessing? The talk about Lourdes – and his reminiscences going there with Ines, her faith, buying the statue, his scepticism, observing the grotto, the processions?

10.The reading to him, Laurent and his attempts, failing, yet his friendship?

11.The phone call to the editor, the issue of the contract, asking for the woman to take dictation? Claude, her job, her skills? Her place in Jean-Do’s? fantasies, sexual the dinner? Her devotion to him and the dedication of the book to her?

12.His wife, her personality, the visits, the children? The standing on the station – and the memories of Jean- Do as a boy at the station? Her being hurt by him, the visits, going on the beach, play, the drama that she was present when Ines rang, Jean- Do and his wanting Ines to come?

13.Ines, the visit to Lourdes, her love for Jean- Do, her phone call, wanting to talk to Jean- Do with his wife out of the room, her inability to visit him?

14.The scene with his father, his devotion to his father, shaving him, their talk, his father being proud of him, the father’s phone call, Jean- Do hearing his voice, and the impact of the father not being able to hear his son?

15.The man who went to Lebanon, the visualising of his taking Jean- Do’s place on the plane, his coming to visit Jean- Do in hospital, Jean- Do feeling guilty for not having rung him after his release from being a hostage? The man’s kindness, his affirmation of Jean- Do and how to deal with the equivalent of being a hostage?

16.The enjoyment of the hospital, the memories of his childhood, going onto the balcony, his imagining the world and its being visualised? On the boat, at sea? The difficulties of life – and the television and wanting it on and the doctor leaving and turning it off during the football match?

17.The limits, the Sunday, his being alone, the empty institution?

18.The sadness of the ending, the information about Jean- Do’s death yet the achievement of the publication of the book? The contrast with themes of assisted suicide as in The Sea Inside and Million Dollar Baby? The affirmation of life – and some achievement even within a short spact of time and with enormous effort?

IMPORTS/EXPORTS

Austria, 2007, 118 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Ulrich Seidl.

This is grim film-making which many an audience will find difficult to sit through. Siedl takes on tough, documentary like topics (as in his Dog Days). This time he has two stories going, both set in a grim winter, one in Ukraine and the other in Austria, in Vienna.

It needs to be said that he includes two very graphic sequences of sexuality which some may find gross and which many will find are exploitative, especially of the women in the cast. One is at a brothel in Ukraine, detailing the performances of the women for internet customers (filmed at an actual brothel). The second (also in Ukraine) has an Austrian salesman sexually humiliating a prostitute.

Those scenes apart, the film is still grim as it shows Olga, a Ukrainian nurse leaving for Vienna and finding work, first of all in an affluent home but becoming the victim of a pampered child’s tantrum, and then finding more rewarding work as a cleaner in a hospital where the nurse in charge forbids her to make any contact with the elderly residents.

The other story is of a macho young man, Paul, who trains as a security guard but who is humiliated on the job. He drifts but then works for his stepfather, delivering goods in Slovakia and in Ukraine.

There are two satiric interludes where the young man attends a course on how to answer job applications and the woman goes to a pep talk on the details of cleaning facilities.

The film does not end. It just stops. With Olga standing in a corridor in Vienna and Paul seeking work in Ukraine. Both are imports/exports.

1.Impact of the film? Grim realism? Ugliness and brutality? Human nature, strengths and weaknesses? Exploitation or not exploitation?

2.The Ukrainian settings, the winter? Poor homes, apartments, the brothel, the hospital? The background of industry, smoke? The clubs? The hotels? The comfortable and the uncomfortable? The contrast with Austria, affluence? Homes, hospitals? The visit to Slovakia? The whole film and its wintry settings? The range of the musical score?

3.The realism, the naturalism, its effect?

4.The two-storey structure, the two ways from Ukraine to Austria and from Austria to Ukraine? The contrast with the two ways of life? The endings for Paul and Olga? Hope or not?

5.The graphic sequences, the sexuality, the treatment of women, exploitation? The effect on the whole film?

6.Olga and her work as a nurse, walking to and from work, with the baby and the other members of the staff, at home, her mother and child? Her friend, going to the brothel? Her watching the internet sex, the performance of the women? Her going herself? Her letter to Austria, her leaving Ukraine, in the night, her mother’s farewell?

7.Arrival by train, her friend at the station, a place to stay, going to work, cleaning in the house, the affluent mother, the boy and his tantrum about the mobile phone, playing in the snow with the children, suddenly being sacked? Joining the cleaners, at the hospital, her kindliness to the patients, the head nurse rebuking her, saying she wasn’t qualified, her reply that she was qualified in Ukraine? Combing the old lady’s hair? With the men, talking, the old man and his infatuation with her, taking him to dance, his promise of marriage, his death, her being at the party, the fight with the head nurse, the hard attitudes of the Austrians? Her future, alone in the corridor? A religious woman, her prayers and her hope?

8.The glimpse of Austria and its attitude towards migrants from eastern Europe?

9.Paul’s story: the hard training for the security guards, the overseer and his punches, the exercises? Paul, alone, his practice boxing, tough, bodybuilding, with his stepfather? At work, security? His being mugged, stripped, humiliated and its effect? His buying the dog, taking it to his girlfriend, his obtuseness in seeing how frightened she was? His self-centredness, owing Michael money and Michael’s demands, his friend at the railway station, trying to con him, trying to con a man to get money out of him to pay for the drinks? His attending the seminar on motivation and how to apply for jobs? His mother, seeing her dance with Michael, at home for her birthday, her talking about the gift? His going to Slovakia and working with Michael, working hard, the discussions about sex, Michael, infidelity to his mother? In the Ukraine, the club, the drinking, the dancing, going to the room, Michael and the prostitute, Paul wanting the money, walking out on Michael, seeking work, not being employed? Staying in Ukraine?

10.Michael, his attitude towards his wife, towards Paul, stepfather, nice, but hard, wanting the money back, hard work, on his travels, brutish, his treatment of women – and the echoes of internet sex sequences?

11.The focus on different aspects of work, hard work, employment and unemployment?

12.Issues of motivation, the seminar for applicants for jobs, the woman enacting the phone call and her being praised? The cleaners and their being instructed how to clean, bacteria, the different mops etc?

13.The emphasis on sex and sexuality, the women and their earning a living in the brothel, the girls and their practice, the language of the customers on the internet, the prostitutes in the rooms in the clubs? Male brutality, brutal words, behaviour, what they demanded of women? The women agreeing but allowing themselves to be exploited and humiliated?

14.The film simply stopping, it not reaching a conclusion – a grim slice of life?

BOXES

France/UK, 2007, 114 minutes, Colour.
Geraldine Chaplin, Michel Piccoli, Jane Birkin, Natacha Regnier, Lou Doillon, John Hurt, Tcheky Karyo.
Directed by Jane Birkin.

Jane Birkin was a fashionable icon of the swinging 60s in Britain (witness Blow Up) and moved to fashionable France in the 1970s (with Serge Gainsbourg). She is a survivor and has now written and directed a film which takes us back to those times and the consequences.

Half in English and half in French and filmed in Brittany, it is like a theatre piece (and heavy on dialogue which can be histrionic and laborious) which may alienate potential audiences. As Anna (Birkin) moves around her house, she relives the meaning of the past, interacting with her parents, her children, her husbands and other characters. Once you get into the swing of it, then she reveals a great deal about human nature (and herself). The performances a striking, like those of Michel Piccoli as her father, and a characteristically fey and earthy performance from Geraldine Chaplin as her mother. The play comes very much alive when John Hurt appears as her first husband.

Sometimes difficult to stay with, but it repays attention.

1.Jane Birkin as an icon throughout the decades? Her personal history? As writer, director, star of the film? Her insights?

2.The Brittany settings, most of the film inside the house, the glimpses of the sea? The interiors of the house? The musical score? The song – and Rodgers and Hart melodies and lyrics?

3.The cast, strong, the languages, both French and English?

4.The title, the literal boxes and their being packed and unpacked, the figurative boxes in which each of the characters lived?

5.The theatricality of the film, its visual style, words and dialogue, performance, tableau, the different spaces in which the characters moved, especially in time?

6.The poetic language, the histrionic language?

7.The importance of time, memory, re-enactment of the past, examining the past, dialoguing about the past, healing the past?

8.Jane Birkin as Anna, in her fifties and reminiscing, the meaning of her life as a character (and her own life)? The opening scene with her father, his being dead, her devotion to him? The bonds in the family? The happy childhood in Wales? Isolated but enjoying it? Her father’s infidelities? Her mother bored in the countryside? The affairs? Her memories of her first husband, young, pregnant, his lack of interest, gone? Her second husband, her daughter? Relating to her third husband, the third daughter? The men arriving in her life, in her memories, their discussions? The importance of Josephine upstairs and her imagining the Belgians behind the walls of the house? The old man and the old lady, her devotion to them? Sadness, happiness, the selective memory, her having to reassess, discussion with each of the characters, especially her mother? The different relationships with her daughter(*s?)? The daughter away from home, the daughter neglected, the young daughter? Her packing, a new life?

9.The portrait of the father, Michel Piccoli, genial a roué, love for his wife, his affairs in the past, his common-sensed attitude towards his daughter and trying to instil that in her?

10.Her mother, verve, exaggerated experience, the wig, talking about the past, domesticated and yet wanting glamour, wanting to be an actress? Her love for her daughter but seeming to neglect her? Her love for her granddaughters? The dance from The King and I? In the boat with Anna, her falling, always clinging on, a symbol? Her doing the ironing? Going out with her husband at the end?

11.The portrait of the different daughters, their influence in her life, absence and presence, Fanny and her devotion to her father, going to Canada, Camille and her feeling ignored, her art, Lilli and her being playful?

12.The character of Josephine, Anna looking after her, her madness, the Belgians?

13.The old lady, the hotel studio, the old man?

14.Max, his remembering? More genial with Anna though going off, affairs? John Hurt as her first husband, the father of Fanny, his blunt and harsh attitudes towards the truth?

15.The importance of truth, memories, dealing with memories, coping and the healing of memories?