MEE-SHEE: THE WATER GIANT

UK, 2005, 95 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Greenwood, Daniel Magder, Joel Tobeck, Rena Owen, Phyllida Law, Luanne Gordon, Tom Jackson, Joe Pingue, Shane Rimmer.
Directed by John Henderson.

When you hear that there is a mysterious creature in a Canadian lake, you can’t help thinking of the Loch Ness Monster. (And then we discover that director, John Henderson, directed Loch Ness.) Almost immediately, we learn that this creature, Mee- Shee is benevolent and saves a helicopter pilot and passenger from drowning.

When you discover that a young boy is disappointed that his father is breaking a promise to go with him on holiday because he has to go to the lake to recover an expensive oil drill, you can’t help thinking that the boy is going to find Mee- Shee and they are going to become friends.

Of course, they do.

But, this is a genial story of a father (Bruce Greenwood) bonding with his son (Daniel Megdar) and the son bonding, with the help of a young Indian girl, with the creature. There are some genial folks at the lake: the local Indian, Custer, with a sardonic sense of humour, the owner of a dredge on the lake, an attractive female environmental inspector, and the largish, jovial assistant to the father. There is also Mrs Coogan (Phyllida Law) as the strict but genial housekeeper.

And there are two nasty villains who are after the drill.

Unfortunately, for the dramatic impact, Mee Shee and family look like animatronic sea creatures and rubbery rather than real – a bit like giant ETs.

However, leaving that aside if one can, the New Zealand scenery standing in for Canada is stark and attractive and the story very ‘family-oriented’.

1.An entertaining film for families, for young audiences?

2.The New Zealand locations for Canada? The beauty, the lakes, the mountains and cliffs? The Canadian setting? The search for oil? Conservation? The musical score?

3.The special effects for Mee-Shee? A kind of ET (with a Walter Matthau face, according to the director)? The appearances, movement, action? The multiple Mee- Shee creatures?

4.The opening, the helicopter, the crash, Mee- Shee helping the pilot and passenger survive? The introduction to Mee-Shee? Crazy Norma on the shore? Her mystical connection with Mee- Shee?

5.Sean and Mac, father and son, the dead mother? The plan for the holiday? The interruption? Mac and his disappointment with his father? Sean and the decision? Taking Mac with him? The flight to Canada? The mission to recover the drill?

6.Life in the town? Remote, quiet? Custer and the Indian background? His laconic remarks? Pawnee, her age, her love for her father, not wanting to go to the city, encounters with Mac? Mrs Coogan and her house, the comment about Mary Poppins? The way she ran the household? Anderson and his boat?

7.Mac, settling in, exploring, falling down the hole, the encounter with Mee- Shee? Crazy Norma telling him to keep quiet about it? His return, the salmon sandwiches, meeting Pawnee? Down another hole? Seeing Mee- Shee? Finding Mee- Shee friendly? Mac and his later returning, telling the story to Laura? Mee- Shee with the harpoon, his taking it out, the blood?

8.The villains, sinister, their plans, their equipment, the boat? Sean and Custer going down, recovering the drill? The mechanics and the difficulties? The torpedo, the sabotage? The confrontation between the villains and Sean?

9.Mac, the story, telling his father, his father’s disbelief, his father being sorry? Custer and his believing his daughter? Laura and her intervention – after exercising her rights as the environmental inspector? Neilds and his being the assistant, city man, his comments?

10.The build-up to the confrontation, the villains and their attack, Mee- Shee and his destroying them? The boat going up in flames? Their taking Mac, tying him to the buoy, his father coming for him, Mee- Shee freeing him? The happy reconciliation?

11.The various creatures, their appearance, Mee- Shee defending his friends? The possibility of Sean losing his job, staying in the area with Mac, the possibilities with Laura? Crazy Norma and her being happy? Custer and his daughter? Neilds and his agreeing with the plans?

12.A pleasing film, a fantasy like Loch Ness, the environmental issues?

HIS PRIVATE SECRETARY

US, 1933, 60 minutes, Black and white.
Evelyn Knapp, John Wayne, Reginald Barlow, Alec B. Francis.
Directed by Phil Whitman.

The main reason for seeing His Private Secretary is to see John Wayne in a romantic comedy in the early 30s. Wayne had been an extra and uncredited in a great number of films and had made an impact in the western, The Big Trail, directed by Raoul Walsh. However, he was to appear in about ten short features a year during the early 1930s and it was only in the late 30s, especially with Stagecoach, and the direction of John Ford, that he came into his own – and never looked back, even winning an Oscar in 1969 for True Grit.

John Wayne is a bit tall and awkward but genial in the eccentric role of the son of a millionaire. However, he is interested only in the high life. Given the opportunity to redeem himself, he is to collect money from a minister and his daughter – but listens to their story of giving the money to charity and decides to help them. Disowned by his father, he eventually marries the daughter. Since the father will not accept him, she goes to confront the father, he is so impressed without knowing who she is that he hires her as his secretary. Again, she is so good that he is very happy to accept her. However, the son falls from grace again and there needs to be a reconciliation. This is familiar material from a lot of screwball comedies and romantic comedies of the period.

The film was directed by Phil Whitman, a writer from the 1920s. This was his second-last film as he died at the age of forty-one from a heart attack soon after.

1.The popularity of this kind of short story in the 1930s? Small budget? Supporting feature? Romantic comedy? The screwball comedy tradition?

2.The title, reference to Dick, reference to his father? The focus on Marion?

3.The city, business offices? The countryside, the small town, the church, the garage? Musical score?

4.Dick, John Wayne as this character? Clashes with his father? Out on the town with his friends, drinking? Girlfriends? His father reading the riot act? His going to the town, giving Marion a lift – which led to her despising him? His listening to the story of her father, letting them off the debt? His being fired? Taking over the garage? His attempts to woo Marion, the difficulties with her car and her driving off, the little boy with the tacks?

5.The change in Dick, his going to the church, asking for forgiveness, the encouragement of Reverend Hall? Marion learning the truth? Out together, married?

6.His return, confrontation with his father? His father disowning him, saying that Marion was a gold-digger?

7.Marion, her determination, thinking for herself? Mr Wallace accepting her, offering her the job, working efficiently with her? The assistant and his trying to get in Wallace’s good books – and always failing? Marion pleading for him not to be fired?

8.The revelation of the truth, Dick and his staying out with his friends and drinking, Marion disappointed and leaving? Going away with her father? Giving Dick another chance, hearing his speech of love for her? The happy reconciliation, happy ending all round?

THE AMAZING QUEST OF ERNEST BLISS

UK, 1936, 61 minutes, Black and white.
Cary Grant, Mary Brian.
Directed by Arthur Zeisler.

The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss was made just after Sylvia Scarlett. Cary Grant was emerging as a star, having appeared with Mae West in She Done Him Wrong. Within a year or two he was to appear in Bringing Up Baby, Holiday and Only Angels Have Wings. This was an opportunity for him to perform as an Englishman and in a film in his native Britain.

Alfred Zeisler was born in America but worked in the German industry from 1930 to 1933 when he returned to the United States, producing a number of films, directing only a few. The film was written by John L. Balderston who was a prolific writer of films and plays including in the early 1930s Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy and The Lives of a Bengal Lancer. He also adapted Bride of Frankenstein, Mad Love and Dracula’s Daughter all before Ernest Bliss. He then made The Last of the Mohicans, Prisoner of Zenda.

1.A brief entertaining film? The background of the Depression? The style of story beloved of Frank Capra? The millionaire who makes good personally? Helping others?

2.The London locations, the opportunity to see London as it looked in the mid-30s? Piccadilly Circus? The underground …? The musical score?

3.The title, the focus on Ernest Bliss, his name? The quest? Cary Grant as Ernest Bliss?

4.Ernest Bliss, his wealth, lifestyle? High society? His friends borrowing money? His boredom? His going to the doctor, the discussion about his condition, the doctor’s severe comments? The bet?

5.Ernest and his leaving his apartment, leaving the butler in charge? His searching for a job, the collage of refusals for work? His going to the boarding house, his friendship with the lady? Helping her later with the money?

6.Going to the stove firm? Meeting Frances? Masters? Their hiring him, his attempts to sell the stoves, the collage of failure? His return?

7.His idea, the free meals, borrowing the money from his account, setting up the situation, people eating, the wholesale salesman arriving, the techniques to keep him on the hook? Masters coming? The success of the sale? Frances impressed?

8.His becoming a taxi driver? Meeting his society friends, their kindness to him, giving the loan, returning the brooch? His driving the doctor – and helping him with his mission to East London? The clash with the owner of the cab firm, his friendship with the mechanic? Buying the company? Sacking the manager, promoting the mechanic?

9.The year passing? His being in love with Frances, taking her to the restaurants, his friendship with the host? Frances and her financial difficulties, ambitions? Her message from her mother, her sister’s illness, the decision to marry Masters to help her sister?

10.Ernest, his confrontation with Frances? Discovering the truth? The marriage, the happy ending? Her discovering the truth about him?

11.A riches-to-rags-to-riches story – the moral of the story? Generosity? Work? The graciousness of the doctor in acknowledging Ernest’s winning of the bet?

LADIES OF THE CHORUS

US, 1948, 61 minutes, Black and white.
Adele Jergens, Marilyn Monroe, Rand Brooks, Nana Bryant.
Directed by Phil Karlson.

Ladies of the Chorus is a very short feature film made by Phil Karlson who had begun making films in the mid-40s and continued to make smaller-budget action films and genre films until 1975. His best period was in the early 1960s with such films as The Young Doctors and directing Elvis Presley in Kid Galahad.

The film is principally interesting for it being the first major role for Marilyn Monroe on screen. At age twenty-two she is still quite impressive – some of the mannerisms are evident but have not been developed at this stage. There is an air of innocence and ingenuousness about her. She was able to capitalise on this in many roles later as in The Seven Year Itch, How To Marry A Millionaire as well as in Some Like It Hot.

Adele Jergens, only nine years older than Marilyn Monroe, appears as her mother but has a flashback so that she can have a song and dance number. The rather bland hero is Rand Brooks but his mother is played by Nana Bryant who does quite a turn at singing at the end of the film.

Marilyn Monroe was a significant presence on screen, within fourteen years of this film she would be dead. However, this gives an opportunity to see her in her prime, both as an actress, comedienne and performing song and dance.

1.An entertaining small film? Burlesque? Society and its attitude towards burlesque dancers? True love?

2.The black and white photography, the low budget but high production values? The burlesque theatres, stage, dressing rooms? The contrast with the mansions of the wealthy?

3.The title, the song and dance routines? The variety of songs, as performed by Marilyn Monroe, Adele Jergens, Nana Bryant?

4.Mae, in the chorus, her concern for her daughter Peggy? The context of the chorus, the performance, the bickering amongst the women? Dates and men wanting to take the chorus girls out? Mae and her protectiveness of Peggy?

5.Mae as a character, strong, giving Peggy the chance to be the star? Proud of her? Randy and his taking Peggy out, her concern, talking to him frankly about the differences in society, the flashbacks to her own life, her performance, her going out with her boyfriend, his promises? The pressures from his family? Her not seeing him again? Giving birth to Peggy? Uncle Bill as the protector, wanting to propose? Mae and her care for her daughter? Talking frankly to Randy?

6.Peggy, wanting some independence, yet devoted to her mother? The attraction towards Randy, falling in love? The background of the flashbacks, her schooling, Uncle Billy and his giving the engagement ring to Peggy for her graduation?

7.Peggy and Randy, going out, on the town, dancing? Hopes for marriage?

8.The Carroll family, Mrs Carroll and her household, the butler? Wealthy? High society? Randy not telling his mother the truth? The invitation for Mae and Peggy to come? The comedy about the decorations for the engagement party? Uncle Billy turning up and being mistaken?

9.The party, the trio, the revelation that Peggy was a burlesque queen? People’s reactions? Mrs Carroll, her reassuring Peggy and Mae, coming downstairs, her doing the burlesque number? Changing people’s attitudes? Welcoming Peggy into the family? Mae and Uncle Billy being reunited? A happy ending?

10.The social comment on American society after World War Two? Snobbery and arrogance? Supporting ordinary people?

WAITRESS

US, 2007, 107 minutes, Colour.
Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Jeremy Sisto, Andy Griffith, Adrienne Shelly, Eddie Jemison.
Directed by Adrienne Shelly.

This is a pleasant surprise. Yes, it is about a young woman who works at a diner and, yes, there are a lot of familiar characters and situations. However, there is a warm-heartedness, even a sweet-naturedness about it that appeals – even though it does not shirk some of the harsher aspects of life. And this is in no small measure to the winning performance of Keri Russell as the young waitress, Jenna.

Waitress was written and directed by actress Adrienne Shelley while she was pregnant. It explores the wonder of pregnancy, but with some edge. The waitress doesn’t really want to be pregnant. She is married to a husband who hasn’t grown up, who is completely self-centred, demanding and dominating. Jeremy Sisto portrays him as fascinatingly malevolent. Her gift in life is to create and bake pies – and to give them names which correspond to the situation for which she makes them.

For those who enjoy food films, there are many sequences of pie-making as well as visual displays of colourful and tempting pies.

Much of the action takes place in the diner where the waitress works – and a lot of humour in the characters of her two waitress friends, one of whom, dawn (Adrienne Shelley herself), lacks self-confidence, relies on help from her friends to make her look attractive, and then falls in love with the eccentric man she met on a ‘Personals’ date. The other, Becky, is played for good laughs by Cheryl Hines, wisecracking with a heart of gold.

An added bonus is Andy Griffiths as Old Joe, the curmudgeonly owner of the diner, demanding with the waitresses and their work but who befriends the put-upon Jenna and serves as both friend and conscience.

This is needed as Jenna falls in love with her married obstetrician and has to face reality about her baby and about her husband. As with so many Hollywood films recently (Evening, Knocked Up), there is a delight in motherhood and babies.

The sad note about the film is that Adrienne Shelley was needlessly murdered by a worker in her house. Her own little daughter appears in the emotional final scene of Waitress.

1.An appealing film? Warm-hearted? Heart on the sleeve? A blend of realism and hope?

2.The title, the focus, Jenna and the other waitresses, the job, the diner, communication, serving, the difficulties? The emphasis on food? The emphasis on pies?

3.The theme of pies, the opening, the visuals of the pies throughout the film, Jenna and her skills, the recipes, imagining titles and ingredients, singing the song about pies?

4.The small-town setting, the south, the diner, life within the diner, the staff? The contrast with homes? Hospitals, surgeries? Married life? Authentic? The musical score?

5.The female tone of the film? The writer-director? The central characters? The feminine perspective? Feeling, empathy? Women’s talk, women’s secrets, sharing, support and friendship?

6.Keri Russell as Jenna? Attractive to the audience? The opening, the pies, discovering she was pregnant, her antipathy towards the baby, towards her husband? His getting her drunk? Her having married him, the advice of her mother? His change? His honking the horn at her, demands, his being childish? His meals, the money? Her responses, agreeing with him? Making the spaghetti pie? His picking her up at work, his angers, the issues of sexual encounter or not, his violent reactions? The time of her pregnancy? His refusing to let her go to the pie contest? His manifestation of anger at the wedding celebration? Jenna and her stoic response?

7.Jenna in herself, her age, experience? Her reliance on her mother? Her skills with pies, skills with people? Dealing with Joe, the interchanges, his liking her, his wisdom, the horoscopes? Her antipathy towards Earl? The strong bonds with Becky and Dawn, helping Dawn with her makeup, discussing secrets with Becky? Cal and his attitude towards the women, bossing them round? Sharing their experiences? The episode with Ogie?

8.Doctor Pomatter, Jenna going to see her own doctor, discovering him, the pie? The questions, her adjusting to him? The phone calls, his invitations? The question about the blood, going at 7.00am, her criticism of him, the kiss? The month, the various visits, the interactions? The affair? The collage of her smiles? Joe and his recognising what was happening, his inventing the horoscopes to warn her, his own life story? Whether to break the affair or not? Doctor Pomatter’s? absence, with his wife? Her own doctor coming back, giving her the information? The doctor going to the diner and her rejecting him?

9.Earl, his character, self-absorbed childish, macho, his treatment of his wife, the pregnancy, honking the horn at her, talking about money, refusing her permission? Wanting sex? His anger at the wedding ceremony? His presence at the birth, the recorder? Her telling him off, his being left by himself?

10.Becky, character, smart-mouth, sardonic? The relationship with Cal? The friendship with Dawn?

11.Dawn, the Personals columns, the date with Ogie, five minutes, Jenna helping her to look beautiful? Her reaction, anger, Ogie and his self-confidence, coming to the diner, his persistence, the spontaneous poems? The change of heart, the wedding?

12.Cal, his continually telling the women to get back to work, the relationship with Becky, Becky being married, her invalid husband? His being aware that Jenna was pregnant?

13.Earl, the money, Jenna hiding the money in the house, his discovering it, buying all the baby wear and the cot? Jenna and her feeling trapped, unable to leave?

14.Doctor Pomatter, his being married, attracted to Jenna, responding to her, the affair? His wife? His attending to the birth, everybody coming in, including his wife? The experience of the birth, Earl and the video?

15.The birth, its effect on Jenna, her holding the baby? The background of her writing letters to her baby – and the change of heart?

16.Telling Earl the truth, taken in by Becky and Dawn?

17.Joe, his character, crusty, the owner, wanting Jenna, the demands for his order? Making up the horoscopes, warning her? His being in hospital, his card, his death? Jenna reading the card, the money?

18.The diner, the pies, the display? Her calling the diner after her daughter? The happy ending with the pies – and the display of pies?

19.Jenna and her walking down the road with Lulu? A happy ending?

20.A heart-warming film, sweet-natured, yet not shirking the harsh realities of everyday life?

CONTRABAND

UK, 1940, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Conrad Veidt, Valerie Hobson, Hay Petrie, Joss Ambler, Raymond Lovell, Esmond Knight, Harold Warrender.
Directed by Michael Powell.

Contraband is a propaganda film made very early in World War Two, echoing the experiences of late 1939.

The film focuses on a Danish ship apprehended in the English Channel and subject to examination by the British authorities for contraband. During the holding, the captain is suspicious of one of his passengers, follows her to London and becomes involved in the exposure of some German spies – all with the help of the Danish community in London, especially at a restaurant.

The film is fairly basic in its style, has strength with Conrad Veidt and the captain and Valerie Hobson as the woman under suspicion. Raymond Lovell is the Nazi spy.

The film is interesting in its glimpses of London in 1939-40, Piccadilly Circus, the streets of Soho, the countryside and the coast.

Conrad Veidt had appeared in many German films, including The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari. Though not Jewish, his wife was Jewish and he declared himself Jewish when he left Germany at Hitler’s accession. He appeared in a number of British films and then moved to Hollywood where he appeared in A Woman’s Face as well as Casablanca. He died suddenly in 1943. Valerie Hobson was a grande dame of British cinema from the 30s to the 50s.

The film was written by the Archers, the combination of the writing of Emeric Pressburger and the direction of Michael Powell. They had previously made The Spy in Black, a World War One war story with Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson. They moved on to The Lion Has Wings and directed The Thief of Baghdad. During the war they made The 49th Parallel and One of Our Aircraft is Missing before moving to a critique of the war mentality in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. In the late 40s they made some classic films including A Matter of Life and Death and Black Narcissus. Their later career was a mixture, going back to the war in the 1950s for The Battle of the River Plate and Ill Met By Moonlight. Michael Powell created a scandal with his violent horror film, Peeping Tom. Two of his final films were made in Australia: They’re a Weird Mob and Age of Consent.

1.An interesting World War Two story? Espionage? The beginning of the war? Released in 1940?

2.The black and white photography, the scenes of London itself? The musical number? The musical score?

3.The title, British suspicions of ship cargoes, holding them in quarantine, examining them?

4.The focus on the ship, Conrad Veidt as the captain, Danish? His attitude towards his crew, towards Mrs Sorensen and her not wearing a life jacket? The quarantine? The British authorities? His suspicions of Mrs Sorensen and Mr Pidgeon, following them in the train? Apprehending Mrs Sorensen in London, their going to the restaurant, the issue of the German spies, her cover? Going to the house, going to the theatre? Their being apprehended? The captain’s escape, his reliance on the Danish people at the restaurant? The gang? Pinpointing the place of their imprisonment? The attack, rescuing Mrs Sorensen, exposing the spies? Returning to the ship? The attraction to Mrs Sorensen? Getting his watch back?

5.Mrs Sorensen, mysterious, her background story, husband, children? Going to London, the contacts, her previous apprehension by the Nazis, the torture? Her being rescued? A strong woman?

6.The Nazis, the background of torture, Van Dyne? His associates? In high society? The club, the cinema? The exposure, the final bargaining with the captain, letting Mrs Sorensen go? The pursuit on the roof? Death?

7.The background of the ship, life on the ship, the guests and passengers? The British authorities? The ship continuing on its way?

8.The beginnings of propaganda movies in England in 1940?

THE HOAX

US, 2007, 116 minutes, Colour.
Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, Hope Davis, Marcia Gay Harden, Stanley Tucci, Julie Delpy, Eli Wallach, Zeljko Ivanek.
Directed by Lasse Hallstrom.

Some older readers might remember the heady days of 1971-2 when Howard Hughes was one of the world’s richest men, wielding power, even though he had become an eccentric, dust-phobic recluse.

Novelist and art historian, especially with a book about an artist called The Fake, Clifford Irving, was not having the success he hoped for with the publication of a novel by Mc Graw Hill. Determined to find a topic that would sell, he lighted on the idea of an autobiography of Hughes. Since he was a recluse, could anyone really prove whether he had interviewed him or not! Sounded plausible and more than a touch daring, just the thing for an ambitious and risk-taking writer.

That is the gist of The Hoax, based on Irving’s story of the pitch, the writing and the denunciation of his gigantic literary confidence trick.

This version (with some inventions by writer William Wheeler who, with Swedish director Lasse Halstrom (My Life as a Dog, Gilbert Grape, Chocolat, Shipping News) thought that the story allowed him more than some poetic license) includes some dreams and imaginative interludes.

Richard Gere (a bit too old, unfortunately) plays Irving with an exuberance that carries the audience along. Particularly good is Alfred Molina as his friend Richard Susskind, nervous one minute and blurting out the truth the next. Marcia Gay Harden is Irving’s wife, Edith, who did the depositing of the publishing advances in a Swiss bank. The three of them ended up serving time in prison.

There are a lot of lines which remind us that people are more gullible than we often think (though hand writing experts and others confirmed the authenticity of the Hughes’ correspondence which Irving forged). The publishers eventually fall for the hoax in a big way. There are also some Nixon, Watergate, Hughes connections.

Actually, the film does reveal just how much pressure hoaxers must be under if they are to continue lying, having to improvise with their stories, remain consistent and cover their bases.

The Hoax is both interesting and entertaining.

1.An entertaining and interesting film? The hoax itself? Confidence tricks? Clifford Irving? The irony of the story?

2.Howard Hughes as an icon, his money, career, power, the eccentric recluse, the possibility of a biography to be published?

3.The atmosphere of the 70s, the period, publishing, homes, holidays? Authentic? Musical score?

4.The title, expectations? The story of a hoax? The writer and the director of the film imagining aspects of Clifford Irving’s life? Hoaxing Irving himself, hoaxing the audience?

5.The framework of the exposure, the flashback to the hoax itself? The final action and decisions?

6.The plausibility of the hoax? Clifford Irving, his career, writing, publications on the art hoax, his novels? Andrea and her support at Mc Graw- Hill? The readers? Life and the serialising of his stories? Irving and his hopes, celebration, his relationship with Edith, friendship with Dick? Extravagant? The background of his affair with Nina Van Pallandt? The party, the costumes, the extravagance? Discovering that he did not have the contract? The pressures on him, going to the Bahamas, the emptying of the hotel at Howard Hughes’s orders? The realisation of Hughes’s power?

7.Richard Gere as Irving, breezy, daring, relationship with Edith, fidelity and infidelity, the affair with Nina? His friendship with Dick, pressurising and controlling him? Finally manipulating him? Wracking his brains for a topic, the range of possibilities? The articles about Hughes? His decision?

8.Edith, her character, European background, her art, her marriage to Irving? Her exasperation with Nina and the relationship, the letters? Her collaborating with the hoax, the money, going to Zurich, the deposits? Her upset with Irving? The final divorce, her going to prison?

9.Dick Suskind, an author, his plans, his friendship with Irving, the research, his off-screen wife and her dominating his stances? His going with Irving each step of the way? The visits, the publishers, his compulsion to blurt out the truth, Irving covering for him? Controlling him? The prune story and the elaboration of Howard Hughes talking about the prune? The work itself, the research? Going to see Noah Dietrich, the pretence, Dietrich giving them the manuscript, Dick and his photocopying it, Irving and his finally saying it was unpublishable? Going to the libraries, getting the files? The assembling of the material, the writing and shaping of the material? The Nixon connection and the payoffs? The time of Watergate? The drinking, manipulating Dick, the prostitute, Dick’s sense of guilt? Dick and his finally going to prison? The final success as he autographed the books – and saw Irving?

10.Irving as a mercurial character, his relationships with women, the party, playing up to Andrea? The visit to Nina, his conscience? His upset about the cancelling of the contracts, the Bahamas, his decision, the plan, the ability to deceive, as the go-between with Hughes, the contracts, the advances, demanding more money, the messages, the forgeries, putting on the moustache, imitating Hughes’s manner of speaking, taping these? The changes in plan, the greater demands, the deposits in Zurich? The book, the executives and the arguments, the clashes with Shelton Fisher, the persuading of Harold Mc Graw? Andrea and her hopes? The Mc Graw- Hill bosses? The experts testing the handwriting? Irving and his performance with threats? Reflecting with Dick on how outrageous the claims were and people believing them? The helicopter, his manoeuvring the executives to think that Hughes had left? His ability to embroider stories like the prune? The visit to Noah Dietrich, the library?

11.The investigations, the Mc Graw- Hill authorities, the signatures? The investigations about Zurich? Dick and Irving in the building, hiding in the stairwell? The exposure?

12.Andrea, her work, her hopes? Shelton Fisher and his smugness? The bosses?

13.The glimpse of Nina Van Pallandt, her background, singing, her husband, the affair? The letters?

14.The exposure of the truth, Howard Hughes denouncing Irving, the admitting of the truth and the relief? The media response?

15.The prison sentences – the connection with the White House, Watergate, Nixon? Was Hughes trying to manipulate Nixon and have a hold over him? The aftermath for Nixon, the United States, for Irving and his friends?

MARIGOLD

US/India, 2007, 110 minutes, Colour.
Ali Larter, Salman Khan, Nandana Sen, Ian Bohen, Shari Watson.
Directed by Willard Carroll.

While the British have embraced Bollywood and vice versa in recent years, the Americans have not been so responsive. Marigold is an attempt to introduce the US audience to the styles of popular Indian film-making. It has been written and directed by Willard Carroll (Playing by Heart) after a visit to India and his being fascinated by the country.

What if a Hollywood actress (whose CV consists mainly of films with numbers in them, like Basic Instinct 3) were to go to India to make a movie, get fired when the company collapses, and be stranded in Goa? Actually, she (Ali Larter) has been so obnoxious in getting on the plane, on the plane and on her mobile to agent and boyfriend, that we could not care less whether she ever made a film again. Probably better that she didn’t.

However, a pleasant young woman takes pity on her and takes her to a film set. The director gets a brainwave for a plot development with an American girl. She can’t dance or sing – which is quite a drawback in Bollywood! However, a young choreographer who has been disowned by his prince father because of his career choice, is attracted, teaches her, falls in love with her – and she is transformed.

Add in a vain star, a jealous co-star, a mysterious bodyguard and a wealthy family and you have Marigold.

There is a lot (lots!) of colour, clothes, make-up and adornments. There are plenty of songs and dances – paralleling the plot. There are melodramatic moments, tears and laughter, plenty of contrivance, the breaking of traditions and a happy ending all round. What else!

1.A meeting of Hollywood and Bollywood? A satisfying entertainment? Romantic comedy? Musical? Cross-cultural story?

2.The title, the credits, the symbolism of the marigold, Marigold’s name? Prettier than the flower …?

3.The Indian settings, Bombay, the airports, the taxis, the open road to Goa, Goa and the film set, Bombay and the studios? Jodhpur and the royal palaces? The importance of the décor, the Hollywood style, Bollywood settings? The importance of the affluent society? The rich costumes? Makeup and style? Adornments – especially for the wedding?

4.Bollywood and the songs, the dances? The songs in the film, the choreography? The lyrics – and the pushing the plot forward? The songs in the film paralleling what was happening in real life? Audience response to this kind of music, dancing, costumes?

5.The introduction to Marigold, her being an abrasive and impossible character? Presumptions, her career – with films with numbers in the title? Going to India, being put into economy class? Her story about her grandmother’s ashes? Her treatment of the plane’s staff, her rudeness, the man next to her, the audience applauding the attendant taking her mobile phone? Sleeping, arriving, not being met? Her phone calls to her agent, abusive? To her boyfriend, her demands? Getting the taxi, going to Goa? The irony of arriving at the office, the film cancelled, her meeting with Doreen? The firing? Going to watch the shooting of the dancing?

6.Prem, the meaning of his name as love? His memories of his mother? His disappointing his father? Choreographer, actor? The details of his work? His encountering Marigold, attracted to her? At the set, talking, the meal? Rescuing her from Jaanvi? Their being together, her being hired, his teaching her to dance, to relax, to understand Indian culture?

7.The director, his pomposity, the film, Jaanvi and his temperament? Hiring Marigold for a part? Her awkward dancing? Her changing, her absorbing the atmosphere? Her part being built up? Her songs and dances? The jealousy of the leading lady? The discussions about changing the plot, going to Switzerland, dying, audiences loving her? The wry comments about Bollywood plots, treatment, audience expectations?

8.Marigold, changing, falling in love? Prem, his devotion to her, quietly charming? His alienation from his family – the invitation to his sister’s wedding?

9.The wedding, the ceremonies and rituals? The parents greeting Marigold? The family? Her dresses, makeup, the ceremony? The prearranged marriage, the girl coming from Los Angeles, Marigold discovering the truth, her being upset?

10.Prem, discussions with his father, not telling Marigold about the marriage? His drinking, meeting Barry by chance? Bringing him home? The encounter between Barry and Marigold? The marital and romantic complications? The issues of tradition and love? The father’s stances, relenting about the films? The mother and her choice of tradition? The fiancée and her discussions with Marigold, their becoming friends? Meeting Barry?

11.The farewell, Marigold going with Barry? The fiancée making a decision? The substitution of Marigold in the wedding ceremony, the happy ending? Barry and the fiancée together?

12.The subplot of Doreen, her boyfriend, helping out – ordinary romance?

13.The ingredients of the Bollywood romantic comedy, musical? Stock characters? The Indian tradition, princes, prearranged marriages, bodyguards? The breaking through of these traditions for true love – American style?

DECEMBER BOYS

Australia, 2007, 105 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Radcliffe, Teresa Palmer, Christian Byers, Lee Cormie, James Fraser, Jack Thompson, Kris Mc Quade, Victoria Hill, Sullivan Stapleton, Ralph Cotterill, Frank Gallacher.
Directed by Rod Hardy.

This is a good, modest film. It has particular interest for Catholic audiences with its theme of orphans in an institution during the 1960s. However, it is positive in its outlook and in its presentation of nuns and clergy.

It is an Australian film, based on a novel by Michael Noonan, a memoir of growing up in a remote orphanage in the desert and a wonderful holiday at the sea for four of the boys. They are the December Boys, because they are the orphans who have a December birthday. And they are the lucky ones who benefit from a gift of a couple for some of the boys to go to their place for the summer holidays and celebrate Christmas.

The story is told in voiceover by the now old Misty, the central boy, who is about ten at the time of the holiday. The boy is played by Lee Cormie, completely convincing. Two of the other boys are eleven or twelve (nicknames Spit and Spark) and there is an older boy, about sixteen, Maps. Curious audiences may want to see the film because Maps is played by Daniel Radcliffe during the break between Harry Potter four and five. He acquits himself well, Australian accent and all. While there are, of course, some Harry Potter reminders, he makes this role his own.

Basically, the film is about friendship, about boys who play together, are mischievous together, but who long to be adopted and experience parental and family love. The opportunity rises during the holiday and the three youngest try their best to be good in order to be chosen. Maps does not want to be adopted.
A young couple who worked in a carnival cannot have children and the boys bond with them.

Maps encounters a young girl who is visiting and has a secret hideaway cave in a cliff. So, this is also a rites of passage story for Maps and his discovery of sexuality and relationships. The meeting has a profound effect on him, bewildering him, especially as he realises the transient nature of so many relationships. However, he is still leader for the boys and has to risk his life in the water when Misty gets into difficulties.

This is even more interesting in view of the information given by the old friends meeting again at the cove decades later about what Maps did with his life.

The old couple (Jack Thompson and Kris McQuade) have a naval background and like things ship-shape. They are also devout. They offer a great Christmas surprise: Father will turn up for confessions! And there is a funny scene where Misty goes to Confession in a gradually hotter and hotter car. Father is a friendly and decent figure. The glimpses of the nuns indicate strictness but not harshness.

The other glimpse is of the Blessed Virgin. There are images of here and she appears in Misty’s imagination. He is a pious boy. However, there is also an apparition, brief and understated, when the two boys are in difficulties in the sea.

This is a well-written script that most audiences would enjoy, a visit to the past which had its difficulties but was not traumatic. Rather, the holiday had a wonderful effect on the boys and bonded them even more closely.

1.An Australian- British co-production? The Australian story? Universal? The 1960s? Relevant to the present?

2.The desert locations, the vast openness? The contrast with the coast, the cove, the waves and the rocks, the cliff? The village settlement on the shore? The musical score?

3.The title, the orphans, their life and style, the December Boys themselves, their birthday in December? The gift, the trip, the bonds between them?

4.Misty and the voice-over, the old man reminiscing? Propelling the narrative forward, the comment on characters, the experience, the hopes? Adoption? The effect of the men gathering at the end, the scattering of the ashes? The strength of the bonds?

5.The orphanage, the nuns, real, in the style of the 1960s? The image of the nun, the habit? Supervision in the dormitory? Stern but kindly? Misty and his imagination, the dreams, the nuns doing cartwheels? The boys, their obedience, disobedience, smoking in the dormitory …?

6.The role of Mary, the images of Mary, her appearances to Misty, his devotion and piety, prayer, the drowning and Misty and Maps seeing Mary? Being saved?

7.The holiday, Father Scully and his driving them to the coast, the excitement, the drive, their mucking around together?

8.Bandy McAnch? and his wife? The welcome, Bandy and his naval background, Skipper and her piety, the importance of confessions before Christmas? Bandy and his friendship, Skipper and her illness, seeming dead? The sadness of the farewell?

9.The boys’ arrival, the room, trying to smoke, exploring, in the town, the other houses, the sheds? The effect of the freedom? The fishing, swimming? Playing? The issue of adoption, their wanting to be adopted? Maps not wanting it? The bike, Fearless and his giving them rides, the carnival, rides on the beach? Their attempts to do the best to be adopted? The clashes amongst themselves? The fishing, Shellback and his upset, the catch, burying the fish?

10.The focus on Misty, the voice-over, his age, piety, well-behaved, Mary, his art, overhearing Fearless and Teresa talking about adoption? His hopes, trying?

11.Spark and Spit, their happy holiday, the fishing, with Fearless, wanting to be adopted?

12.Maps and his age, the leader, relationship with Misty? The smoking, helping the younger boys? The exploration, finding the cave? Meeting Lucy, finding out about her? The effect? Social, going to the cave? The sharing, the talk, the kiss, the sexual encounter? Her disappearance? His being upset, his anger, attacking Fearless and humiliating him, upsetting Misty’s art? The talk, going to the carnival, seeing the truth about Fearless? Thinking that Skipper had died? The truth about Lucy? The drowning, the Blessed Virgin Mary? The farewells?

13.Fearless and Teresa, the horse, the bike-riding, their past, the carnival, the children on the bike on the beach, the issue of adoption, the back-story about being unable to have children after the accident? The Christmas celebration? The decision, telling the boys, choosing Misty – and his changing his mind?

14.The drowning sequence, the effect on each of the boys?

15.The realism of the story, the characters, issues, rites of passage, orphans?

16.The ending, Maps and the story of his becoming a priest, going to Africa? His ashes and their being scattered at the cove?

HINDLE WAKES

UK, 1952, 82 minutes, Black and white.
Lisa Daniely, Leslie Dwyer, Brian Worth, Sandra Dorne, Ronald Adam, Joan Hickson, Michael Medwin, Mary Clare, Bill Travers.
Directed by Arthur Crabtree.

Hindle Wakes is based on a play by Stanley Houghton, a standby of British theatre and filmed in 1918 as well as in 1927 and 1932. This 1952 version updates the play. The film is set in a Yorkshire town, Hindle, but focuses on life in the mills and the holidays that the mill workers take in Blackpool.

The film is conventional in its presentation of Yorkshire life, factory life, the ordinary people in the street as well as the rich mill owners and their families. However, a great deal of the time is given to holidaymaking, swimming, dancing in Blackpool.

The film has some social, moral and feminist stances. The young son of the mill owner takes the daughter of a mill worker, and she herself works in the mill, for a week in north Wales. When the parents find out, they decide that the couple should marry. The man does not want to. The girl takes her stance and decides on independence rather than marriage. While this might be taken for granted in more recent times, it was quite a strong stand in the period of the play and the various film versions.

The film has a strong cast of British supporting actors – with Joan Hickson, Bill Travers and Michael Medwin in early roles. Director Arthur Crabtree was a cinematographer and moved into direction with Madonna and the Seven Moons and They Were Sisters. He directed several films but after Hindle Wakes moved into television.

1.The origins of the play in the early 20th century? Various film versions and updating? 1952?

2.The realism of the Yorkshire settings, the town of Hindle, the details of the mill, poorhouses, mansions? The transition to Blackpool, the hotels, the dance floors, the tower? North Wales? Musical score?

3.The title, the focus on the town, its moral and social stances? The upstairs-downstairs mentality? Breakthrough in moral behaviour, decisions? The independence of women?

4.The Hawthorn family, Chris as a genial man, his friendship with Nat Jeffcote, the different paths that they took? His dominating wife? Her continual hectoring? Jenny, his love for her, being a modern girl, her friendship with Mary, going to the mill? Chris and his going fishing with Nat, the reminiscences? The crisis, his handling of it, his wife and her nagging? Going to see Nat, the discussion, the decisions to do the right thing? Finally going to the family meeting, everybody making decisions, Jenny and her feeling left out, her making a stance? Her mother’s collapse?

5.The Jeffcote family, Nat, his marrying his working-class wife, her pretensions to society? The running of the mill, his success? His disappointment with Alan? The details of the mill, supervision? Alan, pampered by his mother, lazy, working in the mill? The holiday? Nat and his going fishing with Chris, the bonds between them? Alan and going to Blackpool? The crisis, Alan and his wanting to marry Betty? His father’s taking a stand? His mother’s upset? His mother’s being pleased with Jenny’s decisions?

6.Blackpool, Mary and Jenny going, expectations? George Ackroyd and Alan? The dancing, the drinking? Picking up the girls? The flirting?

7.Jenny, the relationship with Alan, his discovering that she knew who he was? Their time together, the rollercoaster, the tower? Asking about Wales? Jenny’s decision to go? Hesitations? Signing in at the hotel? The week together? The implied sexual behaviour?

8.Mary, promising to send the postcard, going out with Tommy, the crash with the ferry, her death? The policeman and the news, Chris Hawthorn and his telling Mary’s mother?

9.The week away, Jenny returning home, being found out, her lies?

10.The family meeting, the different stances? Betty and her telling Alan to do the right thing? His being relieved, out of obligation, proposing to Betty? The stances of the parent generation? The moral perspective of Britain at the beginning of the 20th century, the middle, the end of the 20th century? Social and moral changes?