GREEN ZONE
 
US, 2010, 106 minutes, Colour.
Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Amy Ryan.
Directed by Paul Greengrass.
 
Everybody has said it, 'Bourne in Baghdad' – which is no reason to say it again, but also no reason not to say it. Paul Greengrass directed The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum as well as United 93 and Matt Damon was Jason Bourne. In fact, Greengrass uses many of the techniques and the pacy editing of his other films to great effect here. But Matt Damon's Chief Miller is a much more straightforward character even when his Iraqui world becomes a morass of conspiracies.

While based on a book by the Washington Post's correspondent, Rajiv Chandrisakaran, Imperial Life in the Emerald City, and the screenplay is written by Brian Heligoland (LA Confidential, Robin Hood), this is a fictionalised account of some American activity in Baghdad within weeks of the invasion of Iraq. Chief Miller is in charge of missions searching alleged depots for weapons of mass destruction. He begins to be disillusioned with the quality of the supplied intelligence.

Most of the action takes place over one day and night. A local Iraqi offers information about a meeting of army chiefs. It emerges that the CIA expert (Brendan Gleeson) wants to make contact and is in favour of keeping the army commissioned to avoid or contain the sectarian violence. A Washington official, who planted the story about the weapons with a DC journalist (Amy Ryan), is actively promoting and scheming for democracy at all cost in Iraq and arrogantly and righteously manoeuvres the Washington decision-makers, the CIA and Miller as well as using his military henchman (Jason Isaacs) to interrogate and torture suspects. The official is played effectively by Greg Kinnear who is usually so charming in movies ,which makes his manipulation and calculated plotting even more alarming.

There are skirmishes, chases, confrontations, all filmed excitingly. There is also the reality of television and newspaper reporting, press conferences and briefings, official documents, cover-ups and exposes.

And, while the film is very firm on where it stands on the policies of George W. Bush and his advisers (anti), which some have interpreted as propaganda and preaching, it is the questions and issues it raises, primarily about the weapons of mass destruction information and pretext for the invasion, as well as the continued assumption that American style democracy is best for everyone whether they like it or want it or not, which gives the film a power to challenge.

1.            A fact-based film?  A screenplay of speculation, fictionalising the material?  Interesting – with the touch of the authentic despite the fiction?

2.            The title, the book on which the film was based, Imperial Life in the Emerald City?  A film adaptation?  The implications of The Wizard of Oz, the US and its dreams?  Those behind the show – fakes, incompetent? 

3.            The re-creation of Iraq, the aerial photography of the city?  The Moroccan and Spanish settings for Iraq?  Baghdad, the city itself, headquarters, hotels and pools, the Green Zone?  The ordinary streets, houses?  The side-streets, the alleged weapons of mass destruction sites?  Press conferences?  A feeling of documentary? 

4.            Audience knowledge of 2003 and the invasion of Iraq?  The subsequent history?  The background of the Gulf War, the two Presidents Bush, America and Saddam Hussein, oil, the weapons of mass destruction, the inspectors, the UN resolutions?  The invasion and the issue of its legality?  The effect?

5.            Showing the search for weapons of mass destruction, the orders, the military taking them literally despite finding none?  The deficient intelligence?  The questions?  The insistence that the weapons be found?

6.            The role of Poundstone, his Washington background, gung-ho, the end justifying the means?  His talk, his contempt for the CIA?  Control?  Going back to Washington and getting orders from the government?  His role in Baghdad, his meetings with the generals?  His imposition of democracy?  The fact that there were no weapons of mass destruction, yet his supplying the journalists with information, creating Magellan as the source?  The journalists not checking for truth?  Miller and the confrontations?  His press conference?  Using Briggs for torture, interrogations, attacks?  The technology of following Miller?  The theories about disbanding the army and its consequences?  The CIA recommending against this?  Miller, his pursuit of Miller, the deaths?  The new parliament and the wrangling?  The futility?  Setting the stage for the ensuing years in Iraq?

7.            The Sunnis and Saddam Hussein, the army, ruling for so long, the dictatorship and its harshness, deaths and torture?  American support?  The Shia meetings?  The gung-ho attitudes of the Americans?  Miller and his being approached by Freddie, the leads given?  Discussions with Brown and the CIA?  The arrests, Hamza and his being tortured, the victim and his family?  Poundstone and his sending Briggs to interrogate him, the brutality?  Brown and his giving the pass to Miller, the bluff, the interrogation, the dangers?  Hamza’s death?

8.            Miller, the Matt Damon type?  Following orders, going to the weapons of mass destruction sites, with his men, digging, the futility?  Complaining about the intelligence?  Getting advice from Brown, his reports?  The encounter with Freddie, testing him, the information, going to the house, the raid, the chases? 

9.            Brown and his experience in the Middle East, his theories about not disbanding the army but using it?  His using Miller?  Getting the pass?  His being thwarted by Poundstone and orders from Washington?

10.         Miller, the journalist, her talking with him, her articles, Miller reading them?  Sounding her out?  Her doubts, getting no answers from Poundstone?  Her discussions with Poundstone?  Miller and his finally discussing with her, assessing what had happened, writing the article and sending it to the press?

11.         Miller and his mission, the general, his being an adviser of Saddam Hussein?  Finding him, the pursuit and the chases?  The discussions, the truth about meeting with Poundstone in Jordan, hopes, Freddie and his killing the general, stating that the Americans had no right to make the decisions in Iraq?

12.         The chaos in Baghdad, the Americans and their lack of expertise, the farces in parliament and the wrangling, Washington and its orders, the role of the CIA? 

13.         Looking at the year 2003 in the retrospect of this film?

WALLANDER:  THE FIFTH WOMAN
 
UK/Sweden, 2009, 90 minutes, Colour.
Kenneth Branagh, Saskia Reeves, Jeany Spark, David Warner, Polly Hemingway, Tom Hiddleston, Richard Mc Cabe, Phyllis Logan.
Directed by Aisling Walsh.
 
Wallander:  The Fifth Woman is the third in the second series of Wallander stories made by Kenneth Branagh.  As with the others, it was adapted by Richard Cottan from a novel by Henning Mankell.  The director is Aisling Walsh, director of such films as A Song for a Raggy Boy, The Daisy Chain.
 
The film focuses on a murder mystery, several murders and explores the themes, the connections between the victims, finally unravelling the solution.  However, the film, as with the previous films, focuses also on the relationship between Wallander and his father, played by David Warner.  In this film, his father finally succumbs to illness and dies, something which Wallander finds very difficult to accept.  The screenplay weaves this theme of grief at death into the solution of the murder mystery where a woman, overcome by her mother’s death from cancer, wreaks havoc on abusive men, information she had received from presiding over a women’s discussion group about abuse.
 
The film has a strong Swedish setting, has a strong cast, especially those regulars in the staff as well as Saskia Reeves as the secretary of one of the victims.
 
1.            The adaptation of the novel?  The murder mystery, the characters, situations?  Wallander’s personal life, his father? 

2.            The Swedish settings, the town, the sea, institutions?  Musical score?

3.            The titles and expectations? 

4.            The focus on Wallander’s father, in hospital, asking his son to take him home.  Sitting to watch the sea, telling his son to stop and look at life?  His death, sitting in the chair, Wallander shaking him in disbelief?  The ambulance?

5.            The initial crime, the old man, the bird-watching, Wallander delving into the information, inspecting the scene?  The victim and his books, the dedication to Krista, the bird poems?  His finally being with the birds, the torture, the flocks flying over?  Suffering a great deal of pain?  His background as a car dealer?  The second victim, kept in a cell, blindfold, given something to drink, taken into the forest, killed?  Florist, his love for orchids, the break-in?  The bloodstains?  The body found?  His assistant, identifying the body, revealed as his lover for a short time?  His children and their lack of interest in him?

6.            Searching for the interconnections between the deaths?  Grief and old men?  The sorting of the paintings, Gertrude looking after Pauvel,(**??) the funeral, Wallander’s wife coming, their meeting,  Linda?  The discussion about Wallander’s inner life and his soul, his father’s comments?

7.            The florist and his son, the son’s resentment?  The mother’s suicide?  Vanja and her relationship?  Feeling a burden lifted?

8.            The man who delivered the oil, his extreme right views, saying that the victim was a thinking man?  The information about his going to Poland for women? 

9.            The suitcase in the field, the photos, Vanja identifying it?  The police meant to find it?

10.         The woman observing the birth, the jogger and the chloroform, being put in the case, drowned, the finding of the corpse?  The wife’s comment about the victim’s cruelty? 

11.         The familiar staff, Magnus, the women, the autopsies?  Wallander and his outbursts?  Their reactions?

12.         The birth, Katerina, the midwife and her evidence?  The press conference? 

13.         The information about the women’s group, the situations of abuse, Katerina, her contact with the older married man?  Yvonne and her role?  Wallander visiting the hall?  The attraction towards Vanja, his father’s painting?  The list of names? 

14.         The old man and his information, about the Polish Krista and her name? 

15.         The interview, the women talking about Yvonne?  Krista and her death?  The effect of the death on Yvonne, looking after Katerina and her baby?

16.         The final victim at the station, Yvonne trying to push him, the confrontation with Wallander, shooting him, taking him as hostage, the melodramatic killing of herself? 

17.         The satisfactory explanation of what had gone on, the investigation?  And the development in the character of Wallander?

THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB:  A ROMANTIC COMEDY
 
US, 2000, 94 minutes, Colour.
Timothy Olyphant, Zac Braff, Matt Mc Grath, Ben Weber, Dean Caine, Billy Porter, John Mahoney, Nia Long, Mary Mc Cormack, Justin Theroux.
Directed by Greg Berlanti.
 
The Broken Hearts Club:  A Romantic Comedy is a film written for a gay audience.  Even in this screenplay, the characters complain about the gay characters seen on screen, especially in Hollywood movies.  This film also contains many stereotypes, especially in the camp behaviour of this group of West Hollywood gay men.
 
The Broken Hearts Club is a restaurant presided over by John Mahoney who is also the coach of the men’s softball team.  The men gravitate to the restaurant – but they are very much involved in their own relationships, their self-image, their coming out, their being seen. 
 
At the centre is Timothy Olyphant as a photographer approaching his twenty-eighth birthday.  He is thinking over his own life and his capacity for relationships as well as supporting the others.  The group also includes Zac Braff as man attracted towards gym types, Matt Mc Grath as a psychology student who is unable to handle his own psyche and relationships, Dean Caine as a narcissistic actor.  There is a subplot about two lesbians, Nia Long and Mary Mc Cormack.  Mary Mc Cormack’s brother, played by Ben Weber, is to be a sperm donor so that they can have a child of their own. 
 
The film is very camp in its humour – and may be something of a puzzle, possibly even alienating, for the wider audience.
 
Concerning the casting, a number of the actors were at the beginning of careers which came into more prominence in the succeeding years, especially Timothy Olyphant, Zac Braff, Dean Caine and Justin Theroux.  John Mahoney, best known as Frasier’s father, seems to be enjoying himself as the wise old man who is able to gather the group together – but also gives them some sound advice, especially as regards looking beyond their gay identity into a broader life.
 
1.            The niche audience for this film?  The wider audience?  The film receiving awards from gay organisations? 

2.            West Los Angeles, the city, the clubs, apartments, restaurants, softball fields, funeral?  The real world for this community? 

3.            The musical score, the songs, discussion about Barbra Streisand, The Carpenters…?  The classic Debussy played at the funeral?  The sensibilities?  The drag acts? 

4.            The cast, its strength, later careers? 

5.            Los Angeles at the beginning of the 21st century, the gay movement in the 20th century, men coming out, staying in the closet, acceptance by the comedy, by family?  The camp style and sensibilities? 

6.            The chapters of the film, the highlighting of words, the dictionary definitions:  meanwhile, neubie, gym guy… and five months later (understood by everyone)? 

7.            The introduction, the group chatting over coffee, the subjects, the gay focus, the introduction to the characters? 

8.            Preoccupations, age, relationships, love, sexuality, friendship, pain, loss, commitment?  Jack and his warnings about maturity, learning other facets of identity?  His own relationship of twenty years with the Purple Man?

9.            Dennis as the centre, approaching twenty-eight, as a photographer, his relationship with his family, not being able to tell his father who died before he came out?  Hesitations?  The party?  His house, Cole as a boarder?  Taylor and his crisis about Paul?  Kevin and his not being out?  The attractions?  Not ready for commitment?  Sexual relationships?  Wanting more?  Taking photos?  Explaining to Kevin why he stayed in LA, with this group?  At the softball, cooking, supportive, talking to Kevin?  Jack and his advice?  The effect of Jack’s death, grief, Kevin feeling he was neglecting him, the final exhibition of his work before he went to Europe?

10.         Patrick, morose, self-image, lack of relationships, his talking?  His relationship with his sister, the request as a sperm donor, discussions about it, his refusal, changing his mind?  Going to the clinic?  Finally seeing the scan?  His speech for Jack?  His sister, her partner, their relationship, wanting to parent, wanting a sperm donor, wanting her brother to contribute? 

11.         Howie, psychology, his glasses, self-image, his way of talking, the broken relationship with Marshall, his interrupting him, the confrontations, self-centred, Marshall bluntly telling him the truth, his coming to Marshall at the end and admitting his being wrong?  Marshall, smoking the pot, attitude towards Howie, the other partners?

12.         Cole, seeming straight, his relationships, his vanity, getting the acting job, the relationship with the actor, finally being stood up by him?  The softball, the bet with the catcher?  His relationship with Kevin, being flippant? 

13.         Benjy, his appearance, talk, relationships, going to the gym, being bashed? 

14.         Jack, his wisdom, genial, the softball?  His relationship with the Purple Man?  The Purple Man speaking at the funeral, playing the music? 

15.         The gallery of background characters, their characteristics, particular names?  Filling in the background of this community and world?

16.         Issues of role models, images on screen for gay identity?  The impact for the straight audience and the story of this world and its style?

MY LAST FIVE GIRLFRIENDS
 
UK, 2009, 87 minutes, Colour.
Brendan Patricks, Naomie Harris, Kelly Adams, Cecile Cassell, Jane March, Edith Bukovics.
Directed by Julian Kemp.

A brief romantic comedy – or, perhaps, an anti-romantic comedy, British style.
 
Duncan is lovelorn and writes a suicide note to his last five girlfriends and is seen to proceed to do the deed.  Then the film rewinds and we go through five short stories, Duncan and his love for the girlfriends.  Brendan Patricks is engaging enough to persuade us that the girls could be interested in him and that we should be sympathetic towards him as each episode ends – though he really is a doofus, or one of those words.  The women who portray these girlfriends do quite a good job, attractive, with their own eccentricities but unable to make a go of it with Duncan.
 
Apart from the good performances and some humorous and some witty dialogue, it is the inventiveness of the director's imagination which makes lots and lots of visual jokes in different filming styles, a blend of realism and Duncan's fantasies, that makes the film better than the average romcom.
 
There is a joke at the end with the credits and Duncan's suicide attempt and the reminder that the romantic quest is a never-ending story.

1.            An entertaining twist on a romantic comedy?  Men’s response?  Women’s response?

2.            The London settings, the detail of environments, streets, homes, restaurants…?  The sequences in Paris?  The theme park and its imagination?  The musical score? 

3.            The various devices to illustrate Duncan’s imagination – the flashbacks, the Barbie story, the theme park and the various houses?  The style of photography?  The surprises every so often in the style of the film? 

4.            Duncan, the initial letter, scratching out the words, the suicide note, his desperation, wanting to affect the five girlfriends?  His taking the tablets and collapsing?  The irony of the ending and the credits coming up?  His halting them, explaining that he took vitamin C, frothing, surviving? 

5.            Duncan as a character, his capacity for relationships?  Or not?  His work and design?  With Will?  His finally receiving an award and his drunken acceptance and telling the audience what had happened to him?  His capacity for relating, committing?  His attempts and their effect on him? 

6.            The story of the girlfriends and their characters: 

(i)   Wendy.  Wendy on the plane, his sitting next to her, his imagining that this was destiny?  Their talking, her slowness, her charm, his saying he collected airline sick bags and his father writing stories?  Her work in design?  The relationship, her dependence on him, the phone calls, going?  Alex and the previous relationship?  The holidays together?  The differing moods?  Wendy finally calling things off and going back to Alex? 

(ii)  Olive, her charm, her poise, his adapting to her personality?  Yet her indecisiveness, wanting to accommodate?  At the restaurant, the various meetings, the relationship?  The chocolate dessert – his allergy, being sick, the breaking of the romance? 

(iii)  Rhona, ordinary, thinking that this was the real thing, his being on the roller coaster, the seats as the shoes?  Rhona’s shoes, the salesman and his pitch?  Duncan and his reaction, the blunt telling of the truth to Rhona, her reaction?  The party, their not going, the break-up? 

(iv)  Natalie, on the rebound, Natalie as a personality, the toy elephant, Duncan’s reaction, not committed?

(v)   Gemma, his meeting with Gemma, at the party, seeing her in the supermarket, putting the socks in her bag, her being stopped by security, her argument, his coming to the rescue?  The relationship, Gemma in herself, the girl of Duncan’s dreams?  The difficulties arising?  His partner?  Gemma and her confession to being with his partner?  The break-up? 

7.            The finale, his getting the five girlfriends out of his system – his stereo and listening, the woman downstairs and her complaints, coming to the door – and the whole process starting again?

FIRST KNIGHT
 
US, 1995, 134 minutes, Colour.
Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond, Ben Cross, Liam Cunningham, John Gielgud.
Directed by Jerry Zucker.
 
1.            The popularity of the Arthurian legends?  The screen tradition?  The aftermath of The Early Years and Excalibur and Merlin?  Camelot, peace, the Knight of the Round Table? 

2.            The film’s spectacle and pageant?  Camelot?  The court, the wedding, the room with the round table? 

3.            The staging of the battles, Prince Malagant, the fierceness of his attacks, the ambushes, burning down the village, the final attack?

4.            A Mediaeval story, atmosphere, locations?  Score? 

5.            Lancelot as the First Knight, a wandering knight, the flashback of his story, as a boy, the deaths?  His travelling and fighting?  Training people?  The challengers?  His skills with the sword?  His charm, genial?  Not caring if he died?  Anticipating his opponents’ moves?  Sir Malagant, the fight, the abduction of Guinevere?  Lancelot rescuing her in the forest, his kiss, her slapping him, the beginning of the love/hate relationship?  His decision to go to the court, his being able to go through the ordeal and the maze?  Guinevere and her refusal to kiss him, his gallant saying that he should not kiss Arthur’s queen?  The talking to Guinevere, the second rescue, going to the prison, the action, his being made a knight, Guinevere wanting him to leave, his decision to stay?  The vigil, his being installed as a Knight of the Round Table?  The friendship with Arthur?  Arthur seeing Lancelot and Guinevere together?  The decision to have a trial in, the open?  Malagant’s attack, everybody fighting, Lancelot defending Arthur?  The end and his being entrusted with Guinevere and Camelot? 

6.            Guinevere and her kingdom, her playing with the people, the women in attendance?  The dance?  Malagant’s attack, its brutality?  Her being taken, in the carriage, leaping out, urging the women to roll, hiding in the forest?  Her being caught, Lancelot to the rescue, taunting her captor and killing him?  The kiss, her haughty reaction?  Her free decision to marry Arthur?  Meeting, the pomp and circumstance, promises?  Her being taken, imprisoned by Malagant?  The rescue, the escape?  Urging Lancelot not to become a knight?  The kiss?  Arthur and his reaction to her being with Lancelot, her admitting she loved Lancelot?  The trial?  The battle, at Arthur’s deathbed?  Entrusted to Lancelot? 

7.            Arthur, audience knowing his past, peace, Malagant trying to disturb the peace?  Camelot and the knights?  The wedding, the jousting, the joy of the ceremony?  The maze and Lancelot’s skills?  His gratitude towards Lancelot for the rescues?  Knighting him?  His reaction to seeing Guinevere and Lancelot together?  Praying, demanding of God why this was so?  His sadness, the trial?  His urging his people to fight against Malagant, the wounds, his death, funeral, going out to sea?

8.            The various Knights of the Round Table, their characters, in Camelot, their pledges and loyalty to the king?  To Guinevere? 

9.            Life in the villages, their pastimes, being attacked, the haylofts burnt, the mercilessness of Malagant and his men, the abduction of the women? 

10.         The people in the villages, Oswald and his wise counsel for Guinevere?  Jacob and his strength, fighting with Lancelot, giving the news of the attack?  The sufferings, rising up against Malagant?

11.         Malagant and his troops, vicious, the attacks, the deceit and hiding in the water, abducting Guinevere?  His finally going to Arthur, to confront him at the round table?  Guinevere in prison, his hostage?  The final attack, the fight to the death with Lancelot?

12.         The blend of history and myth rather than magic and legend?

THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE (LE PREMIER JOUR DU RESTE DE TA VIE)

France, 2008, 114 minutes, Colour.
Jacques Gamblin, Zabou Brietman, Deborah Francois, Marc- Andre Grondin, Pio Marmai.
Directed by Remi Bezancon.

This is the kind of story the French do so well, a focus on a family, their interactions, their crises. It is different in its screenplay and in its structure. It takes place over five days, but not consecutive days. Rather, the days are significant over a period of twelve years, each one focussing particularly on the father, the mother, the older son, the younger son, the daughter. This leads to the cumulative effect of getting to know each character very well.

Once the audience is on the wavelength of what is happening in the storytelling, the insights of the writing, the warmth of the family bonds (despite lots of disagreements) and the fine performances, the film becomes quite a moving, sometimes endearing experience.

The father is a taxi driver, a good man with limitations who, sometimes, does not understand his wife and children at all. The wife is loving but, as the years pass, feels that she is ageing and losing her beauty and is not appreciated. The older son is a surgeon who moves out of the family home at the beginning and who lives a professionally successful career but a somewhat morose personal life. The younger son is the eternal procrastinator who does find a goal in life through his wife connoisseur grandfather. The daughter is young, rebellious as she becomes a teen, falls into all the traps that this kind of girl could but, eventually, after fights, she makes good.

The film was popular in France and won three Cesar awards, including most promising actress for Deborah Francois as the daughter and Marc- Andre Grondin as the younger son. The film travels well outside France.

1.The story of a family, a portrait of a family, the whole family, the individuals? The period range? Development, faults and qualities? The value of family?

2.The French style, situations, sensibility? The characters and style?

3.The structure of the film: the framework of the home movies, the credits, the ending? Characters, their life, pregnancy and children, parenting, play and joy?

4.The structure: five days over twelve years, one day for each of the principal characters? The visual style as different for each character, time? Different styles of editing?

5.The focus on each of the characters and their relationship with each other? Time, age, the events, birthdays, weddings, deaths?

6.Albert, the empty chair, 24th of August, 1988: Albert, twenty, becoming independent, his mother’s reaction, the tiny apartment, the relationship with his grandfather? His meeting the young woman? His life, his brother, his sister? Albert as the oldest, the family’s ambitions? His studies? Strength of character? His relationship, his wife? The Magnificent Seven poster in his room?

7.Fleur, Friday the 3rd of December, 1993, Fleur’s sixteenth birthday, five years having passed? Her attitude towards sexuality, her attitude towards her mother and insulting her, the clash? The teenager of the 1990s, grunge? Fleur and disenchantment?

8.Raphael, Saturday the 22nd of June, 1996, Raphael at twenty-five, visiting his grandfather, the art of wine tasting, his confiding in his grandfather, the grandfather talking about his wife, her young death, the grandchildren not knowing her? Raphael and his remembering about Moira? Raphael and procrastination? His blithe attitude towards life, drifting through life? Dreams and reality? In love with the girl he met briefly? Trying to remember her phone number? Guitar competitions? Air guitar? His being the object onto whom the rest of the family imputed their feelings?

9.Marie- Jeanne, Friday the 25th of September, 1988, Marie-Jeanne? as wife, the temptation, the flirting? Her attitude towards her youth, comparisons with her daughter? The independence? The extraordinary day for Marie- Jeanne? Relationships, trust with her husband, her trying to hold onto her youth?

10.Robert, Friday the 26th of May, 2000, Robert at the end of his life, his role as a husband, his role as a father? Still clinging to youth, the teenager, jeans, shoes? Music? But a taxi driver for so long? His relationship with his older son, finding him as a passenger? The drama in the car? Robert, his world, his memories, satisfaction, his death?

11.Robert, his age, the flat, talking, putting Albert down, praising Raphael? The wines and Raphael and his attitude? Talk about resistance, his wife, the cellar, his taste? His death?

12.Fleur and Claire, the chatter, the class, the sexual encounter? The relationship with Sasha? With Eric? Together, the ups and downs, her pregnancy and Eric?

13.Sasha, his band, friends, sexual activity, the month, the scarf, Albert and fear?

14.Pierre, the noise, talk, marrying, wedding – and the apocalyptic?

15.The driving instructor, Robert, Marie- Jeanne, Robert and his discovery, the kiss? Action?

16.The seventy-year-old dog, the surgery?

17.Glimpsing the ups and downs of the characters, their faults, their strengths, the search for Fleur? Together, the reconciliation, the focus, the holiday, the home movies?

18.Humour, pathos, foibles, hopes, children and having children – and letting them grow up?

THE MAN WITH A CLOAK

US, 1951, 81 minutes, Black and white.
Joseph Cotten, Barbara Stanwyck, Louis Calhern, Leslie Caron, Joe Desantis, Jim Backus, Margaret Wycherly.
Directed by Fletcher Markle.

The Man with a Cloak is an atmospheric drama with a touch of the film noir. However, it is set in 1848 in New York City. A young woman, Leslie Caron in an early role, comes to visit a wealthy Frenchman in exile (a dominant Louis Calhern). She is engaged to his grandson who is fighting for the Republic in France. She is befriending by an alcoholic man in a bar (run by Jim Backus). He is played by Joseph Cotten – and eventually emerges as Edgar Allen Poe. Barbara Stanwyck is the household manager for Louis Calhern, in relationship with the butler, played by the heavy Joe Desantis, with Margaret Wycherly (White Heat) as the housekeeper. They have been with the ailing Frenchman for many years and are moving towards murdering him for his money.

There are several complications, good performances, a score by David Racksin.

1.An entertaining small film from MGM in the 1950s?

2.New York City, the black and white photography, atmosphere? The streets, the hotel, the mansion? The musical score?

3.The title, the voice-over, the comment on Dupin? His presence in the bar, drinking, in debt, interchanges with Flaherty? The encounter with Madeleine? Helping her? Going to the house, the encounter with Lorna, the attraction? The hostility towards Martin? His discussions with Theverner? The interactions, his return? His suspicions? His drinking with Theverner? The deal and the money with Lorna? His seeking out Madeleine, testing the glass for poison? The second testing and the discovery of the poison? His working out what happened? Martin pursuing him, his walking with the policeman? Warning Flaherty, the policeman coming to the rescue after the finding of the will and the fight? His IOU and his signature? An interesting Poe story?

4.Madeleine, the background in France, her love for Paul, the Republic? Her arriving at the house, Theverner’s tantrum, going to the hotel? The encounter with Dupin, his help? Lorna and her taking the message in to Theverner and wanting to oust Madeleine? Her rushing in? Persuading Theverner to stay, his warning her during the night? Her suspicions, the treatment by Martin and Lorna? Enlisting the help of Dupin? Going to the lawyer? Having to move out of the house, the visit to the boarding house? The build-up to the finale, the death of the lawyer, the death of Theverner? The discovery of the will? Her inheriting the money, the return to France?

5.Lorna, the faded actress? Her performance, the household, her beauty, wealth? Avarice for the money? The relationship with Martin? With Mrs Flynn? Her managing Theverner? The celebration and party, his ordering everyone to leave? The deal with Dupin and the attraction, Martin’s jealousy? The build-up to the deaths, the withdrawal of the medicine? The finale, the will, the fight? Accepting her destiny and her having to live in the house with Martin until she died?

6.Mrs Flynn, observing, her comments? Her support of Madeleine?

7.Martin, sinister, hard, the relationship with Lorna? Murderous? Following Dupin in the street, the police? The final fight?

8.Theverner, his past, reprobate, exile? Paul appealing to him? His dependence on Lorna and Martin, seeing through them? Attraction to Madeleine and inviting her to stay? The discussions with Dupin? The parties, his drinking, the doctor’s visits? The rewriting of the will, his stroke, the lawyer drinking the poison, his being unable to do anything? Signalling to Dupin with his eyes about the will? His raven and its being called Villon?

9.A satisfying drama? Brief, atmosphere? The drama of greed and its being thwarted?

RESERVATION ROAD

US, 2007, 102 minutes, Colour.
Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connolly, Mira Sorvino, Elle Fanning, Eddie Alderson.
Directed by Terry George.

Reservation Road is a rather harrowing film. It had strong credits but did not receive much cinema release, going straight to DVD. It was probably too much for the average audience who could identify with the characters and the situations and the emotions.

The film establishes two fathers and their relationship with their children. Joaquin Phoenix is a professor, devoted to his children. Mark Ruffalo is a disturbed man, a lawyer, separated from his wife, wanting custody of his son. He also, in a hurry to get home, is the perpetrator of a hit-run accident with the death of Phoenix’s son. He covers up.

Both actors are particularly good in their roles, credible for fathers in anguish for different reasons. Phoenix moves from a sympathetic father, to one obsessed with finding out who the perpetrator was, becoming more consumed with vengeance and alienating himself from his wife (Jennifer Connolly) and his daughter (Elle Fanning). By way of contrast, Ruffalo is callous, erratic and irresponsible, but gradually becomes more humanised by the experience of what he does, taping a confession for his son, finally confronting the angry Phoenix.

There are a number of coincidences in the film which work well enough on screen but, for those who are more literal-minded, it may seem too farfetched. Phoenix goes to a lawyer and hires Ruffaloas an investigator and adviser. In the meantime, his daughter has music lessons from Ruffalo’s ex-wife. The two sons had known each other briefly at school.

However, the writing by novelist John Burnham Schwartz and director Terry George is strong, convincing, powerful and emotional.

While the film focuses on the inadequacies of the justice system and also highlights the desire for vengeance, there is a balance in the different way that Phoenix’s wife handles the situation – and a culmination indicating that violence is not the final answer.

1.The impact of the film, story, characters, harrowing, justice and the law, coping with grief?

2.The Connecticut settings, affluent society, the affluent state and the comments by the college students about Connecticut? The community, the families, homes, school, the police? The scenes on the roads, at the lake, the woods? The musical score?

3.The realism of the themes, for ordinary people, identifying with both sides of the situation?

4.The introduction to Ethan and his family, Josh and his cello-playing, the aftermath of the concert, the bonds in the family, the collecting of the fireflies, the contrast with Dwight, Lucas in himself at the game, his care for his son, late in bringing him home, Ruth’s accusations of irresponsibility, the arguments, Lucas and his living with his mother and her husband? The set-up in paralleling the fathers and the sons? The wives?

5.Travelling home, Ethan, the stop, Josh letting the fireflies loose? Dwight and Lucas, the urgency, the changing the radio station, not putting on his seatbelt, speed, the avoiding of the truck, the hitting of Josh, the driving off immediately?

6.The impact of the hit-run, Ethan and his dismay, Grace and her grief, Emma and her shock? Dwight and his leaving? The police, the interrogations, the interviews, the family going home with their grief?

7.Ethan, in himself, his tutorial and the discussions about media, the wealth of Connecticut, suffering and pain, comparisons? With the police, his growing obsession, his silence, anger and rage? Attitude towards justice and the law? The accusation against the police? Impatience, alienating Grace? Talking and not talking? Photographing the SUV? The arrest, the discussion at the police station? Visiting Dwight and the firm, giving the information? His being sane and not sane?

8.Dwight, the arguments with Ruth? Ruth and Norris with Lucas? The night, his anguish, fear, cowardice? Hiding the car, renting another, going to work, edgy, his boss and the criticism? The irony of Ethan and the investigation? His outings with Lucas? The tape? Confessing to Lucas? Going to the police, their being busy, his not being able to own up? The outings with Lucas to the ball game? With his wife, the drive, the lies? Meeting Ethan, at the site of the crime? The request, taking Lucas to the Red Sox match?

9.Ruth, the piano lessons, her offer to Grace, coaching Emma, Emma playing? Ethan picking up Emma, the photo and the SUV? Ruth giving permission for Dwight to take Lucas out? Talking of his life to Ethan?

10.Grace and her trying to cope, the ordinary woman, asking Emma about the piano lessons, Ethan and his attitude? The performance, trying to talk to Ethan, seeing him go?

11.The police, sympathy, their work, investigations, the visit to Dwight to ask about the car? It belonging to a Saudi diplomat, Ethan suspicious, immunity?

12.Ethan and his decision, taking Dwight to the site, the photo and the recognition? The abduction, the gun, bashing and fight, losing the gun?

13.Dwight and the gun, his holding it to his head, being prepared to die? His fears? His conscience? Ethan going? Lucas and the tape?

14.Ethan driving home? The effect of this experience on him?

15.The reverse sympathy, Ethan growing harder, Dwight becoming more conscience-driven?

16.Ethan and the use of the internet, the solidarity of people who were victims, fostering rage?

17.Justice and the law, vigilante action and its consequences?

18.The resolution with the perpetrator, facing the perpetrator, discussions and dealing with him? The psychological effect, moral effect?

THE PROMOTION

US, 2008, 86 minutes, Colour.
Seann William Scott, John C. Reilley, Jenna Fischer, Lily Taylor, Gil Bellows, Bobby Cannavale, Jason Bateman.
Directed by Steve Conrad.

The Promotion is a slight comedy with some serious undertones. Seann William Scott (playing a little more seriously than usual) is an assistant at a grocery store. He is allegedly a shoe-in for the position of manager at another store being built. His wife is played by The Office’s Jenna Fischer. A rival comes from Canada, John C. Reilley, with his wife, Lily Taylor. What follows is competitiveness between the two, some dirty tricks played on each other, visit to a motivational retreat (presided over by Jason Bateman) and a test of integrity.

The film is brief, some humour, but a focus on the difficult times and issues of employment and availability of jobs.

The film was written and directed by Steve Conrad, the writer of such bittersweet films as Wrestling Ernest Hemingway, The Weather Man, The Pursuit of Happyness.

1.A light comedy drama? Topical? Employment and hopes?

2.The suburban setting, homes and streets, the details of the store, the supermarket carpark? Outings, the retreat? Ordinary and realistic?

3.The title and its focus, the comic aspects for gaining the promotion, the serious themes underlying the competitiveness?

4.Doug and his character, in the workplace, the photo on the wall, relationship with the boss, the discussions about being a shoe-in, with his wife, at home, the noisy neighbours, buying the apartment on the strength of his getting the promotion? His wife, her work, the doctor and his style, especially confronting Doug? Doug upset?

5.The store, ordinary life in the store, the expansion, the new site? The board, the meetings, the interviews?

6.The manager and his style, the fat man and his stealing the goods? The security guards outside, lazy? The complaint box and the cards? Doug and his reading them, the authorities?

7.Richard arriving from Canada, his type, recovering after alcohol and drugs, his relationship with his wife? At work, the incipient rivalry, the competitiveness increasing? His listening to tapes in his car – with his own name substituted? Friendly with Doug or not?

8.The way that each undermined the other? The dirty tricks? Being outside on duty in the carpark? Inside? The cola deliverer? The issue of language and Doug capitalising on Richard’s mistake? Going to the camp, the motivation?

9.The final clash, the interviews?

10.The board, the personalities, the criteria?

11.Doug and his change of heart, support?

12.Ordinary issues, audiences identifying with characters, situations – and the competitiveness and tricks?

SALUTE

Australia, 2008, 105 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Matt Norman.

Salute as the subtitle The Peter Norman Story.

The title of the film refers to the symbolic movement of John Carlos and Tommie Smith on the victory dais after the two hundred-meter sprint at the Olympic Games in Mexico, 1968. They gave the Black Power salute. Carlos had won the race, Smith had come third. The Australian, Peter Norman, had come second. This was an image that went around the world, especially significant for the year 1968 and the race issues in the United States and the death of Martin Luther King earlier as well as that of Robert Kennedy. The Olympics were intended to be non-political, especially in the views of the IOC chief Avery Brundage (who is condemned by people in the film as an unpleasant and dominating man). Brundage intervened with the Americans, the trainer defending them because they had done what he asked, but the threat to the team was to send them home if the two offending athletes were not removed. In fact, both athletes suffered discrimination when they went home, John Carlos’s brothers, fighting in Vietnam, were even dismissed from the army.

The film offers a great deal of detailed background to race issues in the United States, an interesting and judicious use of background footage. It explains that the black American athletes had issues about how they would express their identity as well as their cause for their concern for freedom in the Games at Mexico.

The film also focuses on race situations in Australia, the White Australia Policy, the lack of rights for Aborigines.

It is in this context that the film is a tribute to Peter Norman. Born to a Salvation Army family in Melbourne, living poorly, he began to excel at running and so was selected for training for the Mexico Olympics. The film shows the Australian coach and the rather naïve attitude of Australians going off to Mexico with its altitude. However, Peter Norman excelled in the various races and came second. Because he wore the badge for the Olympians for Racial Freedom, he himself was not allowed to go to the Munich Olympics and was not even invited, along with other Olympic medal winners, to the Games in Sydney in 2000. (However, the Americans invited him and gave him a great tribute for his solidarity with them at a difficult period.)

The film has a great deal to offer in terms of reflection on the role of the Olympic Games, the politicising of the Games, the consequences.

The film was also very strong in its use of talking heads, especially fine interviews with Peter Norman who emerges as a very strong character, a decent man with great principles. He is pictured talking with John Carlos and Tommie Smith in debate. They are also pictured at the dedication of a statue in 2004 at the University of San Jose of the historic moment with the two African Americans.

The film, written and directed by Peter Norman’s nephew Matt Norman, offers insights into race issues of the 20th century, the history of the United States in terms of race, the role of the Olympic Games. It is also a portrait of men of principle.

1.A fine documentary? Awards? Humanitarian? Human rights?

2.Audience knowledge of the civil rights issues in America, in Australia? 1968? The difficulties in the United States, assassinations, protests, separation of races? The Olympic Games? The gesture? Peter Norman’s presence and role?

3.The aim of the documentary, the nephew’s tribute to his uncle? 20th century issues in the US, racism, the Games, treatment, portraits, the assessment forty years later?

4.The quality of the footage, helping audiences to appreciate the times? The US and the 60s, riots, violence, the Vietnam War, Australia and the Aborigines, the footage of the Games themselves, training and races, the historical feel to the film?

5.The importance of the interviews, characters and portraits, discussions, the dedication of the statue? The coaches and the athletes? Television commentators and Tony Charlton? The portrait of the officials, Avery Brundage and Judy Patching?

6.The assembly of all the elements, the structure of the film, offering the background, the narrative, climax and crises, the talking heads, the score?

7.1968, the assassinations, the 1963 march on Washington? The heritage, the student riots, the police? Glimpses of the Klan? The black athletes, their meetings, the association? The gestures? Avery Brundage? Death threats to the athletes in Mexico? (And the background of riots and student unrest in Mexico City at the time?)

8.Peter Norman and his story, Melbourne, a poor family, his father a butcher, the sandshoes, the relay race, his skills, football, training, chosen? The camps and the altitude? Mexico and the heats, his memories and the tactics to put off the other athletes, relaxing on the block, getting second place, on the dais? His life and values, parents, the important role of the Salvation Army and its principles? His decision to wear the medal on the dais? The consequences, his not being chosen for Munich, not being invited to Sydney 2000? A kind man, forgiving? The experience of 2000, the Americans and the honour? The dedication of the statue, the speeches? The noting of Peter Norman Day? A fine and ordinary Australian?

9.John Carlos and Tommie Smith, in themselves, their speeches, the passing of the years, God values, memories, involvement in issues, the training, the heats, the expectations, the dais, the gloves (and there only being two and Peter Norman’s advice for each to wear one)? The salute? The silent crowd? Brundage, the sacking, Carlos’s brothers in Vietnam, sacked? The later lives?

10.The American coach, his stance, supportive? The Australian coach and his reminiscences?

11.Paul Hoffman, the American athlete, his memories, the white perspective – traces of inherent racism?

12.The IOC officials and judgment on them?

13.The salute, an icon of the 20th century, its long-lasting influence and symbolism?