JANE’S HOUSE

US, 1994, 90 minutes, Colour.
James Woods, Anne Archer.
Directed by Glenn Jordan.

Jane’s House has fine credentials. It was directed by Glenn Jordan who directed many telemovies from 1970 on. He also directed a number of feature films including Only When I Laugh and Mass Appeal. The screenplay was written by Eric Roth whose variety of screenplays include Forrest Gump, The Postman, The Horse Whisperer, The Insider and Ali. This film was produced just prior to Forrest Gump.

The film is about a family, a widower played by James Woods marrying a professional woman played by Anne Archer. However, they live in his former wife’s house and the house itself becomes almost a character in the marriage. The widower’s children do not take well to their new stepmother. The film focuses on the struggle to make a new life after the experience of death and grief.

1.An interesting and entertaining telemovie? Emotion and sentiment?

2.The settings, American-style affluence, homes, lifestyles? Authentic tone, musical score?

3.The focus on family, the focus on the original family, Paul and Mary, their children? The decision for a new family? Paul and Mary? The children and their difficulties?

4.The title, Mary’s presence in her house, her absence? The effect on Paul, the experience of death and grief, his memories, comparisons? The effect on the children, their grieving for their mother, remembering her, making it difficult to accept Mary? Mary and her struggles to overcome the dominant presence of Jane in her house? Memories, love? The importance and the difficulties of letting go?

5.Paul and James Wood’s presence and style? His relationship with his children, the daughter and sexuality? The boy and his being possessive? Crying? The experiences of school? Friends, taking care of him? Advice?

6.The world of work, his brother, the shop, responsibilities? Mary and the encounter, falling in love, the proposal?

7.Hilary, in herself, her age, moods? Boyfriend? Lonely? The meal and her misbehaving, crying?

8.Mary and the background of tennis? In herself, her age, experience? Work, partner? The encounter with Paul, the gift? Autographs?

9.Themes of sharing, talking, discussion, sexuality, possibility, how to deal with the children, gifts and sharing?

10.The proposal, the decision to marry, the marriage and hopes?

11.The aftermath of the wedding, Paul at home, the ties? Expectations, judgments? Clashes? Leaving?

12.Themes of reconciliation, treasuring of memories, letting go? Crises? The facing of the future? Courage? A film blending reality and sentiment?

THE WAY AHEAD

UK, 1944, 115 minutes, Black and white.
David Niven, Stanley Holloway, James Donald, John Laurie, Leslie Dwyer, Hugh Burdon, Jimmy Hanley, William Hartnell, Leo Genn, Renee Asherson.
Directed by Carol Reed.

The Way Ahead was one of the most significant of Britain’s World War Two morale-boosting films. It appeared in the final year of the war. It began as a training film written by Peter Ustinov and novelist Eric Ambler, The New Lot. It was about recruits. However, it is said that some of the army officials were upset by the directness of the film and it was not released.

David Niven then came into the production, from active service, and a feature film was created.

The film was directed by Carol Reed who had established his career with such films as Kipps and The Stars Looked Down. He was to go on to make some classics including The Fallen Idol, The Third Man, Outcast of the Islands. He made several films during the 1960s – but none like the films of his 1940s and 1950s period. However, he did win the Oscar for best director and best film with a non-typical film, the musical, Oliver.

1.The origin of the film? Training and instruction for recruits during World War Two? A feature film? Morale-boosting? Its impact decades later?

2.The skills of Carol Reed, the writing of Eric Ambler and Peter Ustinov? The contribution of the cast? The quality of the production?

3.The black and white photography, the British setting, names and dates? North Africa and the Mediterranean? The editing and pace? The songs and the musical score?

4.The end – the beginning? Morale-boosting and propaganda? How effective?

5.The old soldiers, the chorus, amusement, the point?

6.The focus on the one platoon, the introduction to the men, the variety of jobs, the call-up etc? The establishing of the bonds between the men?

7.The call-up, the needs, the effect? Meeting? Fletcher and his being the sergeant? Hard, drill and drill? The jokes about the drill? Perry, the concert, the visit and the baths? The leave, the return? The details of the training, a sense of belonging, change in their attitudes? The sing-song, the ship? The torpedo? The café? Seeing the men finally in action?

8.The group: travel and the poem, the translation? Davenport and the store, fastidious? The young man and his complaints, play? Lloyd and the rent, complaining? Brewer and parliament, whingeing? Parsons and his wife? Luke and the farm?

9.Perry as the officer, his relationship with his wife and daughter? The concert, the bath? On the ship – and service in Africa?

10.Fletcher, his character, hard taskmaster, the complaints? His relationship with Perry? The injury?

11.The portrait of the officers, in charge, attitude towards the privates? Their presence everywhere?

12.The subplot of the wives, their relationship with their husbands, war wives, the hardships? Their solidarity as a group?

13.Morale, towards the end of the war, the experience of five years? Africa, the battles in Africa? The ultimate defeat of the Nazi powers? The film seen and judged in retrospect, from the perspective of Britain after the war, from Germany?

SAINT MAYBE

US, 1998, 98 minutes, Colour.
Blythe Danner, Edward Hermann, Glynis O’ Connor, Mary Louise Parker, Thomas Mc Carthy.
Directed by Michael Pressman.

Saint Maybe is based on a novel by Anne Tyler, author of The Accidental Tourist and Earthly Possessions which were also made into films.

The film focuses on an unusual family with its dark secrets. The central character is Ian, a devout and earnest young man who understands the secrets but tries to protect the next generation from them. The film offers reflection on themes of family, American spirit as well as more explicitly religious themes of sin and redemption.

The cast is led by Blythe Danner and Edward Hermann, veterans of many telemovies. The film also features Mary Louise Parker. Direction is by Michael Pressman who began directing in the 1970s with telemovies and small-budget films. He went on to direct a number of television series.

1.Anne Tyler and her work, the Hallmark Channel and its promotion of family values?

2.The television audience, the impact for American audiences, non-Americans? Sentiment and goodness? With edge?

3.The action of the film over the 1960s to the 1980s, the town itself, the homes, the workplaces, church? The musical score?

4.The title and its focus on Ian? Also relating to Danny, to Lucy? The meaning of the holiness, and the uncertainty with ‘maybe’?

5.The film and the nature of goodness, good-natured attitudes, goodwill? Victims, sin? Repentance and the opportunity for a second chance and atonement? The specifically religious focus, the church, the minister? Advice and sermons? Attitude towards God? Attitude towards parents? Ian and the children? The members of the church?

6.Ian, his family, his parents? Nice, his age? Studies? Relating to Daniel, to Lucy? Suspicions? His talking, Cicely and the others? Babysitting? His anger? The crash, his response? Lucy’s death? Overhearing things? Dot and the truth? The voice and Dan? The minister, giving up college? Brant, the children, relating to them, the passing of the years, the reliance on the church? The mother ill, cleaning up? The visit, the mother-in-law? The girls? Marriage and happiness?

7.The parents and their ordinariness, the ordinary Tuesday? Wedding, children, death? Coping or not? The passing of the years? Ten years older? Happy Heart? The doctor? The death of the dog? Together, the final walk?

8.Daniel and Lucy, the bowls, the proposal? Marriage, pregnancy, birth? Ian and death? Coming in death to pay?

9.Lucy, audience suspicions of her? The others agreeing? Ian and his attitude? The death, learning but failing? The truth – shoplifting, friendliness and friends? Dot and its being too late?

10.Claudia, character, the family?

11.Cicely, her love – and the ending?

12.The characters of Rita and Daphne?

13.The doctor and his life, mellowing? As a girl? As a teenager? As a doctor?

14.Brant and the contribution?

15.An interesting film – a wholesome film, with edge as well as sentiment?]

FIRST TARGET

US, 2000, 93 minutes, Colour.
Daryl Hannah, Doug Savant, Brandy Leadford, Peter Flemming, Gary Bakewell, Jason Schombing, Tom Butler, Gregory Harrison.
Directed by Armand Mastroianni.

First Target is a sequel to First Daughter, a thriller written by Carey and Chad Hayes and directed by Armand Mastroianni (director of a number of thrillers during the 1980s and 1990s).

The film focuses on the Secret Service and their protection of the president. First Daughter concerned the rescue of the president’s daughter. First Target focuses on a conspiracy (masterminded by the vice-president and Seattle businessmen) to kill the president.

In the first film Mariel Hemingway was Agent Alex Mc Gregor. She is replaced by Daryl Hannah in this film. Doug Savant continues his role as Alex McGregor’s? boyfriend – and integral to the two rescues. Gregory Harrison repeats his role as the President of the United States. Tom Butler is the scheming senator.

The film opens with a preposterous attack during a press confrontation in the White House – and one hopes that it is only a training exercise, which it is. After that, the film settles down to show the background of the Secret Service, the planning for security, the various threats. The film is very much set in Conspiracyland, the vice-president himself in league with businessmen (a bit like the stories of business leaders critical of J.F. Kennedy and planning his assassination). A sinister brother and sister in Seattle are the two who perform the executions.

In the background is a romance story between Alex Mc Gregor and her boyfriend, though she doesn't have time for the niceties given the pressures of her job. He is a wilderness guide – and adaptable, especially for helping out in the final crisis situation. Gregory Harrison is a genial president.

1.The popularity of this kind of telemovie? Thriller with political background?

2.The Washington settings, the White House and the exercise? Life in the White House? Secret Service agent headquarters, homes? The contrast with Seattle, on the sea, the sky tram, the hotels? The action sequences on the mountain? The musical score?

3.The focus on a woman as leader of the Secret Service, strength of character, command, her severity in training other women – in order to make their mark and to be accepted as themselves with their skills?

4.The opening sequence, the attack, the practice, the difficulties in security? Alex’s response, her criticisms, especially of Kelsey? Her relationship with the president, with Grant? The background of her life, her devotion to her father, going to his place, the fishing? The relationship with Grant? Her relying on him, his security badge facing the right way, his going up the mountain, cell phone and contact, getting him to participate in the rescue of the president? Her casual mention about getting married – and his final presentation of the ring? The portrait of a strong and professional woman?

5.The president, genial, his policies? His concern about his daughter’s tattoo? Reliance on Alex? Friendship with Grant? Urging him to propose, arranging the fishing trip? His going to Seattle, the speeches, the support of J.P. Hunter? On the sky tram, his being trapped, with the other people, his taking control, his calm, the rescue?

6.The Stahl brother and sister, Nina on the boat, poisoning the secret agent? Her brother and his guns? In the employ of Hunter, Hunter and his relationship with Nina? Their testing the guns? The conspiracies? Hunter and the vice-president, the other business leaders, their meetings, the votes? Proceeding to assassinate the president? The Stahls and Nina ingratiating herself with the controller of the sky tram? Her brother and his computer wizardry? The playing games and sending death emails and images to the White House? Nina and her going to the top of the sky tram to shoot, Evan and his using his computer skills? The final confrontation, Grant, the fights, deaths – and Kelsey shooting Nina? Hunter and his business interests, schemes – and his being unmasked?

7.Grant, the outdoors man, friendship with Alex’s father, the fishing, the ring, wanting to propose, phone calls always interrupting at meals etc? His going to Seattle, feeling out of place? Climbing the track? The fight with Nina? The final proposal?

8.The portrait of the vice-president, sinister, clash with the Secret Service? The phone call at the end and Grant tricking him and his being unmasked?

9.The members of the Secret Service, Kelsey as a woman, Alex being hard on her, her trying harder, the interactions with Alex, her being shot, shooting Nina? Mc Call and the Seattle group, the past relationship with Alex, his being in league with Hunter, the chase and the false set-up of the computer man, shooting of Ryan? Brinkman as his assistant? The shoot-outs – and the failure of the assassination attempt?

10.The action sequences, the insight into politics, security – even if heightened for television action?

FIRST TARGET

US, 2000, 93 minutes, Colour.
Daryl Hannah, Doug Savant, Brandy Leadford, Peter Flemming, Gary Bakewell, Jason Schombing, Tom Butler, Gregory Harrison.
Directed by Armand Mastroianni.

First Target is a sequel to First Daughter, a thriller written by Carey and Chad Hayes and directed by Armand Mastroianni (director of a number of thrillers during the 1980s and 1990s).

The film focuses on the Secret Service and their protection of the president. First Daughter concerned the rescue of the president’s daughter. First Target focuses on a conspiracy (masterminded by the vice-president and Seattle businessmen) to kill the president.

In the first film Mariel Hemingway was Agent Alex Mc Gregor. She is replaced by Daryl Hannah in this film. Doug Savant continues his role as Alex McGregor’s? boyfriend – and integral to the two rescues. Gregory Harrison repeats his role as the President of the United States. Tom Butler is the scheming senator.

The film opens with a preposterous attack during a press confrontation in the White House – and one hopes that it is only a training exercise, which it is. After that, the film settles down to show the background of the Secret Service, the planning for security, the various threats. The film is very much set in Conspiracyland, the vice-president himself in league with businessmen (a bit like the stories of business leaders critical of J.F. Kennedy and planning his assassination). A sinister brother and sister in Seattle are the two who perform the executions.

In the background is a romance story between Alex Mc Gregor and her boyfriend, though she doesn't have time for the niceties given the pressures of her job. He is a wilderness guide – and adaptable, especially for helping out in the final crisis situation. Gregory Harrison is a genial president.

1.The popularity of this kind of telemovie? Thriller with political background?

2.The Washington settings, the White House and the exercise? Life in the White House? Secret Service agent headquarters, homes? The contrast with Seattle, on the sea, the sky tram, the hotels? The action sequences on the mountain? The musical score?

3.The focus on a woman as leader of the Secret Service, strength of character, command, her severity in training other women – in order to make their mark and to be accepted as themselves with their skills?

4.The opening sequence, the attack, the practice, the difficulties in security? Alex’s response, her criticisms, especially of Kelsey? Her relationship with the president, with Grant? The background of her life, her devotion to her father, going to his place, the fishing? The relationship with Grant? Her relying on him, his security badge facing the right way, his going up the mountain, cell phone and contact, getting him to participate in the rescue of the president? Her casual mention about getting married – and his final presentation of the ring? The portrait of a strong and professional woman?

5.The president, genial, his policies? His concern about his daughter’s tattoo? Reliance on Alex? Friendship with Grant? Urging him to propose, arranging the fishing trip? His going to Seattle, the speeches, the support of J.P. Hunter? On the sky tram, his being trapped, with the other people, his taking control, his calm, the rescue?

6.The Stahl brother and sister, Nina on the boat, poisoning the secret agent? Her brother and his guns? In the employ of Hunter, Hunter and his relationship with Nina? Their testing the guns? The conspiracies? Hunter and the vice-president, the other business leaders, their meetings, the votes? Proceeding to assassinate the president? The Stahls and Nina ingratiating herself with the controller of the sky tram? Her brother and his computer wizardry? The playing games and sending death emails and images to the White House? Nina and her going to the top of the sky tram to shoot, Evan and his using his computer skills? The final confrontation, Grant, the fights, deaths – and Kelsey shooting Nina? Hunter and his business interests, schemes – and his being unmasked?

7.Grant, the outdoors man, friendship with Alex’s father, the fishing, the ring, wanting to propose, phone calls always interrupting at meals etc? His going to Seattle, feeling out of place? Climbing the track? The fight with Nina? The final proposal?

8.The portrait of the vice-president, sinister, clash with the Secret Service? The phone call at the end and Grant tricking him and his being unmasked?

9.The members of the Secret Service, Kelsey as a woman, Alex being hard on her, her trying harder, the interactions with Alex, her being shot, shooting Nina? Mc Call and the Seattle group, the past relationship with Alex, his being in league with Hunter, the chase and the false set-up of the computer man, shooting of Ryan? Brinkman as his assistant? The shoot-outs – and the failure of the assassination attempt?

10.The action sequences, the insight into politics, security – even if heightened for television action?

GUESTS OF THE EMPEROR (SILENT CRIES)

US, 1993, 120 minutes, Colour.
Gena Rowlands, Annabeth Gish, Chloe Webb, Gail Strickland, Phyllis Logan, Judy Parfitt, Cherie Lunghi, Clyde Kusatsu, Nick Tate.
Directed by Anthony Page.

This television movie is based on a book by Janice Young Brooks. It tells the story of prisoners in Singapore in 1942 after the Japanese occupied the island. It takes various prisoners, especially a group of women, to the prisoner-of-war camp. This theme was prominent in the various versions of Neville Shute’s A Town Like Alice as well as Bruce Beresford’s Paradise Road (1997).

The film recreates the atmosphere of Singapore and also life within the prisoner-of-war camp. Audiences are familiar with this kind of story. However, the plight of the women in itself is particularly moving and there is a very strong cast of women led by Gena Rowlands.

The film was directed by Anthony Page, theatre director as well as director of many strong telemovies, especially adaptations of theatre, for example of Tennessee Williams.

The film is a fiftieth anniversary film of the events. It asks its audiences to reflect on the meaning of World War Two, of the cruelty experienced by prisoners of war, especially women.

1.The impact of the telemovie? Fifty years after the events? Audience knowledge of the stories? War memories? The experience of women in war?

2.The atmosphere of Singapore, Sumatra? The authentic atmosphere? The city itself, the sea, the roads? Prisoner-of-war camp? The musical score?

3.The different titles and emphases? The euphemism of “guests of the emperor”? The contrast with the Japanese style, the military, the commandant, the guards in the camp? The mix of prisoners, British, Australian, American? The American perspective on this experience?

4.Singapore in 1942, life, colour? The authority of the British? The presence of the Americans? Australians? People not being able to escape? The attack on Singapore, deaths? The people being caught, arrested? Transported to Sumatra?

5.The picture of the treatment, the cruelty? The treatment of the women? On the road, in the trucks? The dormitories, the clothes? The women’s possessions and the importance of them in the camp, losing them? The parades, the formalities and the women having to bow? The nature of the food? Punishments? Survival in harsh conditions? The women organising themselves? Lectures and concerts? Illnesses?

6.Peggy in herself, a strong woman? Books, letters and records? The issues of surviving? In charge? Understanding the circumstances and helping the women? Hazel? The end, her death?

7.The portrait of Hazel and her mother? The engagement? Her father? The arrest, death? Grief, the decisions? To get out of the camp? Peggy as her alternate mother? The end?

8.Beryl, British, her presence and manner? Her husband? Audrey and the baby? Sexual background? Death?

9.Dinki Denk and her presence in the camp, humour, Australian – accent and slang? Defiant?

10.The doctor, help?

11.The women, Japanese language?

12.The Dutch, the gifts, their deaths? The young girl?

13.The portrait of the commandant, his role in the camp, manner? The guards? The sadistic attitudes, torture?

14.Audience attitudes towards the Japanese, their ambitions during World War Two, the military, their treatment of people?

15.Extraordinary circumstances, difficulties, the challenge to the prisoners, the challenge to the women, those who failed, those who succeeded? A tribute to human courage?

THE HANGING GARDEN

Canada, 1997, 91 minutes, Colour.
Ian Parsons, Peter Mac Neill, Troy Veinotte, Kerry Fox, Mark Austin, Joel S. Keller, Sarah Polley
Directed by Thom Fitzgerald.

The Hanging Garden is the first feature film of US-born but Canadian director Thom Fitzgerald. He was to go on to make the spoof of gay modelling in Beefcake and a number of dramas including Wild Dogs and Three Needles. His 2003 film, The Event, treated the issue of AIDS, death and assisted suicide.

This film won twenty awards at different festivals, especially in Canada, but also the Critics’ Award in Portugal.

The film focuses on a young boy who was fat in growing up in a difficult household. After he leaves home as a teenager, he stays away for ten years and then returns. Fitzgerald is a gay director in gay themes. His hero returns as an adjusted young adult. However, he falls foul of the intensity of the pressures in his family and this threatens to disrupt his life.

Fitzgerald himself won several writing and direction awards. He creates an interesting portrait of life in Nova Scotia, a blend of the realistic and the surreal. He has a number of interesting cast, especially Kerry Fox and Sarah Polley, who had international careers.

Fitzgerald would consider himself as a significant contributor to films which deal with issues of homosexuality.

1.The title, its significance, focus?

2.The locations, Halifax: the homes, the coast, the community? The musical score?

3.How well did the film work in terms of realism and linear plot? The wedding, the return, the flashbacks?

4.The surrealistic aspects of the film-making: the past and the present, Little Willie, teenage, the hanging? Real or not? The sequence of the dog and the burial?

5.Willie’s perspective, little, the teenager, the adult? The visual presentation of these phases?

6.The importance of colour, the flowers, moods, perspective? The introduction about the flowers, the months? The recurring images? The hanging garden and the flowers dying? Names and Nana and flowers?

7.The impact of the credits, the father? The bashing – and love? The tone? Ten years, skills with flowers?

8.The wedding and its mood, the comedy? Cutting? Rosemary and drink, raucous? Fletcher, Dad, Violet, the guests, Mother? Willie and Gran? The ceremony itself? The music and afterwards?

9.Iris in herself, the marriage, everything just so? Patient, the photos? Iris’s interaction with people, with Violet, Gran, Dad, Willie? The flashbacks – and patient, loving? Fletcher, Dusty, Rosemary? The truth about Violet? Getting Dad to bed, checking how he was? With Willie – love, leaving?

10.The father, the garden, his demands, violence and drunkenness? Iris gone and his being helpless?

11.Rosemary as young and tough, marrying, dominating Fletcher? Her mother and Violet? Gran and her devotion to the Blessed Virgin?

12.Fletcher, the lap dancer, sex, not phoning? Marrying? Sex at the end?

13.The grandmother, Alzheimer’s and its effect? With Iris, dancing with William, in the house, Mac, seeing the sexual behaviour, praying the Rosary? Shopping? Her suffering and the blood?

14.The portrait of Willie, as little, the fat teenage boy? Hiding and awkward? Hitting? Fletcher and sex? Dusty and the aftermath? Leaving home? Going to the city, his sexuality, waiting? The jingles? Singing for Iris? Meeting Violet and the interaction? His arrival after ten years? Dancing with Gran? Helping his father, love? His mother gone? The search and the police? Violet and the truth? Fletcher and leaving? Burial, the hanging, the little boy being there?

15.The police, their action, dysfunctional?

16.Violet, her character, interactions with people?

17.The dramatics of the plot? Melodramatics? The portrait of a family, abuse, love, endurance? Sexuality? Illness? Freedom?

ONE AGAINST THE WIND

US, 1991, 96 minutes, Colour.
Judy Davis, Sam Neill, Anthony Higgins, Christien Arnholt, Kate Beckinsale, Denholm Elliott, Peter Cellier.
Directed by Larry Elikann.

One Against the Wind was a very successful telemovie. It won a number of Emmys and Golden Globe awards, including a Golden Globe for the best film made for television as well as Judy Davis’s performance as best actress.

The film is a familiar World War Two story, the type of film that was made during the 1950s, for example Odette with Anna Neagle. Judy Davis portrays an Englishwoman married to a French count and living in France at the outbreak of World War Two. She had served as a Red Cross nurse during World War One. She lives with her son and daughter. She meets an English major (Sam Neill) in occupied Paris and helps him to escape from the Germans. The film then follows her career as she supported the Allies and helping soldiers to get across the Pyrenees into Spain.

Judy Davis is very strong in the central role. She had appeared with Sam Neill in My Brilliant Career and was to do so in Children of the Revolution. Christian Anholt has a good role as her son and Kate Beckinsale at the beginning of her career portrays her daughter.

The film also won a number of humanitarian awards including the Catholic Christopher Award.

1.The quality of the telemovie? Its awards? Its being similar to the patriotic films during the 1950s in the UK?

2.The re-creation of period, the outbreak of World War Two, France and the countryside, occupied Paris? The musical score?

3.The true story of Mary Lyndell, so many stories like this during World War Two, the heroics, ordinary people? The memories after fifty years?

4.Audience knowledge about World War Two, feelings towards the experience of the war? Towards Germany, towards France? Towards Britain?

5.The heroics in this kind of story, ordinary Peter, Resistance? Strong characters and demands made on characters? The war situations? The comparisons between the fighting and the nursing support in World War One, World War Two, helping military to escape?

6.Judy Davis’s strong performance as Mary? The background of her marriage, British, living in France, her sympathy with the French? Her relationship with her children? The incident in Paris, meeting Major Leggatt? Helping him, the shaving etc? The petrol? The difficulties with the Germans, getting through, permits? Getting Major Leggatt to the border, the farewells? Her relationship with Maurice, his life, age, prospects? Barbe and her relationships? Her friendship with Father le Blanc, the lawyer? The commanding officer?

7.The Canadians, their experience in the war, weeping, the Allies? Control? The adventure?

8.Mary and her joining the Resistance, the attitude of her daughter, her daughter’s experience? Her daughter continuing when her mother was in prison? The new line, the return? The experience of torture? Going to England? The exploration of motivations?

9.Barbe and her age, the SS officer, falling in love? Her being hurt, leaving? Quiet about the information? Her mother getting out of prison, her help? Maurice and care? The return, Africa, Eric? The bargain with Gruber? Her mother’s pride?

10.The prison sequences, the cell, the court case? The Legion of Honour? The nine months, her illness? British and tough – her return? Father le Blanc? The success of her mission, Maurice and the torture, Barbe being caught? The hospital? The experience of Auschwitz? The end?

11.Leggatt, his character, British officer? His assistant, the other officers?

12.The portrait of the priest, the French priest, in the French countryside, attitude towards the war, to the Resistance? Mary?

13.Gruber, German officials, the civilised pose? Torture? Barbe and the deal?

14.Issues of patriotism, collaboration? Survival? The underground? The portrait of the French Resistance, the Nazi occupation, the Allies and their fighting the war? Memories of war?

YASMIN

UK, 2004, 87 minutes, Colour.
Archie Punjabi, Renu Setna, Steve Jackson.
Directed by Kenneth Glenaan.

Winner of the Ecumenical Award in Locarno, 2004, and then winner of the Templeton award for best European film, Yasmin is a timely picture of inter-racial life in Yorkshire.

Yasmin herself, played with vivacious charm by Archie Panjabi, lives in two worlds. She works at a social services organisation and blends with the accepted British ways. She then changes back into her Muslim dress as she goes back home to her Pakistani background. Her father is a devout man but an embodiment of patriarchal traditions. Her brother is a local drug-dealer just waiting to be recruited by militant organisations. Her husband, part of an arranged marriage, is inept.

The film shows this double life taking its toll on Yasmin. Ordinary relationships, celebrating and going out, less constrained dress and make-up are part of the world she goes out to. At home, she is covered, dutiful, modest – and angry. The film makes its point about double standards for men compared with the restrictions on women.

Then comes September 11th, 2001, with devastating consequences in terms of suspicions and bigotry against any ethnic group that might be thought of as potential terrorists. When her family is victim of a brutish police raid and she spends time in a cell, though there is no reason for it, it leads to a re-thinking of where she stands as a woman, as being of Pakistani origin, as a Muslim.

In the light of the London bombings of July 2005 and along with films like Love + Hate and Red Mercury which deal with all these issues, Yasmin should be seen and talked about, especially in Britain.

1.A Yorkshire film? A British film? Pakistanis in England? Muslims in England? Race issues? Religion issues? Terrorism issues – especially after September 11, 2001?

2.The Yorkshire town, the suburbs, the locations, the homes and streets, social work centres? The Yorkshire countryside and dales? The musical score? Authentic atmosphere?

3.The title, the focus on Yasmin herself, at home, the husband with the arranged marriage, his laziness around the house? Her changing clothes, her different appearance, the social work, her friends, the work with John? Her work with clients? Her moving from one world to another? The divisions in her life – her ability to cope? The film as a journey into greater consciousness of her Pakistani and Muslim background? The picture of Yasmin in the United Kingdom, her attempts at integration, going to the pubs, clothes and make-up? The contrast with the police coming to her home, her being taken, the interrogations, the cell? Her change of attitudes? The final step of her journey with the traditional clothes, going to the mosque?

4.The realistic approach to film-making, the film-maker observing the realities of Yorkshire life? The symbolism of the divided way of life for Pakistani British citizens? The possibilities for openness, for change, for dialogue?

5.The portrait of Yasmin at home, her clothes, her relationship with her father, his severity? Her relationship with her husband – accepting him, contempt? Her work at home, the dutiful daughter? Her relationship with her brother, her relationship with the neighbours?

6.The contrast at work, her presence, efficiency, British style, her friends from work, their celebrations in the pub? Her working with people? The growing friendship with John – and his coming to her home?

7.September 11, people watching it on the television, the immediate reactions, the reactions of the police? The blame attributed to Muslims, to Pakistanis? The phobia? Fears of terrorism in Yorkshire? The effect on people, relationships?

8.Yasmin’s husband, at home, lazy, the arranged marriage, with the goat? The suddenness of his arrest, its effect on him, in jail?

9.Yasmin’s brother, lazing around at home, drug dealing, the thugs and confrontations? September 11, his listening to the leaders, the urging for consciousness about Islam, terrorism? His change, going to the rallies? Yasmin’s reaction to him? Not supporting him? His leaving home, going to Asia – his future? As a terrorist?

10.Her father, the patriarch, his traditional style, dominance, arguments? The way he related to his son, to Yasmin? Talking or not talking? The effect of his son’s leaving, of Yasmin’s arrest? His changing – the possibility of mellowing?

11.Yasmin after September 11, the hurt by people’s treatment of her? Her attempt to integrate, the dress, the make-up, drinking vodka? Her friends, at the pub, their reaction?

12.John, his personality, his liking Yasmin? The visit, helping with the washing up? The police, the arrest, the treatment? The subsequent behaviour? His breaking with her?

13.The police, the interrogation, the presumption that Yasmin had information? Putting her in the cells? Her reaction? The copy of the Koran?

14.Yasmin getting out, the attitude of the police and the inspector? Her waiting for her husband? The train ride, support of him, the change?

15.The credibility of her change? Her future? Consciousness of her heritage?

16.The film directed by an Englishman, co-written by an Englishman? The importance of this kind of story for England, for the north? For Pakistani British? The prejudice, action? The unscripted sequences where the old lady and the man apologised in the street? How fair was the film, its exploration of identity, traditions? Consequences?

BINDU

Sri Lanka, 2009, 97 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Somaratne Dissanayake.

Bindu is a film for children and family audiences, entertaining but with many messages relevant to Sri Lanka and to the wider world.

The focus is on elephants. For the farmers in the interior of Sri Lanka, they are a threat to their villages, destroying their houses and crops, even life. For conservationists, they are a protected species. This clash comes to a head in a village when it is destroyed and several people are killed. The film also shows children and their relationship to nature, a little boy and a little girl and their befriending the baby elephant, Bindu, and its mother.

Other themes include the effect of tourism, the destruction of farmland for building roads, the reckless behaviour of tourists, especially drunken tourists disturbing the elephants. There are also themes of political corruption, exploitation, business spivs destroying ordinary families because of the demands on money and the promises they made that tourism would change the village.

Because the film has a continual focus on the children, their happiness, the deaths of both parents of the little boy, the film has an emotional appeal for children even as they absorb the message.

1.The appeal of the film, Sri Lankans, Sri Lankan life, the elephants?

2.The gearing of the film for children, for adults?

3.21st century themes, the country versus the city, land and its exploitation, endangered animals and their protection, the law, corruption, victims?

4.The beauty of the Sri Lankan countryside, the farms and the forests?

5.The title, the baby elephant, elephants in themselves, threatening the farmers, needing to be protected?

6.The framework of the story, the children in the elephant orphanage zoo, picking out Bindu? The happy ending?

7.The children as the focus, the level of emotions for the audience, understanding the themes through the eyes of the children?

8.The village and the houses, the farms, the father and his guarding the village, having the gun, the elephants stampeding, the fireworks to frighten them away, the gun, the shooting? The reaction of the authorities? The little girl’s father and his lies, blaming the boy’s father?

9.The boy and the girl, their age, friendship, their families, walking in the forest, the boy going to his father, the encounter with the elephants and the stampede? The death of his mother and little brother? The scenes prior to this of family life? The boy and the girl and their sharing, arguments, blame, reconciliation? Climbing the trees, fleeing from the baby elephant, scared? The mother? Their food, the elephants taking the food, their returning, taming Bindu, riding Bindu, the happiness of this encounter with the elephants?

10.The attack, the devastation to the farms, the elephants pushing down the houses, the death of the mother and baby?

11.The businessman, his clothes and appearance, flaunting affluence? His discussion with the fathers? The tourist plan? Taking the tourists into the forest, the children riding the elephant? The temptation for easy money? The sudden appearance of the road, the destruction of the farms? The father arrested, the MP coming to taking him out, urging the father to lie? The building up of the hotel, the drunks and the disturbing of the elephants, leading to the stampede and deaths? Tourists keeping away? The failure of the business?

12.The impact of the visuals of the elephants, stampeding, their rampages? The contrast with the mother and the baby and the taking of the food? The mother berserk with the drunken tourists? Stampeding, killing the father?

13.The father, the elephant chasing him, trying to protect his son?

14.Police, their arresting the father for logging yet ignoring the corruption, the planting of marijuana?

15.The authorities, protection of the elephants, the meetings with the village people, the discussions, the threats to the farms, the comments of the old grandmother?

16.The orphanage zoo for elephants, Bindu being taken away and put amongst the others? The final parade at the end – and the children delighted to see Bindu, Bindu recognising them?

17.An entertaining film – but with a range of messages?