THE PRIVATE AFFAIRS OF BEL AMI

US, 1947, 112 minutes, Black and white.
Geroge Sanders, Angela Lansbury, Ann Dvorak, Marie Wilson, John Carradine, Frances Dee.
Directed by Albert Lewin.

The Private Affairs of Bel Ami is an elegant costume melodrama based on the writings of Guy de Maupassant. The director is Albert Lewin who had made the picture of Dorian Grey and who was to make Pandora. and the Flying Dutchman. Lewin was a literary director and tried to get the equivalent on screen of the times he was recreating. This makes his films somewhat artificial and to some extent dated. George Sanders is at home in the role of the confidence trickster and cad who seduces women quite easily and Angela Lansbury is effective in a central role. This to an interesting version of de Maupassant but not entirely agreeable as popular entertainment.

1. The impact of this film in terms of enjoyment and interest?

2. The film and its cinematic style of the mid forties: black and white photography, studio sets, the artificial style, the atmosphere of nineteenth century elegance?

3. The film was based on a French classic. Did the film’s style indicate this? How?

4. The ignorance and tone of the title? The prologue about a scoundrel? How well was this illustrated? The film as a mortal on its prologue?

5. How did the film retain its interest? How could audiences identify with Bel Ami? How could they detach themselves from this point of view and behaviour?

6. The importance of the French setting, France in the nineteenth century? Paris and society, the look at the strata of society in Paris, the political backgrounds? How convincingly and interestingly done?

7. The focus on Bel Ami? As poor at the start, his background of the army, his snubbing of Rachel, his gaining of the job? His various changes of names? His ability to forget origins and responsibilities and friends?

8. His skill at working at on the paper? The style and playing with people’s reputations? The film’s presentation of his rise? His money? His growing in elegant style? The mask of a scoundrel?

9. The encounter with Clotilde? The nature of his relationship with her? Her fascination with him? The possibility of marriage and his rejection of it? The fact that he really loved her and the children? Her fidelity to him and helping him? The insight into the side of his character which could be redeemed?

10. His friendship with the journalist and gaining the job? The illness of the journalist? His relationship with the journalist’s wife? The manoeuvre to marry Madeleine? Their collaboration at the paper? His manoeuvring the divorce case, his rejection of her? Audience response to this?

11. His fascination for the mother and her support of him? Her prim society manners? the symbol of the painting of St Anthony? the manipulation of her daughter, the marriage? The reaction of mother and father? Their helplessness? The fact that they had fostered this relationship?

12. The presentation of politics, the making and breaking of careers, corruption? The film’s judgement on this?

13. The mother's vengeance, audience supporting her?

14. The importance of the final encounter with Clotilde and her telling the truth, his reaction?

15. A gentleman fighting a duel? The morality of duels? Bel Ami’s confidence? The opponent and his being put up to the duel? The questions of personal honour? The politician manoeuvring the duel?

16. The inevitability of Bel Ami’s death? Why? Did he expect to die? Did he want to die? Was he ready to die? The vengeance of the mother and her explanation, his wife rushing to save him, Clotilde and her continued fidelity? The importance of the coach ride and the review of his life?

17. How much of the nineteenth century were these themes of the individual, the scoundrel, the rise and fall of an ordinary man, politics? Are these themes of great relevance to the present?

THE PRISONER OF ZENDA

US, 1952, 96 minutes, Colour.
Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr, James Mason, Jane Greer, Lewis Stone, Louis Calhern, Robert Coote, Robert Douglas.
Directed by Richard Thorpe.

Originally a Ronald Colman vehicle in the thirties. The screenplay for this version of 1952 was more or less that of the original. This was the period when Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr and James Mason had moved from England to America and were appearing in many of M.G.M.’s spectacular films, for example King Solomon's Mines and Young Bess. The film is given very colourful treatment and there is the build-up towards the famous swordfight at the end. It is very enjoyable Saturday matinee material but is given very lavish treatment. (A humorous satire on the Prisoner of Zenda story is given in Royal Flash where George Mac Donald Frazer indicates that Hope took his story from the facts as portrayed in this Flashman novel.)

1. How enjoyable an adventure film was this? How well did it meet popular taste for adventure? Its recreation of its period setting? The use of colour and locations, the stars?

2. Why is Central Europe in the 1890s so interesting a place for adventure stories? The atmosphere of Old World colour, yet modern things as trains? Central Europe as a place of intrigue? Royal families and dynasties? Why does this appeal to audiences?

3. How attractive were the stars of this film? In their time? How do they fare now?

4. How well did the film incorporate adventure ingredients? The plausibility of the disguise, the nature of the intrigue and spying, the deception and formalities, the culminating sword fight?

5. How well did the film use the technique of using Stewart Granger in two parts? Did it look like technique or was it easily and comfortably done?

6. The atmosphere of the opening: the English Rudolf and his encounter with the customs men, the anxiety on the part of the court. the plausibility of his taking the role of the king?

7. How well did Stewart Granger differentiate the two characters? What were the characteristics of the king and his arrogance, his drinking, his change of heart at the end? The English Rudolf as a sensible hero of such adventure stories, the English background, bravery, intelligence, the love for Flavia, the difficulty of leaving?

8. How successful a villain was Michael? The intrigues, the plots, his hostility to Rudolf, his awareness of the plot, his reliance on Rupert and Antoinette, the way that he was killed? An inevitable villain?

9. How successful a villain was Rupert? James Mason’s suave style? His encounter with Rudolf, his using the king, exploiting the situation, his jealousy and his death? The flamboyance of the sword fight and his final escape?

10. How attractive a heroine was Flavia? Her final decision in view of her love for English Rudolf, her sense of duty to throne and family?

11. The importance of Colonel Zam and his assistant? The theme of loyalty and devotion to the throne?

12. The melodramatic role of Antoinette, her relationship to Michael, her betrayal of Rupert?

13. The themes of royalty, duty, human love, love of country?

THE PRINCE WHO WAS A THIEF

US, 1951, 88 minutes, Colour.
Tony Curtis, Piper Laurie, Everett Sloane, Peggy Castle.
Directed by Rudolph Mate.

This entertainment was very popular in its day. It is Saturday matinee Arabian Nights type of material. Tony Curtis was at the beginning of his swashbuckling career and a popular young star. Piper Laurie was a favourite companion in films like Son of Ali Baba, No Room For The Groom and Johnny Dark. Curtis was to grow as a good dramatic actor as well as a comedian. Piper Laurie was to leave films and make rare appearances such as the Hustler for which she received and Oscar nomination and then revived her career in the mid-70s with Carrie. Entertaining conventional matinee adventure.

1. The appeal of Arabian Nights adventure?

2. The traditional cinematic style and conventions, atmosphere, colour, exotic aspects?

3. The conventions of plot, the way that they were used here? Hero, misunderstandings, poverty and riches, the Court, thieves and the revelation of the truth, battles and action?

4. Tony Curtis as an Arabian Nights hero? Hollywood style? Poverty, origins, young, dashing and handsome, famous exploits, love, ambition fulfilled, saving people?

5. The traditional villains of such film? The Court situation?

6. Heroine, her father, her capacity for romance, adventure? Background? Happy ending?

7. Ordinary people, their lives, day-by-day in such film? The father and his attitudes, the courtiers? Soldiers, What do they contribute to the atmosphere?

8. The Arabian Nights, the initial view of the Prince, the details of the robberies, his life in the Arabian towns?
questions of identity ?

9. The value of the details of the adventures, fights and romance?

10. Audience presuppositions for such tales? Traditional right and wrong, justice and revenge, happy endings? Was this a good example, of this kind of adventure?

PRINCE VALIANT

US, 1954, 100 minutes, Colour.
James Mason, Janet Leigh, Robert Wagner, Debra Paget, Sterling Hayden, Victor Mc Laglen, Donald Crisp, Brian Aherne, Barry Jones, Tom Conway, Neville Brand.
Directed by Henry Hathaway.

Prince Valiant is one of a number of mediaeval films from 1953-1954. Somehow or other, especially with the coming of Cinemascope, the middle ages seemed very attractive to film-makers. Films of the period include The Knights of the Round Table, The Black Knight, Quentin Durward, The Black Shield of Falworth.

Since this film is based on a comic strip, it keeps to its origins with more sense than such comic strip films as The Black Shield of Falworth (with Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis).

James Mason enjoys himself as Sir Brack, the villain at the Round Table (in the year that he was Oscar-nominated, most deservedly, for his role in A Star is Born). Robert Wagner is something of the equivalent of Tony Curtis as Prince Valiant himself. Janet Leigh is the attractive Princess Aleta. Various knights are played by such stalwarts as Sterling Hayden. Brian Aherne plays King Arthur.

The film has all the popular ingredients, recreates the mediaeval atmosphere – and is directed by veteran Henry Hathaway who was moving into the Cinemascope era with a number of spectacular films.

1. How entertaining a costume drama? Why?

2. The conventions of mediaeval drama? Knights and castles, tournaments? Why do audiences like this kind of costume dram? The appeal of the Middle Ages, knighthood, King Arthur and Camelot?

3. The film was based on a comic-strip series. Was this evident? Did the film retain the comic-strip style, or did it go for something stronger and deeper?

4. The film’s use of colour, widescreen? Locations? Pageantry, music? The importance of theme for this kind of film?

5. The strengths of the plot? The hero, his romance, his growing in knighthood, the mystery of the villainous knight? How much suspense and audience involvement? The techniques to engage audience attention?

6. How interesting and attractive was Prince Valiant himself? His being pictured as a Viking, relationship to hie parents and his loyalty, the royal family in exile - audience sympathy? His ambitions the encounter with the Black Knight? His naivety at King Arthur’s Court? The details of his training? His pursuing the Black Knight? The ambush, his illness? His falling in love and the complications? The melodrama of the tournament? His escape and fight? The Viking siege? The final combat? The ingredients of a fairy tale and a fairy tale hero? Audience response to this kind of legendary hero?

7. How attractive was Aleta as the fairy tale Princess? Her appearance, falling in love with Valiant, her role in her own castle, the heroine of the tournament, the romantic mix-up? Her final capture and vindication?

8. The subplot of Sir Gawain and Ilene? The complications in romance? Sir Gawain as Valiant's tutor? The happy ending?

9. The portrayal of villainy? Sir Brack as the fairy tale villain? His nobility, the bastard, the clash with King Arthur? His plotting? The final combat and death?

10. The contribution of King Arthur and the Camelot mystique? The atmosphere of the round table and knighthood? How genuine, audience response to the ideals?

11. The picturing of knights and kings, Vikings, tournaments, battles and combat?

12. How much of the quality of legend did the film retain?

THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE

US, 1944, 94 minutes, Colour.
Bob Hope, Virginia Mayo, Victor Mc Laglan, Walter Brennan, Walter Slezak.
Directed by David Butler.

A pleasant Bob Hope vehicle - fairly typical of his early films. He plays the usual coward who partly triumphs. His leading lady is Virginia Mayo who was working for Samuel Goldwyn, the producer of this film. She was soon to star with Danny Kaye in The Kid From Brooklyn and A Song Is Born. There is a very good supporting cast with Victor Mc Laglen, Walter Brennan and Walter Slezak hamming it up. There are a lot of in references - the style of comedy that Bob Hope was famous for on television. There are also plenty of references to Bing Crosby who appears to win the girl at the end (as usual). A reasonable example of Bob Hope's comic skill

1. A Bob Hope comedy? Bob Hope's particular comedy style - the emphasis on the verbal? Visual humour and farce? The type of character - coward, professed coward who is forced to come good eventually? Losing out in the end?

2. The colour photography, the glamour of Samuel Goldwyn's productions - even including the Goldwyn Girls! Musical score and songs? Visual effects for the pirate sequences? The atmosphere of the Caribbean towns? Costumes and decor? Pleasant recreation of period?

3. The reliance on the conventions of pirate film tradition? Galleons, battles, Captain Hook and the pirates? The Caribbean towns? Lawlessness? The rich and corrupt Governor? Perils and the happy ending? how well were these used - for the adventure touch? For parody?

4. Bob Hope as Sylvester - his comic lines, contemporary language and references? The morale boosting for World War II audiences? his comic turn and its failure? The encounter with Margaret? His cowardice during the siege, his disguise as the gypsy? Work in the town? His failure and being captured by the Governor? his heroism? his disguise as Captain Hook? The final battles and imitation of the captain? The happy ending - but losing the girl?

5. Virginia Mayo as heroine, the American style princess? her comic routines with Hope? Song and glamour? Romance?

6. The character actors and their enjoying their parody roles? Victor Mc Laglen’s swagger as Hook? Walter Brennan toothless as Featherhead? Walter Slezak as the arch villain La Roche? The conventions of their characters?

7. The crew of the ship, the Captain, the pirates, Hook's henchmen? The people in the town, the owner of the inn? The servants?

8. The humour of the set pieces - Bob Hope's routines, his comedy during the boarding of the ship, his failure in the inn, his doings in the palace, his imitation of the Hook?

9. Bob Hope's contribution to American comedy?

THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES

US, 1942, 128 minutes, Black and white.
Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, Babe Ruth, Walter Brennan, Dan Duryea.
Directed by Sam Wood.

This film must have made great impact on release in 1942. It was nominated for best film and Gary Cooper and Teresa Wright were also Oscar nominated. (Cooper had won the Oscar the year before for Sergeant York and Teresa Wright won the same year for her supporting role in Mrs Miniver.)

The film is a biography of Yankee baseball champion Lou Gehrig, who died of leukaemia after a very successful and popular career. The film is in the line of sports biographies and has heroism and sentiment. However, it is done with taste as well as sentiment and has great popular appeal. Cooper is a strong hero and he is well supported by Walter Brennan. (Brennan had just won his third Oscar with Cooper in William Wyler's The Westerner.)

Direction is by Sam Wood who was also to make the baseball film The Stratton Story in 1949 with James Stewart. Cooper worked with Wood at this time in For Whom The Bell Tolls, Casanova Brown (with Teresa Wright) and Saratoga Trunk. There have been many other similar baseball films including Brian's Song and It's Good To Be Alive. The film naturally dates somewhat but its basic humanity still appeals.

1. The quality of the film? Its entertainment value? in its time, now? For American audiences -? especially those who love baseball and remember its heroes? A sports film for a universal audience? Capturing the twenties and thirties?

2. The conventions of the genre: the establishment of the family of the hero, childhood adventures, influence of mother and father, difficulties, opportunities, struggles, the waiting, the training, success, the romantic interludes and marriage? The sports writers? The games? Success and failure? Illness and collapse? Fidelity, hope? Sentiment and realism? how well did this film use its conventions?

3. Black and white photography, baseball sequences? The Yankee Stadium? The score? The songs of the time - especially Always and its use for Lou and his wife?

4. The film based on fact? The opportunity for Americans to be what they wanted to be? The career of Lou Gehrig? Personality? His successes? Babe Ruth and his appearances - for authenticity, comparisons? How contrived the screenplay for giving a portrait of the player in two hours? A satisfying portrait?

5. The sketch of Lou as a boy, his breaking the windows, his power? His mother's control? His father's forfeiting responsibility? The ambitions of his mother that Lou be an engineer? The pressure of his mother? Her cooking at Columbia? His work as a waiter? The discussions about his being a member of the fraternity? His mother's joy? Her illness and his decision to go to train with the Yankees? The breaking of the news via the papers? Coping with his mother's hostility? The support of his father? The humour of his parents going to the ball park? His waiting, his playing and his skill? Sam's belief in him? The cynical comments of the younger commentator? Tanglefoot and the encounter with Ellie and her father? His building up a reputation? The outings with Ellie? for example to the fun fair and ringing the bell, the shooting gallery? Dancing? (Contrast with the dance at the fraternity and the men mocking his talk with the young girl)? The marriage ceremony and going to the ball park? His intervening against his mother in the decoration of the house? The collage of the happy years? The family bonds? The 2,000th game? His illness, collapse and people's reaction? Going to the doctor, being told straight? The final sequences with Ellie? His tribute to all at the Yankee Stadium? His walking out and the audience knowing he would die? His success in the American context, the fulfilment of the American dream? A good manager, sportsman? The portrait of a hero forties' style?

6. Ellie as heroine: her calling Lou Tanglefoot, his making her slip, their meetings, shooting gallery and dancing? Telegrams? The introduction to his mother? The differences in the decoration? His mother learning to bow out? Ellie's support over the years? The scrapbook sequence? Her knowing that her husband would die?

7. Lou's mother and father - migrants, working hard for their son? His mother's pressure? her illness and the hospital sequences? her disappointment about his being a ball player? and her change, pride in her son, knowledge of the game? The necessary control by Lou, in her interfering in Ellie's decoration? The continued support of his parents?

8. Sam and his eye for Lou's skill, the continued support, the bets with the young commentator? His presence at the wedding, with the doctor at the end?

9. The world of professional baseball, the training, friendships in the club. reputations? Babe Ruth and the publicity with Billy? The significance of the Billy sequence? Babe Ruth's home run, Lou's two home runs and the suspense? Billy's learning to walk and meeting Lou at the end of the film?

10. The film's reflection of the twenties and thirties? Poor migrants and their work, the university fraternities? Training for baseball? Radio, the sports writers, the managers? The national heroes?

11. The strength of Gary Cooper's performance in communicating an American hero? (And the impact of this kind of film, and its title in war time?)

THE PRIDE AND THE PASSION

US, 1957, 132 minutes, Colour.
Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren, Theodore Bikel.
Directed by Stanley Kramer.

The Pride and the Passion is a big and brassy spectacular film. It suffers from its cast – insofar as it is somewhat difficult to imagine Cary Grant in period costume and a British commander in Spain with the commission to retrieve a cannon left behind by the Spaniards when the French invaded under Napoleon. It is also difficult to believe Frank Sinatra as a Spanish peasant and shoemaker. However, Sophia Loren is at home as a Spanish peasant. Theodore Bikel is a French general.

The film recreates the atmosphere of the French invasion of Spain at the beginning of the 19th century. The plot is based on a novel by C.S. Forester (the Captain Hornblower series, Single- Handed, The African Queen). It was directed by Stanley Kramer, well-known Hollywood producer of significant films ranging from The Men and A Streetcar Named Desire to Viva Zapata. He began directing himself in 1955 with Not as a Stranger (also starring Frank Sinatra). Kramer as producer had been interested in unusual social themes in the United States and at the same time was to direct Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier, chained together as convicts, in The Defiant Ones. He was to make such films as Inherit the Wind and Judgment at Nuremberg.

History it isn’t – but as stirring adventure in Napoleonic times, it is a touch corny, spectacular and entertaining.

1. How enjoyable a film was this, adventure, spectacle, human interest?

2. Was the film too big in scope, length? its use of colour and pageantry? Its use of history and action? What features predominated in this production?

3. To whom did the title refer? With what meaning? Was it a better title than C.S. Forester's original "The Gun"?

4. Did the film focus on the gun itself? How important was the gun in the adventures? The talk about the gun? Its symbolism for the Spaniards? Its strategy for the English? The sequences of the raising of the gun, the vicissitudes of the journey, the actual firing of the gun, its success for the war? The lives that the gun saved and the deaths to get the gun to Avila?

5. How important was the historical emphasis of the film? Did it explain well the Napoleonic wars and the battles in Spain? The feeling of the Napoleonic wars, France, England, Spain? The presentation of the Spaniards at war, Avila and the need for the tactics, the spies and informers?

6. How did the film subordinate its characters to the gun? Trumble, a genuine Englishman - caricature in his portrayal, Cary Grant's portrayal, the importance of his talents and skill, his foppish style, his accompanying the gun, his relationship with Juana, the success of his mission, the impact of the deaths on him? Juana, Sophia Loren's style, the authentic Spanish background for her, her place in the camp, with the gun, the suffering, the effect of love on her, was her death inevitable? Miguel - Frank Sinatra's acting, personality, as a convincing Spaniard, his role amongst the guerrillas, his passion, loyalty to him, his skill with the gun, his relationship to Juana and Trumble? The impact of his death?

7. What did the supporting characters add to the meaning and flavour of the film? Especially the French and the French general? The various Spaniards?

8. How important for the film's success were particular adventurous highlights, the rivers, the gun on the hills, the actual siege?

9. How well was the siege filmed? How exciting? An appropriate climax for the film?

10. How successful an example of popular cinema was this adventure film?

PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW

US, 1971, 91 minutes, Colour.
Rock Hudson, Angie Dickenson, Telly Savalas, John David Carson, Keenan Wynn, James Doohan, Roddy Mc Dowell, William Campbell.
Directed by Roger Vadim.

Pretty Maids all in a Row sounds like a nursery rhyme. However it is an ironic title for a French director’s look at America in the 70s. A number of continental directors like Claude Lelouch, Michelangelo Antonioni came to America and observed around 1970.

Roger Vadim, well known for his emphasis on sexuality in his films, also came to America and made this comedy thriller. The emphasis is on sexuality and its ironies. Set in a college, the film has a number of bizarre murders - and the identity of the murderer is hero Rock Hudson. It is all tongue in cheek treatment of serious themes and may have a touch of Gallic humour which may have eluded American audiences and made the film fail somewhat at the box office. Telly Savalas, Angie Dickenson and Keenan Wynn also enhance the cast. A strange and ironic kind of film. A strange footnote to the career of Roger Vadim.

1. The title and its nursery rhyme overtones, the adult certificate treatment and indication of themes?

2. Why were the critics so hostile to the film on its release?

3. The film was made by a French director, is this evident? A Frenchman's look at particular aspects of American society? Sport, sexuality, masculinity? Violence?

4. The views of the film on sexuality, as presented, the visuals, the preoccupation of adolescence and the illustration of this middle-age preoccupation, in Tiger and Mice Smith? The values that these Americans stood by? Lust and preoccupation about sex? As a subject for humour and satire?

5. The linking of sexuality and violence in murder? The film's presentation of motives, the effect of humour, the light treatment, people's attitude towards the football matches? The irony and the parody? The comment on American priorities and values?

6. The presentation of the generation gap between students and teachers? The gap in the preoccupation with sexuality? Tiger and Mine Smith as exhibiting the adolescent attitudes of Ponce and the others? The theme of education, the people responsible for education, Miss Smith and her teaching of English, her wanting to coach Ponce? The difference between education and real life? The educated attitudes and the ordinary basic instincts in people? Education and sport?

7. The character of Tiger, the type that he was representing, Rock Hudson in the role? His sports work, his counselling work, the using and abusing of his counselling time and office for sexuality? The satire? The irony of his escaping scot-free?

9. The presentation of Ms Smith, the teacher and her preoccupation with sex, with Tiger? Her believing Tiger's story about Ponce? Her seduction of Ponce? How credible a character, how satirically portrayed?

10. Was Ponce a credible young man? Study, sport, preoccupation with sex? The visual presentation of this? Admiration for Tiger, relationship with Mine Smith? Discovery of the truth? Inheriting Tiger's list? Continuing the American myth of male supremacy?

11. The presentation of the police, poking fun at them? Chief Poldaski and his inefficiency, traffic, murder? The anti-attitudes in Captain Surcher?

12. The presentation of deaths, the reaction of the staff, Mr Proffer? The various other members of the school and society? Funerals? But the whole take on sport and sports achievement?

13. What did the film say about American society? What kind of society was it? Was the film effective satire, exploitation?

THE PRESIDENT'S MISTRESS

US, 1978, 100 minutes, Colour.
Beau Bridges, Susan Blanchard, Larry Hagman, Don Porter, Gail Strickland.
Directed by John Llewellyn Moxey.

A fairly routine telemovie adventure. However, its theme is slightly different - the President's mistress as a Russian spy! The film is interesting and has a very strong cast led by Beau Bridges. The sets of the telemovie came from the very popular television series Washington Behind Closed Doors. While the film resembles many episodes of television series, it is designed as a telemovie for fast pace American political action and is quite entertaining in its way.

1. The quality of this action entertainment telemovie?

2. The use of the Washington sets, the atmosphere of American politics, agencies, detective work? The musical score?

3. How conventional the treatment of the material: the hero investigating his sister, his work, cover, affair? The sister and her relationship with the President, becoming victim of this? The presentation of the American agencies and their concern and investigations? The Russians and the false information, being trapped by their plans? flow well did the material mesh together?

4. How plausible the plot? In itself, in comparison with fiction popular in the 70's and 80's? In information given by history? sufficient for the purposes of the plot? The audience not seeing the President and his anonymity, subjective shots? (The preservation of some dignity of the presidential office for the American audience?) The violence inherent in this situation? The political danger? blackmail?

5. Morton as hero - his work, relationship with his sister, his relationship with Mugsy? The strange happenings, his investigation, his access to information and his way of using it? The agencies and their control of him? His single-minded pursuit of the truth even with danger?

6. Donna and her relationship with the President, its secrecy, her being a risk, false information given by Russia, the panic in the United States, her elimination?

7. The American officials and their investigation, cover-ups? Seeing them in action?

8. The Russian counterparts and their plans? The American link? The spies in the Kremlin - the old lady gathering up the paper, etc.?

9. The police and the investigation of crime and its being linked with politics?

10. Audience curiosity about politicians and their private lives? The repercussions of private life and intrigue with political decisions and world peace? How were these themes communicated at the popular level of the telemovie?

PRESENTING LILY MARS

US, 1943, 104 minutes, Black and white.
Judy Garland, Van Heflin, Fay Bainter, Richard Carlson, Spring Byington.
Directed by Norman Taurog.

One of a number of M.G.M. star vehicles for Judy Garland in the early forties. She was soon to make Meet Me in St Louis and to have a successful adult career for several years before breakdown and a sad private life blended with success in such films as A Star in Born and many concerts. She was at the height of her powers as a young actress at this time and had a very charming and lovely personality on the screen.

This is presented very well in this film, directed by veteran Norman Taurog who directed her in such films as Girl Crazy. Van Heflin, who had just won an Oscar for Johnny Eager, matches Garland but leaves her in the limelight. Regulars like Fay Bainter, Spring Byington (one of the most charming and sentimental of American screen mothers), Connie Gilchrist, give good support. In the final sequence to show Lily Mars's success her dancing partner is Charles Walters who was to become a director of many musicals including Easter Parade and Summer Stock with Judy Garland herself.

1. An enjoyable film, musical? Judy Garland vehicle? Her presence, charm, acting ability?

2. M.G.M. production values, black and white photography, re-creation of the small American town, Broadway, musical numbers and choreography? The contribution of the score, songs, dancing?

3. The traditional American show business dream? The young girl and her aspiring ambitions, the push, luck, breaks? Hardships? Reality and fantasy? Toughness and sentiment?

4. The film as a piece of Americana (based on a Booth Tarkington story?) - the middle American town, its way of life, the presentation of the poor American family? The presuppositions of family values, goodness, support?

5. The songs - from the Operetta, the satire on the Operetta, the musicals with Tommy Dorsey, Bob Crosby? Every Little Movement, the Broadway Rhythm finale?

6. The picture of the Mars family: the humour, the hats, the door knobs, Charlie and the clashes with Lily because of her ambitions, going to the theatre with Charlie, Moma and her perennial niceness and seeing the good side of things, her homely proverbs and advice to the children, the children and their acting and singing ability, their support of Lily? Lily from this background? An idealised picture of the American family - as seen especially in the atmosphere of the mid-forties?

7. The portrait of the Thornways - Mrs Thornway and her nice absentmindedness, care for Lily and helping her? John and his successful career, his push over his mother, the Broadway producer type, his attitude towards Isobel, supporting Oven? The ironies of Isobel and Oven thinking that Lily was the mother of his child and the humour derived from this?

8. Lily and her push, contriving the various auditions for John Thornway - her renditions of Macbeth, the mother with the child etc.? John's threatening to spank her? The party and her singing? The arrival at the theatre and the comedy with the hats and the doorkeeper? her wanting a job? Gaining it? Her living with the other girls at the Incubator? Phone calls. dates? The love for John, the bonds between them? The crisis of her mimicking Isobel with her singing? The stepping in and the training for the show? The failure and her having to trust John?

9. How well did the film characterise Lily - her hopes, going to the city with her family's blessing, the theatre life, the changes and hopes for her, training, the necessity of experience, the dream almost being fulfilled, the test and her acting the part of the servant, her family's applause? Meeting the requirements of an actress?

10. The importance of the discussion with the would-be actress and her being at home on the stage even if only cleaning it, the sentiment behind the singing of Every Little Movement?

11. The humour in the character of Isobel, prima donna, her finding John out, her leaving the show, her return? The ironic critique of this kind of actress? Evan and his writing, his being in the background?

12. The crises of 'the show must go on' type? Re-writes, professionalism, the sacrifice of personal ambition?

13. The finale tacked on to the film to show Lily's success, an appropriate happy ending for the film? The reality of her having to train and work hard for success? The blend of reality and fantasy in this portrait of a would-be American actress?