SMART PEOPLE

US, 2008, 95 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Hayden Church, Ellen Page, Ashton Holmes, Christine Lahti.
Directed by Noam Murro.

Dr Janet Hartigan, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, remarks to English Literature Professor (Dennis Quaid) that they are supposed to be smart people. They have the academic qualifications and the professor has no hesitation in letting others know about his knowledge but, in terms of life and values, they are not particularly smart at all. Which is the point of the ironic title.

This is a brief, rather light, drama about smart people and their mistakes.

Dennis Quaid, looking very much the worse for wear and sometimes sounding like Jack Nicholson playing the part, is a widower with two teenage children. He really takes little interest in his son (Ashton Holmes) who writes poetry and lives in a university dorm. His daughter (Ellen Page) is sitting for her final exams, hoping for entrance into Stanford and continually taking her father as her serious role model. She too is no slouch at letting others know how intelligent she is and making elitist demands on them (even asking two girls out at a bar what it is like to be stupid!).

Into the picture comes the professor’s slacker adopted brother (Thomas Hayden Church) who, though quite unreliable and seemingly unable to communicate at any deep level, is actually rather life-smarter than the others.

The film has some quite intellectually sounding dialogue and references to English literature and American poems that will not have come into the ken of the film’s potential audience and may quickly brand the main characters as snobs and their lives not particularly interesting outside the walls of the university.

However, since the plot shows the professor trying to relate to the doctor and become less self-preoccupied and pompous in his utterances, there is some interest in watching his transformation. More interesting, perhaps, is the loosening up of the prim daughter following the lead of her uncle and misunderstanding his intentions. As played by Ellen Page, she is quite different from her recent Oscar-nominated performance as Juno. It is Thomas Hayden Church, however, who gives the most persuasive performance – which means that it is rash to judge people, smart or not, on first appearances.

1.The impact of the film for American audiences, other audiences? Particularly American?

2.The light serious comedy, the ironic title and perspective?

3.The Pittsburgh settings, homes, the university, hospital? The contrast with New York City? The range of songs, the musical score?

4.American types: intellectuals, academics, pompous and arrogant, self-absorbed? The audience having sympathy for them or not?

5.The introduction to Lawrence? His age, unkempt, the widower, his two children, his brother, asking for cash and his refusing it, cranky, self-absorbed, his boring lectures, his not remembering people’s names and their resenting this, the negative feedback on his barking at students during courses, the job and his boss, heading the committee, his ability to nominate himself for the post (and the argument about Dick Cheney nominating himself for vice-president)? His manuscript, the nature of his book, his explanation of it to Janet? The rejections? His car, being impounded, climbing the wall, falling, in hospital, his rough attitude towards the doctor, his not remembering her, Vanessa and her visit? His not being able to drive? His prospects for the next six months? Introduction to a cantankerous character?

6.The contrast with Chuck, his being adopted as a child, his life, a slacker, borrowing money and not repaying? Staying in the house, James giving him the room? Vanessa and her antagonism? Snobbish attitude? His way of talking to Lawrence, living in the present, agreeing to drive, unreliable? Smoking pot, taking Vanessa to the bar, her getting drunk? His moving away, staying with James, his lie about a girlfriend? Yet his type, allegedly not smart – but shrewd?

7.Vanessa, her age, study, harsh attitudes, her love of wordplay and knowledge, taking her father as a role model, being unhappy? Antagonism towards Janet? Cooking in the house, her infatuation with Chuck, misreading him, the kiss, her embarrassment? Her asking the girl at the bar what it was like to be stupid? Her getting the entry to Stanford? Not telling her father? Her father going on the date and her reaction? The Christmas dinner, cooking, the bickering with James? Her arrogance and vulnerability?

8.Janet, her work at the hospital, her precision in words, agreeing to go out with Lawrence, listening to him for forty-five minutes, accusing him of being pompous, self-absorbed, her leaving? Her essay and the sea, her re-reading it, considering remarking it, the second dinner, going home, the sexual encounter, the condom? Her going to the Christmas dinner? The affair, her pregnancy? Going to New York, the book, her not being happy with Lawrence, the airport scene? Her remark about their being supposed to be smart people?

9.Lawrence and the dates, words, forty-five minutes talking about himself and his book, at home, the university, the meetings? His affair, the book and going to New York, the discussions, marketing and dumbing down of his work? Yet it paying for Vanessa’s Stanford education? Tension at the airport? His changing, withdrawing his nomination and his honesty about not being suitable for the position, his acceptance of the book, discovering about James and the poem and wanting to read it, sitting in the front seat of the car with Chuck and not being sick?

10.James, as a poet, his success? His resentment towards his father for his lack of interest?

11.Vanessa, trying to modify and become a bit more humane?

12.Chuck, his remaining the same, uncouth, staying in the house, yet humanising his relations?

13.The marriage, the children, the final credits – and everybody in the family accepting the children and being in the photos?

14.Ultimate sympathy for Lawrence and the other characters? Some hope for their transformation?

UNTRACEABLE

US, 2008, 101 minutes, Colour.
Diane Lane, Billie Burke, Colin Hanks, Joseph Cross, Mary Beth Hurt.
Directed by Gregory Hoblit.

This is quite an alarming film, not only in its topic and treatment but in its implications about the use of the Internet.

One of the problems of this kind of story is that it deals with ugly realities (or ugly hypotheses) and it is difficult to know how much detail to show, how much should be presented by suggestion rather than straightforwardly so that the impression of exploiting the material rather than exploring it is communicated.

The intentions of the film-makers here are not exploitative but the nastiness of the theme will make many audiences wonder.

This is a film about a serial killer, something that is not particularly new. What seems like a number of random and cruel killings are eventually found to be linked. The FBI are on the case with a range of agents, especially those now employed to investigate computer crime. Principal agent is played by Diane Lane, a widow with an 8 year old daughter, who uses her wits but also experiences physical danger. It is a role that in the past would have been played by a man. Diane Lane does it with effective concentration and vigour, especially in some final heroics.

The problem is that the insane killer is abducting victims and showing the torture and deaths on an untraceable website called Killwithme. The alarming aspect is that the killer (who is revealed to have more than a grudge against the television media) invites people to log on to watch, the more hits on the site, the more quickly the victim dies exposed to the sick and/or curious gaze of the net surfers and warped customers.

One of the realities in making a film which crusades about a cause is that it can be done quite effectively as a documentary but will have a limited audience. It is more cogent if made as a story in a feature film format which engages audience interest and works on their emotions. The trouble here is that, despite our revulsion at the behaviour of those who log on (in their increasing millions) and who watch torture and death, we are tantalised, at least on the level of curiosity, and this can be alarming to our image of ourselves.

This is why Untraceable might be a useful film for discussion of these dreadful issues with audiences knowing in their mind how revolting this is but having to admit that we can be caught up in such experiences.

Gregory Hoblit has made a number of tough crime thrillers after his experiences on television series like Hill Street Blues. His Primal Fear is one of the best of courtroom dramas and murder mysteries. His 2007 thriller, Fracture, with Anthony Hopkins trying to cover the perfect murder were well made, thought-provoking films on disturbing subjects.

Not the kind of film one can generally recommend but it is well-made, horrifying and raises themes which need fearless facing and which need to be dealt with.

1.A competent thriller, contemporary, Internet background, serial killer, vengeance, FBI investigation? A satisfactory combination of each of these strands?

2.The city of Portland, the FBI headquarters, ordinary homes, the streets, cellars, the use of the bridge, the musical score?

3.The contemporary technology, the FBI and their equipment, the Internet, broadcast Internet, the home hackers and their equipment?

4.The morality of the Internet: its use, people watching, sensation, violence, prurient curiosity? The effect of watching this material? The symbol of the various views – and death?

5.The exploitation of what the film was targeting? Its appropriate use? The sequences of the deaths of the victims? Of Griffin Dowd’s death? Of the attack on Jennifer? The voyeurism for the audience?

6.The set-up, the tip-off about the deaths, killwithme.com, the abduction of the cat and its mystery, the death of the cat? The further abductions, the pilot, the broadcaster, Griffin? Seemingly at random, the connection with the killer’s father’s suicide? The torture of the victims, the water, the blood, the acid? The detail, the close-up? The experience of dying? The acceleration of the death by the number of viewers?

7.The abducted people, their being taken, the build-up to Griffin being taken, his indication of signs with the eyes and blinking, his own Morse code to Jennifer? Jennifer abducted, confronting the killer, the lawnmower, the rope, the fight and her winning?

8.The work of detection, Jennifer, widow, her Internet work, Griffin and his assistance, the other members of the team? Their hard work, their skills, exposing Internet abusers, chat rooms …? Collaboration? The superior, his interviewing Jennifer, her being put off the case or not? Eric, his coming to help, his admiration for her, relating to her? Jennifer’s home life, widow, her daughter, her mother? The terror – getting them to leave the city? The indication that they might have been abducted – but not?

9.killwithme.com, the skill of the computer nerd, the false addresses for the police, playing with the detectives? Their pursuit of him?

10.The revelation of the killer, at school, his introverted behaviour, lack of relationships? Seeing him in action, his brutality, clever, warped personality?

11.The revelation of his story, his father’s public suicide, being filmed, replayed on television? The killer’s animosity towards the pilot, towards the media, towards the police?

12.Griffin Dowd, his character, investigations, interpretation, his girlfriend, his being abducted, the killer falsifying the voice on the phone? His dying, signalling with Morse indications?

13.The staff, the boss, the press conferences, the media?

14.Jennifer, work, collaboration, sharing with Eric?

15.The scene at the bridge, the site of the death, the pursuit, the electronic tampering with Jennifer’s car, the killer controlling it, abducting her?

16.The final confrontation, physical strength, wits, her defeat of the killer?

17.An effective thriller, the comment on the media, the comment on the morality of the cyberspace world? Its pessimistic attitude towards the public and their prurient curiosity?

EL ORFANATO (THE ORPHANAGE)

Spain, 2007, 103 minutes, Colour.
Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Princep, Mabel Rivera, Monserrat Carulla, Geraldine Chaplin.
Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona.

This is an eerie ghost story reminiscent in many ways of that other fine Spanish ghost story, The Others, with Nicole Kidman. This time the focus is on Belen Rueda as Laura, who spent her younger years in the orphanage and has now returned with her devoted husband and seven year old adopted son in order to open it up again to young children. While everything seems sunny, the little boy is sick and plays with invisible friends. One day he discovers another ‘friend’ in a cave by the seaside. At a masked party for prospective clients, the little boy seems to menace his mother and then disappears.

The film builds its atmosphere, relying on lighting, editing and suggestion rather than by any effects.

When a former employee, looking particularly sinister, visits, suspicions are aroused and various clues, including some home movies of the time when Laura was a girl reveal a new story.

It is Laura who has to hold the film together. She becomes increasingly morbid and frantic about her son as the months pass. Finally, she consults a medium (Geraldine Chaplin) who, against the advice of her rational psychologist and of her husband, tells her that she must first believe and then she will see. The rest of the film is what she sees, what she discovers and what she decides to do.

As with eerie films like The Innocents, The Sixth Sense and The Others, we enter into the mind of someone who has ‘other world’ experiences where it is hard for the audience to know what is real and what is not – and create their own film, so to speak.

This is a very good example of this kind of horror by suggestion film.

1.An atmospheric story? Atmosphere of horror? Death and ghosts?

2.The orphanage itself, the exteriors, interiors? The lighthouse? The caves? The sea, the beach? The town – ordinary? The musical score and moods and climaxes?

3.The opening, the children playing the game, Laura and her participation, the other children, catching her? Laura to be adopted – happy?

4.The adult Laura, her marriage to Carlos, adoption of Simon? His HIV-positive condition? The decision to return and buy the orphanage? The plans to take in children? The bond between Carlos and Laura, playing the piano, asleep, Simon and his nightmares, Laura going to him, the story of the invisible light and the light from the lighthouse, going to the beach, the caves, Simon and his imaginary friends, the parents’ concern, his finding Thomas in the cave, the promise that he would come to play in the house? The stones to indicate the way?

5.The arrival of Benigne, her sinister appearance, the file about Simon, her later appearance in the town, suddenly being run over? The doll? The revelation about her past, working at the orphanage, the photos, the home movies, her son and his disfigurement, the mask, the children taunting him and playing the game, his death, her vengeance?

6.The party, the potential clients, the masks, Laura and her being terrorised, the pursuit, her being locked in the room, frantic? Simon’s disappearance, the search, her reactions, her injury on the beach? Carlos and his trying to help?

7.The issue of when did Laura die? On the beach, before the children appeared, after? Her mental state and the possibility of her creating the characters?

8.The police, the search, the passing of time, Laura continually frantic, the effect on herself and Carlos, Benigne’s death and the clues?

9.Pilar, the psychiatrist, her trying to help? The lecture on Carl Jung, the doppelgangers?

10.The intervention of the psychologist, Aurora as the medium, the set-up with her assistant, the electronic equipment, hypnosis, Aurora as the medium, going back into the past, her assistant tracking her on the map of the house, Pilar coming to observe, Carlos and his scepticism? Aurora sensing the children, going into the room?

11.Pilara and the voice of reason, Carlos and his rational approach, Aurora and her telling Laura that believing comes before seeing?

12.The discovery of the dolls, the discovery of the bodies, the five children, their story?

13.Carlos, Laura and her tension, talking to him in bed, his being in the bathroom, the pressure on him, his decision to leave?

14.The re-enactment of the past, Laura putting on the uniform, making the beds, making the exact meal as in the film, the indication of the signs, the crashing window, the knob?

15.The cellar, the discovery of Simon, alive and dead, his invitation to stay with the children?

16.The themes of eternal childhood, imaginary friends – and the references to Peter Pan? Laura as Wendy, wanting to stay and tell stories to the children?

17.The aftermath, the information on the gravestone, Carlos’s visit – and the deaths of Laura and Simon, the tribute to the five children?

PARDON MON AFFAIRE (UN ELEPHANT CA TROMPE ENORMEMENT)

France, 1976, 105 minutes, Colour.
Jean Rochefort, Claude Brasseur, Guy Bedos, Victor Lanoux, Anny Duperey, Danielle Delorme.
Directed by Yves Robert.

Pardon Mon Affaire is a French comedy which was very popular indeed and gained an Oscar nomination for best foreign film. The original title was "The Elephant Trumpets". It is a satirical look at French morals, especially those of respectable middle-aged men and their sexual fantasies. It allows the rather simple hero to play out his - with satirical and seemingly tragic results. However the film takes that amoral Gallic stance which may be very acceptable and humorous in France but which Anglo-Saxon? audiences find very hard to take. It is the same kind of tone that was taken in such films as "Cousin Cousine’ and "Blue Country". Very well acted indeed, especially by Jean Rochefort. The film was directed by Yves Robert who made many French comedies but achieved international fame with the two "Tall Blond Men” films.

1. An entertaining comedy? The international reputation of this film? Universal appeal? The response of a French audience?

2. The aspects and characteristics of the French sense of humour? Wit, parody, farce? A sardonic attitude towards life? The humour of sexuality, relationships, age?

3. The alternate titles and their implications and tone?

4. The moral stances of the screenplay? Tone? An amoral approach to age, relationships, sexuality? Leaving the moral judgment to the audience?

5. Themes of age, marriage, flirtations and affairs, male comradeship, the seven year itch (and the echoes of Billy Wilder's film), the challenge of changes in life, coping with change? A man in his middle age involved in reality and fantasy? The real problem, satiric fun being poked at the predicament? The ambiguity of the ending?

6. A contemporary comedy? Issues of tone? French, universal? The urban atmosphere, work, recreations?

7. The focus of Etienne and his age, his work, his relationship with Marthe, his children? The chance encounter with Charlotte and the infatuation? The humour of the mistaken date? His inability to go to the rendezvous, the false rendezvous with Madame Esperanza? Pretexts for going out, search for excuses? His friends and his relationship to each of them? Each mirroring the other in aspects of age and relationships?

8. The development or his infatuation with Charlotte? The decision to go horse-riding with the consequent comedy, the meetings and his conversation, the flight to London and the elaborate preparations and his arrival in Brussels, the taking Charlotte to his party and the discovery or the family, the elaborate charade or his friends to get him to Charlotte's for the night? The farcical arrival or her husband, his being in the lodge, the T.V. coverage? The repercussions for his future an he roll and may the blonde?

9. How much insight into the feelings or the middle aged man and his dissatisfaction with his life? Search for adventure? The comic touches ? Etienne in the rain, the horse-riding?

10. The portrait or Daniel and his friendship, the practical jokes, especially his destruction of the bar pretending to be blind? The revelation of his homosexuality, the pathos of his relationships, his apartment? Simone and his work as a doctor, the story of his affairs, his mother and her personality, relationship with her lover, intrusion on the meal, the tennis court? Bouly and his rages, his wife leaving him, his searching for her? The friends and their attempts to find her? and their being bashed?


11. The women in the film in relationship to the men - Marthe and her education, being a faithful housewife, the daughters? (the humour of Lucienne and his pressing his suit with Marthe?) Charlotte and her glamour, her getting cool with the vent, her horse-riding, relationship with the minister, her dates with Etienne, her lies about her married status? and his lies? The revelation of Etienne's family? The night and the fulfilment of Etienne's hopes? Her final waving goodbye? Madame Espinosa and the dates, her treatment of Etienne at the office? Bouly's wit?

12. The episodic nature of the plot, the humorous tone? The quality of the acting?

13. A satisfying comedy, observation of human experience? The points being made?

PARDNERS

US, 1956, 90 minutes, Colour.
Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Lori Nelson, Jeff Morrow, Agnes Moorhead, Lee van Cleef, Jack Elam, Lon Chaney Jr.
Directed by Norman Taurog.

Pardners is an ironic title for the second-last Martin and Lewis film. After 'Hollywood or Bust' they went on their own separate careers. Pardners is quite a good presentation of their differing talents and their working together. It is also a humorous poke at the conventions of the West. Agnes Moorehead stands out as the tough matriarch. The film was directed by Norman Taurog who directed the majority of the Martin and Lewis films.

1. A successful Martin and Lewis comedy? Audience expectations of their individual styles, combination? Style of humour, comedy routines, songs?

2. How enjoyable were the comedy routines? Especially within the conventions of the West? The initial parodies of the gun fighters and comradeship in death? The sequences when Wade was Killer Jones and Sheriff? The parody of Western expectations and conventions? How clever, what comment on Westerns?

3. Colour photography, period setting? Music, the integration of the songs into the plot? Special effects for example shootouts and explosions?

4. What ingredients of the Western did the film use well? The basic situation of ranches in the late 19th century and comradeship? Mrs Kingsley and her making a financial empire in New York? The domineering mother, the spoilt son and his ineffectualness, the arranged marriage? The rodeo sequences? The buying of the bull and Wade's use of his wealth? Wanting to be Slim's partner in the memory of the past? The humour of the K Ranch and its survival, the masked raiders and their identity, the shootouts and hold-ups? The finale?

5. Slim as a typical Dean Martin character? His good side, romantic side, putting himself out to help Wade? Wade as a Jerry Lewis character? small, ineffectual, wishing to do well, heart of gold, ultimately succeeding with help?

6. Mrs Kingsley and the satire on the dominant mother, board meetings, arranged marriages etc.? The contract with the two women in the West, Wade's cousin as a romantic heroine, Dolly and the saloon girl?

7. The treatment of such humorous sequences as the rodeo, Wade taking the bull to the West, the fight in the saloon with the gun fighter, the bank robbery, the tying up of Wade and his rescue, the finale?

8. How enjoyable a parody of the West and an example of American humour?

PARANOIAC

UK, 1963, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Janette Scott, Oliver Reed, Sheila Burrell, Maurice Denham.
Directed by Freddie Francis.

Paranoiac is an entertaining thriller with many twists. Oliver Reed, at the beginning of his career, portrays a psychotic young man protected by his aunt. However, his long-lost brother turns up – but there are many twists, many characters trying to prove the others insane, inheritance money being the core problem.

The film was directed by Freddie Francis, celebrated cinematographer of such films as Sons and Lovers. In his directing career, he directed a number of psychological horror films.

1. Audience expectations from this kind of thriller? Fulfilment? The meaning and tone of the title, reference to the main characters?

2. What thriller conventions were used in this film? How well? For fear, surprise?

3. Black and white wide screen photography, sets and locations, the emphasis on the house and its detail, music?

4. The importance of the opening with the memorial, the introduction to the main characters and their backgrounds, the past events, themes? The effect of this for the audience and the plot?

5. First impressions of Eleanor? As a character, the explanation, her seeing things and people, her being convinced that she was mad? An attractive person, the victim of Simon and the false Tony? Was her character well presented?

6. Eleanor as a heroine? Her experiences with Simon, relationship with Francoise, falling in love with Tony, her relationship with Harriet? Her happiness with Tony, the picnic and the car hanging on the edge of the cliff, the growing terror? Paranoiac?

7. First impressions of Simon, smoking at the organ? As a wastrel, his hold on people, his madness and violence, the truth about the murder, his guilt complex and madness? His relationship with Eleanor and plotting against her, his hold over Harriet and performing bizarre accompaniments to his organ-playing? His attitude towards the false Tony? His plots, vengeance, death? A convincing paranoiac?

8. His use of Francoise? His power of love, sexuality? Her death?

9. The complexity of Tony and his part in the plot? Becoming the hero? Breaking through his fakery? Threats to Simon? Resolving the problems and rescuing Eleanor?

10. The significance of Harriet? Her role in the household, protection, wearing the mask, her violence, protection of Simon?

11. The film's presentations of motivation. madness and violence? The class setting of the film?

12. The effectiveness of shock and surprise devices?

PAPER MAN

US, 1971, 89 minutes, Colour.
Dean Stockwell, Stephanie Powers, James Olsen, Tina Chen, James Stacy.
Directed by Walter Grauman.

Paper Man is quite an intriguing telemovie. It looks rather more like a simple thriller but moves into a rather eerie variation of science fiction. The villain is once again the computer, as In such films as the Forbin Project, 2001 and Demon Seed. However, the film focuses on the repercussions of risky computerisation rather than more ordinary situations and some of the legal implications through the creation of a computer person, a paper man. Dean Stockwell provides nervous and ambiguous energy in the central role. Stephanie Powers is the attractive heroine. Directed by a veteran of many action films and telemovies, Walter Grauman.

1. How enjoyable a thriller, science fiction film? The appeal of these ingredients? Message?

2. The theme of computer error or computer control? The constant return visually to the computer? The role of the computer and its presence in the film? Computers and human programmers, computers controlling the programmers?

3. The Henry Norman situation? A genuine paper man? the visual symbol? The students confronted by this situation and accepting it? Crime, guilt, their punishment and atonement?

4. The focus on Avery? his role in the university, his ability with computers, his past in the asylum? The loner, his agreeing to help the students? The bond with Karen? His being victimised as a focus for suspicions? The victim of Fletcher? Thriller involvement and vindication? An appropriate hero for this film?

5. The personalities of the students and their joining in the Henry Norman situation? Jerry and his dominance, jealousy of Avery, rudeness to Fletcher? Joel and his happy attitude, playing chess? Lisa and her work with language? Karen and her psychology?

6. The punishment and their deaths? The programming of the false medical report for Joel? The mechanised plan actually killing Jerry? (The computerized patient in the hospital and the irony for science fiction?) Lisa and her being crushed in the lift?

7. Fletcher and his being put down by the students? His seeming innocence? His interest in the Henry Norman venture? The revelation of his genius and but his guilt? Programming people to their deaths? The irony of success and his being programmed to death? A fugitive and a paper man?

8. Now did the science fiction aspects dominate and then change to thriller aspects? How effectively? A good mystery? Avery becoming victim, arrested, escaping. trapped? The role of the police?

9. The ironies of Fletcher's death and the dominance of the computer?

10. The film's message about the prospect of a computerised world dominating?

11. The success of the film as a telemovie, bringing themes of science fiction and then morals to a home audience?

PANCHO VILLA

US, 1972, 92 minutes, Colour.
Telly Savalas, Clint Walker, Chuck Connors, Anne Francis.
Directed by Eugenio Martin.

Pancho Villa is a conventional presentation of the Mexican general and the battles between himself and America. There have been many versions of this Mexican American clash. Wallace Beery was successful in portraying him in Viva Villa in the thirties. There have been such later versions as Buzz Kulik’s version of Villa Rides with Robert Mitchum and Yul Brynner.

The ‘print the legend’ version was And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself, directed by Bruce Beresford with Antonio Banderas and the story of making films about Villa, with himself.

1. An entertaining American Western? The status of Pancho Villa and the mythology about him? A valuable entertainment about him?

2. The Mexican genre, war, Mexican/American relationships? Pancho Villa as the rebel general? mercenaries, battles?

3. Photography, colour, locations, music? Special effects for battle sequences etc?

4. Audience interest in Pancho Villa? His role in Mexico, the rebellion, General Goyo? Influence of America and Villa's attack against America? His administration and ruthlessness? Character study, character sketch? His associates?

5. Telly Savalas as Pancho Villa, how credible? A blend of comic, sinister, foolish, a general? Personal relationships, leadership, ruthlessness? Invasion of America?

6. Villa and the American who supported him, guerrillas, loyalty, relationship with Flo?

7. Colonel Rucox and the mocking of the Americans and his madness? The ludicrous details of his administration, towards his men in training, in the mess hall and the flying, his bad judgment against Villa?

8. Flo as a conventional wife?

9. The gun, the poor Mexicans, Maria and her wanting to assassinate Villa? her relationship with him? with Rucox?

10. A humorous, superficial treatment of Pancho Villa?

PAL JOEY

US, 1957, 111 minutes, Colour.
Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth, Kim Novak, Barbara Nichols.
Directed by George Sidney.

Pal Joey is a big brassy musical directed by George Sidney who mode such lavish MGM spectaculars as The Three Musketeers and many musicals like Showboat.

The tone of the film is brash. The music comes from Rogers and Hart and features such popular songs as The Lady is a Tramp, There’s a Small Cafe. Frank Sinatra seems ideally cast in the central role and he brings his popular, even cheeky style to his character. The female leads are Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak. Rita Hayworth at this stage of her career was on the decline, Kim Novak at the height of popularity. They make a strange contrast in sex symbols of Hollywood.

The plot tends to be rather tawdry but in the familiar backstage human drama story. The film is colourful and may appeal to those who are interested in music plus plot.

1. How enjoyable as a musical and drama? Blend of all facets?

2. The impact of the sets, colour, songs and dances? American atmosphere?

3. The atmosphere of the 1950? how well re-created?

4. The film was based on a novel by John O'Hara. His preoccupation with American morals and mores? The fact that it was based on a stage play and a musical?

5. The impact of Frank Sinatra and his style? How satisfactory was the blending of the actor and the screen presence of Sinatra?

6. The presentation of Joey as a con man exploiting people's feelings? attraction to girls, money, con man at jobs? Taking over as compere and pursuing Vera and getting the apartment next to her, taking over Vera's parties, the auction? What insight into this kind of character? The irony of the title 'Pal'?

7. How did he change? What dreams of his own club? His jealousy of Vera, Linda's love, her growing sense of responsibility? Casting - for the strip? His resolution of the difficulties? The importance of the fantasy sequence with Linda and Vera dancing?

8. How convincing and real was the happy ending? Appropriate for this kind of film, the American dream?

9. The film's presentation of the American male and his chauvinism?

10. How attractive was Linda? Kim Novak’s style? Background of Albuquerque, her enjoyment of life, her capacity for love? Her drunk sequence? The effect of the strip on her? Her being prepared to sacrifice her job? A happy ending? A convincing heroine?

11. Vera as a counter to Linda? Theatrical, and strip background? Vulgarity, wealth and widowhood? San Francisco society, loving and using people? Jealousy and pettiness, the happy ending? A convincing character?

12. The contribution of minor characters like Gladys? the owner of the club, Joey's pal, the chorus girls and their devotion to Joey?

13. Comment on the use of the songs for each character eg Joey's singing "The Lady's a Tramp" to Vera? The use of the music for themes throughout the film?

14. How real and unreal are these American musicals? Any insight into America?

THE PALEFACE

US, 1948, 91 minutes, Colour.
Bob Hope, Jane Russell.
Directed by Norman Z. Mc Leod.

One of Bob Hope's most engaging comedies. As a radio artist in the thirties emerging in films and as a comedian over many decades, Bob Hope is one of the century's greatest men of laughter. Jane Russell, who had arrived on the Hollywood scene with The Outlaw and other such films in the forties, provides good foil for Hope. She plays a reforming Calamity Jane. The writing was credited especially to Frank Tashlin who was to direct the sequel Son of Paleface, again with Hope and Jane Russell plus Roy Rogers and Trigger.

Tashlin was to direct many comedies including several for Jerry Lewis. The song Buttons and Bows won the Oscar for Best Song of 1948. Son of Paleface was a successful comedy - but was very reminiscent of the Road films. It included several clips and mimicking of other films and brought on Bing Crosby at the end. Paleface was re-made as a vehicle for comedian Don Knotts as The Shakiest Gun in the West.

1. An entertaining comedy? The appeal of Bob Hope and his style, routines? Jane Russell and her attraction? The humour of the plot, of the routines?

2. The Bob Hope character: Painless Potter the dentist, the comedy routines as dentist, as the would-be hero, the kissing routines, the shootings, the discovery of failure? The wisecracks? The perennial appeal of Bob Hope's style? How did he invest his character with life - and still seem Bob Hope in the west?

3. Colour photography, the studio west? Indians, cowboys? The visual jokes about night falling and dawn breaking? The contribution of the musical score and Bob Hope's rendition of Buttons and Bows?

4. The basic western story - dynamite being smuggled and sold to the Indians, the role of the Indians in the west, the Federal agent? Dangers and the final escape? The variations on the themes? the dentist on the run becoming a hero, the Federal agent as Calamity Jane seeking a pardon? The variations on the usual expected plot? Audience enjoyment of this?

5. Jane Russell as heroine? sharp shooter, on the alert, using her wits, teaming up with the dentist, the marriage, hitting him on the head each time he kissed, sending him out on difficult missions, saving his life with shooting? The final capture and her falling in love? The happy ending? The satire on Jane Russell’s image of the time?

6. The conventional presentation of the Indians? the laughing gas, the shootings, the witch doctor, the finale? The double dealers in dynamite and their betrayals? The people of the west?

7. The basic American themes of the western, the opening up of the west, courage, the frontiers? The perennial American values? even when they are presented satirically and with good humour?