PRIVATE COLLECTION

Australia, 1972, 92 minutes, Colour.
Peter Reynolds, Pamela Stephenson, Brian Blain, Noel Ferrier, Grahame Bond, Les Foxcroft.
Directed by Keith Salvat.

Private Collection is a brief black comedy with more than a touch of satire. It was produced in Australia just at the time that the film industry was to break through into its renaissance, 1972, the year of The Adventures of Barry Mc Kenzie.

The film focuses on a husband and wife who actually employ the same thief to rob some of their art collection – they are both obsessed with the art collection and want to have more treasures. This leads to not only rivalry between the husband and wife but to ultimate violence.

The film is complicated by an inept thief, called George Kleptoman, who bungles his robbery – even to the extent of losing a hand from a guillotine which protects one of the art treasures.

British Peter Reynolds came to Australia to portray the husband. Pamela Stephenson who was to appear in a number of Australian films (Those Dear Departed) and make a name for herself on British television and later become a psychiatrist and wife of Billy Connolly as well as his biographer, is the wife. Popular comedian who portrayed Aunty Jack on television, Graham Bond, is the thief. Director Keith Salvat receives no further credit for any productions on the Internet Movie Data Base.

1. At what stage did you appreciate the thrust of this film? How important a film was it? How slight a film? What was the intention of the writer-director? Why was the film made?

2. How amusing a comedy was the film? Was it funny? Why?

3. How black was the comedy? How strong a satire? On human behaviour, on snobbery and greed, on the ordinary conventions of city, life husbands and wives, homes, collections, robberies? Did the deaths at the end of the film enhance the atmosphere or change it?

4. How did the film create its atmosphere? The style of the credits? the style of the characters, the use of the thirties music, the use of colour, the viewing of the private collection etc? Did the film seem real or was it in a fantasy-land?

5. How well were fantasy and reality balanced in the film?

6. What was your response to husband and wife? The scenes at home, going to the lecture, their response to their collection, horse-riding, the wife dancing, her lack of communication with her husband, did you like them?

7. What was the point of presenting the husband as shallow, greedy, with a heart condition? The nature of his dialogue, his pre-occupation with collection and riding? His plot to gain the Eagle? What satire on husbands and men did the film make?

8. How attractive was the wife? How different was it when we shared her memories? Did this bring her closer to the audience? In sympathy? Her relationship to her mother, the sailor? Her going to the lecture, her horse-riding, her dallying with the sailor? Her perpetual dancing, the significance of this? Her preparation of the food? Her final cruelty and greed and the finishing of the film with her satisfaction? What human behaviour was being satirized in her? (were the audience tricked in their response to her? Why?)

9. The caricature in the lecturer - the comment of what he was saying and the contrast with his reality? His likeness to the Eagle? The irony of his master-minding of the plot? His greed? The bizarre nature of his death? The point of this satire?

10. The robber - as inept, a professional, how comic was he (over-comic?)? His saving himself by entering the plot, his double-dealing, the suddenness of his death? The satire in the inept robber?

11. How callous was the ending with the husband's death? The cruelty of the wife? The number of deaths?

12. How did the film integrate elements of satire, exaggeration, farce, observation of society and life, humour and cruelty, violence? Was this a successful Australian film?

PIXOTE

Brazil, 1981, 119 minutes, Colour.
Fernando Ramos da Silva.
Directed by Hector Babenco.

Pixote was a powerful film from Brazil in the early 1980s, a portrait of a ten-year-old boy on the streets of San Paolo, arrested by the police, put in a detention centre where he is subjected to all kinds of degradation and torture. Some of the runaways are murdered in the detention centre. A seven-year-old transvestite is framed by them for the murders. Pixote helps Lilica, the transvestite, and other boys to escape where they take up life on the streets, scrounging a living.

The central character of the film is similar to that of the boy who portrayed him – and who was later to die in the streets.

Direction is by Hector Babenco (Ironweed, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, At Play in the Fields of the Lord). In 2003 he directed a powerful prison film, Carandiru which seems to show what happened to the Pixotes who were in prison twenty years later.

1. The strong impact of the film? Difficulties in censorship throughout the world? Meriting awards?

2. The Brazilian film industry? The director and his taking actors from the locations and situations portrayed? Delineation of character, drama, streets and squalor, reformatories, the capital cities, the clubs and brothels? Colour photography, atmosphere? Authenticity? The score and its mood? For the dramatics? The insertion of songs, especially by Roberto?

3. The quality of the performances? How persuasive? How sympathetic? Especially the actor playing Pixote himself?

4. The picture of the streets of San Paolo and Rio? The portrayal of the facts? A fictional story based on facts? The invitation to the audience to observe, recoil, be shocked, understand? The children and their background, attitudes, harsh experience? The limitation of their horizons? Violence, power games, money, sexuality, exploitation? The role of the police and their inability to handle situations? Corrupt police? The media and the exposes? The concern of public groups? The audience being immersed in the situation?

5. The basic message of the film: careful assembling of data, the ugliness of the Brazilian underworld, human nature, sinfulness, the ability and inability to cope? The human implications of the film? Reform? Social care, social work? Preventative methods? Implication for politics, concern, reform, reformation of corrupt officials?

6. Background to the murder of the judge? The rounding up of the boys? The police station and its hustle and squalor? The range of children? Their being interviewed and questioned? introduction to them? The rough way of life? Their watching television, questioned, herded on the trucks? The reformatory and the supervisor and his demands, his sleazy appearance, his being in league with the police, the cover ups? The ugliness of the dining room, the dormitories, the courtyards for sport? The background of medical attention, the doctors, the teachers and the illiterate boys? The women officials and their help? The role of the authorities in maintaining the status quo? Visiting days and the hostility of the boys, welcoming their visitors? Roberto and his entertaining the visitors? The good and bad within the reformatories? Opportunities lost?

7. The picturing of abuses: the boys shoving one another, power games, hierarchy in the reformatory, the night rapes, the boys turning a blind eye, interrogations, refusing to 'rat'? The power games in the dining room, spitting in the drink and the food and the boys having to eat (and the effect of Pixote)? The interrogations, the beatings? Lilica and the homosexual dance and provocation? The taking of groups out in the night, boys being shot, naked boys in the jail cells, the solitary confinement? The inevitable lies? Resistance to investigations? Keeping the boys quiet?

8. The boys themselves: age, background, parents abandoning them, lack of interest and care, lack of love, hatred, the pathos of visiting days, playing games imitating crimes and getaways, the bonds between the boys? Possibilities of friendship? Pixote and his youthfulness, seeming innocence? Friendship with Dito? the games? Fumaca and his being unconscious, his death in the infirmary? Lilica and the hold over the others, the lover and his being chosen to be the scapegoat, his death? The interrogation of all the boys and Lilica's breakdown?

9. The film focussing on Pixote: the streets, the police station, the dormitory rape, participation in the games, growing friends, the counsellor, classes, his grandfather on visiting day, the collection of boys for the truck and the killings, the ugly sequence of his cleaning the toilets, the sniffing glue and his becoming ill, witnessing Fumaca's death and the cover-up? The inspection by the board?

10. The authorities and their brutality, the possibilities of care, cover up? The journalists and the mothers? The judges? The anger of the authorities after the riot in the dining room? The escape and the television interview and the repercussions on the authorities, the beating of Lilica's lover and killing him?

11. Lilica and his background, age, place in the reformatory, contacts, the dance, the murder of his lover, the interrogation and his breakdown. the handcuffs, the escape?

12. The contrast with the outside world and the inside world? The trip to Rio? The encounter with Cristal and his wealth, the drug deals, taking Lilica for sex? The decision to work in Rio? The bag snatching and the intrusion of the kids onto the ordinary citizens in Rio? (And the background of the beaches, the affluent shops etc., the well-dressed people?) Dito and his friendship with Pixote. the sexual encounter with Lilica, Lilica feeling that he had betrayed him? The encounter with Deborah, her double dealing, the club and the violence of Pixote's killing her? The contrast of this violence with their innocent enjoying the time on the beach?

13. Crime in the city, the clubs, the robberies? The irony of the Salvation Army group singing hymns about Christ across from the club?

14. The group and their encounter with Sueli? Her being sold to them? Their setting up a system to rob her clients. the comic touch with their methods ? but the brutality of their success? Sueli and her abortion ? and the ugliness of the foetus in the garbage tin? Dito's attraction to her and the sexual encounter, the effect on Lilica, on Pixote? The television set playing? Lilica's jealousy and leaving? The robbery and Pixote's accidental killing of Dito? The death of the client? Sueli's cradling Pixote ? with the echoes of the Pieta? The mother and child ? the child she didn't have, the mother he didn't have? Her turning on him and sending him away? Her inability to cope? The possible mother (Brazil?) sending the child off into the world again? The pathos of Pixote's finally wandering the train lines - and their stretching into the uncertain future?

15. The credibility of the situations, characterisation? The squalor and the feel of the Brazilian cities? Justice and injustice? The law? Punishment and reform? The background of religion - the importance of Pixote's looking at the gaudily-decorated statue of the Madonna and his childlike smile at this mother-figure, the symbol of the crib in the round ball with the snow, the religious lyrics of the hymns sung outside the club? Exploitation, violence? Destruction? The importance of this kind of social film?

PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN

Ireland, 1977, 91 minutes, Colour.
Maurice Roeves, T.P. Mc Kenna, John Gielgud.
Directed by Joseph Strick.

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a striking presentation of James Joyce’s novel. It was written and directed by Joseph Strick, an American who had a great interest in Joyce’s work, making a film of Ulysses in 1967. He also made films from Jean Genet’s The Balcony in 1963 and Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer in 1970.

The film is a faithful adaptation of the novel. It also features Bosco Hogan in a good performance as Stephen Daedalus, the young man who is educated by the Jesuits, pursues a literary career – and loses his Catholic tradition and faith. T.P. Mc Kenna portrays his father.

There is a significant cameo from John Gielgud as the preacher, giving voice to James Joyce’s very powerful sermon, the focus on hell and damnation.

The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is an autobiographical portrait of the author himself. It gives insight into the Ireland of the early 20th century, the role of Catholic education and Jesuit education, it also highlights the nature of the church and its domination of people with the consequent rebellion. Joyce was an articulate critic of the Catholic upbringing he received.

One of the criticisms of the film is that it remained too faithful to the book, relying on the power of Joyce’s literary touch and words rather than on striking images. It also was criticised for draining some of the sensuality from Joyce’s work. However, it is an impressive film introduction to Joyce’s work.

1. The reputation of James Joyce? His classic literature? His insights into Ireland? His exile and seeing Ireland from Switzerland? His skill in novel-writing? His use of words, imaginative language and creation of words? The brevity of the original novel? The quality of this adaptation - a screen version of a novel?

2. The qualities of the screenplay: its capturing the essence of the novel, its structure, characters, themes? The visual communication of characters and situations? The attention to detail? The voice tones? The information given about Ireland, the characters? Names and dates? The reality of Ireland? The reality of Joyce's background and adolescence? His growing up? The perspective on the artist as a young man ? as seen from the vantage point of experience?

3. The visual presentation of Ireland, its beauty, colours? Its harshness? Cities? Politics, the English, religion and the Catholic Church? The quality of the musical score and its atmosphere?

4. The highlighting of the characters for communicating the novel? The basic situations in which they were presented, close-ups,, dialogue? The importance of tableaux? The set pieces e.g. the walks, the meals, Confession, the hellfire sermon? The interspersing of the film with Irish songs and music?

5. The significance of the title, a portrait as a sketch, giving the outlines, as some attention to detail, not a strict photo or accurate reproduction? The value of interpretation in a portrait? The film as a cinematic portrait? How much of the portrait is of Joyce himself? How much of Joyce is in Stephen Dedalus?

6. Dedalus as a boy and young man? The experience of family, school, university? Joyce's retrospect on these experiences? His portrait, reproducing the situations and feelings, interpretation of hindsight and from exile?

7. The situation of Ireland in 1891? Parnell and his alleged betrayal? The attitude of Simon Dedalus and the argument at the Christmas dinner? The leadership of Ireland, politics? The relationship with Britain? The role of Catholicism and its pressure? Kitty, the talk of John, Mrs. Riordan, the Jesuits, the sermon as illustrating the type of Catholicism, the attitude towards war and Patriotism? Joyce's glimpses of Ireland, his understanding. interpretation? His rejection of Ireland?

8. Stephen as a young boy, the portrait of the family, mother and father, children? The family picture? The mother and her love and devotion? The litanies? The prayers and their intentions? The portrait of Mrs. Dedalus and her love, for her family: her singing, the meals, moving, the washing, her attitude towards Stephen at the university, her disappointment in him as regards Communion? A portrait of an Irish mother of the 19th. century? The contrast with his father: his advice to Stephen never to tell tales, the wink, the talk between the two, his singing, drinking, Stephen's description of him, his politics, many jobs, politics and argumentation, taking Stephen and the family from Clongowes Wood College, Dublin, Belvedere College, the auctioning of the furniture? His attitude towards his son as he grew up? Farewell? The portrait of an Irish 19th. century father?

10. The picture of education in Ireland in the 19th. century: the attitude of the Dedalus' towards an education, the attitudes towards the Jesuits and their colleges, the leadership of the Jesuits in education, the contents of their courses and curricula, their disciplinary style, the importance of Catholicism and its tone for education? The sequence of Stephen refusing to swap the snuff box? His being pushed into a stream? His "inflammation of the brain"? The testing of his principles? His growing up in this atmosphere, boarding school? The attitudes of the other teachers, the apology? Stephen in class, the incident with his glasses, Father Dolan and the incident with the strap, the teacher? Stephen as he developed through the school? What he learnt, experience of Irish culture, literature, history? Latin? His finally becoming a prefect? A type of hero in the school? What were his attitudes towards his education as he left the school?

11. The importance of the Christmas dinner: the meal itself, Grace, the discussion about politics, Mrs. Riordan's speeches and the discussion about priests, John's story? Her leaving? The Rosary and prayer?

12. The films portrait of priests in Ireland in the 19th. century, especially the Jesuits? Their being exalted, their needing to be brought down? Their role in politics and the influence on Irish Catholics? The importance of the Vocation Director's long speech? The role of Mary? The tearing up of the prayer?

13. The importance of the influence of religion on Stephen himself? What kind of little boy was he? At Clongowes Wood? The transference to Belvedere and his questioning his religion, the effect on his conscience? The possibility of vocation?

14. The effect on Stephen of moving to Dublin, the auction, his father's stories, drinking?

15. The essay and Stephen's winning of prizes? The pictures and Stephen's torment? What motivated him to go to the brothel, the interaction with the girl? His guilt, fascination, the interaction with the girl? His guilt, fascination? His return?

16. The importance of confession - its style, the content of what he confessed, the attitude of the confessor, the discussion about vocation? F17hat did this sequence symbolise for the whole of Stephen's religious development, rejection of Catholicism?

17. The famous sermon - as delivered by John Gielgud, his verbal style, presence? His restrained tone? The realism of the delivery and the presentation of the sermon in the chapel? The audience focusing on priest and Stephen? The importance of the visuals evoked in the sermon and the effect on the imagination? How was the realism a distraction from the content of the speech? The attitude towards religion, conscience and guilt? Hell and judgment? An image of God? The effect on Stephen? His dreams?

18. Stephen and his going to the university, his changing? His giving up his religion? His giving up his love for Ireland? The encounter with Emma? His liking for her, the possibility of love? The later view and the poem?

19. The importance of his three friends at university and their lifestyle, the contrast with his? The discussions he had with them - their verbal content and the dramatic way in which they were presented? How successful such an emphasis on verbalising, philosophical and religious reflection, aesthetic discussion for the screen?
i) Sexuality, confession, Stephen's long story?
ii) Art - drinking, catharsis, art, terror and pity. beauty. splendour, radiance, the artist's call?
iii) Religion, sacrilege, image of God, fear, preoccupations of Catholicism, eternity?
iv) Ireland and exile, Stephen's loneliness and aloneness, the risk in moving out to an unknown future? These long speeches as Joyce's literary genius, to be read and heard, the difficulty in their being presented in a film, their seeming to be lectures?

20. The final changes in Stephen: his relationship with Emma, his parents, the seashore and his walk, his solitude? The significance of his farewell and leaving Ireland?

21. James Joyce's comments through Stephen on the nature of a true Irishman and his ability to leave Ireland or not? To let it alone or not?

22. A portrait of Ireland as well as of the artist as a young man, Ireland as a place, atmosphere, its people, motivations, longings, sense of destiny?

23. The film as a portrait of human nature - of the ordinariness of life, of extraordinariness and genius? The title as summing up the film?

PINK FLOYD - THE WALL


UK, 1982, 95 minutes, Colour.
Bob Geldof, Christine Hargreaves, James Laurenson, Eleanor David, Bob Hoskins, Jenny Wright..
Directed by Alan Parker.

Pink Floyd: The Wall is an extraordinarily complex film. Many in the 1980s found it too difficult – or considered it in the same vein as some of the psychedelic films (including 2001: A Space Odyssey) of the late 1960s.

The film was directed by Alan Parker, who had already made an impact by this time with Bugsy Malone and Midnight Express as well as Fame. With Bugsy Malone and Fame he showed he could handle the presentation of music and music styles on screen (as he was later to do with his film version of Evita). Parker was also involved in more domestic dramas like Shoot the Moon and was then to make Birdy, Angel Heart and Mississippi Burning. He returned to music and popular culture in 1991 with The Commitments.

The film features the music of Pink Floyd – quite extensively (and won BAFTA awards and other awards for the song ‘Another Brick in the Wall’. The music is strongly enhanced by a number of animation sequences drawn by celebrated British artist, Gerald Scarfe.

The film is the portrait of a burnt-out rock ‘n roll singer who finds he can be alive only on stage but with the help of drugs. This echoed, of course, the lifestyles of many of the popular stars and rock 'n roll artists since the 1960s. It is interesting that the character is played by Bob Geldof, at this time from The Boomtown Rats, within two years to be a world celebrity for his intervention in helping worldwide the famine in Ethiopia.

The film is very British in tone, goes back to the time of World War Two to try to explain the background of the burnt-out rock star. The film also uses the movie The Dambusters with Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd, as a point of reference for themes, Britishness, war, violence, peace.

Bob Hoskins, rather earlier in his career, appears as the manager. However, it is an opportunity to see the work of Alan Parker, the performance of Bob Geldof, hear the music of Pink Floyd and see the drawings of Gerald Scarfe.

1. The impact of Pink Floyd as a group? Their music and lyrics, themes and images? A group of the '70s? Mood, comment on the times, interpretation of the times?

2. The film's use of the music: production, songs, lyrics? As background, as part of the plot, as comment? Themes of education, war, madness, women, isolation.. alienation, despair? The style of the insertion of the songs, the visualising, animation? The theme 'Another Brick in the Wall' as chorus for the film? The range of the songs of the album: 'The Tigers Broke Free'. 'In the Flesh', 'The Thin Ice', 'Another Brick in the Wall', 'Goodbye Blue Sky'. 'The Happiest Days of Our Lives', 'Empty Spaces', 'Mother', 'One of My Turns', 'Don't Leave Me Now', 'Goodbye Cruel World', 'Hey You', 'Is There Anybody Out There', 'Nobody Home'. 'Vera', 'Bring the Boys Back Home', 'Waiting for the Worms', 'Stop', 'Outside the Wall', 'Young Lust', 'Comfortably Numb', 'Run Like Hell', 'The Trial', 'The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot' (sung by Vera Lynn)?

3. The direction of Alan Parker: his films, verve? The influence of the rock operas. Tommy? The verve and imagination blended with realism? Colour photography, Panavision? Real, animation,' dream? Britain in the past, present? What kind of future? The dream and nightmare? The importance of the editing? The influence of TV commercial style for pace, images, editing? Colour, shapes, movement, sounds, noise? The film's focus on technical communication?

4. How well did the film blend reality and unreality? Faces and masks, the variety of settings, the animation and the use of real images e.g. the happers in the cartoon., in the fantasies? The impact for the audience in terms of response to Britain in the past, the present, the world of themes, interiors. imagination?

5. The contribution of the animation? Its style, movement, colour, vividness? The points of insertion throughout the film? Episodes? The monster trying to devour Pink in the empty room? The themes of the animation: birds, leaves, butterflies, fields? Gentle images turning to monstrous? Consuming, distorted, strangling? Protean shapes? Sex. war? The cross and the tombs? The blood from the cross going down the drain? The scream, the wall, the child? The judge to the seducer defecating on his victims? Pink's monster? The impact of the style and the themes? Their corresponding to the music and the lyrics?

6. The framework of the careers of rock stars in the '60s and '70s: their control over the audience, the fascist control (at the beginning and end of the film), the fact and explanation of the meteoric rise of pop stars, their popularity? Success, concerts, wealth, groupies, fast-talking managers? The impact on the artist - retirement, withdrawal, watching television, wrecking and smashing, madness, shaving chest and eyebrows, nightmares and memories, transformation and madness? The transformation of Pink into the fascist style star with his particular type of entertainment? The rallies, the persecution of minorities, the fanatic followers? Violence in the streets? The film's move from realism to fantasy as comment on the rock stars? The screenplay written by Roger Waters ? and his grimly poetic interpretation of his career (from the vantage point of success?).

7. The presentation of The Dambusters on television throughout the film. A reviewer suggested 'a desert island movie'! The Dambusters on television, present everywhere, available? The comment on Britain in the '40s, a heroic past, Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd? The facts about The Dambusters. Experiments, trials, bombs and repercussions? The irony of the bombs and the killing of Pink's father? The animated presentation of war and bombs? The military boffins and their gentlemanliness, the grief about the dog being dead? The clue from The Dambusters for Pink's reaction about his father, the way that he grew up? The fatherless Englishman trying to cope with the contemporary pressures?

8. The presentation of Pink's father: going to the war, with his men, his heroic action, death, the bomb? The continued close-ups of him dead? Yet his return from the dead and looking at Pink - the scene with his return with the rat? His being seen as a corpse in bed? The significance of his absence? Pink's mother with the pram in the garden crosscut with the father's death? Her praying in the church and Pink playing with the toy plane? The effect of his growing up - illness, going to bed, the need for the rat as a pet? His mother going shopping and his playing in the park, wanting the attention of the father with his child with the merry-go-round and slippery dip? The repercussions of the absent father?

9. The sketch of Pink as a child: growing up without a father, the scene in the church, the park, at home, watching the girl strip, school and the persecution about the poem, the pet rat and his mother's rejection of it and his dropping it in the river? The fantasy sequences with the child revisiting the trenches, the child Pink seeing the mad adult Pink? The child taking the adult's place watching The Dambusters? The thew of the child as father to the man? The man seeking to look at things through the eyes of childhood?

10. Pink's marriage, his moroseness, relationship with his wife, the fantasy of the wife and boyfriend and the telephone call, his wife coming to see him? His isolation ? television, shaving, collapse, madness?

11. The wife and her ordinariness, her Ban The Bomb friend and their liaison? The superimposition of their lovemaking with Pink's madness? Her trying to arouse Pink. the visit? The comparison with the groupies and the show business world, their coming into the premises, sex and the policeman, caravan and the orgy atmosphere? The girl and her going to the room with Pink, trying to provoke him, sucking his fingers, her terror as Pink goes berserk and smashes everything? The animation with sex as devouring and bloody? Flowers turning into monsters? The sexual overtones of the animated judge?

12. Sex, death, blood and the war?

13. The themes of education: another brick in the wall - the realism of the classroom sequences with the teacher, the headmaster? The mockery about the poems? Pink's fantasies? The children marching, the masks, falling into the mincing machine, the caning and the wife controlling the teacher? The teacher taking it out on Pink? The resumption of this theme in the trial scene? The comparison with the doctor keeping Pink in bed?

14. The showbiz entourage, the manager and his smart talk, having to control situations, especially in the wrecked room? The hotel manager and his desperation?

15. The build-up to the animation trial? The characters in Pink's life coming and confronting him? The ominous silence before the final explosion of the wall?

16. The epilogue with the children, the wreckage in London, the innocent child setting fire to the Molotov cocktail?

17. The film's comment on contemporary Britain - from the '40s to the '80s? Rights and wrongs, justice and injustice, alienation, materialism, success and failure? Protest and scream?

PHAEDRA

US/Greece, 1962, 115 minutes, Black and white.
Melina Mercouri, Anthony Perkins, Raf Valone.
Directed by Jules Dassin.

Phaedra is the work of writer director Jules Dassin. Dassin had a successful Hollywood career in the '40s with such films as Naked City and Brute Force. Blacklisted, he went to Europe and made the crime classic Rififi. In Greece he made He Who Must Die and married Melina Mercouri. For several decades he has made films with his wife, using Greek settings and backgrounds and also with an eye on the Greek classics, filming them or adapting them to 20th. century settings. Phaedra is one of the earliest of these films. After the success of Never on Sunday, he adapted the classic story to contemporary Greece, making Melina Mercouri the ambiguous ageing heroine and matching her with Anthony Perkins as the desperate suicidal young hero.

The film echoes the Onassis type of empire with ships and wealth. The music by Mikis Theodorakis is very interesting and becomes part of the atmosphere and plot. The film is mannered, highly melodramatic and neurotic. However, it is the type of excessive melodrama that captures a willing audience and whirls them along in its momentum. Melina Mercouri is always a vigorously strong presence, almost a devouring actress, and she employs this style here. Anthony Perkins, always an expert at neurotic young men, offers this kind of interpretation here. Raf Vallone offers the authentic Greek background. Probably not a good film, but a very interesting one. Dassin was to go on to make such films as Topkapi, Promise At Dawn and A Dream Of Passion, with his wife.


1. The impact of the cry at the beginning and end of the film, the letters of the title and Phaedra’s name? The atmosphere of the credits, the statuary, the horses – and the ending with the car and death? Phaedra as an ominous name?

2. The importance of the mythical Greek background and audience knowledge of this or not? Knowledge of detail, knowledge that this was an updating of Greek mythology? The line of the plot, character attitudes, passions, fate, issues of family, power, empire? How well do ancient Greek myths translate into modern Greek settings? Into contemporary Europe? The characters and their passions and the net of interrelationships drawn starkly and tragically and even epically in the past – into the business headlines and newspaper articles and magazine articles of the present?

3. The vision of Jules Dassin and his American background, his living in Greece? His vision of things Greek and the universal message of mythology? How successful is his attempt to bring the past into the present, to interpret the past? His reliance on his wife, Melina Mercouri and her Greek background, intense passion and presence, her interpretation of Greek tragic heroines?

4. The atmosphere of Greek tragedy: world empire and wealth, monarchs and the language used of kings and queens, ships and the references to wealth being carried and far-off voyages and storms and disasters? The sea? The importance of family, inheritance, passion and love, the changing of partners in the adult generation, indications of relationships in the next generation? The role of the nurse with her ominous sense of doom? The chorus of the Greek women at the beginning and, especially, at the end with death? The importance of violence, death, especially by suicide?

5. The black and white photography and the joy of the opening, the crowds of people, the ship, celebration, society, Phaedra and her launching the ship? Family, hopes, the importance of international deals and Thanos going off? Yet hints of jealousy, changed marriages, passions and ambitions? Comment on people having everything. The launching of the ship and the beginning of Phaedra’s voyage to Alexandria and the ending with her death and the death of the ship? The consequent destruction on people who sailed with her?

6. Thanos as focal character, as a rich businessman, his Greek empire, his plans, building, devotion to Phaedra, for Alexandria? The mergers? His blindness to his wife’s character, to understanding his son, not knowing about his painting? The Greek sin of hubris and Thanos’s guilt? Did he deserve such repercussions and loss at the end? The film’s insight into blind pride and its overriding conquering and yet having its own seeds of destruction?

7. Melina Mercouri’s interpretation of Phaedra? Her physical presence, the strong overpowering character and physical appearance? A woman of will and command yet tenderness? Love for her husband, yet her wanting him to stay? Obeying his commands and going to Paris and London? Her regret? The impact of seeing Alexei in the museum, and what happened to her? The shoes, their walking? Her dislike for Alexei and her plans for her own son being overwhelmed by love and passion? The blindness and unreasonableness of the passion on both parts? Thanos and his presence in Paris, the quick visit and creating the situation for the passion to grow?

8. How successful was the love scene and the suggestion of passion with blazing fire and watery focus? The loud music and its crescendos? Visual suggestions? The sudden dying of the music and Phaedra being cold? A successful cinematic communication of such passion? Convincing in the plot at this stage? Their talking together, song, dancing? Alexei as the seeming young innocent seduced by Phaedra? Her being seduced by him? Her unwillingness to have any plans and his wanting plans? The ominous phone call and his not wanting her to answer and her decision to answer? Why did the relationship go so awry? Fate, the characters themselves?

9. The background of the nurse’s dream and her warning about the fighting of the two boys? The warning of the Chorus at the beginning? Successful use of a Greek device?

10. What happened to Phaedra at her arrival home, the edge, her unwillingness to be near her husband, going to the nurse, the nurse understanding what had happened, continuing to warn her? Her growing peacefulness, the phone call to Alexei? The ambiguity of her passionate asking him to come and the interpretation by father and by son?

11. How well had the film drawn the character of Alexei? Information about his parents, English mother, hostility to Phaedra, study in London, art? As a person – Anthony Perkins style of interpretation, genial, deep, callow? The growing passion for Phaedra and its effect on his emotions? His arrival in Greece and the shadow on Phaedra, the joy in meeting Thanos and the nurse watching? His ambiguity of attitude, growing hatred towards Phaedra, love for his father? His cousin and the hopes for a wedding? His cynical attitude towards her? Sharing the visit of the docks with his father? Participating in the party? To build a future in Greece?

12. The contrast with Phaedra’s moods and their domination of the film, the visit with her son to her father and his not understanding what had happened? Her defying of Alexei to kiss her with so many people present? The growing moods and preventing the wedding? The hostility towards the girl, the irony of her being in white at the time of the sinking of the ship and the Greek Chorus in black? Her decision to tell the truth, Thanos’s not hurting her? What did she achieve?

13. The contrast with Alexei and the building up of hopes and his father’s revelation of the information, beating him? Exiling him? Phaedra washing him and his declaring his hatred? His going to the cairn that he loved? The reckless driving – did he intend to kill himself? His comments about Bach and its appropriateness at this time of his life, singing, sudden crash and death? The pathos of his being carried in to his father as so many women were mourning the death of their families?

14. The contrast with the formalities of Phaedra’s death? The nurse’s participation? Her laying herself out solemnly?

15. Themes of family ambitions, intrigues? The portrait of Thanos’s ex-wife, rival, father-in-law, the plans of the girl to marry and her jealousy of other girls and Alexei’s attentions? The world of wealth and frivolity? Fine clothes, ordering and then transporting an Aston Martin, dances, the tossing of the plates into the harbour? This playboy world?

16. What was the audience finally left with? A purging experience of terror and pity as in the Greek classics? A look at the basic and perennial feelings and thoughts and relationships of human beings? How much insight?

PERSONAL BEST

US, 1982, 122 minutes, Colour.
Patrice Donnelly, Mariel Hemingway, Scott Glenn,
Directed by Robert Towne.

Personal Best is a strong film with a sports focus. It was made in preparation for America’s participation in the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. However, given the atmosphere of the cold war and Russian intervention in Afghanistan, the American team did not participate in the games. (Moscow did not participate in the Los Angeles games in 1984.)

The film was researched by writer-director Robert Towne, moving among athletes and learning their styles and ethos. Towne has directed very few films, Personal Best being his first. He directed Tequila Sunrise and then returned to sports with Without Limits in 1998, the story of Prefontaine who was portrayed by Billy Cruddup.

Robert Towne has written a great number of screenplays since 1960. His most celebrated is Chinatown, directed by Roman Polanski. This atmosphere of Chinatown and Los Angeles in the 1930s was captured in Towne’s 2006 film, Ask the Dust.

The film focuses on a young athlete with talent portrayed by Mariel Hemingway. She is somewhat diffident and is in admiration of a superior athlete, played by actual athlete, Patrice Donnelly. As she is influenced by the athlete, she becomes emotionally involved with her in a lesbian relationship. This is complicated by her relationship with her boyfriend as well as the influence of the strong-minded coach, played by Scott Glenn. Towne’s screenplay interweaves these themes of competitiveness, diffidence, comparisons, emotional relationships, sexuality to provide a complex drama with the sports setting.

1. The title and its reference to sport and achievement? The focus on sport? The focus on personal relationships and the application of the title to this?

2. The effectiveness of the film as sports drama? Personal relationship drama? Its contemporary tone and exploration of sexual relationships? A film of insight? A woman's world? A woman's world of sport, of relationships?

3. The atmosphere of the '70s? The background Of American sport and competitiveness and training? The trials in Oregon, training, California? The competition in Latin America? The build-up to the Moscow Olympics? The irony of the lack of American participation in the Olympics? Was this intended as some kind of symbol for the plot and the characters and relationships?

4. Audience response to the focus on sport, the events? The skill in filming the various events and their competitiveness, strain, success? The world of athletes? The use of authentic athletes in their roles? Training, the effect, participation in the events? The Olympic hopes? The background of the Pentathlon and its variety of skills required? Running, jumping? The techniques and the filming of the final sprint?

5. The woman's world of sport, competitiveness? Sensibilities? The issues, especially lesbianism? The point of view of the writerdirector as a man? Sympathy, empathy, insight? The contribution of the actresses' performances? The impact for audience understanding? Compassion?

6. Audience response to sexual relationships? Homosexuality? The portrayal of lesbianism in a context rather than in theory? Theoretical responses, emotional responses? The portrayal of characters, the acceptance of the fact of lesbianism? Explanations and lack of explanation? The effect of sexual preferences and their repercussions for personal life, relationships, career? The demands of a sexual relationship? The parallels between heterosexuality and homosexuality? Response, needs, fidelity, breaks? The psychological background to sexual relationships? The response of the public ? affected by a film like this?

7. The film using two significant issues and blending them? Each throwing light on the other? The competitiveness and the love? The repercussions on each as individuals? on character, dependence, rivalry, winning, self?sacrifice?

8. Chris as focus: the initial hurdles and her failure, the demands of her father, the meal and the outing, people's reactions, her fainting? The encounter with Tor! and her sharing experiences? The focus on the arm-wrestling - as a symbol of what was to happen? The drinking leading to the sexual encounter? The effect on Chris? Reaction of her parents? Her going to training? Her skills or lack of skills? In her own eyes, in Tori’s eyes, in Terry's eyes? How much was made of her background with the Indian ancestry? The scholarship? An awkward girl? Her sense of failing? Her reaction to taking chances? Tori's helping her into the team? The training, improvement? Terry's impatience? The build-up to participation in the Pentathlon? The growing achievement? The parallel in the relationship with Tori? Friendship, love? The portrayal of the sexual intimacy? The demands and the awkwardness for Chris? Clashes with Terry and yet his fascination with her? The accident in the jumping ? whose fault? Images of not being angry, apologising? The chance encounter with Denis? The parallel with the encounter with Tori? The talk, the swimming? The weights and the techniques for training? The relationship? Chris' innocence and curiosity about masculine sexuality? The sexual encounter and the effect? Terry separating Chris and Tori? The ultimatums? Chris' sexual encounter with Terry? Her making decisions and not accepting Terry's advice? The pain of separation from Tori and ignoring her, suspicious of her? Her going to her at the time?

9. The portrait of Tori? The performance by Patrice Donnelly with her athletics background? Her success as an athlete? Helping Chris? Her attraction to her, the arm wrestling, talking and listening, the drinking, the physical encounter? The mutual dependence? The sympathetic portrayal of the lesbian? Her strength, persuading Terry to take Chris on? The growing relationship? The break? The jump and the accident? The hurt and separation? The bond at the end? Her winning the race? The portrait of a career woman, strong skills? The repercussions on her life and feelings? Love and passion? Hold and jealousy? The portrait of the erratic feelings in the lesbian context? Giving up Chris? Her determination and achievement?

10. Terry as the tough coach, his attitudes? His explanation of his coaching women? His reasons, motivation? His treatment of the women athletes? The picture of the strong man and comparisons with the strong women? Training Chris? Confronting her? Sexual advances? Anger with her in going to Tori? The confrontation and Chris' achievement, despite him?

11. The comparison between Denis and Chris? The athlete, the ordinary relationship, his reaction to the lesbianism? Love for Chris? How well portrayed as a character in comparison with the others?

12. The world of the women athletes and the highlighting of their skill? Their lifestyle and pressures, drinking, drugs? The importance of the talking sessions in the sauna? Women-talk? Vulgarity? Emphasis on sex? Their determination in training and winning?

13. How valuable a film illustrating American sense of sportsman and sportswomanship? A frank and intelligent exploration of sexual relationships and problems?

PUBLIC TOILET

China, 2002, 102 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Fruit Chan.

Public Toilet is an art film for festivals. It focuses on two characters in China, in India on their travels, in New York City. The theme uses the public toilet as a symbol for places where people go, for bodily functions, for images of life and death. Chan then made the controversial Dumplings.

1. The impact of the film, a Chinese perspective, the characters from Beijing, the toilets of the world, India and New York? The musical score?

2. The information about the central character, the toilet, the others, life there? The old man (and his dying)? Bodily functions, people, service? Different customs, buildings, a male world?

3. The toilet, metaphors, the human condition?

4. The central character in Beijing, friends, bonds? The illness, the sense of mission?

5. The two brothers in India, the Ganges, the ill, the wise people, the Hindu customs?

6. New York, the search, the killer, the video, the girl, death?

7. The random aspects of the universal world, the toilet metaphor, questions about life?

PROMISED WOMAN

Australia, 1974, 80 minutes, Colour.
Yelena Zigon, Takis Emmanuel, Nicos Gerissimou, Kate Fitzpatrick.
Directed by Tom Cowan.

Promised Woman is a very interesting Australian drama, written and directed by Tom Cowan (pictured) who made such films as The Office Picnic and Journey Among Women. This is a more commercially orientated film by this director who is also an expert cinematographer, eg. Mouth to Mouth. It shows the plight of a middle-aged Greek migrant coming to Sydney and trying to cope. There is good observation of life in Sydney, the life among the Greek community, the problems encountering human beings taken away from their environment, remembering it with fondness and with regret and trying to make a new life. It is a warm, human drama and offers insight into the problems that face migrants. It is well worth discussing.

1. An entertaining film, interesting, of social value?

2. For Greek audiences, Australians, migrant Australian audiences? Insight into social awareness and the value of giving this through story and film?

3. How authentic a film: the atmosphere of Greece, migration, Australian? The comparison and contrast of the two environments? Country and city? Distance, barriers, language?

4. How authentic a picture of Australian society: the people within the situations and their behaviour, the problems, the patterns of society, behavioural questions?

5. The reality of the situation: Antigone and the nightmarish prologue of sleeping in Australia with the mother coming to get her and her refusal? The contrast with the prologue in Greece? The significance of the letter, money, arrangements of marriages? Love and pride, dignity? How trapped are people with these situations? The importance of Antigone's flashbacks and the gradual revelation of cruelty and rejection, pride? Indications for homesickness, romanticising the past, bitterness? The importance of the structure and placing of the flashbacks?

6. The question of the language – especially for an Australian audience with so much Greek not translated? Empathy for the experience of the migrant? The importance of language for communication, breaking through isolation, being trapped?

7. The initial transition from Greece to Sydney? The arrival, Antigone and her anticipation? What kind of person was she in terms of age, experience, dignity and pride and independence? As a woman? The significance of her rejection and her reaction to this? Her pride and repaying the money to Telis? Her being made welcome in the block of flats? The importance of her isolation, the reaction of the old lady, the old couple, the two brothers, Narj and Ken and the various friends? Her gradually being able to cope and yet her daydreaming? Work, experience of Australian society and its contrasts? The importance of her marriage dress and the dreams of marriage sexuality? How credible a person was she? How much sympathy did she elicit from the audience?

8. Now was Antigone revealed in the various aspects of her behaviour: her searching for work and being lost in the suburbs, her work in the cafe, in the hotel and Manolis and his reaction to this? Her attending the rehearsal of the play? The party? Her relationship with Marj and talking to Marj, to the girl at the cafe? The behaviour at home, loneliness, walking? The dance leading to the fight? Her behaviour in the hospital? Ner reasons for dignity against Telis, rejection of Manolis' proposal? Would she eventually accept?

9. The picture of Australians and their reaction to migrants e.g. the girl in the suburb who was in a hurry, the people at the party at Narj's place, the people in the pub, in the streets? How realistic a picture of Australia? Comment on attitude to migrants?

10. The importance of the environment of Sydney and its suburbs, the importance of the visit to the Opera House as a location for a discussion about the past and migration? Suburban streets and their look, church, theatre, shops? The comparison with the Greek landscapes?

11. The character portrayal of Telis: his expectations and pride, his rejection of Antigone and his selfishness, the guest ion of money, Manolis's rebuking him? Seeing him in his work and ambitions, being attacked for black labour, the deals and his ambitions? The man about town and the King's Cross episode? At the dance? The way he talked about himself to others e.g. the guitar player? His mood during the dance, fighting with his brother? Finally seeing him at the hospital? How interesting a portrait of such a man?

12. The contrast with Manolis as a man; his authority over his brother, his work, Australia for twenty years, dignity, way of helping Antigone, talking to her, the visit to the Opera House? His proposal as well thought out? The fight and its effects on him? Being left at the end – what would the future be?

13. Narj as representing the Australians? Her explanation of herself, seeing her in her apartment with Ken and the way that she talked? At the play and her description of being tied in – its reference to herself as well as to Antigone? The throwing of the party, the gap between herself and Ken with his talk of Hemingway etc.? The end and was Ken leaving her?

14. The portrait of the old lady and her holding of Greek ways, her seeming to haunt everyone? Her lashing of the dress? The contrast with the middle-aged couple and their having settled into Australia, arranged the marriage, reminiscing over the past and wanting to return? The woman and her prayers?

15. What of the future for all of them? Greek migrants in Australia? For example, the boy with the guitar and his being bashed at his gambling? The groups e.g. the marriage ceremonies, local cafes? People joining the Greeks in their traditional ways?

16. The kind of insight into migrant problems? The human problems of relationship and dignity?

PUBERTY BLUES

Australia, 1981, 87 minutes, Colour.
Nell Schofield, Jad Capelja, Geoff Rhoe, Tony Hughes.
Directed by Bruce Beresford.

Puberty Blues was a commercial success for Bruce Beresford. Beresford had made a breakthrough with the Australian film industry in 1972 with The Adventures of Barry Mc Kenzie (and followed it up in 1974 with Barry Mc Kenzie Holds His Own). In the latter part of the 1970s he directed The Getting of Wisdom and Don’s Party. After an action movie, The Money Movers, he won awards for Breaker Morant.

Soon after this, Beresford moved to Hollywood and made such films as Tender Mercies for which Robert Duvall won an Oscar and Driving Miss Daisy which won the Oscar for best film, Oscar for Jessica Tandy (but not even a nomination for himself). Beresford has continued his prolific career in Hollywood as well as making some films in Australia including The Fringe Dwellers and Paradise Road.

The film was based on a popular novel by Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette. They looked at the beach culture south of Sydney in the 1970s and early 80s, centred on Cronulla. It is a picture of youth at the time, school, homes, the beach, the beach culture. It is both a picture and mirror of the times as well as offering something of a critique.

The film had a cast which was not well known – but were able to capture the as of the times and make an impact. The film was interesting to compare the styles and mores of 1980s with those of the previous decade as with those of the succeeding decades.

1. The popularity of the book, the film? The pros and cons: issues, accuracy, insight?

2. The adaptation of an episodic book to the screen? The shaping of the episodes into a story about the two teenage girls? The feminine approach to characters and situations: the original authors, the screenwriter, the producer, the perspective and talent of the actresses? The point of view of director Bruce Beresford? The impact of the story, situations, characters, development of issues, growth and insight?

3. Many Sydneysiders commented on the accuracy/inaccuracy of the film – how accurate and authentic did the film seem, the importance of facts or the importance of the spirit of teenage life in Sydney surf suburbs? The film reflecting the atmosphere and styles of the late '70s, early '80s? Sydney, suburban lifestyle, families, teenagers, parents, school, peer pressure, surf, search and growth, crises? The particularly Australian emphases? Universal impact?

4. The brevity of the film and its effective communication? The colour and Panavision photography: the beaches, affluent suburban homes, shops and shopping centres, drive-ins etc.? School; the bus, classrooms, schoolyard and assemblies, toilet blocks? The visualising of the beach style: the surf, the waves, surfing, the crowded beaches? The range of seasons? The colour, light, sunlight, movement of the Sydney suburbs?

5. The youthful point of view of the film – audiences looking with the eyes of the central characters? The scope and range of interests, the focus on the girl's interests and experience, the limitations of this range? The bias, interest in the peers, friendships, enmities, pressures? The aims of the girls, their hopes, experience at home, at school? The tendency to present adults, especially the parents, as one-dimensional? (And the girls seeing their parents that way?) The comment on the youthful point of view and the irony of its limitations – and their breaking out of the limits?

6. The focus on Debbie and Sue – as typical of the suburban girls? Ordinary girls, their abilities and potential, their capacity for breaking out of the pressure or being trapped within it? The framework of the film and their first walk on the beach, their being rejected, the horse and the sand? The transition to later walks on the beach and their being accepted, under the orders of the boys? The transition to the funeral pyre on the beach? Their final defiant walk and their success at surfing? The passing of time, the growth in experience, mistakes, happiness, the moving to a resolution of this stage of growth? The end of puberty blues?

7. The strength of the friendship of the two girls? Their knowing each other well, accepting each other, support? Sharing their questions and worries? Their conversations at the beach, visiting each other's homes, collaboration in class, Debbie's fight in the bus, the conversations during the jazz ballet class, the exam and the cheating, being called before the headmaster, being accepted by the group at the park, going to the drive-in, the outings and their beginning to be bored, holidays together, Debbie being dropped, the beach sequences, the visit of the boys during the holiday, their concern about Debbie's period, Sue's note and her being called to the headmaster? Their response to Gary's death? Their final defiance? The gesture towards Freda? The two girls as complementary, parallel? Debbie as leader, sue as led? Would Sue have come to insight without Debbie?

8. Debbie and her personality, an attractive girl, the sequences at home – her mother and the setting of the table, doing her homework and feeling persecuted and frustrated, the phone call to Bruce and her list of quest ions for him? Her mother in the garden, Bruce's visit and the awkward ness of his manner, observations, language, the inside of his van? Her mother's concern about going to the cinema and avoiding pushers on the aisle? The buying of the car, Debbie's lack of interest in the colour, the family meal at the Pizza Hut? Her mother's concern for her 'sickle'? Her father and his pleasant concern for his daughter? Carol and the fighting at home, her wanting fifty cents not to tell on the girls going out at night? How well drawn were Debbie's parents? The accuracy in their love for their daughter, not being in touch, their worries? The points made about contemporary parents and their understanding of their children and their children's growth?

9. Mrs Knight and her love for Sue, the domestic sequences, Sue searching for her jeans, the bond between mother and daughter, her return home and their covering up their party, her going to her pottery class?

10. The sketch of the headmaster – his lecturing the boys and the girls about cheating, his standards of behaviour, their good families, their futures – Sue settling down and marrying and raising children? His assembly speech about children smoking on the buses in uniform? His reaction to Sue's note and discussion about sex? His tearing up the note? The dilemma about concern for discipline and the missing out on deeper issues? The exam supervisors, the teacher supervising and the smoking in the toilet? The teacher writing on the board "Your future, not mine"? The few adults in the rest of the film, the drive-in attendant and the girls sneaking in in the boot, the bus driver stopping the bus and ending the fight, the police and the ambulance men? The limited interest of the children in the adult world?

11. The character of Debbie: her age, experience, leadership? An equal to Sue but leading companion? Contrast with the other girls e.g. Cheryl? The clash on the beach with the sand and the horse, the fight in the bus? Helping the boys in the exam? The reaction of the headmaster to the cheating? Her capacity for study and her success? Her irritability at home, clash with her sister? Her wanting to be in the peer group? The acceptability and her going down to the park with Sue? Her being paired off with Bruce – the kiss and the expectation then for intercourse? Her ironic later comment about the courting rites? Her experiences of sex in the van, in Sue's home? Her lack of success and her feeling bad? Her problems about virginity? Her being told she was dropped? The beginnings of the friendship with Gary, his not pushing her? Their experiences shared together? Inviting the boys up for the holiday? Stealing out at night (with 50 cents to Carol) and the tenderness of her night with Gary? The collage of her being worried about her period – at home, at the car sale, the Pizza Hut, the sick day? Her relief when she had her period and communicating it to Sue? Her visit to Gary and disillusionment with him, her accusations of his selfishness? The discovery of Gary's death? Her presence at the memorial rites on the beach, putting her friendship ring on the sticks? Her presence with the boys playing cards, her declaration that they should do something interesting? (The alternate filming of her statements from inside and through the rain-covered window)? Her changing her mind about surfing, walking along the beach with Sue, the exhilaration of surfing and her success? Their being dropped – "Who cares?" A rounded character study of a girl at puberty?

12. Sue seen as companion to Debbie, led by her, her equal? Her taken for granted relationship with Danny? Discussions and sharing with Debbie? Her relationship to her mother? Her giving the note to Debbie in class? Being brought up before the headmaster? Would she have changed if Debbie had not changed?

13. Peer pressure, the girls being dropped and their decision not to worry? The peer pressures – the goals of belonging, 'sucking up to the other girls'? Belonging and acceptance, being part of a group – the way the girls were filmed sun baking while the boys surfed? The boredom of inactivity? Sexual relationships and brusque sexual encounters? Ignorance? The rough life of the girls in the group and the way they were treated by the boys? The need to break through peer pressure?

14. The sketches of the boys: Bruce and his van and its interior decoration, work, not wanting to do hard work, his language, the sexual encounters with Debbie in the back of the van – hitting his head on the roof and her apologising, the Vaseline at the Knights' house? His visit to Debbie's parents and his manner? His dropping Debbie? Danny and his ordinariness, along with the crowd, relating to Sue, expecting a sexual liaison? His cheering the girls with their surfing at the end? Strach and his hardness, sneering? His personifying the boys' attitudes? The baiting of Freda and the abuse of her? Gary and his ordinariness, his family and his mother looking after him, the pressures for exams, the relationship with Debbie, his tenderness, his use of drugs and preoccupation with them, his gradual withdrawal, the scene at home with Debbie's abuse, his death? The memorial rite – even after the others hadn't bothered about him while he was alive when he wasn't surfing much more? The emphasis on surfing and its rituals, the boys not allowing the girls to surf, the girls having to watch, fetch food for the boys, take their orders, go to the drive-ins, help them cheat in exams, accumulate rings (as Cheryl did), be ready to be dropped, make cakes for the boys to eat them, participate in the rituals? The fight with the lifesavers? The male chauvinist presuppositions – the role of the male in Australia and his presuppositions as he grows up?

15. The girls and their subservient role, sex objects, to look good, to be ready for 'rooting', fight, sit, admire?

16. How authentic a picture of puberty blues and the search for identity? Isolation, intimacy? The surf as a symbol for peer group, pressure, belonging?

17. Puberty and change, growth, behaviour, crises, relationships, the resolution of problems? Puberty rituals, 'rites of passage'?

18. The blues and the sad experience, moods, coping, relationship – especially with adults?

19. A satisfying blend of the funny, the sad, the humane? Girls' liberation? Insight into Australian behaviour and attitudes?

PONY SOLDIER

US, 1952, 82 minutes, Colour.
Tyrone Power, Cameron Mitchell, Thomas Gomez, Penny Edwards, Robert Horton.
Directed by Joseph Newman.

Pony Soldier is a brief western, set in Canada. Tyrone Power portrays Duncan Mac Donald, a member of the Mounted Police in western Canada – 1876 and newly established with three hundred police. They are sent on a mission to rescue white settlers from Indians. Thomas Gomez portrays the guide.

The film shows the way of life of the Indians in Canada, the clashes with the white settlers as well as with the police – although the film ends with some sentiment, with Mac Donald adopting a young Indian boy.

One of the routine westerns made by the studios at this stage of the 1950s – and one of the many star vehicles for Tyrone Power.

1. A good and enjoyable western? Special? What conventions of the western did it rely on and how well?

2. The film as a western of the 50s, the use of colour, locations, the presentation of the Mounties, the Indians? Tyrone Power as hero?

3. The authentic atmosphere of the film? The presentation of maps? The history of Canada and the Indians? The narrative of the Pony Soldiers?

4. The film as a tribute? How valuable? The ending?

5. The character of the pony soldier, his office work, his volunteering for active service, his type? the American hero, his risk in danger, his work for the Indians and success?

6. . The presentation of the Mounties, their role in Canada’s history, their brining law and order to the West? Discipline, the use of scouts, the humour of the deals with the scouts?

7. The film's presentation of the Indians, their way of life, the dilemmas with the American soldiers, the need for food, rituals and traditions, different laws?

8. The decision to ambush the girl and the man, their treatment at of them, the dangers?

9. The Indian clashes amongst themselves and the presentation of their ways of life, the human issues, violence and jealousy? Right prevailing at the end? The decision to abide by the Mounties’ law?

10. The humour and sentiment of the young boy taking the pony soldier as his father?

11. How realistically were the race issues, social issues and law and order treated? The satisfactory resolution of the film? How would this kind of film be made now?