THE CROOKED WAY

US, 1949, 90 minutes, Black and white.
John Payne, Sonny Tufts, Ellen Drew, Rhys Williams, Percy Helton.
Directed by Robert Florey.

The Crooked Way is a film noir focusing on veterans returning from World War Two. John Payne portrays an amnesiac with shrapnel in his brain so that he will never recover. He travels to Los Angeles to discover his previous life only to find that he was involved in a criminal world. Sonny Tufts is the criminal chief. Ellen Drew is his former wife. Rhys Williams is the policeman who wants to wrap up the crime investigation.

John Payne is a fairly stolid figure but the film works well, photographed in stark black and white by John Alton and directed by Robert Florey (The Beast With Five Fingers). It is similar in theme to John Hodiak’s Somewhere in the Night.

1.A film of the 1940s? Visual style, acting style? Themes? World War Two?

2.The Los Angeles settings, the city itself, the streets, clubs, apartments? Realistic atmosphere? Musical score?

3.The title, the reference to Eddie Rice? To Vince Alexander? The criminal world of Los Angeles?

4.The introduction to Eddie, his amnesia, the first impressions of him as a character? The discussions with the doctor, the interrogation? The explanation of his amnesia, the shrapnel? His decision to go to Los Angeles? The irony of his meeting the police on his arrival?

5.His decision to follow leads, the police and their comments, talking about Alexander? The meeting with Nina? Her taking him to the hotel, her telling Vince? The arrival of the thugs, the bashing?

6.The revelation of what had happened, Alexander going to jail, Eddie and his giving information to the police? His marriage to Nina? His going into the army? His heroism?

7.Alexander, manic? His thugs? Their brutality? His confrontation with Eddie? The information from Nina? With the lieutenant, killing him? With Petey, getting information?

8.Eddie, his deciding to stay, Nina being advised to persuade him to stay, her wanting him to go? The revelation about their marriage?

9.The framing of Eddie for Lieutenant Williams’ murder? His being taken by Vince? The confrontation, Vince’s death?

10.Petey, an odd character, his giving information, helping, his death?

11.The elements of the film noir? A B-budget film? Interesting in its picture of the times?

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Canada, 1999, 90 minutes, Colour.
Victor Garber, Louise Marleau, Henry Czerny, Kenneth Welch, Domini Blythe, Kate Greenhouse, Richard Mc Millan.
Directed by Peter Moss.

External Affairs as a play on words, focusing on ambassadors to different countries as well as liaisons overseas.

The film is based on a play, The Stillborn Lover, by Timothy Findley. It is a star vehicle for American actor Victor Garber (pictured) who portrays the Canadian ambassador to the Canadian Soviet Union in 1965. Louise Marleau is his wife who has suffered from a nervous breakdown and is in recuperation. Kenneth Welch plays the ambitious Foreign Affairs minister and Henry Czerny the head of the police.

The film is set in 1965, in Moscow. A Russian has taken refuge in the embassy and is asking for asylum. Canada is hesitant. The ambassador wants the matter cleared and the defector sent to Canada. He also has to deal with the erratic behaviour of his wife. When a murder is reported and his wife implicated, he and his wife are sent back to Canada.

It emerges that the Russians have blackmailing photos of the liaison between the ambassador and a young man who has been murdered. The drama then ends with decisions having to be made in Canada with the ambassador’s wife and daughter opting to support him.

An interesting drama, issues of politics and external affairs as well as personal dramas and a focus on a homosexual relationship in the context of the 60s in international politics.

1.An interesting drama? Political? International? Personal? Sexual?

2.The Moscow settings, the streets, the embassy? The contrast with Canada, Ottawa, government buildings, the holiday resort and the gardens? The musical score?

3.The title of the original play? The title of the film? Meanings?

4.The 1965 setting, the cold war, Canada’s relationship with the Soviet Union? Life in the Soviet Union, surveillance? Blackmail? Defectors, taking refuge in embassies, the hesitancies of the embassies? Not wanting to complicate international relationships?

5.The focus on the ambassador, his status, his skills in his work? His dealings with Ilya, talking with him, promising refuge? His staking his reputation on the proper solution of the problem? His concern about his wife, her return from the opera, her going for a walk and being lost for an hour? The bonds between the two, his tenderness with her and care for her? The discussions with Michael Riordan? The news of the photos? The return to Canada, Harry and Marianne and their not being sure what was happening? Michael and his wife taking them to the resort? The revelation with the photos? Michael and his hard stance? Harry and his response? His being interrogated by Danny Jackman? His heartfelt response to the questions? His support from his wife? Their daughter arriving, the discussions, his attempt to explain himself, his love for his daughter, her decision and support?

6.The issue of the relationship, Harry and his orientation, his explanation of his life before he met Marianne, his facing life and not flinching, Marianne and her love, the marriage, the birth of Diana? Their life together, Cairo, Nagasaki and their visit to see what had happened, life in Russia?

7.Marianne, her illness, her love for her husband, support for him, going for the walk, the meeting with Mischa? The revelation of the holiday, the flashbacks, Marianne calling Mischa, sending him to her husband? Her explaining to her daughter that this was her love for her husband? Her life with him, her love for Diana, discussions with her? Her breakdown, her illness, memory lapses?

8.Michael Riordan, the tough politician, friends with Harry, the recall, the murder, the blackmail, the issue of asylum, his taking the hard line with Harry, wanting an apology? His wife, his relationship with his wife, public, private? Her saving his reputation when he didn’t turn up to meetings? His proposal that Diana spy on her parents? Diana’s rejection of the job?

9.Danny Jackman, severe, calling Marianne Ma’am, her response? Severe, interrogating Harry? Relationship with Diana?

10.Ilya, the defector, the atmosphere of 1965, uncertainties in the embassy, his fears, Harry’s reassurance? The finale and his being sent back to the Russians and his fate?

11.A memory of the cold war? The potential for collapse because of personal life and stories?

SUDDEN DEATH

US, 1995, 110 minutes, Colour.
Jean- Claude Van Damme, Powers Boothe, Raymond J. Barry, Whittni Wright, Ross Mallinger, Dorian Harewood, Audra Lindley.
Directed by Peter Hyams.

A further step in the `humanising' of Jean Claude Van Damme. A variation on the Die Hard action story (the Vice President and staff are abducted by an ex-CIA megalomaniac and held during a hockey match in an explosives-fixed Pittsburgh stadium and Van Damme confronts it almost single-handed), it is an entertaining show marred by a couple of graphic brutal deaths. Van Damme is less high-kicking, has two young children and, despite coming from French Canada and his accent, is called Mc Cord! Hero confronts terrorist show.

1.A Jean- Claude Van Damme thriller? Action film? The older Van Damme? Playing a character in an action film rather than just a display of martial arts? How effective?

2.The Pittsburgh settings, ordinary life, homes and streets, fire brigades …? The contrast with the arena, the crowds, the detail of the building, the corridors, the seating, the arena? The private rooms, the dressing rooms? The roof and its huge structure? How well did the film use these locations? The musical score?

3.The title, the reference to results in a hockey match? In terms of the act of terrorism in the arena?

4.The focus on Darren Mc Cord, a Jean- Claude Van Damme character? His heroism, attitudes of the authorities? His relationship with his wife and children? His taking the children to the game? Showing them around? The involvement of the children in the terrorist attack? Tyler and his wandering off, his father commanding him to stay, the terrorist trying to move him, his remaining despite everything? The kidnapping of the little girl, her strength of character, trying to communicate with her father?

5.The vice-president, his entourage, the guests, going into the special box? The terrorists coming in, overpowering the group, shooting the Secret Service? The hostage threat – and the killing of the mayor and hostages? The confrontation by the vice-president, his strength of character? The taunts of Joshua Foss against the president, against the country, against capitalism?

6.The terrorists’ plan, thoroughly prepared? The team, their truck, getting in? The disguises? The elimination of the Secret Service? Getting into the vice-president’s box? The various members around the arena, trying to cut off the electricity? Stopping communications?

7.The incident in the kitchen, the cook, the threats to him, the phone call to his wife, the arrival of the terrorist, her death? His death after giving them the information and helping disguised terrorists go up?

8.Hallmark, his being in charge, his decisions, working with the men? The sudden revelation of his treachery? The confrontation with Mc Cord? His death?

9.Mc Cord, his friend in the suit, discovering her death? His using his wits, wanting to protect his children? His strength of character?

10.His strategies, tactics, going up into the roof, eliminating the bomb threats?

11.The play going on, the crowds, not kowing their danger? Joshua Foss and his ruthlessness? Mc Cord, being trapped, dressing in the game play? Going onto the ice, his winning score? His son recognising him? His background as a hockey player?

12.Joshua Foss, the background of the Secret Service, his greed, ruthlessness, his insults? Killing the hostages? The contacts with Hallmark and the other security men? His decisions?

13.The pursuit of Mc Cord, in the roof, the dangers, people falling to their deaths? His being secure, swinging thorough the roof? The confrontation with Foss, Foss’s fall and death?

14.The tradition of such films as Die Hard? The individual confronting terrorists? How interesting and entertaining was this variation on the theme?

ROCKET SHIP XM

US, 1950, 77 minutes, Black and white/Red tinting.
Lloyd Bridges, Osa Massen, John Emery, Noah Beery Jr, Hugh O’ Brian, Morris Ankram.
Directed by Kurt Neumann.

Rocket Ship XM was one of the earliest films about space exploration and travel to the moon, done in a serious and scientific manner. (However, the assumptions about science, about travel in space seem rather primitive after the actual events.) At the same time George Pal directed Destination Moon in colour which was a much more successful commercial hit.

With the moon walk finally happening in 1969, the film is a reminder that for decades prior to the moon walk, scientists like those portrayed in the film had to be preparing the space travel, the space stations, the landing on the moon.

For the first half of the film, the focus is very much on the science. We are introduced to the various members of the team led by Lloyd Bridges and by John Emery as the scientist. Osa Massen is interesting as a female astronaut decades before any women did go into space. While the film emphasises the role of women, the leading scientist does have some implicit derogatory remarks about women’s presence in intuition.

When something goes wrong with the spaceship and the mathematics, the crew is hurtled through space, eventually landing on Mars (hence the red tint). This part of the film is a mixture of science fiction and speculation, especially when some characters are discovered on Mars and the astronauts interact with them. The film, in a sense, goes downhill with this aspect although this was probably quite popular at the time with the speculation about Martians and such works as War of the Worlds and The Angry Red Planet.

The film was directed by Kurt Neumann who had direct B-budget films since the early 1930s. He directed a number of Tarzan films but is probably best known as the director of the 1957 The Fly with Vincent Price.

1.The impact of the film, the preparations for a landing on the moon, from the perspective of 1950s, from the perspective of post-1969?

2.The black and white photography, the red tint for Mars? The sets, the laboratories, the press conference room? The spaceship itself – scientifically interesting, primitive by later standards? The exteriors and the special effects and models? The photography of the moon, the Mars settings? The musical score?

3.Science and 1950, the beginnings of the Space Age? Doctor Eckstrom and his explanations, the briefing of the press? Their questions? The introduction to the various members of the crew, the countdown, the takeoff?

4.The characters: Floyd Graham and his offhand Hollywood hero manner, Doctor Van Horn and her science background, mathematics? Doctor Eckstrom and his scientific knowledge? Major Corrigan, his memories of flying jets, genial, his role on the spaceship, Harry Chamberlain and his expertise? Doctor Ralph Fleming on the ground, his contact with Doctor Eckstrom?

5.The spaceship, the interiors, lack of gravity? The astronauts not wearing any special suits? The mathematics? Going off course, hurtling through space, the arrival on Mars?

6.The concern on Earth, Doctor Fleming, the consultations, the press?

7.Mars, the surface, the explorers? Their enthusiasm? The discovery of the Martian people, the interactions, their civilisation?

8.The ending, the achievement, the enthusiasm for space exploration, hopes for the moon, hopes for Mars?

COR! BLIMEY

UK, 2000, 108 minutes, Colour.
Barbara Windsor, Samantha Spiro, Adam Godley, Geoffrey Hutchings, Steve Speirs, Chrissie Cotterill, Hugh Walters.
Directed by Terry Johnson.

Cor! Blimey is based on the play by Terry Johnson, Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick. It won the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for best comedy of 1998. He also wrote the thriller, speculating on Hitchcock, Hitchcock Blonde.

Cor! Blimey is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Carry On films between 1964 and 1976. It shows a great deal of the style of film-making, small-budget, the producer Peter Rogers being very severe on the concessions made to his cast. It shows a number of the cast, popular figures from the films. However, the focus of the film is principally on Sid James and Barbara Windsor, their relationship and their affair as well as the last years of Sid James. The film also focuses on the character of Kenneth Williams. Geoffrey Hutchings is a look-alike for Sid James and captures his mannerisms. Samantha Spiro is also a good look-alike for Barbara Windsor and invests her character with some depth. Adam Godley does an excellent impersonation of Kenneth Williams as well as indicating the torments that this rather morose comic actor suffered.

The film gives an opportunity to reflect on the significance of the Carry On films as popular entertainment – rather than works of cinema art. It also gives an interesting look behind the scenes at the British film industry.

1.The popularity of the Carry On films, over so many decades? The films in their time, the style of humour, innuendo rather than blatant humour, the changes as the 70s wore on? The cast and their personalities? The cult films?

2.The audience knowledge of the Carry On films, their style, jokes, characters? Spoofs?

3.Behind the scenes, the cast, the crew, their lives, emotions?

4.Behind the scenes of film-making, the caravans, the facilities, the studios, the sets, the costumes? The stingy attitude of the producer? The difficulties? The emotional difficulties on set?

5.The focus on Sid James, Barbara Windsor, Kenneth Williams? The others as supporting cast?

6.The period, the 1960s and 70s, English life, films, the changes, more permissiveness?

7.This film resembling a Carry On film in its style, comic characters, the caravan jokes, Matron in the hospital …?

8.The camaraderie and friendship, the clashes between the actors, the verbal humour, the verbal insults? Barbara Windsor and her friendship with Kenneth Williams, the support from Bernard Bresslaw? Kenneth Horne in the background? Joan Sims and her presence, her comment to Sid about his family? Charles Hawtrey and his eccentric mother, his relationship with men, his getting the sack? Peter Rogers as the producer, his tight budgeting? The assistants on set?

9.Introducing the characters via Sally, her drive to Pinewood, her hopes, Sid and his lewd behaviour, her staying, falling in the mud, the shower scene and its farce, her being told to be discreet, her helping Sid over the years, going to the theatre with him, leaving, going to the James Bond film?

10.The portrait of Sid James, Geoffrey Hutchings as a look-alike, his age and his lies about it? The Carry On films? His work with Tony Hancock – and his comments after Tony Hancock’s death? His marriage and family? The womaniser, the caravan, taking the women into the caravan, the passionfruit spiel? An inveterate gambler, borrowing money, even from Ron Knight? Seeing Barbara Windsor and the effect, his pursuit of her, the kiss, her decision about the affair, Ron Knight and his sending his bodyguard? The Brighton sequence, the liaison? Barbara wanting to end the affair, her relationship with her husband? Sid James and his moping, the scene for Carry On, Dick and the kiss? His phone calls and her not answering? The drink, performing in the play, his dying on stage?

11.Barbara Windsor, her work in dubbing, acting, bright, the encounters with Sid, resistance, wanting to get the affair over? Brighton, her consciousness of her husband, Eddie as the bodyguard on set, his warnings to her and to Sid? Her performances in the film? Breaking off with Sid, her friendship with Kenneth Williams and confiding in him? Not answering the phone calls, driving with Kenneth Williams and seeing the news of Sid James’s death on the television? Performing in Twelfth Night instead of going to the funeral? Her walking out of Carry On, Emmanuelle because of the dirty humour? With Kenneth Williams in the mess and his concern about his bottom? Her final scene with Kenneth Williams, the real Barbara Windsor, talking about her memories of Sid James.

12.The portrait of Kenneth Williams, in himself, lonely, his homosexuality, miserable, his quips, his spite, his clashes with Sid James, taking Eddie to the caravan, removing the bricks so that the presence of the women would be revealed? His friendship with Barbara Windsor? His ailments and talking about them? His performance in the films, his being humiliated? The scene with the stocks? His moods? His concern about his bottom? The news of Sid James’s death, his talking with Barbara Windsor? (The film omitting his suicide?)

13.The effect of audiences seeing the private lives of popular stars, the exposes of their moods, behaviour, weaknesses, infidelities?

FOR THE MOMENT

Canada, 1993, 123 minutes, Colour.
Russell Crowe, Christianne Hirt, Wanda Cannon, Scott Kraft, Peter Outerbridge, Sara Mc Millan.
Directed by Aaron Kim Johnston.

For the Moment is a Canadian production which is both a memoir of World War Two as well as a tribute to those involved in action as well as the people of Canada and what they endured during the war. The film is set in Manitoba, in the countryside, the summer of 1942 with young Canadian men and some overseas pilots, including an Australian, before they go to war.

Russell Crowe made this film between The Silver Brumby and The Sum of Us. It preceded his international career. The rest of the cast is Canadian and they give credible performances, making this rural story quite credible.

The film has a number of aerial shots, highlighting the beauty of the Manitoba Plains. There are also coast and beach sequences.

The film is melodramatic at times but the quality of the performances gives it a humanity which transcends the melodrama. There is much grief, deaths in war, absence of husbands, affairs and betrayals, regrets. However, the film puts a human face on the characters and their behaviour.

1.A war film, a memoir, a tribute, romance, regrets?

2.The Manitoba settings, 1942, the summer, the farms and fields, the town, the air base? The coast? The musical score?

3.The aerial photography, the atmosphere of flying, the scenes of the countryside, the training, the crash?

4.The title, its focus on relationships, relationships in war and the uncertainties of the future?

5.The introduction with the aerial shots, Lachlan and Johnny? Their flying, landing in the field, meeting Kate and Lil? The farm, meeting the father? Dennis? His preparing to go to war? The setting for the following events? The war situation, Canada and its involvement, Australian pilots in Canada?

6.The air base, the lectures, the spirit of the pilots, Zeek? The flight sequences, the dormitory, the depressed young man and his suicide flight? Zeek, the failure of the plane, the crash, the death of the pilot, the burning plane, his asking Lachlan to shoot him?

7.The men from the base, the dance, the women in the town? The discussions in the dormitory, Kipper and his racist attitude, the bashing of the African American? Zeek stepping in, his attack on Kipper? The clashes and rivalry between Lachlan and Kipper? At the end, the shooting, Lachlan’s attack on Kipper?

8.Johnny, engaged to Kate, the plans, his training, at home with Lil and Dennis? Lil and her work on the farm, her husband absent at war? Her sister-in-law – and the comments on Betsy and her behaviour?

9.Betsy, her children, trying to get her daughter not to swear, the promise of the dress? The comic touches? Her clients at the farm? Her work on the farm? The relationship with Zeek, a future? At the dance, her quips? The visit of Kipper and his men, pulling the gun on him? Lachlan and his visit, Zeek’s death, Lachlan with her and Lil seeing?

10.Lachlan and Lil, the meeting, going to the fields, the gift of the flowers, reciting the poetry, Lil and her falling in love, the reluctance about the affair, going to the beach? The message delivered and the announcement of a death, the audience uncertain, the revelation that it was Dennis? Lil and her saying that she had to think of a choice between Frank and Dennis, the kiss, her confessing to Lachlan, the sister-in-law seeing her, her telling Kate and her father the truth, the father and his compassion, Kate and her not understanding?

11.The presentation of ordinary life, the difficulties, the differences in war, love, weakness, loneliness? The consequences of war?

THE TATTOOED STRANGER

US, 1950, 64 minutes, Black and white.
John Miles, Patricia Barry, Walter Kinsella.
Directed by Edward Montagne.

The Tattooed Stranger is a well-made police thriller of 1950, echoing some of the aspects of the film noir of the 1940s but in fact looking ahead to such novels as those of Ed Mc Bain and The 87th Precinct as well as such television series as CSI.

The film is a straightforward presentation of the discovery of a woman’s body, the role of the police, the forensic information, the following of leads and the solving of the crime.

New York City is filmed to advantage and gives atmosphere. The police of the time, with their hats, look rather tranquil compared with the contemporary police. However, the film gives enough information about their methods, the footwork, the interviews, to give a realistic impression of the work.

1.An interesting police thriller? Of 1950? Of the times? Anticipating television series? Anticipating crime novels?

2.The New York settings, the city, the parks, the precincts, factories, cemeteries? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?

3.The opening, the man in the park, discovering the body, blowing the horn, the mounted police arriving, the police and the beginnings of the investigation? The forensic detail, for fingerprints etc? Going to the laboratories, the information about the gun, the information about fingerprints? The tattoos?

4.Frank Tobin, from college, service in the war? Corrigan looking down on him? Corrigan as the tough detective? Their working together, the banter, the affection growing between them? The dividing up of the work?

5.Tobin, his age, cheerfulness? With the information, speculation about the height of the man because of the car seat? The interviews? Meeting Mary, the information about the grass? Attractive, the phone calls, the meetings? Locating the grass? The danger with the shooter at the morgue, his protecting Corrigan? The visits to the cemetery, the interrogation of the manager? The solution of the case and the shootout?

6.Corrigan, tough, old-style detective work? Interviews, being shot at, saved by Tobin? The further interviews, the restaurants? The confrontation with the restaurant owner, getting the information about the dead woman?

7.The tattooists, their trade, talk? The murder of the second tattooist?

8.The captains, the authorities? Their relationship with Corrigan and Tobin, encouraging them, giving more information?

9.The background of the dead woman, the information about her husbands, finding her address, her apartment, the letters? The money fraud?

10.Going to the sculptors, Fisher, suspicions? The manager of the cemetery and the threats? The murderer, the gun? The shootout?

11.A satisfying old-style police investigation?

SCARED TO DEATH

US, 1947, 69 minutes, Colour.
Bela Lugosi, George Zucco, Nat Pendleton, Molly Lamont.
Directed by Christie Cabanne.

Scared to Death is a good example of a bad film. It was a star vehicle for Bela Lugosi. Lugosi had made an impact as Dracula in the early 1930s and then continued doing variations on the same performance for many years. He gradually moved to B-budget and very small and short-running films like this one. His story is told in Tim Burton’s Ed Wood where he is played by Martin Landau who won an Oscar for the performance (better than Lugosi himself).

This film was directed by Christie Cabanne who appeared as an actor in some of D.W. Griffith’s films and from 1912 to 1948 directed over one hundred and sixty small-budget films. (He appeared in Bruce Beresford’s And Pancho Villa as Himself and was played by Michael Mc Kean, directing Villa Rides – his first film as director in 1912.)

The film is very poorly acted and the process it was filmed in is called Naturalcolor. A woman lies dead and her voice tells a story – which does have a twist but is obscured by a mixture of attempted scares as well as some very corny humour. It turns out that she had betrayed her husband during the war to the Nazis because she hated him and he has returned in order to frighten her to death. The husband was an assistant to Bela Lugosi’s magician and he appears, with his cape, in his usual style. Nat Pendleton offers some lame comedy as a security guard. George Zucco tries to bring some dignity to the proceedings as a suspicious doctor.

Interesting only for historical reasons – and for those who want the full catalogue of Bela Lugosi films.

BRIDE AND PREJUDICE

UK, 2004, 107 minutes, Colour.
Aishwarya Rai, Martin Henderson, Nadira Babbar, Navine Andrews, Namrata Shirodkar, Daniel Gillies, Indira Varma, Nitin Ganatra, Alexis Bledel, Marsha Mason, Ashanti.
Directed by Gurinder Chadha.

Well, here’s a cheerful how d’you do!

Gurinder Chadha has made two British films with Indian themes, Bhaji on the Beach and Bend it Like Beckham. She also made the interesting Thanksgiving multi-racial film in the US, What’s Cooking. Why not follow the lead of Mira Nair who has done Bollywood with Monsoon Wedding and followed it with a version of a British classic, Vanity Fair? Better still, why not combine Bollywood style with an updating of a classic novel? Jane Austen meets India.

It works very well indeed. For those who want to see Bollywood colour, costumes, décor and, of course, many songs and dances, there all here at the drop of a hat and cane. They are quite lavish. The setting is Amritsar with a holiday on the beachfront in Goa.

For those who are wondering whether Jane Austen can transcend the 19th century (well, Emma really did in Clueless), they can be reassured. Bride & Prejudice keeps very close to the original plot, even keeping some of the names, especially Mr Darcy (now a prejudiced American played by New Zealander, Martin Henderson (The Ring, Torque)) and the villain, Wickham.

The Bennets are now the Bakhshis, Mr Bakshi is still henpecked by a loud and vulgar Mrs Bakhshi but is supportive of his daughters, Lalita and Jaya (for Elizabeth and Jane). There is also the snobbish Miss Bingley and her brother, Balraj. The eccentric suitor, Mr Collins, is now Mr Kholi who has absorbed American culture – at its most blatantly American.

One of the features of Bollywood films is that they are set in an unreal affluent world that gives no indication of poverty or hunger. They are truly escapist. And the characters here can also escape for visits to London and to California – which will make British and American audiences just that bit more comfortable watching what might be for some an exotic confection.

Jane Austen understood human nature in the microcosms where her novels are set. This understanding has made a very entertaining transition to India.

1.The director? Her films? Bridging the West and India?

2.The use of Bollywood styles, the popularity of this kind of storytelling, colour, song, broad comedy, bright?

3.The use of Jane Austen’s plot, the adaptation to the present, to India and the UK?

4.The integration of the songs into the Jane Austen plot, the variety of Jane Austen moods? Dramatised by the songs?

5.The Bollywood qualities, the flamboyance, the music and the rhythms, the dance, costumes, heightened, farce and melodrama?

6.Jane Austen’s focus on marriage, love, arranged marriages? The traditions? As applied to India? The UK? The United States?

7.Jane Austen’s interest in wealth and poverty? Contemporary wealth and poverty? Especially in the United States?

8.The friendship between Darcy and Bingley? Bingley’s sister? The movement between England and the United States? The illustrations of pride and prejudice? Dance, inhibitions? Snide comments? The parents and their perceptions of Darcy and Bingley? Darcy’s snobbery, wealth? Academic? Advice?

9.Lalita’s family, the Indian equivalent of Jane Austen’s Bennett family? The quiet father, the loud mother? The plans, the chatter with the other mothers? The getting together, the dancing? The reverse snobbery? The cousin from the United States? The house? The focus on each member of the family, each of the daughters? Wickham and his proposals? The Indian family moving around India, to the United States, to England? The end? The father and his support of Lalita and her decisions? His detached irony?

10.Darcy and his family, the relationship with Wickham? Wickham and Darcy’s sister? Bewilderment, gauche? The visit to Goa? The attraction, the dismay? The advice, the hotel? Wickham and Lalita and Darcy’s attack? In the US, the mother and the arrangements, Georgie, Wickham and the help in London?

11.Bingley, Jaya, the dance, Darcy and his perspective? The contrast with London, Bingley’s absence? The end?

12.Lalita in herself, her place in the family, her support from her father, her friends and their support, her mother and her being an interferer? Darcy, the dances? The dream sequences? The visit to Goa? Wickham and the flirtation and her disbelief? Together with Darcy? In the US, her mother, sharing with her friends? Her anger? London, Wickham at the end?

13.Wickham, India? The dancing? The sequences in Goa? Lalita and the sharing? His leave, luck? In the UK, leaving, the true story?

14.The relationship between Lalita and Jaya, the other sisters? The snake dance?

15.The United States, the farce, Mr Kohli and his being the equivalent of Mr Collins? His suit? His awkwardness? His rejection?

16.America, the farce, manners, the song, the crass Mr Kohli, the refusal?

17.The United Kingdom, the resolution? The mother, Georgie and her change of heart?

18.The meeting with Katherine Darcy, her attitude, her son?

19.The resolution in the manner of Jane Austen? The pairs, the marriages, the issues of pride and prejudice, wealth? The cross-cultural interactions and resolutions?

KUNG FU PANDA

US, 2008, 92 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian Mc Shane, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong, Dan Fogler, Michael Clarke Duncan, Wayne Knight.
Directed by Mark Osborne and John Stephenson.

Most audiences should find this animated film very amusing. Children will enjoy the characters, the settings and the cartoonish version of Kung Fu fights (of which, it needs to be said for small children, there are quite a lot). Adults will enjoy the characters and the dialogue which is brought to expert life by a cast led by Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman.

As with all of this kind of animation film, the basic story is a moral one: find oneself and be true to oneself. It is neatly summed by Po, the panda (a very large and rotund, food-loving panda), when the villain, Tai Lung (voiced by Ian Mc Shane), taunts him, ‘Your’re nothing but a big, fat Panda’ and Po replies, ‘But I’m THE big, fat panda’. This is Po’s ‘awesomeness’.

Dustin Hoffman is the martial arts master, a small but very articulate guru who is training a crack team of Crane (David Cross), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Mantis (Seth Rogen) to confront the Snow Leopard Tai Lung whom he had adopted, trained as a warrior but who became proud and rebellious and has been locked away in a mountain prison for 20 years. Who will be the prophesied Dragon Warrior? In the meantime, Po is a noodles waiter in his father’s diner. But, he dreams (and the film opens with a marvellous tour-de-force dream where Po is champion of every combat and acclaimed by everyone) – and when he wakes up he can hardly manoeuvre himself out of bed.

By a series of comic mishaps, Po is designated the Dragon Warrior. The master is in despair and the Five are not impressed. But, capitalising on Po’s need to eat (and eat) when he is sad, the master finds a way to train him to peak performance (although he still finds climbing steps puffs him out) by making him use every tactic to get the dumplings and other delights from the master.

Jack Black lets go as Po and brings his manic humour and timing with great effect. He and Dustin Hoffman recorded together and the interaction between them, which is the core of the film, makes for very entertaining comedy-drama.

The settings are magnificent: valleys, the mountains, the bustling town, the shrine, the exceedingly dungeon-like prison. The action has been photographed and edited with verve and flair – a confrontation on a high rope bridge is full of vitality.

The Chinese setting is topical and will open up a more sympathetic view of Chinese traditions as well as the focus and discipline of the martial arts rather than mere knockabout or knockout bashings.

1.The success of the film? It appeal: story, characters, action, moral?

2.The vivid animation, its style, design, settings, characters, the variety, action and editing and pace?

3.The Chinese background, the valley, the shrine, the town, the prison, traditional Chinese way of life, the martial arts? The musical score?

4.Dreams and reality? Hopes? Location and place in life, accepting oneself? The scroll and its secret? The blank scroll and the mirror of the person? The secret of the noodles – no secret? Understanding oneself, accepting oneself? The theme of being awesome! THE big fat panda?

5.The opening, the extraordinary feats, Po as the champion, exhilaration, the hero, verve? Waking up to reality? Unable to get out of bed?

6.Po in himself, his size, awkwardness? His father being a bird? Giving advice? Finding his place, working in the noodles restaurant? The appeal to generations of noodle makers? Not working in tofu? The work, the customers?

7.The father, the bird, his philosophy of life, his hard work, the stands for the spectacle, his ideas? Giving advice to his son, amazed at his achievement, telling him the secret of the noodles, no secret? Pride in his son?

8.Master Shifu, small, the guru, the turtle and his leadership? The search for the Dragon Warrior? The scroll high in the roof? The team, Shifu training them, their exploits? Tai Lung? The flashbacks, the baby, Shifu training him, Tai Lung’s greater ambitions, rebellion, imprisonment?

9.The team: the tigress, the monkey, the mantis, the viper, the crane? The look of each character? The range of voices? The actions to suit their animal style?

10.The choice of the Dragon Warrior, Po in a hurry to get there, his hopes, the wall, unable to get through, watching, getting the saplings, bouncing, landing in front of the Master, the acclamation, the reaction of the others, fearing that he was an intruder, wanting him to leave?

11.Po and Jack Black as a character, voice, action? The touch of the slob? The training, the food, wanting to eat the biscuits, the dumplings? The variety of feats as Shifu tantalised him with the food? His exhaustion? The effect and his achievement?

12.Shifu sending the bird to the prison, the background of Tai Lung, his being severely bound, the depth of the prison, ominous, the guards, the boss and his explanations? The bird dropping the feather in fear, Tai Lung using it to unlock his chains and escaping?

13.The tour-de-force of the fight at the bridge with the five? Their defeat?

14.News in the village, Shifu organising the evacuation of the village? Po going with his father?

15.The theme of the scroll, getting it down, opening it, Po’s awkwardness in doing this, the blank scroll? The mystery, seeing his reflection? The secret in oneself rather than in a scroll?

16.Tai Lung, his character, voice? The fight with the five? The confrontation with Po, his boasting, the flare of the battle? Po and his activities, winning?

17.Po and his going to Shifu, the Master dying?

18.The acclamation of Po, the Dragon Warrior – and the moral of the story that one’s gifts are in oneself?