YOU'RE NEVER TOO YOUNG

US, 1955, 102 minutes, Colour.
Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Diana Lynn, Nina Foch, Raymond Burr, Veda Ann Borg.
Directed by Norman Taurog.

You’re Never Too Young was one of Martin and Lewis’s successful romantic comedies. It is, however, a reworking of Billy Wilder’s 1942 film The Major and the Minor with Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland. In that film Ginger Rogers masqueraded as a twelve-year-old girl. This time it is Jerry Lewis in the female role but as a twelve-year-old boy.

Living it Up, made at this time, was a remake of Nothing Sacred in which Jerry Lewis then took the role that Carole Lombard played in the original.

The film has the usual ingredients, Dean Martin as the romantic hero, scoring over Jerry Lewis. Jerry Lewis is the likeable (though to many audiences irritating) young man whose dream it is to become a great barber. Diana Lynn, who had appeared with Martin and Lewis in the My Friend Irma films, is the romantic lead.

Norman Taurog had been making films as the silent era and had won an Oscar for his film Skippy. He was to make quite a number of the Martin and Lewis comedies as well as many of the Elvis Presley musicals.

1. The success of this film as a Martin and Lewis comedy? Audience expectations from the comedy of Jerry Lewis, the contribution, especially musical, from Dean Martin? Was this a good example? Its popularity in its time?

2. The contribution of colour, New York settings, the train and the mid west? How valuable were the songs, the music?

3. The film was a re-make of a comedy classic. Jerry Lewis took the Ginger Rogers' role. The implications of this for comedy, the reversal of male-female situations and relationships?

4. How plausible was the plot? Did this matter for this kind of comedy? How much did it depend for its success on its atmosphere of unreality?

5. Audience involvement via the opening, Noonan and his committing the crime, violence? The problem with the jewel? Rob and the presentation of the suave personality from the mid-west? Wilbur and his inefficiency, the comedy turn as barber? the quick involvement for each of them with the
problem of the jewel?

6. The focus on Wilbur and the comedy through his character? Signalling him out as inept, with the routine at the barbers?

7. The success of Jerry Lewis in the character of Wilbur, his strengths and his weaknesses, the emphasis on stupidity? the type of comedy routines in which he was involved? Their character and their success? The importance of his pretending to be a young boy because of the train fare? The humour of getting the ticket, the dilemmas on the train, the meeting with Nancy? The fact that he got in to so many scrapes that he was liked, yet lost the girl? What kind of comedy character does Jerry Lewis portray?

8. The contrast of Bob and Dean Martin's style? His relationship with Wilbur? His love for Nancy? The elements of suspicion and the ways these were illustrated, his work at the school, his relationship with Gretchen and her trying to hold him, his attitude towards the army? the farcical elements in which he was involved and played straight man? His involvement in the dangers and the resolution? How attractive a heroine was Nancy, her presence on the train, her taking Wilbur at his face value, the ambiguity of their relationship from the point of view of the audience, the double romance? Her role in the school and people's suspicions and her vindication of herself? Her brother?

10. The satire on the predatory woman in the character of Gretchen? Her smartness, her bitchiness, her role in the school? Her holding onto Bob? The way that she was out-foiled by Wilbur?

11. The satire on the girls in the school? Their throwing themselves at Wilbur? The satire on teenagers and their romantic loves?

12. How did the film build up to a climax after the events in the school? The atmosphere of the dance and the exposure of Wilbur as the barber, the elaborate water chase? How humorous?

13. The happy ending? Appropriate for this kind of romantic comedy? The irony underlying the comedy in the relationships of children and adults, males and females?

Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN (AND YOUR MOTHER TOO)

Mexico, 2001, 105 minutes, Colour.
Maribel Verdu, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna.
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron.

Y Tu Mama Tambien was written by brothers Alfonso and Carlos Cuaron. While Alfonso began his directing career in Mexico, he moved to Hollywood for some television episodes of Fallen Angels and made the films, A Little Princess and Great Expectations. A Little Princess was very a family-oriented film and Great Expectations an update of Dickens’ classic. It is something of a surprise to see him move to this film with its focus on teenagers and their sexual preoccupations and a road film where the two young men accompany a disillusioned wife on a road journey through Mexico to find the utopian, paradisal beach.

Cuaron then went on to make the third Harry Potter film as well as the film version of P.D. James’s apocalyptic story, Children of Men.

The strength of the film is in the central performances. Maribel Verdu portrays the disillusioned wife, caught up with the two young men, emboldened by her journey to more explicit sexual behaviour. Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal were friends for many years and made films together. In this film, they work together as friends – but, towards the end of the film, in a strange sexual encounter, a feeling of alienation springs up and the aftermath of the episode we see in the film is somewhat bitter as the two become estranged.

Diego Luna began a career in Hollywood with such films as Open Range and The Criminal. Gael Garcia Bernal had a much more successful career with a strong of very significant films in Mexico and in Spain: Amores Perros, The Crime of Padre Amaro, The Motorcycle Diaries, Bad Education, The King.

1. The success of the film worldwide? In Mexico, festivals, the English-speaking world as well as the Spanish-speaking world? Its appeal and impact?

2. Its place in American cinema, realism, fantasy, themes and issues?

3. The Mexican locations, the city, homes and streets, the supermarkets? The road, the various landscapes, the villages, the beaches? Water? Mexico and its landscapes as a character in the film?

4. The title, the focus on sex and relationships, men and their rivalry, the reference to Tenoch's mother? Its offbeat tone?

5. The importance of the voice-over, the serious tone, the realistic sounds stopping, the punctuation of the narrative with information about the characters, their parents, pieces of information available only to the audience and not to other characters, the ironies in the commentary, the focus also on the future? The comment on the characters, behaviour and themes?

6. The film as a road movie: the characters and their situations, the reasons for going on the road, the development of the journey, the characters changing, the sense of quest and goal, the achievement of the goal, the aftermath?

7. The film's commentary on Mexico and social issues: being held up on the streets by protests and Julio's sister as a leftist. The incident of the dead worker on the street unable to walk the extra miles to cross the bridge to his work, his body not reclaimed for several days, the bride on the roadside and the collection of money, the National Guard and the holding up of cars, people? Funerals, village life and the shops, the motels and hotels, restaurants? The issues of class and the different homes, Tenoch and his attitude towards the servants (and remembering his nanny's village but not going to see it)? The group at the society wedding, the president and people fawning on him, the horses, horsemen and the mariachis?

8. The film's focus on sexuality: earthy, raunchy, sensual, nudity, frankness? Young men and their promiscuity, Latin culture and rites of passage, their lies and self-assertion, issues of fidelity and infidelity, themselves and their girlfriends, the macho emphasis on heterosexuality, the seeming disdain of suggestions of homosexual behaviour, their having to learn through this experience and mature? Their relationship at the end - with each other, sexual attraction, the night, the aftermath and Tenoch being sick, and their not seeing each other again?

9. The opening, the initial emphasis on sexual relationships, Julio and Cecilia, Tenoch and Anna? Going to the airport, the joke about getting the passport, jokes about the girls with Italian men? Their boredom during the holidays, going with Saba, the drugs, the parties, being sick, accidents with the car? Going to the pool, the swimming races, the masturbation? The wedding and making mischief with Tenoch's cousin?

10. The portrait of the different parents, of the boys, of the girls? Professional life, divorce, permissive, restrictive? Their not understanding their children well?

11. Louisa at the wedding, their meeting her, attracted to her, the discovery that she was married to Tenoch's cousin? The commentary on her life, her history with her aunt, her marriage, her work, his infidelities?

12. Their suggesting the trip, boasting, the mouth of heaven? Their explanation to Louisa? Her ringing them up after discovering her husband's infidelity and his sobbing phone call? Their hastily getting together, borrowing the car, going to the supermarket? Their slang and their brotherhood, Saba, Daniel and his coming out of the closet? Their explanation of their declaration of their beliefs - and Louisa giving her version later to control them? Setting out on the trip, chat, boasting, sex?

13. Louisa and her sadness, her attitude towards her husband, packing, going on the trip, sitting in the hotel and weeping? Knowing that they were looking in the window? Tenoch coming into the room and her asking him to take the towel off? Her encounter with Julio in the back of the car? Their inadequate performance and her treatment of them? Her exasperation at their jealousy?

14. Each of them reacting in spite to the other, talking about their girlfriends? Louisa getting out of the car, their going after her, each confessing to the other, kneeling in the street? Her laying down strict rules for the rest of the journey?

15. Her discussion about sexuality and lovemaking, the intimations of homosexual-type behaviour and their crashing the car? Staying, the tyre being fixed? Louisa and the shops, the old lady, her phone call to her husband and explaining about the old lady and her memories? Buying the mouse?

16. On the road again, their being lost, going on the side road, the sand, discovering the beach, enjoying the sunbathing, the swimming?

17. The final evening: the seven-minute continuous take, their eating and drinking, dancing and the music, going to their rooms, Louisa's behaviour, the two attracted to each other, the morning after?

18. Louisa's illness, her going to the doctor, audience aware or not of her grave illness? Her deciding to stay, explore the coves, her death?

19. The fisherman and his wife and children, friendship, going out on the sea, fishing, going to the house, the meal? The commentary on changing society, the resort and his being ousted from fishing and having to be the janitor at an apartment block?

20. The aftermath, their meeting each other for the cup of coffee, their lives and their studies, their relationships, never seeing each other again?

21. The impact of the film as drama, as comedy, as focusing on sexuality in contemporary society?

YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS

US, 1998, 100 minutes, Colour.
Amy Brenneman, Aaron Eckhart, Catherine Keener, Nastassja Kinski, Jason Patric, Ben Stiller.
Directed by Neil La Bute.

Your Friends and Neighbours was written by Neil La Bute. A prominent playwright in the United States, with an interesting Mormon background, he emerged on the cinema scene with the 1997 In the Company of Men. The film was criticised as being heavily misogynistic. However, it was a portrait of misogynistic men rather than a misogynistic film.

The star of that film was Aaron Eckhart who appears as one of a very strong ensemble in this film. The other two men are Ben Stiller who was to emerge as a comic star in There's Something About Mary, Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Starsky and Hutch as well as becoming a prominent director. Jason Patric, despite being the star of such films as Sleepers and Speed 2, did not emerge as a star as people thought he would. The women in the film are Katherine Keener, a very strong presence in many independent films, moving into the mainstream; Nastassja Kinski who had had a long career in such films as Tess as well as One Night Stand and Amy Brenneman, who appeared in a number of films including Daylight but was a success on the television screen in Judge Amy.

With this strong cast, La Bute explores in a rather scarifyingly verbal way, sexuality, marriage, commitment, love as well as betrayal. He is very strong, as usual, on the conversations between the men, macho and superior attitudes and boasting. He does not portray the women as victims but strong in themselves.

La Bute was to change tone in his next film, the parody and satire of Nurse Betty with Renee Zellwegger and Morgan Freeman. He was to change again with his adaptation of A.S. Byatt and her novel Possession with a story in the 20th century (again with Aaron Eckhart).

1.The title and the reference to 'yours' rather than 'ours'? A look at a cross-section of ordinary American young adults?

2.The work of Neil LaBute? Blunt, frank, politically correct or not, not worrying about giving offence? Probing the dark side of human nature and society?

3.Moral perspectives? Amoral? Testing the audience? Audience reactions to and judgments of each of the characters? The conversations about who is good and who is bad?

4.Colour photography? Interiors: homes, the gallery, the hotel, the classroom and theatre, the restaurant, the supermarket?

5.The strength of the film in its dialogue? Contemporary, blunt and frank, psychological insights, social insights? The obtuseness of people expressed in their dialogue? Self-knowledge and lack of self-knowledge?

6.Photographic style, close-ups, action and reaction of characters?

7.The absence of a musical score? The songs? The theme music during the credits?

8.The prologue, Cary: and his sexual activity, rehearsing? Obtuse, self-confident? The paintings of the individuals during the credits sequences? Giving a tone to the film?
9.Jerry: acting and performing, restoration comedy and its background of sexual frankness and freedom, his discussions with the class, the focus on sexual intercourse and human nature and desires? The girl he was performing with - and the later relationship? At home, with Terri, the sexual encounter, his incessant talking and her reaction? His being upset, lack of self-confidence? Their visit to the married couple? Admiring the house, the discussion about relationships, meeting, sexual talk? His infatuation with Mary? His remaining, discussions, his seduction?

10.Barry and seeing him at work, over lunch discussing sexuality with his colleague, his own self-love and ego? His relationship with his wife, the lack of sexual prowess? Self-absorption? The dinner party, discussion about the house, sex? The gift of the watch - and Catherine Keener's discussion about whether the watch works or not and the nature of the gift? The failure of his marriage? His running, talking with Cary the shower and the frankness, the intimacy? The sauna and the stories? His learning about his wife's affair with Jerry? The confrontation? In the gallery, the discussion with the arts assistant? With his wife, her confession, the separation? Finally seeing him in bed, the phone sex and his inadequacy?

11.Mary and her relationship with her husband, Barry and his inability to relate well to her? The beginning of the affair, the reasons, the hotel and the failure with Jerry? With Barry in the same hotel and the sense of failure? Her leaving him? The record with Terri on the machine? Her confession? Cary and his attempt to seduce her? In herself, as a woman, as a wife, as unfaithful, as dissatisfied?

12.Jerry and his sense of failure, the sauna, the discussions with Barry, the clashes with Terri? His going to the gallery, the encounter with Cheri? His work at school, the rehearsal of the play, The Country Wife, the restoration comedy – and the restoration comedy as a basis for this contemporary comedy of manners and morals with its structured pairs and interchanges? His relationship with the student? His returning to the gallery, the clashes with Cheri? Especially with Terri moving in with her?

13.Terri, her relationship with Jerry, his incessant talking, her exasperation? The meals and the discussion about relationships? Her bluntness? Her writing, the advertisements? Her going to the gallery, the encounter with Cheri? Moving in with her, the talking? Her need for silence? The supermarket sequence, with Jerry? Her future?

14.Cary, at the pool, his work and science, the foetus? His self-absorption, running, the shower? His attitudes towards women? Ultra-macho? The rehearsals? His strengths and weaknesses? The sauna, the telling of the story of the high school student and the gang rape? Its effect on him, satisfaction? The AIDS document? His coming on to the other women, to Mary, her reaction to him?

15.Cheri, her work at the gallery, the attraction towards Terri? The clashes with Jerry, Barry and Cary and their approaches to her? Her being self-contained, lesbian attitudes, relationship with Terri?

16.A contemporary film critical of morals and values? Critics and their saying that it had a bilious tone? Nasty-minded? Its critique of contemporary Americans, their egos, self-image, affluence, relationships, sexual prowess, emotions?

OF MICE AND MEN

US, 1992, 115 minutes, Colour.
Gary Sinise, John Malkovich, Ray Walston, Casey Sziemasko, Sherrilyn Fenn, Alexis Arquette, Richard Riehle, John Terry, Noble Willingham, Joe Morton.
Directed by Gary Sinise.

Of Mice and Men is a another telemovie remake of a classic original directed by Lewis Milestone. In the late 1930s, John Steinbeck's novels had great status e.g. The Grapes of Wrath, Tortilla Flat, which were filmed at the period). Of Mice and Men starred Lon Chaney Junior in what was considered his best role, and Burgess Meredith. Betty Field was Curly's wife.

The 1982 version had Robert Blake and Randy Quaid in the roles of George and Lenny. This film comes from the Steppenwolf company in Chicago and was presented on stage around the world. Gary Sinise toured with the play and is the director of the film. Playwright and screenwriter Horton Foote contributed to the screenplay. The film is faithful to Steinbeck's novel and its atmosphere - a tragic vision of a frustrated American dream but highlighting human nobility.

1. The work of John Steinbeck? The original film? The value of a remake - for what audience? The perennial interest in the novel, its themes? Classic status?

2. The impact and power of the telemovie? Length, pace - and the impact on the home audience for emotion and appreciation of themes?

3. Colour photography, California locations: the roads, the fields, countryside, sheds, house? The atmosphere of the '30s? Musical score - and its use of traditional American songs?

4. The effect of the film on the narrative level: two men, work, relationship, clashes, climax - death? An interesting story?

5. The impact of the film on the tragic level: the small man and the large man, the man with brains and the man without, the articulate man and the inarticulate, the shrewd and the simple? Friendship and the bonds between the two? The intertwining of their lives? Dependence? Relationship between two men? Shared vision and each looking after the other, living the other's life? Good and bad? Torment? Death? Vengeance and responsibility? The traditional elements of tragedy?

6. The characters seen within this narrative and tragic context? In themselves. recognisable types? Attitudes that they represented?

7. The introduction to George and Lenny: on the road. Lenny's aunt, the eating of the pie, George trying to leave Lenny on the steps, his getting a lift, his returning? Their being hired for work and George speaking for Lenny? The interviews with the boss? Friendship with Candy? The encounter with Crooks? Curly and his initial antagonism towards Lenny? Jealousy of the bigger man? The wariness of George about Curly's wife, Lenny's fascination? Slim and his giving the man a fair deal? Scenes of work - and Lenny's ability to lift the cart with Slim on it and George on the wheel? The life of the men in the shed - watching Curly, wanting fights, playing cards, the reaction to the shooting of Candy's dog? George and Lenny and George's ability with words and telling the stories, Lenny's egging him on and wanting to hear him, even though he knew the words - especially the rabbits and living off the fat of the land?

8. A 1930s variation of the American dream? The background of the Depression? Lenny's care and living off the fat of the land - and his seeing it before his death? Candy and Crooks and their shared vision? The old man, the black man, the wanderers - the simple men of this world and the possibility of their vision? Yet doomed? Candy as old man, his place on the farm, his character, friendship with his dog? His dog symbolising him? Caring for it, grief at the suggestion of its being killed? The build-up to the men playing cards, waiting for the shot? Candy realising he should have shot the dog himself? The parallel with George shooting Lenny? His sharing the vision, offering his money? His frustrated dream? The pessimism of the ending for Candy - a man of human dignity?

9. Crooks and his isolation, cripple, black? The American outsider? Lenny's going into his room and Crooks tormenting him? His fear? His offering to be part of the dream? Frustration and grief?

10. Slim and his friendship, efficiency, the gift of the pups, the butt of Curly's suspicions? Attitude toward the killing of Candy's dog and his belief in old things being shot? His standing up for Lenny during the fight with Curly and saving him? Helping George to escape
with Lenny? A fair and just man?

11. The boss and his toughness? Curly in the image of his father? His despising his son? The eating sequence with Curly's wife looking on in disgust?

12. Curly as villain: the small man, his jealousy? A small man contrasting with George? The difference of attitudes towards Lenny? Curly in himself, his hat, looking at himself in the mirror, going to the film with the boys? His suspicions? Clash with Slim and Slim making the horse rear? The fights? Picking on Lenny and punching him? Lenny's breaking his hand? His accepting Slim's suggestion about the story? His father seeing through him? His wife seeing through him? A bad and weak man?

13. Curly's wife: the marriage, her wandering and flirting, fondling the pup, her disgust at the pig-like way Curly and his father ate? Wandering around the fields? Her wanting to leave? The talk with Lenny and her death?

14. Lenny and his goodness, his being thrown in the river and George saving him and his gratitude? Strengths and weaknesses? His need for affection - the killing of the muse, the killing of his pup - and killing Curly's wife? The inevitability of the reaction, the posse chasing him, his vision of the fat of the land before George shot him? The discreet staging of George's shooting him and the pain for George? George's wandering the American road again?

15. A strong American story? The meaning of the title - as literally presented, as a quotation from Robert Burns' poem and the plans of mice and men going awry? Human possibilities and failure?

OUT OF THE CLOUDS

UK, 1955, 88 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Steele, Robert Beatty, David Knight, Margot Lorenz, James Robertson Justice, Eunice Gayson, Isabel Dean, Gordon Harker, Bernard Lee, Marie Lohr, Esma Cannon, Abraham Sofaer, Sid James.
Directed by Basil Dearden.

Out of the Clouds attempts a great deal in a running time of under 90 minutes. It focuses on a day at a London airport, several central characters, especially Anthony Steele as Gus Randall and Robert Beatty as Nick Milbourne. It concerns romance, a pilot trying to get his wings back, people having to make decisions.

Along with the central stories there are a whole lot of smaller stories all interconnecting, using a large number of celebrated British character actors. The film is of interest – visualising life in the 1950s, but, of course, surpassed by many similar films in succeeding decades.

The film was directed by Basil Dearden who had established a reputation for tough films like The Blue Lamp. During this period he made The Rainbow Jacket as well as The Ship That Died Of Shame. He was to make several significant social-minded films in the late 50s and early 60s especially Sapphire, Victim, Life for Ruth, The Mindbenders. He made some more spectacular films like Khartoum and Monte Carlo or Bust before his untimely death at age 60 in a car accident.

1. How interesting and entertaining a film?

2. Its picture of the 1950s contrasting with the present? An aspect of the history of aviation? People the same, methods the same, machines changed? A type of anticipated Airport?

3. The emphasis of the title and the flying? The phrase and having, one's feet on the ground? Indication of themes?

4. The importance of the colour, the airport detail, the technical know-how for example, talking the plane down?

5. The structure and the interwoven stories? How did it retain interest?

6. The characters, were they real persons?

7. The Milbourne story, waiting for the doctor, groundwork, Milbourne at work and the detail of this, the talk about the importance of his job, the crises, his relationship with Penny and the final happy ending? The moral of this story?

8. The Randall story? His skill, the ten percent bad, the smuggling, his decision not to smuggle, to settle down?

9. Bill and Leah? How real? The visualising of their coming together, the artificial nature of their meeting, the growth in awareness and love, the explanation of their background, the ironies of their going off and returning? A credible love story?

10. The importance of incidentals? The comic elder women and their tablets, James Robertson Justice and his way as a pilot, the hostess looking after people and her own private life, the lady at the counter with her holidays?

11. The quality of the human interest in flying and airports? The values behind the film?

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN PART II

US, 1978, 100 minutes, Colour.
Marilyn Hassett, Timothy Bottoms, Nan Martin, Belinda Montgomery, Gretchen Corbett.
Directed by Larry Peerce.

The Other Side of the Mountain Part Two follows on from the original film of 1975 (also directed by Larry Peerce).

The films are the story of Jill Kinmont who was incapacitated by a skiing accident after being a ski champion. The first film focused on her having to cope with her disability. The support she received from her fiancé and father are to the fore. In this film, several years after the death of the fiancé and also of her father, she and her mother go on holiday to a skiing resort. She meets a young man there (played by Timothy Bottoms) and falls in love. However, she is very cautious and resistant because of her condition.

While the first film focused in many ways on the sports, the second film focuses on relationships, the effect of an accident and incapacity on a person.

Marilyn Hassett (who for some time was to be the wife of Larry Peerce) appears in both films as Jill Kinmont. She won a Golden Globe for the first film as the best debut performance by an actress.

The films are very much heart-on-sleeve, present a somewhat edifying picture of the various characters – more, perhaps, than could be in real life.

1. How enjoyable and interesting a film in itself? As a sequel? Its relation to the original - the caption of the true story continued, the number of flashbacks? The life of Jill Kenmont?

2. The significance of the title and its relationship to her accident? Her after-life? Climbing a mountain and then the task of the descent? Indication of themes?

3. The atmosphere of the 1970's love story? The quality of the dialogue, romantic attitudes? The bitter-sweet tones of the romance? Colour, Californian locations? A glossy Readers’ Digest type presentation of a life and love story? The kind of audience response asked for? Interest, curiosity, admiration?

4. How attractive was Jill as the heroine of the film? The sketching in of her personality, the background of her skills, the accident? Her ability to cope, her loneliness and inability? Comparison with her friends - one with polio and coping, the other the champion because of Jill's accident? Her enjoyment of her work and her skill as a teacher? The bonds with her mother and her dependence on her in all ways? The build-up to the holiday with the interview with the doctor and his explanation about treason and the fragility of her health?

5. Themes of loneliness, of feeling alone? Audience sharing in her feelings and understanding her withdrawing? Her inability to relate immediately to people? Jill's capacity for being hurt? The importance of the incident with the truck in the water the introduction to Johnny? The importance of the holiday for her? The revelation that she feared the men in her life dying and her memories of the past, the effect of the flashbacks? The special holiday with Johnny, sexual fulfilment, fighting with him? The importance of her fears, especially on the beach, on hearing that a truck driver had been killed? Her running away? Why was she so turned in on herself and found it so difficult to move out? Not being sensitive to the hurt to Johnny himself? His final pursuit of her and the scene on the roadside and the possibility of her loving him? How credible this portrait of a crippled girl?

6. The portrait of Johnny: personality, the humour of his pushing the jeep out of the water and falling into it? Jill hearing him go out for a date, his taking her out, the bonds between the two, their ability to talk? His taking her for the truck drive so that she could experience his work? The kiss and the awakening? The importance of his previous marriage and his inability to talk about it, his fears and loneliness? His taking Jill to meet his parents and their response to her? His encounter with Jill's mother and the discussion about dependence? The significance of his taking her away for the holiday, the shared happiness, his response to her fear on the beach? The importance of the truck driving and his not letting her know that he was safe? His response to her blaming him for this? His grief when she went away, the importance of following her, his pleading?

7. The portrait of Jill's mother, her devotion, her help of her daughter, the mutual dependence and her having to break with this?

8. The portrait of Jill's friends, Johnny's friends and what they revealed about the main characters?

9. The end of summer? Jill running away, the importance of Johnny's pursuit and the roadside pleading? The importance of the epilogue and their happiness?

10. How valuable a glimpse of people, problems, the analysis and presentation of these at a popular level?

ONE HOUR WITH YOU

US, 1932, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette Mac Donald, Genevieve Tobin, Charles Ruggles, Roland Young.
Directed by George Cukor, Ernst Lubitsch.

One Hour With You is very brief in its eighty minutes running time. However, it was one of the nominees for Oscar for best film of 1932.

It is particularly French, French sex farce. This was pre-production code and a glimpse of the synopsis makes it sound quite permissive. It was against this kind of film that the Motion Picture Code set its sights.

Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette Mac Donald appeared simultaneously in a French language version of this film, Jeanette Mac Donald speaking fluent French.

The film focuses on a husband and wife, the wife’s best friend, the husband of the wife wanting a divorce, the wife herself having a roving eye… There are escapades, identity problems, confessions. Ernst Lubitsch was adept at this kind of film. George Cukor was at the beginning of his long career (directing many stars to Oscars and getting an Oscar for himself for the direction of My Fair Lady (1964).

The film includes a number of songs with Jeanette Mac Donald singing contemporary songs. Three years later she was to join with Nelson Eddy in a series of eight operettas at MGM. However, following One Hour With You, she and Maurice Chevalier teamed for Love Me Tonight under the direction of Rouben Mamoulian. Lubitsch then directed Chevalier and Mac Donald in a 1934 version of The Merry Widow.

1. How enjoyable a film? The touch of the director, Ernst Lubitsch: humour, comedy of manners, comedy of morals, sly digs at morality, especially marriage and sexual morality?

2. The quality of the film as a product of 1932? The use of sound, the songs? Black and white photography, the styles and stylishness? The impact of the stars?

3. The quality of the film as a comedy of manners: the emphases on traditional morality, the risks, the risque tones, drawing room morality, society, the overtones of Parts and France? What stance on marriage and love did the film take? With its light touch?

4. The initial invitation to participate, by Maurice Chevalier? Audience
response to this? Interest in the character, his role as a doctor, his love for his wife, the predicament with Mitzi? The ambiguous situations, his lack of resolution, the final resolution? The importance of his asking the audience to judge for themselves? How easily could audiences identify with the characters and the questions?

5. The character of his wife? Conventional, daring and risque at the end with Adolph? Her asking the audience to make judgements?

6. The themes of marriage and the treatment? The strengths and weakness of such marriage, relationship between husband and wife, the significance of the songs and their lyrics, the party and its ambiguity, the break-up of the marriage, the revenge, the happy ending?

7. The delineation of the character of Mitzi? The satire on this kind of woman and her breaking of marriages?

8. The ambiguity of the character of the professor? His wanting to trap Mitzi and yet his two-faced attitudes? His pressure on the doctor? His getting a divorce?

9. The comedy in the character of Adolph? His presentation as the stooge?

10. The enjoyment value of this kind of film? Its value as a comedy of morals?

ONIBABA (DEMON WOMAN) (THE HOLE)

Japan, 1964, 103 minutes, Black and white.
Nobuko Otowa, Jitsuko Yoshimura, Kei Sato.
Directed by Kaneto Shindo.

The Hole is now considered a classic Japanese film. It was written and directed Kaneto Shindo, a prolific film-maker who began writing screenplays and adapting novels in 1941 and is credited with one hundred and forty-two films with which he worked as a writer. His catalogue of films directed numbers forty-two. However, he is not as well known in the west as many other Japanese directors of the period.

This film is quite brutal in its presentation of human nature. It focuses on a young man who goes off to the wars in the 15th century. He leaves behind his mother and his wife. To survive, they rob Samurai warriors returning from the wars, sell their goods and cast their bodies down a bottomless pit, the hole of the title. When a neighbour returns with news that the son has died, he joins them in their enterprise, trying to do better for himself. The daughter-in-law begins an affair with a neighbour. The mother takes a mask from a Samurai, begins to wear it, cannot remove it – and is seen and considered by the people around as a demon.

The film was quite explicit in its day for its sex scenes and was refused a certificate in some countries. However, these scenes now form part of an integrated picture of human nature in great difficulty, succumbing to evil impulses, people being mistaken for demons because of their appearance and behaviour. It is an interesting critique of Japanese history and society through the cinema of the 60s.

1. The impact of the black and white photography, the Panavision?

2. The atmosphere and locations, the reeds on the marshes, the hovel, Japan itself?

3. The atmosphere of Japan in the Middle Ages? How important was this for the theme? The theme as applicable in a remote age rather than a modern age?

4. How did the film portray isolation, the elements of war, the resourcefulness within nature, the elemental aspects of life in isolation?

5. The impact of the war deaths and the women despoiling the corpses? The women surviving as birds of prey? Audience response to the women in this context?

6. The emphasis on the hole, as title of the film? As symbol for the themes?

7. Hachi, the significance of his return, its dramatic impact, the death of his friend? His relationship to the women?

8. How well did the film draw the character of the girl and of the mother in law? As sympathetic in themselves? Attractive and repellent?

9. The film's presentation of the dependence of the girl with her mother in law and vice versa? Hachi drawn into this web?

10. Their survival in the war situation? The theme of survival, the unreality and unnaturalness of war? Behaviour within war situations as different from ordinary behaviour?

11. The presentation of the ordinary ways of life within the war context, for example, the fishing, the grass etc?

12. The emphasis on Hachi and his passion for the daughter? Her returning of it The reaction of the mother in law? The film's presentation of the dependence of the girl with her mother In law and vice versa? Hecht drawn into this web?

13. The visual presentation of this relationship, for example, the night-running, the lovemaking etc.?

14. The effect of this on the mother in law and her subsequent behaviour?

15. The intrusion of the Samurai into this world? His talk of beauty, the symbolic significance? The fascination of his mask? The theme of mask, appearances and reality?

16. The death of the Samurai and the revelation of his true face? Foreboding for the culmination of the film?

17. The impact of the mask frightening the girl? The threat and menace of the mother in law? Her motivation?

18. Hachi and the girl confronting this danger? The theme of the mask growing on the mother in law? Her frenzy in not being able to get it off? Her decay? The supernatural overtones of the woman in the mask? Her using it for superstitious purposes? Superstitious symbols of subconscious motivation? Psychological threat? Was this convincing or contrived?

19. The hole as the culmination of the film? The revelation of the mother in law and what she had done? Her assertion that she was human?

20. Comment on the visual presentation of the horror, the menace? Did this all combine for a penetrating look at inter-relationships and fear, or was it remaining on the level of a powerful horror film?

OOH YOU ARE AWFUL

UK, 1972, 97 minutes, Colour.
Dick Emery, Derryn Nesbitt, Ronald Fraser, William Franklyn, Norman Bird, Liza Goddard.
Directed by Cliff Owen.

Ooh, You Are Awful But I Like You was the popular trademark saying of television comedian Dick Emery. Successful on television and popular around the English-speaking world, this was an opportunity for a film version of Emery’s particular brand of comedy – with more than a touch of innuendo – as well as his skill in disguises.

There is a rather complicated plot about criminals, conmen – with Dick Emery as a man who had conned an American tourist couple and finished up in jail while his partner, Ronald Fraser, hid the money in a Swiss bank. For the innuendo, the codes to get the bank numbers are tattooed on the behinds of the girls with whom Reggie had affairs. In the meantime, a vicious gang, led by Derryn Nesbitt, are on the trail of the money and with vengeance because one of his girlfriends had an affair with Reggie…

Needless to say, the plot works out as expected. This is an example of a particular kind of broad British comedy with the various personalities who made impressions on British television in the 1970s. Dick Emery takes his place amongst the most celebrated of these.

1. The quality and entertainment value of this British comedy, its particular style, its focus on the comedian, on the other characters? The gimmick of impersonation?

2. The film as a showcase for Dick Emery, the title as his signature? Emery's quality as a comedian, impersonations, these incorporated into a crime plot, confidence, reasonable reasons for his impersonations? The quality of his characterisations, dialogue, humour?

3. How conventionally British was the comedy: the humour, dialogue, situations, characters, con men, tone?

4. The importance of the introduction and the confidence tricks on the Italians? The build up and Charlie’ arrival at the art gallery, his way of producing a diversion with the Chinese and the wealthy lady, his skill in impersonations, the local references to the royal family, the satire on the marriage, on the Italians? How enjoyable a satire on international relationships? A humorous confidence trick?

5. The illustration of the Mafia consequences and the parody of the Godfather type situation? The humour of the Mafia men always on the lookout to save him - the plane, dressed as nuns? The irony of this?

6. How well delineated was the character of Freddy, his taking part in the confidence trick with the Italians, his womanising and his forever looking at women? His way of communicating the Zurich number? The humour of his death?

7. Charlie as portrayed by Dick Emery, as a con man in himself, his gift for getting money out of people, the various styles of his disguises and the incidental humour on the types satirised e.g. the old butler, the spinster? The humour of selling the dog to the American tourist? The way he ran himself in jail, the warder and the story about the treasure?

8. The humour in trying to track down the number tattooed on the four girls; meeting the girl and arranging for the photography, the wedding and the cutting out her dress, his visit to the country home, the satire of the people in the country home, his work as a butler and his serving at the meal, getting his colleague to get the number, the police academy and his participation in the training, the girls in the dormitories, heating the dormitory etc?

9. A British comedy - on the gangsters with Nick Sabbath and the various attempts to kill Charlie? The humour of their own death sequence in the train?

10. His landlady had her typical British humour, good-natured criminal activity, her husband in jail, admiration for Freddy, for Charlie?

11. The special humorous sequences, the ending with his persuading the Mafia that he should live, the selling of the Sistine Chapel and the introduction of the Pope?

12. The enjoyment value of this kind of comedy, its skill , universal appeal?

ON THE BEACH

US, 1960, 130 minutes, Black and white.
Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Anthony Perkins, Fred Astaire, Donna Anderson, John Meillon.
Directed by Stanley Kramer.

On the Beach is based on Neville Shute's novel about the results of nuclear warfare and the death of the world. Originally it was much longer, but the final version is moving and frightening at times, strange also for an Australian audience as it is filmed so close to home and the significance is pointed. The film, in its situations, is rather low-key, a strange mixture of ordinary living with the prospect of death soon to come in the ba ground. The film questions values and ambitions of the world confronted by destruction. The acting is good. Melbourne looks convincing for the end of the world, especially in the final shots of its empty streets. Directed by Stanley Kramer in the years of - The Defiant Ones; Inherit the Wind, Judgement at Nuremburg.

1. The significance of the title and the end of the world?

2. What were audience expectations at the opening: a submarine emerging from the water to a dying world? How plausible was the story with Australia as the last nation to die?

3. Were the Australian locations well used - Melbourne, Williamstown docks, Frankston, Port Philip Bay, Philip Island etc?

4. What impact did the theme make? Was it frightening? How did the knowledge that everyone was to die change the perspective of life and values?

5. Each of the principal characters could be considered in the light of the previous question -
- Dwight - one of the last Americans alive, his responsibility for his submarine and men, the effect of the deaths of his family and country, finding friends in Melbourne, significance of his relationship with Moira, his mission to America, fear, returning to die?
- Moira - her reaction to the situation, growing relationship to Dwight, final separation?
- Peter and Mary - their relationship (especially the sequences on the beach and at home); a young couple with a normal, happy future simply cut off, the pills, final recollection of their married happiness?
- Julian - as a person, scientist, reaction to the situation, effectiveness in his job, recklessness, his chosen way of death?

6. What impact did the return to San Francisco make – seeing the dead city, possibility that someone was still alive, irony of the signals, speech of the American sailor?

7. How was life in these final months presented? Bikies in the Melbourne streets, parties, recklessness and deaths in speed racing, lining up for pills, Salvation Army rallies? what would your reaction be in these circumstances? What values would seem important?

8. What was the visual and emotional impact of the final sequence with the empty Melbourne streets?

9. Do you think this was an effective anti-nuclear war film?