THE BRIDE OF THE GORILLA

US, 1951, 70 minutes, Black and white.
Barbara Payton, Lon Chaney Jr, Raymond Burr, Tom Conway, Paul Cavanagh.
Directed by Curt Siodmak.

The Bride of the Gorilla has a strong reputation because of writer-director Curt Siodmak. Brother of director Robert Siodmak, he came to Hollywood from Germany in the 1930s and was responsible for a number of stories and screenplays, especially of horror films like Son of Dracula and The Wolf Man, The Beast With Five Fingers. He also wrote the novel Donovan’s Brain which had many screen versions. He wrote and directed this film, one of the few that he directed.

The film echoes the Val Lewton horror films at RKO of the 1940s. It sounds more intense than it actually is, visually. The film is set in the Amazon jungle, Paul Cavanagh plays a Dutch landowner who is dying. Barbara Payton is glamorous as his younger wife. Raymond Burr, in his sinister mode, plays Barney Chavez, the manager of the plantation, in love with the wife as well as carrying on with a native girl. Lon Chaney Jr is not in a horror role but is the police commissioner. Tom Conway is his usual smooth and suave self as the doctor.

The film is one of jealousies but brings in local Amazonian customs with an old crone putting a curse on Barney Chavez so that he becomes the equivalent of a gorilla. There is much talk about the law of the jungle – and there are several deaths. The film is not particularly horrific in the traditional sense.

1.The work of Curt Siodmak? Writer and director? His interest in horror?

2.The studio sets for the Amazon, the mansion, the jungle? The musical score?

3.The title, more intense than the reality of the film? The relation to Dinah and her relationship to Barney Chavez?

4.The situation in the Amazon, Van Gelder and his mansion, his younger wife, his illness, the advice from his doctor? The clashes with Chavez? His dismissing him? Their confrontation, Chavez hitting him, his fall, being poisoned by the snakes? Chavez and his dominance in the household?

5.Dinah, glamour, love for her husband? Her attraction towards Barney? Preparing to go away with him? The conflicts with him? The police interrogations? Her reliance on the doctor? Going into the jungle, the pursuit, her fears?

6.Barney Chavez, sullen, surly, the conflict with Van Gelder? His relationship with the local girl? His attraction towards Dinah? His being dismissed, the meal, confrontation with Van Gelder, killing him with the snakes? His being cursed by Al-Long? The device of his looking into a mirror or water to see that he was a gorilla? In the jungle, his attack on the local girl? With Dinah, the chases in the jungle? The shootings? The cross-examination by the commissioner?

7.The commissioner, his knowing the jungle, the explanation of the laws of the jungle?

8.The suggestions of horror – but the film as less dramatic than its kind, more talkative?

THE PLEASURE GARDEN

UK, 1925, 75 minutes, Black and white.
Virginia Valli, Carmelita Geraghty, Miles Mander, John Stuart.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

The Pleasure Garden is the first full-length feature directed by Alfred Hitchcock after several attempts at directing incomplete films.

The film was a co-production between England and Germany, filmed principally in Munich with some exteriors in Italy.

Hitchcock shows a command of screen techniques with his range of close-ups, long shots, editing and pace. The film industry was less than thirty years old at this time. Hitchcock was greatly influenced by his writer, Eliot Stannard, who had written articles commenting on the nature of film-making, shots, editing, montage and pace.

The story is a familiar one. An ambitious young girl comes to London to appear on the stage. Befriended by the star, she soon eclipses her, and also takes up with rich men including a phoney prince. In the meantime her fiancé has gone abroad to work in rubber plantations. His friend woos the original actress and marries her. When she goes out to see him, she discovers that he is living with a native girl. Melodrama ensues – and the fiancé of the showgirl and the good actress are able to be united.

The film shows Hitchcock’s interest in beautiful blondes – something which was to continue for the next fifty years. He also indicates forthcoming themes of interactions between the sexes, some violence, some women as femmes fatales.

1.A Hitchcock film? Interesting in itself? Of its time? A silent film? Indication of Hitchcock’s career to come?

2.The black and white photography, the use of tinting for various scenes? The studio sets for the theatre, flats? The colonies and the rubber plantations? Italy?

3.The silent film techniques, the fixed camera, the range of shots, editing and pace?

4.The focus on Jill, her arrival in London, the encounter with Patsy, her being refused entry after her letter and money were stolen? Patsy and her kindness, sharing the apartment? Introducing her to Mr Hamilton? Her audition, the impact, her becoming a star? Her fans? Going out, the prince? Jill and her succumbing to this way of life? Her relationship with Hugh, his coming to London, her putting him at a distance? His going out to the plantation? Her plans to marry? Her refusal to give Patsy any money to go out to the plantation? Her becoming the proverbial good-time girl?

5.The contrast with Patsy, performance, a nice person, kindness to Jill, friendship with Hugh, meeting with Levett, his sweeping her off her feet, the marriage, his going out to the plantation, no letters, her concern, going out, discovering him with the girl? Her grief? Discovering Hugh ill? The melodrama leading to Levett’s death? Her realising her love for Hugh, the happy ending?

6.The men, the leering men at the theatre, their binoculars looking at the chorus girls? The ‘sugar daddies’ and taking the chorus girls out to restaurants? The contrast with Hugh, a decent young man, his love for Jill, friendship with Patsy and gratitude towards her, going out to work, falling ill, his recovery, the happy ending?

7.The contrast with Levett, seemingly dashing, attracted to Patsy, the preparation for the marriage, the ceremony, the honeymoon in Italy? His leaving, the changed person at the plantation, with the native girl? His treatment of Patsy, of Hugh? The violence and his death?

8.London, Oscar Hamilton as the entrepreneur, his shows? The contrast with Mr and Mrs Sidey and their kindness towards Patsy and Jill and offering to give the money to Patsy to go out to the plantation?

9.A film of 1925, dated and in its time, yet nevertheless interesting and a glimpse of Hitchcock?

JENNIFER 8

US, 1992, 124 minutes, Colour.
Andy Garcia, Lance Henrickson, Uma Thurman, Graham Beckle, Kathy Baker, Kevin Conway, John Malkovich, Lenny Von Dohlen, Perry Lang.
Directed by Bruce Robinson.

Jennifer 8 is a detective thriller and the search for a serial killer. It has overtones of other thrillers, especially those involving blind women like Wait Until Dark with Audrey Hepburn and See No Evil with Mia Farrow.

The film was written by Bruce Robinson, English writer of such films as The Killing Fields who made a name for himself with the cult film Withnail and I. He also made How To Get Ahead In Advertising. However, his career stalled after the commercial failure of Jennifer Eight.

The film is a star vehicle for Andy Garcia who gives an energetic performance as an obsessed detective. Lance Henrickson often plays villains but plays his sympathetic police friend with Kathy Baker as his wife. The film was also an early star vehicle for Uma Thurman who had appeared in Johnny Dangerously and Dangerous Liaisons. John Malkovich also has a very telling cameo role.

The film is set in north-west California, snowy regions and at Christmas time. The film creates an atmosphere, shows the work of a police precinct and the clashes of personalities, especially when a detective comes from the south. Garcia portrays a man who has lost his wife, is obsessed with his case, becomes very attached to the young blind woman and wants to protect her.

The film is a good example of this kind of detective melodrama.

1.Police thriller? Detective thriller? Search for a serial killer? The blind woman in peril? The blend of these ingredients?

2.North-west California, the town of Eureka? The location photography, winter? The homes, the institute for the blind, the countryside? The police precincts? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score?

3.The title, the victims, the attitude of the killer, the mannequin in the police station?

4.The introduction to John Berlin, driving, meeting with Fred and Marge, the long friendship, Fred as his mentor? The welcome to the north? His skills? The background of his wife, her departure, his drinking, the case and the links with the north? Andy Garcia creating a complex character?

5.The garbage dump, the corpse, the suicide, the boy and the knife, the discovery of the hand? John and his presence, linking the case, the marks on the hand and the suggestion of use of Braille? His waiting in the car, looking at the signs, hearing the sounds for helping the blind across the street? Making connections?

6.Fred, his friendship and support, his scepticism? The chief, his interest, painting, discussions with John, controlling him? The members of the police precinct, Taylor and his antagonism, his knowledge about the case? Other members of the force, expecting promotion and wary of John?

7.John and his investigation, the growing obsession, the need for evidence, pleading his cause with the chief, going into Taylor’s files? The confrontation with Taylor and the attack on him?

8.Going to the institution, the head of the institution and the discussions, his wariness about the case? Complaining to the police?

9.Helena, her music, teaching music, her blindness and the background of the accident and the effect on her and her parents? Her experience at the institute? Her trying to remember the details of her friend, the man picking her up, audio memories, smell? As a witness? John and his meeting her, the discussions, taking her out for the meal? Taking her to see Marge and Fred, on the boat? Fred’s description of him as fat and his age? The bond between Helena and John?

10.The attack, the report? The glimpse of the janitor? Taylor and his giving the information to the papers?

11.Christmas, the celebration, Marge dressing Helena up, the makeup? At the party? John and his going to check the phone calls? Helena and her being bewildered, ignored, weeping? John and his support, love for her?

12.John persuading Fred to go to the institute with him, seeing the light, the gale, the door shutting, the lift, the radio contact, John and his concussion, coming down the steps, the shooting, the gun, Fred’s death? The police having the recording of the incident?

13.Helena and Marge, their grief at Fred’s death? Marge and avenging?

14.John being interrogated by Special Agent St Anne, the intensity, the plausibility of St Anne’s theory, his confrontation with John?

15.Helena, the attack, the need for protection, with Marge? Taylor taking her away?

16.John, the clues, the search of the caravan, finding the addresses, the apartment, the photos, identifying Taylor?

17.Taylor and the arrest, the interrogation by St Anne, by the chief, John being bailed by Marge? The theory about Taylor and his motivations?

18.Taylor, character, the family, his motivation, killing the women, resentment about the blindness in the family, treating the women as dolls, finally threatening Helena in the institute?

19.The irony of Marge in Helena’s room, the chase through the corridors, Marge shooting Taylor?

20.The final lyrical touch and the happy ending?

THE PERFECT MAN

US, 2005, 101 minutes, Colour.
Hilary Duff, Heather Locklear, Chris Noth.
Directed by Mark Rosman.

Just as well you were not at the press preview for this film. If you wanted to catch grumpy old men in action, denouncing Hollywood rubbish, then that was the place to be. As they became more vociferous, they really seemed to be assuming that The Perfect Man was actually made for them and they were affronted.

Of course, The Perfect Man was made for an audience of teenage girls (and, probably, their mothers). To be judging it along the lines of, say, Citizen Kane is really beside the point.

So, The Perfect Man centres on a sixteen year old and her younger sister with their single parent mother. They have been on the move for years since mother wants to leave as soon as a relationship fails. The unlikely (we hope) premise of the film is that daughter and her friends create an ideal man (who is away in China) who corresponds with mum. Eventually, of course, things get out of hand as the perfect computer plan goes awry in real life – until the happy ending. (Clearly not a plot for old-age reviewers!!!)

This is another Hilary Duff movie for the teens. It is a Heather Locklear movie for parents. Unfortunately, the perfect man is played by Chris Noth whose performance, one could charitably say, is very wooden. Even in a dysfunctional age, we all want things to be nice and perfect.

1.A vehicle for Hilary Duff? Teenage audience? A vehicle for Heather Locklear, for her television fans?

2.The American setting, the town, homes, schools, bakeries, restaurants …? The contemporary atmosphere with the use of the internet?

3.The title, expectations – and the creation of the perfect man by suggestion, by emails …?

4.Holly, teenager, her love for fashion, the school dance? Her love for her mother? Relationship with Zoe? The move to Brooklyn? Her mother working in the bakery? Holly and her friends at school? Meeting Ben?

5.Holly’s plan, her disapproval of her mother’s dates? Her sending the flowers, the secret admirer? Holly and Adam, their friendship, sending emails from the secret admirer, naming him after Amy’s uncle? The photograph? Holly and the mix-up about Amber and Ben? The incident with the fire sprinklers, to stop her mother meeting Ben? Adam and the plan to phone Jean, tell her that the romance was off? Holly and the wedding, discovering Ben was the best man? Offering him the emails? The blind date with Ben? Her confession? Wanting to move? Adam and the photo? Ben reading the emails – and the happy ending? Adam and Holly at the prom?

6.Jean, with the two young girls, working in the bakery? The split with her boyfriend after he was cheating? To Brooklyn, the bakery? The encounter with Lenny, the rock fan? Her mother and the choice of men? The reaction to the secret admirer, the flowers, the emails, the blind date? Lenny and the proposal? Holly and her schemes, her mother hearing the truth? Packing, deciding to stay, the happy ending with Ben’s arrival?

7.Ben, the restaurateur, the strong silent type, the best man at the wedding, his being the perfect man? (But rather stolid in performance?)

8.Jean and her men, Lenny and the rock music, the dates, the proposal?

9.Holly and her friends, Amy, Vanessa, Adam and his help?

10.The background of Cyrano de Bergerac and the setting up of romances? For a 21st century teenage audience?

THE FRONT PAGE

US, 1931, 101 minutes, Black and white.
Adolphe Menjou, Pat O’ Brien, Mary Brian, Edward Everett Horton, Walter Catlett, George E. Stone, Mae Clarke, Slim Somerville, Frank Mc Hugh.
Directed by Lewis Milestone.

The Front Page was a play by Ben Hecht and Charles Mc Arthur. and was extremely popular in the early 30s. It was soon made a film and was one of the early talkies, directed by Lewis Milestone who had made All Quiet on the Western Front and was about to make Rain. (Later Milestone directed such films as Of Mice and Men, A Walk in the Sun and many other fine war films, finishing with the Marlin Brando Mutiny on the Bounty.)

The dialogue and the repartee are most important in Hecht's and McArthur's plays and especially this one with its very satirical and sardonic look at the world of newspapers and their lack of scruple and human feeling. It also pokes fun at city administration and corruption. It also shows the innocent victim and the pathos of the criminals chosen by newspapers and corrupt officials.

There are many contrived scenes but the pace and the dialogue seems to make it all work. Adolphe Menjou is particularly good as the severe and unscrupulous, Walter Burns, the editor of the Morning Post. Pat O' Brien is at the beginning of his film career as the reporter Hildy Johnson. There are some very good sutp'brting roles in the other newsraper men.

The filin was so popular that it was reworked in the early 40s and became His Girl Friday directed by Howard Hawks. It was one of the comedies that Hawks made with Cary Grant (others being Bringing Up Baby, I Was a Male War Bride and Monkey Business). However the reworking turned Hildy Johnson into a woman and had Walter Burns married and just divorced.

The basic plot about the newspaper world, city corruption remain the same but there is quite a tension between the man and the woman especially as played expertly by Cary Grant (a warmer but no less unscrupulous Walter Burns) and the wise-cracking Rosalind Russell has Hildy.

Ralph Bellamy puts in a gentle performance as a rather clottish fiance for Hildy. As in the earlier film there are excellent supporting roles from the newspaper men and the city administration and the prisoner Earl Williams.

The story was so popular that it was remade in the 70s with Walter Matthau as Walter Burns and Jack Lemmon as Hildy Johnson. It resembles the original quite considerably, althouph updated with the tone of the 1970s.


1.The classic status of this film? The classic status of the writers, Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur? The later versions of this story? His Girl Friday? Television adaptations? Miniseries? The Billy Wilder 1970s version? It being used for such films as Switching Channels?

2.The atmosphere of the 30s, early sound film-making, the rooms and sets, the black and white photography, the world of the newspaper, of the prison? The musical score?

3.The quality of the dialogue, the repartee, the quick-fire delivery? The American wit and sardonic aspects?

4.The situation, Hildy Johnson and his wanting to get married to Peggy? The preparations for the wedding? Walter Burns, the proprietor, his dominance? The situation with Earl Williams, the hanging, waiting for a reprieve? The complications with Earl Williams’ escape and Hildy and Walter Burns hiding him?

5.The role of the newspaper, the news, the range of journalists and editors, the issues and stories? In the journalists’ room? Playing cards, inventing stories, Mac on the phone and the interviews?

6.Aspects of the law, executions, politics, elections, the coloured votes, corruption?

7.Hildy Johnson as the ace reporter, his love for Peggy, Peggy and the loan from her mother? The preparation for the ceremony? His continually being caught up in the atmosphere of the newsroom, his telling off of Walter Burns over the phone, the escape of Earl Williams, his becoming involved, hiding him? The reactions of the other journalists, Walter collaborating with him, Molly Molloy and her presence, throwing herself out the window? The arrival of the sheriff and the mayor, their double-dealing?

8.Walter Burns, on the phone, the boss, the search for Hildy, the fire alarm, the drink? Talking down Hildy? Getting rid of Peggy’s mother? The charge of abduction? With the other journalists, with Earl Williams? Wanting the scoop? His being arrested with Hildy, the man with the reprieve turning up drunk, the accusations, his prayer being vindicated?

9.Benzinger, Edward Everett Horton and his comic style, language and manner, his ailments? His writing, the poetry? Going out to buy the pills? Earl Williams and his desk? Burns and his manoeuvres to get rid of Benzinger, sending him to the office, promising him a job, getting him fired because of not giving notice?

10.The sheriff, his incompetence? Giving the gun to the psychologist, his own gun being used by Earl Williams? The mayor, the consideration for re-election, the killing of a black person, the coloured vote? The governor and his attitude – and sending the reprieve?

11.Earl Williams, the accusations, protesting his innocence, the re-enactment of the crime, the psychologist from Vienna looking like Freud? The re-enactment, his shooting the psychologist, escaping, Hildy putting him in the desk, his continually coming out? His love for Molly? The reprieve?

12.Peggy, love for Hildy, exasperated, the plan to go to New York, borrowing from her mother? Her continually coming to the office, on the phone? Her being put off? Her mother, waiting in the taxi, coming up, bundled away? Peggy and her giving in to Hildy?

13.Molly, helping Earl, hiding, throwing herself out the window?

14.The frantic situation, the journalists and their getting the truth, ringing up their exclusives? The mayor and the sheriff? Being exposed? The drunk messenger and his not wanting to be corrupted?

15.The happy ending, Hildy and his continuing his work as a journalist?

16.The popularity of this kind of newspaper film – and its being a model for so many films and television movies and series in decades afterwards?

LIGHTNING JACK

Australia/US, 1994, 96 minutes, Colour.
Paul Hogan, Cuba Gooding Jr, Beverley D' Angelo, Kamala Lopez, Pat Hingle, L.Q. Jones, Richard Riehle, Max Cullen, Roger Daltrey, Tony Bonner.
Directed by Simon Wincer.

Lightning Jack was one of Paul Hogan’s follow-ups to his success with the first two Crocodile Dundee films. He also wrote Almost an Angel which was not so commercially successful. Lightning Jack was only moderately successful around the world. After that he made Flipper, the third Crocodile Dundee film and the Australian comedy, Strange Bedfellows.

Paul Hogan has never tried to disguise his accent. So, this time, he is a failed outlaw in the American west, an Australian who finds it easy to go from state to state where he is not pursued as he would be in Australia. He also joins the Younger Gang – who are all killed at the first robbery at the beginning of the film. Hogan wrote the screenplay, has his usual laconic jokes, has a few laughs with sexual innuendo, downplays himself by promoting himself.

Cuba Gooding Jr, who was emerging as a star at this time after his appearance in Boys in the Hood, portrays a mute African American assistant in a store. He becomes Lightning Jack’s partner with the story of his valour over the Indians, calling himself Comanche. Beverley D' Angelo is a prostitute. Pat Hingle is the sheriff who wants to be governor of the state. There are some guest appearances by Roger Daltrey as an outlaw and Max Cullen as the sheriff with the prison.

The film was directed by Simon Wincer who had made an impact in Australia with such films as Phar Lap, The Lighthorsemen and went to America and made the series Lonesome Dove as well as many other films.

1.A popular Paul Hogan comedy? The equivalent of Crocodile Dundee as a failed outlaw in the American west? Hogan’s screen personality, his wisecracks, his persona?

2.The settings in the American west, authentic, the desert, the towns? The bars? The banks? The musical score?

3.The title, Jack Caine and his pride in being Lightning Jack? His ability with shooting? His inability to see well, his glasses, having to put them on to read, concealing this from people? His failure as an outlaw, the bungles in the various bank robberies? Yet his skill with his tongue, saving Ben Doyle in the bar, his wisecracks?

4.Ben Doyle, mute, in the shop, writing his notes, the manager and his ousting him? His being taken hostage? His saving Jack? The snakebite which wasn’t his continuing on with Jack, their way of communication? Cuba Gooding’s ability to communicate by facial expression without words?

5.The adventures of Jack and Ben? Moving through Indian territory? Going into the towns, the various bars? The men who challenged Ben, Jack’s story about Comanche and instilling fear in them? The various comic routines? Teaching Doyle how to shoot?

6.Lana, her establishment, her love for Jack, his promises to her, her helping him? Her waiting for him after the robbery? His finally turning up and their going to New York? Pilar as the prostitute, with Ben? In love with him?

7.The US marshal, the plan to get the Younger Gang? The achievement, the photos? His being persuaded by various interests, bank interests, to pursue Lightning Jack?

8.The plans for the big robbery, the irony of the alternate gang coming in and doing the robbery? Jack and Ben using their nous? Robbing the robbers?

9.The arrest, in the prison, the sheriff? Ben and his setting the fire, the escape?

10.The humour of the various escapades, the parodies of the serious westerns?

24/7: TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN

UK, 1997, 96 minutes, Black and white.
Bob Hoskins, Danny Nussbaum, Bruce Jones, Annette Badland.
Directed by Shayne Meadows.

Early in this slice-of-life small-budget British film, Bob Hoskins as boxing coach, Darcy, confides to his diary that each of the young men that he is trying to help by setting up a boxing club is not strong enough, of himself, to make a move to get out of his rut. But, with each other, as a group working together, they can. This is a major theme of this fine film, a film that offers hope without being misty-eyed or thinking that every crisis has a neatly happy ending.

26 year-old, Shane Meadows, co-wrote and directed this film about life on the edges of a Midlands city and has made a noteworthy first feature. He has drawn on his own experience and it looks and sounds it. It is what is often called 'gritty realism'. We are in Loach, Leigh and, now, Oldman territory and not too far from the Yorkshire of Brassed Off and The Full Monty. But Meadows has opted not make a kind of grunge Rocky. And he has opted for black and white photography and a range of contemporary thematic songs as mood for his portrait of Darcy and his struggles to help the young men better themselves. There is a sequence towards the end when Darcy finds that one of his boxers that he gone to court for and guaranteed that he will not go back on drugs has overdosed. He cares for him with great tenderness and without any mawkishness. Meadows has elicited from Hoskins and his cast, both of young men and of their families, convincingly realistic performances.

The initial aimlessness of the men is contrasted with their homes (but, surprisingly, minimum sexual relationships). Tim (Danny Nussbaum) who finds the down and out Darcy as the film opens and reads through Darcy's often poetic diary as the framework for flashbacks comes from a home with a battered mother and compulsively negative father (Bruce Jones, the father in Loach's Raining Stones). The film grows on you. It is a cry from a contemporary depressed society even, ultimately from Darcy, offering leads but no pat ending. An authentic cry for help.

1.Shayne Meadows and his work, his background in the English Midlands, his perspectives on UK society?

2.The black and white photography, the Midlands town, the boxing arena, the countryside? The range of the musical score, accompaniment, choir …?

3.The introduction to the town, the rail tracks, the bridge, the trailer, Tim finding Darcy, helping him, the diary, Tim reading it? The introduction to the flashbacks?

4.The town and the groups of young men, employed or not, their personalities, backgrounds, ethnic differences, their clashes, fighting each other, confronting each other?

5.The different families, Tim and his father, his father and his aggressiveness, his long-suffering wife, verbal abuse, the father and his capacity to disrupt, taunting, the rivalry with Darcy, spoiling the boxing event, fighting Darcy, being bashed yet laughing, at the end alone? The changes in his family? The father with the fat boy, his parents, paying, encouraging him, the boy becoming Darcy’s assistant?

6.Darcy and his background in the town, his challenging the group, the soccer and the goals, their having to go to the club, the other young men and the training? The bouts, the young man losing his temper in the ring, Darcy and his explanations of control? The boxing and the variety of groups? Tensions? Trust in Darcy? The challenges, the young men believing in themselves?

7.The young man with the drugs, in bed, Darcy confronting him, dragging him to the court, pleading his case, forcing him to come to the boxing?

8.Darcy and his diary, the poems, his perceptions about the town and the boys? His learning to dance? Preparing to go, successful at dancing?

9.Darcy, his social concern, his own background, the possibilities for the young men?

10.The build-up to the climax, success, the evening of boxing, the father and his interruption, the consequent fight?

11.Darcy and his loss of control, bashing the father, his shame, retreating, Tim helping him, his death?

12.Everybody at the funeral, the camera focusing on each group in the church and giving the audience time to reflect on what had happened to them?

13.The film as a mirror of people and the times? The film as an urge to hope and courage?

SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT

US, 1937, 89 minutes, Black and white.
James Cagney, Evelyn Daw, William Frawley, Mona Barrie, Gene Lockhart, Philip Ahn, Kathleen Lockhart.
Directed by Victor Schertzinger.

Something to Sing About is a lesser-known James Cagney vehicle. As a contrast from his gangster roles as in Public Enemy and Angels with Dirty Faces which was to follow, he plays a song-and-dance man. In fact, Cagney won his Oscar in 1942 for Yankee Doodle Dandy as song-and-dance man George M. Cohan.

Cagney is a very genial screen presence. Opera singer Evelyn Daw is the leading lady and there is comic support from William Frawley and Gene Lockart as well as from Korean -descended American Philip Ahn who played numerous villains during the 40s and 50s.

The film was directed by Victor Schertzinger, who directed a number of musicals and comedies and was a composer (‘Tangerine’).

The film is interesting as a spoof of Hollywood. Gene Lockhart is an ineffectual studio director. William Frawley is a scheming PR man. Mona Barrie portrays a European-born prima donna. There is insight into the processes of film-making – and is reminiscent of some of the humour of films like Singin’ in the Rain.

1.An entertaining musical comedy? Of the 1930s?

2.A James Cagney vehicle? His screen image in the 1930s? Gangsters? Drama? Song-and-dance man? His effectiveness as a dancer? As an actor? As portraying a dancer trying to be a film star?

3.The music, the songs? The dance routines? The title?

4.Terry Rooney, his band in New York City, the clubs, his dancing, his love for Rita, the proposal and the ring, going to Hollywood?

5.Terry in Hollywood, the encounter with Hank Meyers and the PR, the photographs with the women at the station? Meeting B.O. Regan? The makeup criticism, his diction criticism, his wardrobe criticism? The criticism from Steffie?

6.On set, the director and his friendliness? Regan and his not wanting Terry to be spoilt? The clashes with Steffie?

7.The training, his practising his vowels? His makeup, his new suit? The performance? Everybody happy with him – but the studio director telling them not to praise him?

8.The final fight, the clash, the genuine fight and the cameras rolling? Audience reaction to the fight, men and women? The reaction to his songs? The film as a hit?

9.Ito, his Japanese style – and the fact that he was American-born and could speak with great diction? His contribution to the plot?

10.Rita coming to San Francisco, the marriage, going on the honeymoon, song-and-dance routines on the ship? In the meantime everybody searching for him? The headlines? The success?

11.Their return, people in the street, at the theatre, autographs? B.O. and Hank coming to see him? The contract, his not to be married, Rita and her solution?

12.In Hollywood, Rita as his confidential secretary? Steffie persuaded to act with him? Amy Robbins and her being a journalist, getting the stories, the interviews, Hank Meyers planting the stories, Steffie and the announcement of the engagement? Amy Robbins and her watching the performance?

13.Rita, the clash, the premiere, going back to New York, with the band, singing? Her phoning, Steffie answering? Her dismay, the performance, the billing?

14.Terry, flying to New York, arriving, joining Rita on stage – and the happy ending?

BLINDSIGHT

UK, 2006, 104 minutes, Colour.
Sabriye Tenberken, Erik Weihenmayer.
Directed by Lucy Walker.

Blindsight is a documentary that urges faith in human nature and its goodness.

The title refers to the experience of people who are blind but who have their others senses heightened and experience so much of the reality around them without seeing it.

If you hear that this is a documentary about a group of blind teenagers who climb a peak adjacent to Everest, you have not heard wrongly. How could this happen?

The film opens with some footage of an American man, Erik Weihenmeyer, who went blind young and who was challenged to take up rock climbing in his native Colorado. Eventually, he scaled Everest and we see him climbing, tip-toeing over bridges, arriving triumphantly on the summit. Weihenmeyer also published an account of his feat which caught the attention of a blind German woman, Sabriye Tenberken, who had trekked to Tibet and established an organisation, Braille Without Borders, and collected children for her school, children who had been rejected by society which judged that they must have done something evil in a previous life to have been so afflicted. Sabriye made contact with Erik who came to Tibet with a plan for some of the students to climb a mountain and for the adventure to be filmed.

The narrative has quite some dramatic impact. The preparations for the climb – the students had little experience of rock climbing – the mental and psychological conditions and the practicalities of young people without sight managing on the mountains. A range of experienced sighted guides flew in to Lhassa to work with the youngsters.
The trek itself has its moments of drama with personal challenges but the progress is interspersed with the personal stories of each of the teenagers. These offer quite some insight into the range of Chinese and Tibetan life and customs.

Director Lucy Walker and the camera crew are quite unobtrusive but still immerse us in the day by day ascent, the difficulties, the illnesses, the indomitable spirit as well as the disappointments in those who are unable to reach the summit. The photography of the mountains is crystal clear, continually breathtaking and fascinating.

A verb is used at the beginning of the film to describe Erik’s achievement: to summit. This is key to the meaning of the experience for the climbers. Sabriye, whom some of the guides thinks is over-protective, is concerned about the pushing of the youngsters to achieve and reach the top. She strongly makes the point that the aim of the experience is not to summit but to build a sense of solidarity amongst the group, care for the weakest amongst them and growth in self-esteem and confidence from the experience that most sighted people would not be able to experience.

Rightly uplifting. (A feature film was made of Erik Weihenmeyer's life and his climbing Everest, Touch the Top of the World, with Peter Facinelli, 2006.)

1.The impact of the film? The achievement of the blind students? The mountaineering? The sense of community? Perseverance and achievement?

2.The Tibetan settings? The mountains, Mount Everest? The clarity of the photography? The peaks, the rocks, the formations, the snow and ice? The audience vividly immersed in the mountains? The base camps? Life on the mountain?

3.The title, the reference to the blind people, the nickname for blindsight(*?) and their awareness despite the impairment?

4.The introduction to Erik Weihenmayer, his story, losing his sight, the challenge to climb rocks, his going to the mountains, the film of his climbing of Everest? His achievement? His book? The email from Sabriye Tenberken? His response, going to Tibet? The plan for the climb, the filming of the climb?

5.Sabriye Tenberken, her partner Paul Kronenberg? Their organisation of Braille Beyond Borders? Her own blindness, German background, coming to Tibet, adventurous, travel? Gathering the students, establishing the school? Her achievement, her concern, the trip, the issue of trust in the guides, in Erik, her protectiveness and the challenge to this? Her worry about the ill students? The final discussions, her emphasis on teamwork, the achievement and sense of community, the concern for the weakest of the group? Rather than necessarily have to reach a summit?

6.The issue of the climb? The use of the verb at the beginning of the film, to summit? The western idea of climbing and achieving? The Asian idea of the experience? Especially for the blind children who would not see the view? Their experience of climb, rocks, breathing, health and illness? Helping one another? The sense of touch and hearing?

7.The preparation for the trek, the introduction to the variety of guides and their internationality? Their philosophies, concern, the doctor?

8.The training of the students, the climbing of rocks, a sense of letting go, careful with their feet? Feeling?

9.The interspersion of the stories about the students themselves? Boys and girls? The stigma of blindness in Tibet, assuming evil done in a previous life? The reality of reincarnation? The street boy, really Chinese, his hard life, being taken to find his father, his brother? His wanting to do massage? His illness on the climb? The boy who was a strong Buddhist, his family, the farm? His later joining with the Chinese boy for the massage? The young women, their abilities, their families, the treatment they received for being blind? The other boys and girls? The range of ages?

10.The maps, the indicating of the achievement, the trek? The experience of walking, climbing, thin air, headaches? The tents, the Sherpas, the yaks? The continued ascent?

11.Crises, health? The decision for the young man to go down? The headaches for the girl? Her disappointment and feeling that she was letting people down?

12.The weather, the gathering storms? The needs for people to go down?

13.The final achievement, the experience? People ready to criticise the adventure? Overcoming prejudice?

14.The aftermath, the boy singing the song during the final credits? The narrative and the information about what happened to each of the young people? Affirmation, self-confidence, achievement?

CITIZEN RUTH

US, 1996, 106 minutes, Colour.
Laura Dern, Swoozie Kurtz, Kurtwood Smith, Mary Kay Place, Kelly Preston, M.C. Gainey, Kenneth Mars, David Graf, Kathleen Noone, Tippi Hedren, Burt Reynolds.
Directed by Alexander Payne.

Citizen Ruth is quite an extraordinary film for the 1990s. It is in the tradition of American satire, not a strong genre because Americans tend to take things at their face value rather than understanding the satirical elements of the treatment of a serious issue. The serious issue for this film is abortion as well as the clashes between pro-life and pro-choice campaigners. The film was directed by Alexander Payne who co-wrote the script with his writing partner Jim Taylor. They were move on to Election, About Schmidt and Sideways.

Laura Dern won the best actress award at the Montreal film festival for her extraordinary performance as Ruth, a down-and-out young woman who relies on glue and paint to get her highs, has given birth to four children already, is used by men and thrown out, finds herself sitting in the dumpsters in streets, and finds herself pregnant again. She is visited in jail by pro-lifers, called the Baby Savers. They are presented in earnestness as well as caricature by Mary Kay Place and Kurtwood Smith. Smith shows the ambiguity of his motivation by saying that he was a sinner before his conversion but is now the leader of the Baby Savers. Burt Reynolds, hairpiece in place, arrives later in the film as a wealthy sponsor and leader of the Baby Savers.

Ruth is bewildered by the attention that she gets, is absorbed in her own life and needs, seems to have a very low IQ. She doesn’t understand too much of what is going on. The judge criticises her for her drug use and endangering the health of her unborn child. He seems to be suggesting that she get an abortion. She is taken by the Baby Savers to one of their own doctors (Kenneth Mars) and a smiling nurse (Kathleen Noone) who give her pep talks as well as show her horrendous video material.

She is allegedly rescued by another Baby Saver, played by Swoozie Kurtz. However, she is a spy and is in the campaign pro-choice. The second part of the film satirises the pro-choice people and presents caricatures, the lesbian relationship between Swoozie Kurtz and Kelly Preston, their praying to the goddess Moon. M.C. Gainey portrays a Vietnam veteran who offers fifteen thousand dollars to Ruth not to have an abortion. This seems an extraordinary amount of money to her and she is able to change opinions and behaviour all the time.

The film shows the groups, their fanaticism, especially their demonstrations and screaming at each other. They are desperate to send messages to the American public, more concerned about this than the person that they are allegedly concerned with.

There is a twist at the end – insofar as Ruth has a miscarriage and is unable to tell the campaigners. She finally absconds with the money.

Satire is a way of highlighting the idiosyncrasies of society and of individuals. It highlights aspects through caricature – which is potentially offensive to people with strong commitments to a particular cause but is often a salutary challenge for them to rethink their positions or, at least, how they stand for their beliefs and put them into practice.

1.The impact of the film, as entertainment, as satire, its serious issues? The effect of spoofing on the various sides of arguments? Audiences and their own views and how they are affected by the satire on their views?

2.The work of Alexander Payne, his subsequent films and their satiric tone? Incisive dialogue? Characterisation and caricatures?

3.The title, echoes of Citizen Kane, the role of the American and American rights? The strength of Laura Dern’s performance? The credibility of her character?

4.The role of satire, caricature, the kernel of truth, highlighting battle lines, portraits of people, key attacks? Causes, selfishness, do-gooders, righteousness? Sending messages and/or care for persons or not?

5.The introduction to Ruth, indigent, on the margins, low intelligence, highly emotional, her four children, her sniffing glue and paint, the sex encounter with her partner and his immediate brutally throwing her out, throwing the TV at her? Her wandering the town, hungry, going to her family, the rejection, her getting fifteen dollars, buying the glue, sniffing in the streets, her arrest?

6.The audience attitude to Ruth, sympathy or not?

7.Ruth in prison, dreading it, the interview with the doctor, her pregnancy, the issue of abortion, her wanting one, the prayer group?

8.The bailing out of Ruth, the introduction to Norman and Gail, the humorous scene of his getting the money for her bail, Diane present at the bailing? Norman and Gail taking Ruth home, their son and his age, wanting his meal? Their daughter and her sneaking out with her partner, sexual promiscuity? Taking Ruth out in the night? Ruth and her having the bath, late for the meal, there being no TV, the new clothes, the daughter taking her out in the middle of the night, the drugs, her being tired?

9.The interview with the doctor and the nurse, the caricature smiles and enthusiasm, pro-life, the questions, the speculation if she were to give birth, adoption? Showing the video of the abortion and its effect on Ruth?

10.Norman and Gail, their marriage, born-again? Norman and his going to Ruth’s room, the lustful glances? Gail and her doing good? The prayers at the meals? Oblivious of the behaviour of their daughter?

11.Ruth wandering, more glue, the police? Diane and her offering to take her to her home?

12.The revelation of Diane, seeing her campaigning with Gail and Norman, her sweet talk? The truth, the spy? At home, her relationship with Rachel? Her devotion to the cause of pro-choice, fanaticism? Harmon, his experience in Vietnam, his attitude towards the government, towards life? The prayer to the moon and the moon goddess? Their behaviour and their supporters? Paralleling those of the Baby Savers?

13.The various glimpses of the followers, the demonstrations, the vicious shouting, the placards, the pro-life demonstrations at Diane’s house? The pro-choice demonstrations? The causes?

14.Television and the media, intrusive, wanting to interview Ruth, distorting the situation, Norman giving his interview? Ruth watching the television at various times – with dismay?

15.Wayne, his arrival, the plane, Eric as his attendant, audience suspicions about the relationship? His story of saving Eric? Offering the thirty thousand for Ruth? The demonstrations?

16.Ruth’s mother, born-again, pleading with her daughter – and her daughter taunting her about her past partners?

17.Harmon, keeping guard for Diane and Rachel, offering fifteen thousand, no strings attached, knowing that she would spend it? His involvement in helping Ruth? Their discussions? His motivation?

18.Wayne, the thirty thousand, the TV interviews, Ruth watching videos about investing in homes, her imagining that fifteen thousand would cover her home, car?

19.Diane and her pressure, Rachel and her behaviour? The demonstrations at their home? The police coming?

20.Ruth, focused on her immediate needs, on the babies, her drugs?

21.Ruth being smuggled to the helicopter, Jessica coming from Washington, the pro-choice campaigns, the various colleagues? Going to the clinic, the demonstrations outside, the limousine, bullet-proof? The doctor and his interview with Ruth before the procedure?

22.The miscarriage, Ruth not telling anyone, about to tell Diane? The irony of the examination, the procedure? The money in the bag, Ruth counting it? Escaping through the toilet window? Going off on her own, leaving the groups to squabble?

23.The result of watching the film for the audience, emotional issues, intellectual issues, themes of life and choice?