SNIJEG (SNOW)

Bosnia Herzogovina, 2008, 100 minutes, Colour.
Zana Marjanovic, Jasna Beri.
Directed by Aida Begic.

Snijeg is a moving film about the aftermath of the Balkan wars. The setting is Bosnia Herzogovina in 1997-98.

The film is set in autumn-winter, a small village inhabited by refugees from other towns, all women except for the imam and a little boy who is mute because of the traumas of war. The group in the village try to earn a living by growing fruit, harvesting it and making preserves and jams which they sell by the roadside. The film is interesting in its presentation of this group of women, many of them very earthy. However, the central character, Alma, stands out. She is a devout Muslim, a widow who lives with her rather haughty mother-in-law who is the chief member of the village.

Possibilities open up: a group of entrepreneurs arrive from the city interested in buying up the land for development; on the other hand, after an accident on the highway where a truck crashes into the jam stall, the driver offers to transport all the jams and preserves and so develop a business. The postscript to the film indicates that the inhabitants did not sell their village but rather employed the young man and have built up a trade.

Throughout the film there is great regret at the death of the men, fathers and husbands, sons. One of the entrepreneurs is a Serb who comes, wanting to make some kind of recompense for the war, having saved one of the inhabitants of the village but unable to save another.

The film is very sad in showing the futility and ugliness and brutality of the clash between Serbs and Bosnians. The director is a young Bosnian woman, a writer-director.

1.The impact of the drama, the war and its aftermath, the women and their survival? The memories of the war, the deaths of the men?

2.Audience knowledge of Bosnia and the 1990s, the long history of the clash with the Serbs, the Muslim population, the Orthodox population? The war, impoverishment? The dead and the missing?

3.The film as a week in the life of the village? The small village, the mountains, the countryside, the woods? The population? Their work, the fruit, the trade? Processing the fruit by hand? The jars and the storage? Selling the jams by the roadside – and the few customers? Survival? Family, relationships? The importance of the absent men?

4.The structure: the days, the sense of drama with the young man promising to come by Wednesday, the arrival of the agent and the entrepreneur? The pressure on the group to sell?

5.Alma as the centre, the catalyst for what happened in the village? In herself, age, beauty, marriage, the death of her husband, a retired widow, living with her mother-in-law, as a servant, her moods, her criticisms? The opening charades, Alma at work, waiting on people? Hard work with the fruit, the production, the selling? The accident, her doing a deal with the driver? Waiting for him to come, trusting his word? Her reaction to the buyers, the argument against selling the village? Her mother-in-law and her decision? Attracted by the young driver? Her development as a woman, her self-consciousness as a Muslim woman, her clothes, her hair? Her hopes? The postscript and the trade?

6.Nadija: a boisterous widow, tough, her family, daughter, her energy? At work, her clothes? Arguing? The continued search for her husband? The role-plays and the charades, her husband? Her daughter? Her selling the fruit – and not wanting to be mistaken as a hooker? Her arguments, the outsiders and their persuading her to sell? Her hopes? The discussions about her husband, the Serb admitting he could not save him? Her daughter, her longing for her father, her upset about her father’s death?

7.The imam, his role in the village, leadership, teaching the little boy, the boy and the effects of war? His being lost in the woods and the imam searching?

8.The mother-in-law, her moodiness, demanding, illness, her final decision?

9.The weaving woman, Muslim, her work in the village, relationship with the others, the beauty of her weaving? Her trying to be persuaded to sell?

10.The young woman, her gaudy style, her boyfriend in Sweden? His gift? The phone call, her hopes dashed?

11.The grandmother, her grandchildren, work, anger, her sense of loss, the arguments, willing to sell?

12.The agent, Serb, his being with the women, the discussions, trying to persuade them to sell, his hard-sell style? The entrepreneur, his visit, brashness, language, despising the people? Trying to trick them? Their being stranded, the car breakdown, the snow? Eating with the group?

13.The failure of the driver to turn up on Wednesday? The women wanting to sell? The talking points about a future for the village, for the women, for their children, education? The arrival of the driver on a later day?

14.One year later, Alma, rebuilding the village despite the difficulties, the trade, the young driver, morale? Hope for Bosnia in the 21st century?

INCENDIARY

UK, 2008, 110 minutes, Colour.
Michelle Williams, Ewan Mc Gregor, Matthew Mac Fadyen, Sid Nicholas Gleaves, Usman Khokhar.
Directed by Sharon Maguire.

The original novel by Chris Cleave may have been moving and exciting but Sharon Maguire's adaptation, while it may have sounded moving and exciting on paper, has not translated to the screen as well as it might have. It is highly contrived and melodramatic with too many coincidences and takes an exhortatory tone about contemporary terrorism and dealing with the horror and the grief.

Michelle Williams (English accent and all) plays an unhappy wife but a very loving mother in North London. Her husband works for the bomb disposal unit and anti-terrorist forces. His boss is played sombrely by Matthew Mac Fadyen. The mother, never named, refers to herself as a London slapper (not the impression she gives when with her son) but she takes up with a womanising journalist (Ewan Mc Gregor). Then, sudden disaster as the Arsenal stadium explodes with suicide bombers. The mother has to deal with her grief for her son, almost to the point of delusions and madness.

The journalist seems to have a very sudden change of heart and lifestyle and investigates a lead concerning one of the bombers and tells the mother. She finds the bomber's son, follows him and strikes up a friendship. This leads to a near repetition of the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes by police at a London station after the 2005 bombings.

The cast do their best, especially Michelle Williams and the two children. However, it does not quite gell and is not as persuasive about its concerns as it wants to be.

1.A topical story? The UK? Terrorism?

2.The title, the reference to Hitler and World War Two, the incendiary bombs? Lenny and his job, bomb defusion? The stadium and the explosion? The consequences?

3.The aim of the film: concerning terror, horror at deaths, grief, rebuilding? Madness, family, betrayal and forgiveness? The melodramatic content and style? Exhortatory? Credible or not?

4.The device of the letter to Osama, from the mother, the various inserts throughout the film, the finale, the moral, urging Osama bin Laden to see the grief and the children dead?

5.The introduction by the mother, the voice-over? Her mood, her playing with her son, blinking, the old rabbit, putting it in the washing machine? Telling the story about her husband, falling out of love with him, the past? Happy and unhappy? Lenny and his attitude in the house, loving his wife or not? Going to work, the difficulties and pressures, at home, the television, meals? With his son? Taking him to the football game? The mother and her story, and her attitude towards herself? Taking her son to Camber Sands? Playing – and the recurring memory?

6.Going out in the evening, the encounter with Jasper in the pub, the wordplay, being tough, yet succumbing to him? The night, its effect? Her meeting Jasper, saying she should have said no? At home in the afternoon, seductive, the television and the impact of the explosion?

7.The explosion, the deaths, the terror, the horror? Her going to the stadium, the search, the rabbit? The injuries when the material fell on her? In the hospital? The blimp with the photos of those who have died – in the air over London? In memoriam? The relationship with Terrence? His going to St Paul’s with her for the memorial service?

8.Lenny, his job, the introduction to the bombs and terror, the incendiary theme? With his son? The finale and the flashback about the British attitude after the Fire of London, rebuilding?

9.Jasper, at the pub, his friend, the bet, the womanising? His evening with the mother? The explosion and his taking her to the site? Her wariness of him? His work, finding the photo of the bomber? The information? Sharing it with the mother? Her going to St Albans, finding the boy, the mother, in the shop, following the boy, befriending him? Talking, paying for his food? The cricket bat, taking him to Camber Sands? The chase in Waterloo Station, her standing in front of the bullet, being grazed?

10.The boy, his mother and her work in the shop, truancy from school, going to meet his father, the promise of the cricket bat? His memories of his father and description? The bond with the Mother? His shock at finding the news about his father, the chase, the police pulling the gun on him? The end, he and his mother meeting the woman, the letter, saying they were sorry?

11.Jasper and his love for the woman, safeguarding her, his research, finding the list and Terrence’s name on it, writing the article, the publication, the effect? At the hospital, the discussions with Terrence, their clash about security?

12.Terrence and his work, his responsibilities, his being on the list for the match, the encounter with Jasper? His love for the Mother, sharing her grief, his wife leaving him, the explanations? The information about the match, the suspects, wanting information – and not expecting or anticipating such disaster? Percentages and risks?

13.Terrence and his wife, his discussions about caravans, the drink, the story, his relationship with the Mother?

14.The shooting at Waterloo Station, the mother in the hospital? Her return home, her living in a deluded state, reliving the past, imagining her son at home, looking at the blimp? Going out, reality, her son dead, not finding him at home? Going on the roof – her not killing herself, an affirmation of life?

15.Her pregnancy, Jasper and his concern, giving birth, the cry and hope?

16.How well did the film work as an entertainment, a female point of view, as a message film?

SAW V

US, 2008, 92 minutes, Colour.
Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Julie Benz, Meagan Good, Mark Rolston.
Directed by David Hackl.

Trying for a sense of balance, I went to see Saw! Well, a review has to start somewhere.

The Saw series is review-proof. The fans, who seem to be legion judging from box office returns, are committed to the series. Others who venture into the cinema for Saw V and immediately see a 21st century variation on The Pit and the Pendulum will know whether they want to stay or not.

Since October 2004, the end of October and the anticipation of Halloween has seen the annual release of a Saw movie. The first one was a bit of a shock: graphic in its torture and in its capacity to create anxiety in the audience as a mad killer imprisons victims and plays mental and physical games with them as they try to follow his rules to survive. The rest of the series have been variations on this theme. The masked murderer is called Jigsaw and the series has continued to feature him even though, chronologically, he has been dead in Saw IV and Saw V. The potential of the flashback, while it might not produce resurrection, it at least manages resuscitation. Actor Tobin Bell, with his somewhat sepulchral look and his definitely sepulchral voice and speech, gives a bit more solidity, if not solemnity, to his scenes as Jigsaw.

However, he has passed on his heritage to a police officer whose sister has been murdered and her killer freed long before justice demands because of a technicality. This device has meant that Saw IV and Saw V have been able to continue, via the officer played by Costas Mandylor who entered the series with Saw III – and who, despite appearances in the last scene, should be available to wreak havoc in Saw VI.

The original Saw, devised by two Australian film-makers, Leigh Whannell and Malaysian-born James Wan, led audiences into the horror-torture genre that has led to Hostel and some truly ugly films like Captivity and La Frontiere. At least the dialogue in the Saw films (though not delivered with the greatest of thespian polish!) tries to introduce some ideas of crime, justice, retribution – and then adds in another splatter scene.

1.The annual event of a Saw film in October and Halloween? The popularity at the box office?

2.Saw’s contribution to the torture genre? Its influence? It being influenced by other films of this kind? The cumulative effect for 2008?

3.The focus on Jigsaw? His motivations, his background, his wife, their divorce, his apologies, the box with his possessions? The flashbacks – enabling Jigsaw to be present in Saw IV and Saw V? His motivations, his interest in Mark Hoffman? The flashback revelation about Hoffman and his interactions with Jigsaw, Jigsaw trapping him, injecting him? Teaching him? Jigsaw’s death and his continuing through his inheritance in Hoffman?

4.Mark Hoffman, investigator, with the police? The clashes with Strahm? Erickson as his superior? His presence at the opening, rescuing the little girl? The shock of Strahm surviving? The background of his sister’s death, the brutal murder? The pit and the pendulum death of her murderer? The irony of Hoffman organising this? Jigsaw’s criticism of his method? His equipment? Hoffman and his setting up the new game, supervising it, observing it? The build-up to the confrontation with Strahm? The box, Strahm trapping Hoffman in the box? Yet Strahm’s death? The possibility for Hoffman to survive to Saw VI?

5.Strahm, his presence in the warehouse, the investigation? His being struck, his head in the box, the water, piercing his neck for breathing? In the hospital? His suspicions of Hoffman, Erickson putting him off the job? His getting the files, pinpointing Hoffman and the connections? Going to confront him? Hoffman outwitting him? His being crushed to death?

6.The opening, the murderer and the pit and the pendulum? His options with his hands, or the pendulum? The insertions later of his death? The background of his being a murderer, Hoffman’s sister?

7.Erickson, the supervisor, his dealings with Hoffman, putting Strahm off the case? The visit by Jill? Her concern at being followed? The background of the lawyer, Jill, the box, knowing about her husband?

8.The scenario with the five victims? Their combined crime and the gradual revelation, their selfishness, greed and brutality? The drug addict and his fears, his doing the arson job? His finally giving his blood and collapsing? The estate agent, her ruthlessness, killing opposition, the blood, surviving? The journalist, his knowing everything, his wanting to survive, his being knocked out and killed? The fire department girl, her cover-up – and the first to die? The African American woman, her surviving, her ruthlessness, her being tricked by the estate agent and dying? The set-up with the various traps, the timer, the Jigsaw mask, the recordings? The explosions, the group using its wits – when they should have combined to survive instead of eliminating each other?

9.The overall impact of the film? As a moralising revenge story? As a brutal torture film?

D-TOX

US, 2002, 96 minutes, Colour.
Sylvester Stallone, Charles S. Dutton, Polly Walker, Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Fulford, Jeffrey Wright, Tom Berenger, Stephen Lang, Alan C. Paterson, Robert Prosky, Robert Patrick, Courtney B. Vance, Sean Patrick Flanery, Rance Howard.
Directed by Jim Gillespie.

D-Tox is a Sylvester Stallone vehicle. Here he plays an FBI agent whose wife is brutality murdered by an unknown killer who has been killing off police officers.

Stallone’s character is overcome by grief as well as by anger and is advised by his boss, Charles S. Dutton, to go to a detox centre. There he finds a number of police officers also undergoing treatment. However, the killer is disguised as a policeman and starts murdering the officers at the detox centre.

Stallone is his usual self. Charles S. Dutton is sympathetic as his superior. Kris Kristofferson is in charge of the detox centre with Polly Walker on the staff. The rest of the cast portray the various officers who are undergoing treatment.

The film is rather dark, has its brutal touches, builds up to an atmosphere where everybody is suspicious of the other, various members of the detox patients being eliminated. There is a final confrontation – where the killer is revealed to be British!

1.The popularity of Sylvester Stallone as an action hero? Police? Agent? Investigations? His collapse and his going to the detox centre?

2.The city, the precincts, homes, the bars, murder sites? The contrast with the detox centre, isolated, winter, ice and snow? Cold atmosphere, dark? The musical score?

3.The title, its focus on the centre, the people there, staff and patients? The killer inserting himself into the detox centre?

4.The basic plotline, Malloy and his status, investigations, friends with other police? Their deaths? The celebration and the aftermath with the murder of the policeman? His relationship with Mary, going home, their discussions, the gift? The brutality of her death? The cumulative effect on him? Hendricks and his advice for Malloy to go to the detox?

5.Hendricks, a sympathetic superior? The advice about the centre? His visiting the town, trying to get to the centre – and his participation in the trick to catch the killer?

6.Doc, his police background, his running of the centre? The rules? His severity? Reliance on Jenny? Other people on the staff? The number of murders, Doc and his wanting to heighten security? Jenny, her concern, with Malloy, the threats?

7.The range of officers, as individuals, the treatment? The build-up to the fear? The gradual murders? The lack of clear delineation of particular characters? Some appearing stronger and more personalised than others? The build-up to the climax – the further deaths, trying to get out of the detox, the weather? The build-up to the confrontation?

8.Jaworski, a strong character, the clashes with Jones? Connor as a young man, his fragile character, his death? The contrast with Noah, his harsh attitudes, his insulting McKenzie? His confronting Malloy? His being taken by the killer, his fears and weeping?

9.Slater, his being part of the group, contributing? The revelation of the truth? His past, Malloy and his tracking him in the past? His killing the real Slater, inserting himself, madness, the final confrontation with Malloy, his talking about what he had done, his taunts about Mary?

10.The final confrontation, Slater’s death? Malloy – and a possible healing?

FEUX ROUGES (RED LIGHTS)

France, 2004, 105 minutes, Colour.
Jean Pierre Darroussin, Carole Bouquet, Vincent Deniard.
Directed by Cedric Kahn.

Feux Rouges is based on a novel by Georges Simenon. The original setting was America but it has been transferred back to Simenon’s native France.

The film is a drama rather than a crime and investigation story, the type of story audiences are familiar with from Simenon. This story is rather more straightforward. A married couple drive to Bordeaux to pick up their children from summer camp. The tensions between them emerge during the trip and the wife decides to travel by train. The husband continues by car. Accidents (from the same criminal) befall each of them. The husband picks up the escaped criminal, is confronted by him, eventually kills him. The wife is attacked on the train and is robbed. Much of the central part of the film consists of the anguished phone calls from the husband to try to locate his wife. There is a scene in the hospital which leads to some kind of reconciliation.

The film is very French in its atmosphere, the focus on characters, interactions. Jean Pierre Darroussin has won many awards and is completely convincing as the middle-aged husband with an alcohol problem and antagonism towards his wife and children. Carole Bouquet brings her stylish presence to the role of the wife.

1.An interesting drama? From Georges Simenon? Not an expected crime thriller and investigation? Psychological drama?

2.The settings in the French cities, towns, the countryside? The musical score?

3.The title, the reference to the police and criminals, their pursuit, the red lights of pursuing vehicles?

4.The focus on Antoine, at his office, ending the day at work, the phone calls to his wife, the appointment, her being late, his continued calling? His drinking? The planned journey, his arrival home, the preparation, going out? The later revelation that he was drinking? On the road, the tensions about shortcuts, traffic, the map? His irritation with his wife? Stopping to drink again? Her leaving a note, going by train? His continued journey, another drink, the encounter with the man on the run? His agreeing to take him? Their discussions, the puncture, the changing of the wheel? Antoine being attacked physically by the man? The stop by the side of the road, Antoine getting the bottle, breaking it? Pretending to be prostrate, his attack on the man with the bottle? With the stone? Killing him? The brutality of his anger? His dream and imagining the man still alive?

5.Antoine and his search for his wife, the phone calls, the kindliness of the woman at the restaurant? The hospital, the trains, the buses …? Growing anxiety, finally discovering where his wife was? Going to see her?

6.The character of Helene, her keeping her husband waiting, her work as a lawyer? The tension between the two, the preparation for the trip? Her accusing him of drinking, her offering to drive? Her final exasperation, leaving the note? The story of the attack, in the hospital, her feeling ashamed?

7.The discussions in the hospital, the presence of the policeman – and his speculation about the death of the man on the run?

8.Antoine, telling Helene the truth about his drinking? But not the truth about the encounter with the man?

9.The finale, the reconciliation, going to get their children? The role of the accident, the synchronicity of the same criminal (and Antoine finding the necklace in the back of the car)? The future – secure or not?

RUMBA

Belgium, 2008, 77 minutes, Colour.
Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Bruno Romy.
Directed by Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Bruno Romy.

At 77 minutes, Rumba is a brief but funny excursion into the foibles of human nature – and with quite a number of laugh aloud humour.

Dominique Abel and partner Fiona Gordon have been working together for over ten years. They made some short films and then a feature in 2005, Iceberg. Influenced by burlesque and the theatre of movement and mime as well as the screen comic tradition from Chaplin through Tati, they take ordinary situations and play with them, devising visual and movement pieces that are a blend of good-natured spoof, parody and satire. They themselves , while not prepossessing screen presences or glamorous, are able to hold audience attention with their abilities in lithe movement and comic timing.

The plot outline is the simplest. A husband and wife teach in school. After school they rehearse Latin American dancing and enter competitions. They have a terrible car accident and the consequences, though serious on paper, lead to a number of very funny routines. The other central character is a largish would-be-suicide who has a devastating effect on the couple's life and dancing – and whose sobbing sessions as he contemplates what he has done have audiences in fits of laughter. It is that kind of contradictory humour that makes the proceedings both hilarious and poignant.

Dominique and Fiona are joined in the direction of the film by Bruno Romy who plays the villain who makes all kinds of desperate attempts to steal a chocolate bun from Dominique and whose demise causes a guffaw as well.

There are three rumba scenes which give musical and dance verve to the film. The attempts at suicide are ironically funny and a scene where the house burns down because a wooden limb is inadvertently set alight by an outdoor grill during a romantic love song might indicate that Rumba is a different kind of comedy that is highly entertaining. Just as Tati brought mime and timing to the ordinary situations of French life, so Dominique and Fiona continue this tradition in Belgium.

1.A comedy, blend of the serious and the funny, life and death?

2.The title: the dance, its verve, the dance sequences, the loss of Fiona’s leg, memories of dance? Calling the dog Rumba?

3.Belgian humour, the town, the house and the street, the school? The road and the cattle, the bridge for the train, the cliffs, the sea? The beach? Realistic and surreal?

4.The score, Latin American style? The dance sequences in the gym, the shadows on the wall, dancing on the sea?

5.The comic tradition of mime and movement, minimal verbal humour? The tradition of silent films, Jacques Tati and Playtime? Parody, spoof and satire? Dominique and Fiona as partners in life, acting, directing?

6.The introduction in the school, Fiona teaching English, the blackboard and the dog? The children visiting the hospital? Her return to school, the slapstick with her crutches and with the folder?

7.Dominique and the phys-ed, seeing the children outside the window, in the gym? The return to school – and the boxing and Dominique punching each child?

8.The children leaving school with enthusiasm, the teachers then doing the same? Dominique and Fiona going to the gym, changing, the arm and the leg, the dance sequence, going to the competition, having the picnic, Fiona remembering her dress, the driving and the rear-vision projection, going home, passing the cars and trucks, returning, changing in the car, the comedy with the driving and the awkwardness? The return home, Gerard in the middle of the road, the crash?

9.Dominique and Fiona at home, brushing their teeth, going to bed, each getting up and down continually to move the clocks etc? The later return home and the repetition of the cleaning of the teeth? The bedroom?

10.Gerard and his wanting to commit suicide, standing on the train line, reading his note, wiping his brow, waiting for the train, going down for the car, hearing the train, rushing up the siding and missing it, returning to the road, the crash and his leaving the site of the crash?

11.The hospital sequences? Dominique and his loss of memory? Fiona in the cast? The visits from the schoolchildren? Fiona visiting Dominique, the introduction, his offering coffee, his forgetting? Going home, the wheelchair, the parcels, opening the door, the arrival of the leg? The wheelchair and the parking?

12.Dominique and his cooking, the eggs, repeating the recipe, going to the supermarket, the automatic door and it not working, the wheelchair stolen, continuing to cook, too much salt?

13.Sitting by the fire, the song, the leg catching fire, the curtains, trying to put out the fire, the burning down of the house, the door remaining, Elliot and his bringing the food, going through the door? The rain, Fiona asleep, Dominique trying to ward off the rain? Dominique waking up and going to buy some breakfast?

14.Dominique, buying the buns, lost, walking along the road, past the cattle, the dog and his shoe, getting the bus? The villain wanting the bun, the attack, taking his clothes? Throwing Dominique’s clothes over the cliff? Finding the bun – and the cliff collapsing?

15.Gerard, his helping Dominique, realising who he was, the continued weeping?

16.Fiona’s search, seeing the clothes at the bottom of the cliff, with the dog, calling him Rumba?

17.The year passing, Fiona bringing the flower, its blowing back in her face on the cliff? Borrowing the racquet from the people on the beach? The girl and the doughnut? The imagining of dancing on the sea? The rain, Dominique and Gerard and their doughnuts, people sheltering? Gerard seeing Fiona and weeping again? The shelter, Fiona and Dominique seeing each other – and the new introduction? Gerard and his going into the sea to drown?

18.The effect of this kind of comedy, laughter, human foibles, spoofs? Yet the pathos and the poignancy underlying the comedy?

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

US, 1923, 136 minutes, Black and white.
Theodore Roberts, Charles de Rochefort, Estelle Taylor, Julia Faye, James Neal, Lawson Butt, Noble Johnson, Edythe Chapman, Richard Dix, Rod la Roque, Leatrice Joy, Nita Naldi.
Directed by Cecil B. de Mille.

The Ten Commandments was Cecil B. de Mille’s first major epic. He had been directing films for some years but this was his opportunity to show how skilled he was in big-screen spectacle. Four years later he was to make his version of the Gospels, The King of Kings. In the 1930s he made The Sign of the Cross, a story of the early Christians, as well as Cleopatra and also The Crusades. After making a number of action westerns, Union Pacific, The Plainsman, he returned to biblical films in 1949 with Samson and Delilah. After making The Greatest Show on Earth, the Academy giving him the award for best film of 1952 (despite so many other worthy candidates), he finally made his new version of The Ten Commandments in 1956.

Audiences not familiar with this version may be surprised that after only about an hour of ancient Hebrew spectacle, the film moves to 1923 and an hour and a quarter of a more contemporary story.

The biblical aspect of The Ten Commandments is very similar to what de Mille was to use in 1956, even some of the sets as well as some of the action. Moses is particularly old, confronts Pharaoh, Pharaoh is sinister and has a very cheeky child. When the Hebrews go from Egypt, rebels complain that Moses is leading them into the wilderness, then he parts the Red Sea, they pass through and when the Egyptians pursue, they complain again. The sequences of the giving of the Ten Commandments are in the same vein as the lightning bolts in the 1956 version. There is also a scene of the building of the calf and the worshipping of it and Moses breaking the commandments. This is the segue into the contemporary story.

The contemporary story focuses on a rather strict mother, Mrs Mc Tavish, reading the Exodus story to her two sons. John (Richard Dix) is obviously upright. Dan is obviously more sinister and rebelling against religion, the commandments and his mother (very much in the style of the later 20th century and early 21st century). The film traces the careers of each as they fall in love with Mary. Dan goes the way of all flesh, puts shoddy material into the building of the cathedral, becomes involved with a Eurasian leper, comes to a bad end. In the meantime, John is faithful, loves Mary from afar, discovers the con with the building of the cathedral and challenges his brother, is a refuge for Mary when she runs from her worthless husband. The film ends with John reading the Bible to her – Jesus healing the leper and Mary imagining herself as the leper and coming to Jesus. Jesus is presented seated, his back to the camera.

In many ways Cecil B. de Mille set the tone for biblical epics from the 1920s onwards.

1. The work of Cecil B. de Mille? Religious dimensions? Biblical? Moral and moralising? Evangelisation? The film as seen in retrospect? In the light of his remake?

2. The ambitions of the film, moral story, the scriptural background of the commandments? The effect intended for audiences of 1923? Later?

3. The styles of silent film-making, black and white photography, the fixed camera, the framing of scenes, the crowds, close-ups? The editing? The styles of acting? The musical score?

4. The biblical story as prologue? The lavish sets, Pharaoh’s court, desert, the sea, the experience of the Exodus, Mount Sinai, the finger of God and the commandments? The golden calf? The profiles, the crowds, the spectacle? The religious dimension?

5. The references to Exodus and numbers, the captions, the King James Bible? The Old English style, tone? The blend of drama and tableau? Pageant? The effect for entertainment, drama, moral response? The interconnection between religion and spectacle, moral message?

6. The portrait of Israel and Egypt, the taskmaster, the labour, Dathan the rebel, Pharaoh and his visits to the sites, Pharaoh’s ambitions? The need for an exodus because of the treatment of Israel?

7. Moses, age, his histrionics and declamations? With Aaron? Going to Pharaoh, defiance of Pharaoh, the nine plagues? Pharaoh’s son and his whipping Moses? Moses’ curse, the death of the first-born, Pharaoh and his prayers to the deities of Egypt, defying God? The dead son and his being carried in? Pharaoh letting the people go?

8. The scenes of preparation, crowds and confusion, going to the sea, Pharaoh changing his mind, the pursuit, the accusations that Moses had betrayed the people, the parting of the Red Sea and its drama, effects, the Israelites going through, on the other side, the pursuit of the Egyptians, the accusations of betrayal again, the closing of the waters, the destruction of the Egyptians?

9. Mount Sinai, Moses going up to the mountain, the crags and the ledge, the presence of God, the fire, the Ten Commandments, the words coming on-screen, the thunder and lightning, the inter-cutting of Aaron with the people, the forming of the golden calf, the worship, the sensuous behaviour, the women, the pagan aspects, orgiastic?

10. Moses coming down, with the commandments, his anger, breaking the commandments, the people’s reactions?

11. The transition to 1923? Mrs Mc Tavish and her reading the Scriptures, Johnny and his pipe, the good son? Danny, in his suit, his being anti the commandments, the manner of talking, the scepticism of 1923, not believing in God? His mother’s anger, ousting him from the house?

12. The picture of the family, John as the good son, the mother and her trying to do her best, the domestic scenes? Danny out, Mary and her hunger, stealing the food from the diner, Danny catching her, taking her home, John making her welcome? The mother’s suspicions? The dancing, the Sabbath, Mary’s attitude, her suggesting that she leave?

13. Danny and Mary, Mary in love with Danny, John and his love for Mary, shyness, his offering the ring, talking in the third person, her accepting on behalf of Danny, Johnny urging Danny to go ahead?

14. The marriage, the attitude of Mrs McTavish? Johnny and his humility, ordinary work? Danny and his taunts, success, breaking all the commandments to have success?

15. Danny and the years passing, his wealth, the buildings, the contracts, the shady deals, the church and the poor concrete, the sand percentage? Employing John as a carpenter? The money for his mother, her not accepting it from Danny? Danny and his high life, wealth?

16. The ship, going through Molokai, the mysterious woman, Danny and his affair with her, Mary coming with the lunch, going up to the tower, the agent and seeing her with John, suspicions? Yet the possibility of an expose?

17. Mrs Mc Tavish, her going to the church, proud of Danny, going in, the walls falling down, the two sons with her, the doctor, her last words to Danny?

18. Danny, his money, his wanting the pearls back from the woman, her refusal? Getting drunk, killing the woman? Going to Mary, telling her, his leaving, going to the boat, on the water, the boat called The Defiance, adrift, the crashing into the cliff, seeing the outline of the tablets on the rock, the wreck, his death?

19. Mary, her grief, writing ‘goodbye’ on the page, going outside John’s house, his finding her, the reconciliation, John’s reading her the story of the leper, her imagining the Jesus story, Jesus with his back to the camera, her being the leper, coming in and being healed?

20. John and Mary together, a future?

21. The contemporary story, its relevance, its covering every aspect of the Ten Commandments? And a moral lesson for the audiences of the time?

NURSE BETTY

US, 2000, 110 minutes, Colour.
Morgan Freeman, Renee Zelwegger, Chris Rock, Greg Kinnear, Aaron Eckhart, Tia Texada, Crispin Glover, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Alison Jannie, Kathleen Wilhoite.
Directed by Neil La Bute.

Over 50 years ago George Orwell's 1984 described Big Brother invading personal privacy and watching individuals no matter where they were. Could he have imagined that in 2000 over 6,000,000 people would be watching "Big Brother" with a nation absorbed in eviction crises and nasty competitive tactics?
It has now become the dictatorship of the TV audience rather than that of Big Brother and his bureaucracy.

Strangely enough, several films have been released at the end of the 1990s which offered serious, sometimes satirical comment on this TV versus life phenomenon - enough films to illustrate a course on what television can do to us.

'The Truman Show' had Jim Carrey's life being a non-stop soap opera running for his whole life unbeknown to him. By contrast, 'ED TV' was more like "Big Brother" with Woody Harrelson agreeing to his life being made a continuous
television program. In 'Pleasantville', 90s people were sent back into a 50s black and white sitcom and persuaded the TV characters there that they could come alive and literally put colour into their lives.

Melanie Griffith starred in 'Crazy in Alabama'. Set in the 60s, she killed her unloving husband and went off to LA to star on TV - and succeeded. This week's film, Nurse Betty, is in this satiric vein. But it is one more American film that has something to show us about our television addictions and fantasies.

This is a very clever satire, directed with bite by the previously rather misogynist Mormon playwright Neil La Bute (In the Company of Men, Your Neighbours and Mine), might baffle audiences who are not used to modern styles of combining all kinds of movie traditions to make their points. In fact, early in Nurse Betty there is a rather graphic and off-putting murder. But there is much more to the
film than that.

Betty is a midwest waitress with an abominable salesman husband (which means that we are not entirely unsympathetic to his murder). But she is traumatised by it all and is sustained only by her love for a particular TV hospital soap and the star doctor (Greg Kinnear in a good sport performance). The trouble is she believes it is all true and she makes her way to Los Angeles to claim him and fulfil her dreams.

Sometimes hot (and sometimes cold) on her trail are the two hitmen. You can imagine what happens - well, at least some of it, because the filmmakers have the courage of their convictions and play it for a mixture of laughs, send-up, romance and violence. For audiences who like this kind of clever concoction, there is much to enjoy, though for everyone concerned it is tongue-in-cheek.

Renee Zellwegger shows how skilful she is in making the unbelievable Betty almost credible. Morgan Freeman is the main hitman and so gives the film a gravity it might not otherwise have.

So, the movies are satirising television and satirising audiences. Not a bad way of making points about the oddities in contemporary society.

1. Entertaining? Critical acclaim? Awards? A piece of satiric Americana? Satire on American television? Television audiences and sensibilities?

2. The Kansas locations, the town, the travels across the United States, Arizona, Los Angeles? The archetypal American journey? The references to Dorothy out of Kansas? The Grand Canyon? Los Angeles and TV world?

3. The musical score, the use of ‘Que Sera Sera’?

4. Del’s story: Kansas, car salesman, his work, his relationship with his secretary, relationship with his wife, his chauvinistic attitude, ignoring her birthday, waiting for his guests, his comment on the people of the town being stupid, the challenge to him by Charlie and Wesley about stupid people, his condemnation of the Indians, the discussions about scalping, Wesley scalping him? Charlie having to shoot him dead? Betty and her being in the next room, opening the door, glimpsing what had happened? The traumatic shock, obliterating her memories, in denial? The police and their examination, Sheriff Elden and his search, reaction to Betty, Roy and his reporting for the paper, his devotion to Betty?

5. The opening with the scenes from A Reason to Love, Betty and her absorption, serving the coffee to Charlie and Wesley, the birthday celebration from the staff, the cut-out of George? Her going to visit Sueanne, not being able to go out? Her watching the television at home, the trauma? Her rewinding to David’s appeal that there was someone out there for him? In denial, packing and leaving, going to Sueanne? The note for Del?

6. Her quest, the reality and unreality, her stopping in Arizona, the phone calls to Sueanne, the talk to the woman at the counter, sharing her hopes, weaving the story about her engagement to David? Her travelling, the interview, her trying to get a job as a nurse, going out and walking into the accident, her heroics, clearing the blood from the patient’s throat, its squirting all over her, the media coverage? Her being offered a job? Her meeting with Rosa, helping Rosa and her family, their taking her into the house? The discussions with Rosa, the quest, searching Los Angeles for David?

7. Rosa, her family, Hispanic background? Talk, helping her search, discovering the truth? Getting her the tickets, taking her to the social function to meet David?

8. The introduction to Charlie and Wesley, in the Kansas town, having the coffee, amazed at Betty serving the coffee while watching the television? Their visit to Del, professional killers, the confrontation, Charlie and his elegant conversation, Wesley and his flying off the handle? The discussion about stupidity, Indians, scalping? Wesley and his scalping Del? Charlie and the reasons for shooting Del? Their trying to find the car with the drugs? Posing as insurance men, the various interviews, Sueanne, getting the information, the information about Arizona? Their going to visit Betty’s parents? The parents as hard-cases – and their comment that the mother would have hired a killer to kill Del, not Betty? The drive through the countryside, listening to the music, Charlie and his fantasies about Betty, putting her on a pedestal? Wesley, hinting that she was merely a housewife? The Grand Canyon, Wesley not looking, Charlie and his imagining Betty and their rendezvous at the Grand Canyon? Wesley and his interest in Jasmine in the soap opera? The interaction, the complaints, finally getting to Los Angeles? Using their instincts, the last possibility? Charlie and his philosophy about Americans, fair play, blackness? Wesley and his persuading the guard to let him go on the set?

9. The television soap opera, the plotline? The characters, the caricatures, the romantic doctor, the nurse, the betrayal, the harassment case? Its style? Betty and her infatuation with David? Going to Los Angeles for him? The encounter at the party, her speaking the lines, Lila Branch and here amazement, the other producers? Letting Betty go on with the performance? George and his being fascinated? His going out with her? Her staying in character? The effect on George? The three days, persuading Lila that she should perform and be spontaneous? Her going into the set, her freezing?

10. The performance, the freezing, George and his attack on her, abusing her, the sense of reality, coming to her senses? Remembering?

11. Charlie and Wesley, on the set, Wesley wanting to see Jasmine? The meeting with George, the discussions, about Betty and her fanaticism? The information about Rosa’s place, the arrival, the guns, Wesley’s attitude, the gun with the group? Charlie and Betty? The sheriff and Roy arriving?

12. Charlie and Betty, the talk, his affirmation of her, his getting the gun from her – and his death? His grief over Wesley’s death?

13. Wesley, the argument about Jasmine, a lesbian? Watching the TV, the sheriff with the extra gun, the fight, the shooting of Wesley? Roy and his infatuation with Rosa?

14. The ending, George being in the restaurant, his being insulted by Betty, his offering her the job? Her performance – and everybody watching? Sueanne, the staff at the diner, all her friends?

15. Betty finally in Rome, the television going, the waiter and the cheque? The end of the fairy tale – and her studying to become a nurse? How effective a comedy? Satire on things American?

THE ARYAN COUPLE

UK, 2004, 120 minutes, Colour.
Martin Landau, Judy Parfitt, Kenny Doughty, Caroline Carver, Danny Webb, Christopher Fulford, Stephen Mackintosh.
Directed by John Daly.

This is a very worthy film, another portrait of Jewish suffering during World War II and the appeal that the atrocities not be forgotten.

It begins with a long prologue with the camera tracking into the gate at Auschwitz and then taking the audience into the detail of the camp as it is now (a sober recall for anyone who has visited it). It then has a detailed sequence with Jews being loaded and unloaded under the supervision of Eichmann (Steven Mackintosh).

When the story gets going, we find we are in Hungary in 1944. A Jewish industrialist is being pursued by Eichmann but has been negotiating a deal with Heinrich Himmler: his factories, his homes, his art collection and his wealth in return for his and his wife’s lives and those of their extended family who have all been rounded up and interned. They are to be flown to Switzerland with the hope of passage to Palestine.

The action of the film takes place over little more than 24 hours, highlighting the anguish and diplomacy of the industrialist as well as the anger and resentment of his wife. Himmler is due for dinner that evening for the formal signing of the legal papers.

The Aryan couple of the title are two of the servants in the household, a young married couple, she pregnant, who have stayed in service with the Jewish family – for a secret reason.

The film is well-paced and blends its various sub-plots effectively: the finalisation of the deal with the Nazis, the decisions as to what the Aryan couple will do, Eichmann and his henchman, their fierce anti-Semitism and preying on women and the supreme self-confidence of Himmler, his plans for enriching himself and his dislike of Eichmann.

The performances are also strong. Martin Landau is impressive as the industrialist, near exhaustion with his attempts to save his family, protect his workers, and surrender his property. Judy Parfitt is powerfully determined as his wife. The couple are played by Kenny Doughty and Caroline Carver. Christopher Fulford is convincingly loathsome as Eichmann’s assistant. Danny Webb gives a very persuasive impersonation of Himmler.

Yes, we have seen many similar stories and films. However, this is well-told – and we must not forget.

1. The Holocaust? The films about the Holocaust? The different countries of Eastern Europe? The Jews? The Nazis? The sixty-year tradition of films about the Holocaust and the retrospect of sixty years on the events?

2. The settings, Hungary, 1944, the mansions, industries, the towns? The trains? The glimpses of the concentration camps? Neutral Switzerland? The musical score?

3. The title, its ambiguity, the focus on Ingrid and Hans, their being Jewish, part of the Resistance, their cover as being seen as an Aryan couple? Their documents? The escape, the dangers, the final achievement?

4. The credits sequences, the scenes of Auschwitz, the Jews, the trains, the suffering, water, the arrival, the classification of the prisoners? Life in the camps? The gas chambers? Executions? The Nazi guards?

5. The background with Eichmann, his place in the Final Solution, his contribution? His being in Hungary? The clashes with Himmler? His interviewing people, his interviewing Josef Krauzenberg? His staff? His officers? His intense dedication to his cause? The interrogations, the capture of the Krauzenberg family, the extended family? In his office, the plan for the evening, Himmler outwitting him? His going to the dinner? The toasts? Listening to Himmler and his plans? The escape of the couple, the plane taking off with him seeing it, his sending his officers to pursue the couple?

6. The contrast with Himmler, his position in the Nazi hierarchy, the Europa deal, the wealth of the Jews in exchange for their lives, passage to Palestine? His associate officers? Train travel, arriving in Hungary? The plan to sign the deal with the Krauzenbergs? His looking forward to the meal, bringing his staff, his cooks? His arrival, the polite clashes with Eichmann? His going to the meal, the good manners, the solemnity of the meal, Rachel Krauzenberg and her disdain? The discussion, the signing of the documents? His observing the escape, the extended family going? The continuation of his Europa plan and his own personal enrichment?

7. Hans and Ingrid, the background of the Resistance, the Resistance in Hungary and their activities? Their cover in the household? Their marriage, Ingrid and her pregnancy? Their serving of the Krauzenbergs, the Krauzenbergs not suspecting? The day, the arrival of Himmler’s staff, the preparation for the meal, the food, the cooking? Ingrid and her tension? The unwelcome attentions of Edelhein? Her resisting him? His pursuing her? Her trust in Hans? Hans and his wanting to assassinate Himmler, trying to persuade him not to do this, the consequences and endangerment of others? Their going through the day, the service? The rooms being searched – and her hiding the radio? Exerting some charm to avoid a full search? The officer and the gold, their giving it to him? The gift from the Krauzenbergs? Enough to enable them to begin a future? Their telling the Krauzenbergs the truth, wanting to escape with them? Their final escape, the tensions, the documents from Himmler, the pursuit by Edelhein, the orders of Eichmann? Getting on the train, the journey, the border, their being taken aside? The interrogation, the last-minute phone calls, Edelhein and his arrival, his being shot by orders of Himmler? Their just getting the train, escaping, being reunited with the Krauzenbergs?

8. The background of the Krauzenbergs, Jewish, their wealthy, industry, employment of Jews and Aryans? The loyalty of the staff? The scenes in the factory, in the offices? Krauzenberg and his being taken for interrogation? The imprisonment of the extended family, their reliance on him? His urbane manner, the dignity of the meal? As a character, saving his family? His response to Hans and Ingrid? The contrast with Rachel, her liking for the couple, her disdain of the Nazis, in the town, her behaviour towards them, affronting them? Her manner at the table, her not wanting to be seen to be colluding? The restraint of her husband?

9. The extended family, their dependence on Krauzenberg, his negotiating their freedom, everybody going to the airport, the boarding of the plane, their gratitude towards Joseph?

10. Edelhein, savage, his pursuit of Ingrid, his brutality, the attempted rape? His continued pursuit, Eichmann’s orders, his being shot?

11. The German officer who took the gold, enabled the couple to escape? The contrast with the ordinary German soldiers – especially at the roadblock, and the friendly man who remembered his family at home being shot?

12. A popular presentation of Holocaust themes? The plight of the Jews in Europe? The preliminaries to the state of Palestine? And insightful film? An emotional film?

CATTLE EMPIRE

US, 1958, 83 minutes, Colour.
Joel Mc Crea, Gloria Talbot, Don Haggerty, Phyllis Coates, Bing Russell.
Directed by Charles Marquis Warren.

Cattle Empire is a brief western, one of many directed by Charles Marquis Warren. In the previous year he directed Joel Mc Crea in Trooper Hook.

The film’s focus is on cattle-droving in the 19th century. Joel Mc Crea portrays a tough man – who emerges, finally, as framed and as a hero. He is bent on revenge against those who condemned him to jail. However, he finally makes good. Don Haggerty and Bing Russell portray two cattle-owning brothers. (Bing Russell is the father of Kurt Russell and appeared with him in a number of films. However, his main claim to fame was his presence in the television series Bonanza.)

Gloria Talbot was a starlet of the 50s. Phyllis Coates was Lois Lane in the television series with George Reeves (the subject of the film Hollywoodland in which her character appears).

1. The popularity of this kind of brief western in the 50s? How well does it stand up now?

2. The Cinemascope colour photography, the west, the cattle drives? The musical score?

3. The basic western story, landowners, cattle drives, the west and lawlessness, revenge, betrayals? The romantic elements?

4. The focus on John Cord, seeing him dragged through the town, the townspeople hostile to him? Ralph Hamilton and his control of the people? The story of the past, the cattle drive, Cord’s men running amok in the town, killing and maiming? Drunk? His serving five years in prison? People not defending him? The irony of the final revelation, the role of Ralph Hamilton, Cord in jail? A motivation for revenge?

5. The Hamilton’s, their wealth, Ralph Hamilton becoming blind, his love for Janice (and her previous love for Cord)? Douglas Hamilton and his not being in a position to lead? The request to Cord to lead the cattle, the rivalry from Garth and other cattle owners? The hostility towards Cord? His initial plan to destroy the Hamilton cattle, his double-deal with Garth? The role of Garth in the past, his listening to the men, their trust in him, his going back to Garth – and Garth not believing the truth and so destroying his cattle?

6. The nature of the cattle drive, the vistas of the cattle, the few deaths? The Hamiltons and the Garths and their rivalry? The other cattle owners, their criticisms, the man going off, coming back with the warning about the ambush? Cord successfully bringing the cattle through?

7. Janice, her love for Cord, her marriage to Hamilton, her suspicions of him? The romance – but her staying with Hamilton? Douglas, criticisms, his final support, a future leader? Sandy, Cord knowing her since she was a girl, her romantic idealism, wanting to go off with him – but his going off alone?

8. The members of the cattle drive, the humour with Tom Jefferson and George Washington Jeffrey, their loyal support, the humour, acting as conscience for Cord? Challenging him? The scene in the bar where the young man drew on Cord and their sending the drink down the bar and saving him?

9. The brevity of the film, the screenplay moving quickly, especially with the cattle drive, the discontent of the men, the resolving of the problems?

10. The final resolution, Cord as hero? Ralph Hamilton and his confession, accepting his fate? The basic themes of the American west?