DADDY

US, 2015, 89 minutes, Colour.
Gerald Mc Cullouch, Dan Viaime Cepero, Tamlyn Tomita, John Rubenstein, Richard Riehle, Mackenzie Astin, Leslie Easterbrook, Jay Jackson.
Directed by Gerald Mc Cullouch.

The title seems rather flip. And the film begins in this way, with sexual relationships and the offhand remark “who’s your daddy?�. Later, with a completely unexpected twist, the title of the film becomes much more serious.

The film is based on a play, written by Dan Via, who plays Stewart in the film. It has been adapted for the screen and opened out. Gerald McCullouch?, who plays the central character, is also the director of the film.

This is a gay film with gay sensibilities – but it is a gay film which is open to the wider public.

Gerald Mc Cullouch plays Colin, a television personality, extroverted and cheerful, rather promiscuous in his relationships. Dan Via is his very serious friend from college days, also a gay man, but very reserved in his relationships. The third central character is a young man, Tee, Jaime Cepero, who is an intern at the television station, is attracted to Colin, initiates a relationship.

There are complications when Stewart receives an opportunity to go to teach in California. The crisis comes when a Reverend comes to the television station to be interviewed in his campaign against gay marriage. Tee collapses, Stewart investigates his file and discovers that Colin is his father, and wanted an acknowledgement, to have the experience of the father, but uses sexuality as a means of attraction.

The film shows the effect on Colin, overturning a lot of presuppositions of a 40-year-old man, his drinking and his being sacked. Stewart, on the other hand, is much more reliable. Ultimately, Colin goes to California where Tee is undergoing therapy…

1. The title? The phrase ‘whose the daddy?’? The more serious undertones of the title?

2. The city of Pittsburgh, the range of vistas, river, buildings, hills, cable car…? The musical score?

3. A play, transferred to film? The author, appearing as Stewart? The director and his involvement, appearing as Colin? The musical score?

4. The media background, Colin, his personality, his program on television, perspectives of the left and the right? His relationship with the producer? Fans stopping him and acclaiming him? The program, research? The issue of gay marriage? The condemnations by the Reverend? Wanting him on the show, to undermine and expose him? The interns, Tee and his looking at him, employing him, the job, his response to Tee.

5. Colin, his life, day by day, going for the run, the work? His friendship with Stewart, the past, their long friendship, studies together? Collin and his emotions? Stewart and his reserve? The possibility of his going to California, going for the interview, coming back, disgruntled, finally receiving the offer and going?

6. Colin and Tee, going out, meals, the young man and the seeming adulation, the attraction, in the street, the sudden sexual behaviour, at home in bed, Tee sitting on the floor? His age, his background, from North Carolina, his story about his parents, being brought up by his grandparents? Intense, nervy, taking the pills? Colin calling him “Babe�, the development of the relationship? The intimacy?

7. Stewart returning, wary, finding Tee, the meal, the clashes?

8. The buildup to the program, Tee and his research, failing, getting extra information, illegally? In the studio, the Reverend arriving, Tee and his collapse?

9. Stewart, the search of the room, finding the folder, the information? The denunciation by his grandfather, the Reverend?

10. The document with Colin as Tee’s father? The effect on him? And his being sacked from his job?

11. Stewart, trying to be helpful, looking after Tee?

12. Colin, drinking, running, no job? Going to California? Meeting Tee, Tee and his therapy?

13. Colin and Stewart, the continued friendship? Stewart and his having a close friend in Los Angeles?

14. The effect on Tee, his sexual behaviour, wanting his father, wanting his father to like him? His future? Colin and his future?

THE MAN WITH A THOUSAND FACES/ EL HOMBRE DE LAS MIL CARAS

Spain, 2016, 123 minutes, Colour.
Eduard Fernandez, Carlos Santos, Jose Coronado, Marta Etura.
Directed by Alberto Rodriguez.

This film declares that it is based on a true story, a 1980s and 1990s story in Spanish politics. However, it makes the ironic comment that there are some lies – because the central character is a liar.

The film involves a middle-aged man who had been something of a spy for the Spanish government, involved in raids on ETA, but was a mixture of the apt and inept. He was promised a great deal of money but was not paid. However, drawing on his talents, he tried to set up a finance company but was exposed as a fraud and not having enough capital.

However, he had a reputation and the former chief of police in Spain, accused of corruption, consults him for the security of his wife and himself, pays a great deal of money, the conman investing, withdrawing it, reinvesting it, covering his tracks, from France to Switzerland to Singapore.

Eduard Fernandez is very good as Paco, the conman, always very well-dressed, calm in manner, but, despite his invitations to people to trust him, he cannot be trusted. He is assisted by a number of people over whom he has a hold, especially a pilot, Jesus, Jose Coronado. There is a very good performance by Carlos Santos as the police chief.

The audience has to pay a great deal of attention because there is rapid movement from one date to another, backwards and forwards, to one place and another, always captioned.

The ex-chief of police undergoes a personal crisis, is in hiding, is thought to be in different places around the world but is in Paris, finally decides that he would prefer to go back to Spain and be with his wife and son. All kinds of deals are done again, especially about his money, sending him to Laos with fake papers for his arrest – which fails and he is sentenced to a long-term in jail.

Eventually, Paco disappears but the are rumours about where he can be found, especially since after the report of his death, he has a phone number with an answering machine…

1. A piece of Spanish history? The 20th century? The 1980s and 1990s? Based on fact? The ironic comment that it included some lies?

2. The framework of the film? Jesus and Paco, the conversation, the key? The film in flashback?

3. Dates and times and indication? The range of places, Spain, France, Switzerland, Singapore, Bangkok? The swift editing and pace, the musical score?

4. The portrait of Paco, age, experience? The indication that he was a con man, the villain? A liar? The initial encounter with Jesus, his going off with the key?

5. His background, espionage, seeing him in action, photographed, ETA, working for the Spanish government? Apt and inept? The money promised him, the delays by years, his not being paid? The influence on his behaviour? At home, Madrid, his wife, the separation, contact over the years? His staying in the house, the portrait?

6. His money set ups, the meeting with the three men, the planned company, his statements about finance? Their offering him documents, proving that he was a fraud and had no capital?

7. The Minister of police, his career, making money, justifying himself that this was what everyone was doing, his betrayal of the minister and the minister resigning? His going to Paco, with his wife? The money, the plans? Paco in his suit, appearing supremely confident, asking people to trust him? His reliance on his associates, on Hans, on Jesus the
pilot?

8. The complexities of his dealings with the former minister and his wife? The meetings, the discussions, the financing payments, the bank accounts? His advising them to leave the country? The driving out of Spain? His setting them up in Paris, the wealthy apartment, the dinner, the anniversary and his buying the gift of the earings and commenting on the meaning?

9. His appearing and disappearing? Hans the bodyguard? His contacts in money deals? Using his niece? Going to Switzerland, the lawyer in his control, the financial – and his drinking? Ultimately sabotaging the plan by his drinking at the airport? Jesus as a pilot, his indiscreet remarks about Paco’s presence?

10. The ex-police chief’s wife, pregnant, the decision to go back to Spain, the conditions, her going to prison? Later contact with her husband, his arriving in prison, the second child? The divorce?

11. The ex-police chief? His personality? His disappearing, staying in Paris? The rumours that he was in all kinds of countries around the world? The approach to the Spanish minister and his ambitions? The deal for the arrest of the chief? Conditions for lenient imprisonment? Back on the deal is, double-dealing?

12. The personality of the ex-police chief and his loneliness, agreeing to disappear, but the phone call to his wife and his changing his mind, the elaborate setup for his arrest, disguised as a pilot, going to Bangkok, the Laotian authorities, the documents and fake documents, the Spanish minister, his return, the elaborate arrest, trials, his long sentence to prison?

13. Paco, the money, his niece in Singapore, withdrawing, investing? Jesus and his role in Paco’s deals, the pilot to Thailand, the money deals?

14. Government corruption, scandal, ambitions? A portrait of a corrupt police chief and the consequences? The portrait of the conman – his getting the money, his disappearance, being sighted, his alleged death, his and sing machine on the phone…?

ULTIMATUM

France, 2009, 104 minutes, Colour.
Gaspard Ulliel, Jasmine Trinca, Michel Boujenah, Anna Galiena, Sarah Adler, Hana Laslo, Miryam Zohar, Tzahi Grad, Adib Jahschan.
Directed by Alain Tasma.

Ultimatum is set in Israel in 1990 at the time of the Gulf War, the Allies attack on Saddam Hussein, the bombing of Baghdad, Saddam Hussein’s threats to send rockets over Israel, Israel’s preparation for war and the experience of the rocket attacks.

There is a sense of anxiety, a different kind of war where people stayed inside and sealed themselves with tape and wearing gas masks.

This is a story of a range of people whose lives intercut. There are the anxious parents, the mother neurotic, ringing her daughter to see whether she was safe. The daughter has moved out of this overprotective atmosphere and is living with her boyfriend. She is a competent woman, providing the income, wanting to have a child. By contrast, he is an artist, perpetually moody, upset at the idea of a child, working as a security guard but presenting his job and the people, friendly with a sympathetic Palestinian who runs a restaurant and confiding in him. There is also a pregnant friend of the young woman, her anxious mother who drives despite the dangers from Haifa to Tel Aviv, her partner who works for the radio. The pregnant woman also works in a restaurant, the boss who is perpetually worried about stock. He is also upset about his gay partner who has been absent. There are some neighbours, the University professor, the security guards and the head of the company, the old-fashioned taxi driver who prefers to be out rather than sealed up, something of a cross-section who are experiencing the rates at this time.

1. The title? The Israeli setting? The Gulf War atmosphere? The threat to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and Israel?

2. 1990, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, homes and apartments, clubs, universities, the work of security guards, bars? The countryside? Musical score?

3. The focus on the range of characters, their stories intercut and connected?

4. Natanel and Luisa, their partnership, seen at the party, an End of the World party, Natanel being morose, wanting to leave, the effect on Luisa? Their love, living together? His work as a security guard and his resentments? Her working and earning the living? His artwork and his spasmodic approach? Luisa are wanting a baby, Natanel not able to cope? His going to his Palestinian friend, talking things over? Luisa, the phone call from her mother and father, her mother’s anxiety?

5. Coping with the expected attack? The gas masks, sealing up the room? Finding themselves confined? Natanel and his being late for his job, given one more chance, fired, handing over his gun? Talking with his friend? The conflicts with Luisa? Her walking out? His decision to go to France? Her staying with her friend Tamar?

6. Tamar, her pregnancy, working in the restaurant? Her husband, his work on the radio, the demands on him? Apprehensions about the rocket attacks? Her welcoming Luisa? Tamar’s mother, the phone calls, driving from Haifa, on the highway at night? Wanting the phone, the gas mask? Assisting Tamar, the birth, the hospital, Luisa’s visit?

7. Luisa’s mother and father, the neurotic mother, the incessant phone calls, the father trying to keep calm, going to work?

8. The old lady, Luisa’s neighbour, her cries, moodiness, memories of the Holocaust, being taken away, hoping for comfort?

9. The manager of the shop, the gay man, his phone calls from his partner, the partner eventually coming home, the meal together? His discussions with Luisa?

10. The glimpse of the University, the lecturer, the linking of past politics with contemporary situations? The reactions of the students?

11. The reality of the situation, President Bush and the attack on Baghdad, the response of Saddam Hussein, the threats of rockets towards Israel, their being fended off? The population, concern, precautions?

12. The attack not happening and people returning to normal?

EVERY CHRISTMAS HAS A STORY

US, 2016, 82 minutes, Colour.
Lori Loughlin, Colin Ferguson, Willie Aames, Isabella Gianulli, Kevin O’ Grady, Bruce Harwood, Catherine Lough Haggquist.
Directed by Ron Oliver.

The American film and television industry have always liked making films about Christmas. A listing of all the films would be very, very long. Here is another variation.

The focus of attention is Kate, a television anchor who is very popular. After a Christmas program, the on-air button was accidentally bumped and she is recorded talking of her dislike of Christmas and accidentally knocking the guest into the Christmas tree. This is seen everywhere and the executive is not very happy – but gets the bright idea of sending Kate and her producer, Jack, with whom she was involved romantically in the past, to respond to the Mayor of North Dakota town, Hollyille, do a series of short pieces before Christmas to rehabilitate her.

The film is very predictable – but that is the whole point of this kind of storytelling. Kate discovers that what bonded the people in the town, apart from decorations, gifts, talk about the Christmas spirit, a huge tree in the centre of this town but that it is not been there for the last two years. Christmas is completely secular, nothing of the Christ story. The people are wary, especially the Mayor. However, Kate is investigative and discovers where the provider of the tree lives, goes to visit, hears the story of his wife’s death in a car accident, Kate changing his heart, he providing a tree. The Mayor’s tactics were to get Kate to investigate and restore the tree.


Kate is alienated from her father who left when she was a child but he comes back and, despite her severe reservations, she reconciles with him. And, she also reconciles with Jack, her producer whom she loved in the past.

1. A popular Christmas story? The spirit of Christmas trees, decorations, gifts? The secularised Christmas – no reference to the Christ story?

2. The world of the media, popular television, morning shows, hosts and producers, guests?

3. The Los Angeles setting for the television world? Studios, offices, corridors? The contrast with the North Dakota town, the single cameraman, improvising?

4. Kate, her success as a host, her relationship with Jack, the past, love, the years, going in different directions, losing touch? Working with each other professionally, her hesitations, his still loving her? The work together, the Christmas show, the guest and all his decorations, accidentally on air, her voicing her dislike of Christmas, the accident and his falling against the Christmas tree, everybody watching? Lauren, the boss, the meetings, the reprimands, the idea of sending Kate and Jack to Hollyville, to change her image?

5. Kate, the background of her father, his walking out, the gift of the doll which never came, her wanting his loving embrace, his writing letters, her ignoring them? Her jaundiced iew Christmas coming from this?

6. Hollyville, the mayor and his TV message, welcoming Kate and Jack? Doug, the car, the weather and the cold? The accommodation, Mia and her welcome, studying to be a journalist?

7. The small town, the Christmas spirit, very few in the restaurant, the various interviews, everybody referring to the tree, the fact that for two years it had not come? Kate and her curiosity, Jack resisting? The advice to go to the bookseller, her explaining history of the town, its foundation, the Christmas spirit, everybody gathering at the tree?

8. The caution of the mayor, his interview and not wanting to speak – and the irony that this is all a setup to get Kate to go to Vernon Hollis and to change his mind? The sheriff and his visits?

9. Doug and his work, advice?

10. The interview at the office, the documents in the office, Kate getting the information and the address? Persuading Jack to drive with her? The breakdown, finding the house, entering, Vernon Hollis and suspicions, his welcome, the telling the story, his explaining his wife’s accident, his grief? Restarting the car, Kate urging him to think what his wife might have liked about the tree?

11. Lauren, demanding, the kind of Oprah Winfrey style? Mia, her helping with the investigation, Los Angeles wanting live interview, Kate and Jack missing, Mia doing the interview, their turning up, the ratings?

12. Kate and her father, his coming to see her, his explanation, the resistance? Discussing the situation with Jack?

13. Vernon Hollis, bringing the tree? The live show, the crowds, the tree, everybody happy? Jack arriving dressed as Santa’s helper with gifts? Her father a Santa Claus? The reconciliation?

14. The predictability of what happened – but that being the whole point of this kind of story

EQUALS

US, 2015, 101 minutes, Colour.
Nicholas Hoult, Kristen Stewart, Jacki Weaver, Guy Pearce, Bel Powley, David Selby.
Directed by Drake Doremus.


Equals is a futuristic film, set in a Utopia Society, ultra-clean and sterilised, everyone dressed in white, living in their single rooms, a sense of isolation, even people sitting alone at meals. Everything is orderly, emotion is not allowed to be expressed, there is no touch.

Nicholas Hoult portrays Silas, a young man with no background history given, living in his isolated room, showering regularly, very neat wardrobe, going to work in a laboratory with contemporary technology and screens. Kristen Stewart portrays Nia, the young woman who works in the same department. Bel Powley is a fellow worker and David Selby is the supervisor.

However, there is another group, the Hiders, represented by Guy Pearce and, a very strong performance, from Jacki Weaver.

There is always a serpent in Eden and Silas does not know how to channel his urges, attracted to Nia, their meeting, surreptitiously, beginning to touch, a kiss, sexual encounter and Nia becoming pregnant.

The atmosphere is somewhat like that in the young adult stories like Divergent, Maze Runner… And, at the end, when the two become star-crossed, echoes of the end of Romeo and Juliet.

The end of the film is quite open-ended even though there have been tragic consequences.

1. Audience interest in futuristic films? Social Utopia? The new Eden – or not?

2. Themes of human nature, bodies, minds, emotions, the repression of contact, touch?

3. The visualising of the setting, Silas and his room, his isolation, clean and precise, shower, wardrobe? The gathering places? The laboratories, the techniques? Meals in isolation? Professional consultations? The world of the Hiders? The garden, the limits? The musical score?

4. The Utopia theme? The young adult literature in the films like Divergent, Hunger Games, Maze Runner…? At the finale with the themes from Romeo and Juliet?

5. The title, Silas and Nia? Health, disease, infections, cures, deaths and suicides?

6. The introduction to Silas, in the Utopia, a kind of young Everyman? His age, no information about his background, living alone, waking, his room, the view, the shower, cupboard clothes, his appearance, everyone dressed in white, the greetings, work, being creative, the technology? Interest in Nia, watching her after the episode of the suicide? Feeling for her? His health, working in health, the check, the clean bill, the warning? The encounter with Jonas, the conversation, the friendship?

7. The issues of emotions and touch, forbidden, everyone living the rules? Authorities, regulations, supervisors and surveillance, discussions? The other workers, especially Rachel and her observing? Relationship with Silas, with Nia?

8. Silas and the bond with Nia, going to the room, tentative, touch, hands, control?

9. Silas, routines, noticing Nia, talking to her, the meals, his work, hiding with Nia, the gradual touch, to kiss, to sexual encounter, the pregnancy? Wanting to be close to her? Those noticing? The dilemma for the couple?

10. Jonas, the next encounter, his illness, introduction to the group? Ideas? Bess, her stories? The plan for the escape, the pilot?

11. Silas, change of work, the garden, the difficulties?

12. Nia, her work, Rachel? Her health examination? The discovery that she was pregnant? Are Being taken away? Silas seeing it, his dilemma, his agreeing to go through the cure? The Hiders, Bess and Silas in the hospital, helping her escape? The overtones of Romeo and Juliet and deaths and survival?

13. The Hiders being declared cured, Mia freed, their meeting, Silas knowing what happened, not feeling it? The issue of regrets? Their future and the film ending leaving it to the audience?

EN EQUILIBRE

France, 2015, 87 minutes, Colour.
Albert Dupontel, Cecile De France, Patrick Mille, Carole Franck.
Directed by Dennis Dercort.


This is a film about a horseman, trainer of horses but also a stunt rider for films. The audience sees his skills at the opening as well as in flashbacks and the insurance company looking at the footage of the stunts and the accident. He is now paraplegic, somewhat embittered, yet wanting to ride his horse, relying on his young assistant for help.

The other central character is an insurance investigator, visiting the horsemen, being rejected by him, yet their being attracted, his getting her to ride a horse, drive with him at high speed, which leads to a sexual encounter.

However, the insurance investigator has a family, is sympathetic to her client, is withdrawn from the case by the rather hard-headed head of the insurance company and his associates. In the past, she had played the piano but had given it up and, experiencing the horsemen and his determination, she revisits her piano teacher and begins to play again.

She refers her client to a friend who is a lawyer, supplying taped material, enabling the horsemen to get a much better deal from the insurance company.

The film ends rather openly, the horsemen and his success at a show, the investigator with her family and playing the piano.

Albert Dupontel has some severe moments as well as some tenderness as the horsemen. Cecile de France gives yet another striking performance as the insurance investigator.

1. The title? The rider and his skills, stunt work, accident? Paraplegia? And the emotional plot and balance and imbalance?

2. The setting, the property and training courses, the beach? The house? The contrast with insurance offices? Legal consultations? Hospital? The final horse show? The musical score?

3. Marc and his story, riding along the beach, his stunt work, his bond with his horse, Othello? The transition to his being in the wheelchair? The explanation, his work on the film, the scenes of the film, the stunts, safety, his fall, injuring his legs? At home, family and friends, the touches of bitterness? His wanting to ride his horse again, his assistant, being lifted up, onto the horse, his fall, further injury, further visit to hospital? His determination? Training the horse, working with his assistant, training him? The attempts at riding again?

4. Florence, working for insurance, her background, husband and his work, daughter and the playing of the piano? Florence guiding her? The gradual revelation of her talents in the past, her going to the recital, talking with the piano teacher, further practice, her determination?

5. Florence visiting Marc, his resentments, her presentation of the conditions? Objective, the touch of threat? Conditions, clauses, the role of the production company, German rather than French? Marc not persuaded? Her return visits and conversations? Seeing the horse, being forced to get on the horse, her fears, the riding, Marc’s guidance, her enjoying it? The issue of cars, driving, his feeding, overtaking – and is declaring that she was in fact thrilled?

6. The insurance company, the head, the other workers, working for the company rather than clients? Discussions, conditions, the reliance on the woman and her seductive approach to clients? Her sympathy for Marc? Being taken off the case?

7. Florence and her visits, the attraction to Marc, the kiss, the sexual encounter?

8. Florence being taken off the case, her resigning? Her advising Marc to go to her lawyer friend, supplying the information, even though it was technically illegal? The hard-headed lawyer and her success with the case?

9. Florence, her husband, his coming with the delivery of the bike, the conversation?

10. The year passing? Florence not going back to Marc? Staying with her family? Her determination with piano, practice, performance? Suddenly seeing Marc on the television, his performance at the show, his skills? The fact that he had overcome his full backs? That she was working on overcoming her drawbacks – and the film ending?

PETER AND WENDY

UK, 2015, 97 minutes, Colour.
Stanley Tucci, Laura Fraser, Hazel Doupe, Bjarne Henriksen, Zak Sutcliffe, Paloma Faith, Rasmus Hardiker.
Directed by Diarmuid Lawrence.

J.M.Barrie was sympathetic to children because of the death of his brother and its effect on his mother. In writing the story of Peter Pan and its popular appearance on stage, he determined that all the royalties would go to Great Ormonde Children’s Hospital. This film indicates this bequest as well as how much it has benefited the hospital and the children.

On the one hand, this is a story about Great Ormonde Hospital, children patients, with their parents, the nursing staff, the doctors and the surgeons. The focus is on Lucy Rose (Hazel Doupe) and her mother (Laura Fraser). Lucy’s illness is explained – by herself to the doctor trainees. Her mother is exceedingly anxious. A Polish worker at the hospital introduces Lucy to the Barrie Museum but she resists reading Peter Pan because it is for children. The worker persuades her to read to a group of ill children.

Before the opening credits we have had a glimpse of Captain Hook and his pirates. As Lucy reads, the action comes to life, in the Darling Household, on Captain Hook’s ship. All the familiar ingredients are there, Peter and his shadow, Tinker Bell and her jealousy, the children flying to Neverland, the Indians, the pirates, the Lost Boys, Wendy having to walk the plank, the crocodile and the ticking clock, Peter and his duel with Hook.

While the action is often in the fantasy world, it is often also superimposed on the hospital rooms and corridors, Lucy’s dreams as she is coming back from unconsciousness and the anaesthetic.

While there is happy ending, there is a sad footnote with one of the children dying.

Stanley Tucci is obviously enjoying himself as a very British Mr Darling, as the roguish Captain Hook as well is the American surgeon in London.

The director, Diarmuid Lawrence, is noted for being a television director often of classic novels.


1. The popularity of Peter Pan? J. M. Barrie’s story? The various film versions, Disney images, live-action features, Peter Pan, Pan…?

2. The connection with Great Ormonde Children’s Hospital? Barrie leaving the rights and income to the hospital? The focus on children, illness, doctors, surgery? Children’s stories?

3. The device of the film to link the Peter Pan story with the hospital and patients? The scenes from the story? Lucy and her mother, the illness, interviews with the doctors, the role of the nurses, the surgery? Lucy reading the story to the other children? Everybody becoming characters in the Peter Penn story? The action on the ship, in the Darling household, and the action taking place in the hospital?

4. Audiences enjoying the familiar episodes, the introduction of Captain Hook, pirate, his personality, the hook, the man hanging and Hook not able to remember why? The capturing of the Lost Boys, imprisoning them? The Darling house, Mr and Mrs Darling (and Stanley Tucci and Laura Fraser acting the roles), Nana the dog, the children? Peter Pan, losing his shadow, Wendy sewing it back? The introduction of Tinker Bell, the touch of the vamp, the subtitles for her dialogue on screen? Small, shiny, jealousy of Peter and Wendy? Her collapse, people not believing in fairies, the children asserting their faith and her recovery?

5. Neverland, Peter flying straight on till morning, the children and their belief in him, falling, flying, arriving in Neverland? The pirates, the Indians? Life on board the ship, Captain Hook, treatment of his men? Their squabbling amongst themselves? Smee and the children? The clock, the crocodile, the attack on the ship, Wendy having to walk the plank, Peter’s arrival, the sword fight with Captain Hook, losing his hook, his defeat?

6. Lucy and her mother, the absent father, her illness, her knowledge of her illness, explaining it to the trainees? The sympathetic doctor (again played by Stanley Tucci)? Laura’s mother, the anxiety, Lucy trying to reassure her?

7. Jerzey, from Poland, working at the hospital, friendly, taking Lucy to the museum, the offer of the book, suggesting she read to the children, the range of children, the bespectacled brothers fighting, the very sick Asian boy, the little boy? Their identifying with the story? The interspersing of the reading of the story throughout the film? The children and their taking their place in the story, the Lost Boys?

8. Lucy, the surgery, the difficulties, the staff, the doctor, her breathing again, recovery? Her urging her mother to make a date with the doctor? His referring to protocols against it? The sympathetic nurses? Jerzey and the farewell?

9. The sadness of the little boy dying and his mother’s grief? Lucy supporting her?

10. A contemporary story about illness in hospital, sick children? And the interlinking with the well-known Peter Pan story?

BURIED ALIVE

US, 1939, 62 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Wilcox, Beverly Roberts, Paul Mc Vey, Ted Osborne, George Pembroke, Stephen Chase, Wheeler Oakman.
Directed by Victor Halperin.

In the 1930s, there were a lot of small-budget prison films. Some of them, like this one, took a stance against capital punishment.

The opening gives a setting for this perspective, the criminal to be executed, the executioner quite agitated, not wanting to do the job, vocal in his criticisms. Also in the room are the chaplain, the warden, the doctor. Then the press file in and the executioner does his job.

After the execution, he gets a lift to a bar so that he can drown his sorrows. He is driven by one of the trustees, a young man who has committed a crime but is soon to go on parole, well trusted by the warden. The young nurse in the prison, who is certainly the subject of attraction by the doctor and the executioner as well as the young trustee, is also in the car.

The executioner has been drinking, becomes the butt of jokes by the press, especially by one who is targeting the governor of the state as well as the warden for his “softer� approach to prisoners. A brawl starts in the bar and the young driver comes in to help the executioner, punches the newspaper man who then knocks him down and the driver has to go to hospital at the prison, cared for by the nurse – who realises she is in love with him and he with her. They make plans for a happy life together when he obtains his parole.

However, the newspaper man writes articles attacking the authorities as well as the executioner and the driver. While the warden is a friend of the Governor, the situation is too political, especially with the press, so that when the young man comes before the parole board, his parole is denied. He bursts out with anger.

There is a further complication when on his return from the hearing, he sees the nurse and the chaplain in a silhouette-embrace and interpret it very, very badly. However, thankfully for the audience, the nurse is a good woman and is able to explain exactly what happened.

But then there is a kind of Of Mice and Men subplot (with an explicit reference to the novel). The young man is very concerned about a fellow prisoner, a kind of Lenny from Of Mice and Men, big, slow-witted. The young man has asked the chaplain after his holiday to make representation to help the prisoner. However, there is an altercation with a tough guard and when the bars are open, the prisoner attacks the guard, the young man trying to help him, injuries and death. The young man receives a life sentence.

However, the former executioner does the right thing and, though the young man is taken right to the chair, the press present again, including the writer of the vicious articles, everything is changed by the authorities bringing another fellow prisoner who has always been critical of the young man, disliking him intensely, who had witnessed the altercation, to view the execution. A rather bookish prisoner had goaded him and tried to provoke his conscience. It is only when the executioner has done his duty that the angry prisoner admits that the young man was innocent – but, of course, it has been set up to get his confession. And while the doctor and the executioner have to let go of their attraction to the nurse, the two younger people go off to a happy future.

HELD FOR MURDER

US, 1932, 64 minutes, Black-and-white.
Conway Tearle, Irene Rich, Mary Carlisle, Kenneth Thomson.
Directed by E. Mason Hopper.


The film opens as a romance on board a ship, middle-aged lawyer and an attractive woman who has a past. The lawyer explains that he has a ward, a young woman, daughter of a friend of his whose mother abandoned them. When the woman sees a picture of the daughter, the audience knows that she is the mother.

In the meantime, she has been having a relationship with a shady man, friend of the lawyer, but is also attracted to the daughter who wants to be a modern and daring young woman. She is about to go on a year’s cruise with friends.

There are complications when the mother warns the shady man to keep away from the daughter and to keep her secret from the lawyer.

The woman needs a copy of a letter she wrote and finds out that the daughter has a key to the apartment and searches for the letter, her being apprehended by the shady man, a gun pulled and its going off. The mother enters at that moment, the daughter leaves for her tour thinking that the wound was only a scratch – but, the police arrive, the man is dead, the mother is arrested, tried and condemned to death. The lawyer tries to help her but, now remorseful, wanting to shield her daughter, she keeps her secret.

There is a long sequence as she walks to execution, the chaplain reciting prayers during the long walk.

Dramatically, there has to be a long walk, because the young woman arrives from her tour, wants to see her mother, discovers the truth, talks with the DA, frantic phone calls to the governor, the phone not being answered – and, of course, a last-minute reprieve and a happy reunion.

The film is reminiscent of variations on the theme of Madame X, Stella Dallas and similar vehicles which featured Kay Francis and Bette Davis during the 1930s.

PHILO VANCE RETURNS


US, 1947, 64 minutes, Black-and-white.
William Wright, Leon Belasco, Clara Blandick, Ramsey Ames, Damian O' Flynn, Iris Adrian, Ann Staunton, Vivian Austin.
Directed by William Beaudine.


Philo Vance was literary character, an amateur detective, suave in manner, created in a series by author, S.S.Van Dine. He was incarnated on screen in the late 1920s and into the mid 1930s by William Powell – something of a preliminary to his taking on the role of Nick in The Thin Man series.

Three films were made in 1947 for the return of Philo Vance. In two of them Vance was played by Alan Curtis. In this one he is played by William Wright. (Wright was being built up as a comparison to Clark Gable but died of cancer two years after this film at the age of 38.)

The film opens with a playboy who has been divorced four times and has his eye on a glamorous singer, Ramsey Ames. He is in conversation with her manager, a Russian-born entrepreneur-cum-conman, played by Leon Belasco (himself born in Russia). The playboy proposes to the singer and she accepts.

On a visit to the playboy his old and sometimes crotchety aunt, the singer is shot dead. Soon after the playboy himself is killed. He had phoned his friend, Philo Vance, to help with an investigation. Prowling in the house is the entrepreneur – who then becomes Philo Vance’s sidekick throughout the film providing some comedy (for those who warm to the actor and his character) or some irritation.

The key to the story is that the playboy’s will, his estate to be divided amongst his four ex-wives, a considerable amount of money. Clearly they are suspects – but first one, then another, is also murdered.

Is the murderer one of the other wives? One of the former wives works at an institution, with the doctor, who has one of the wives living there, suffering from a nervous breakdown. Is it her husband who needs money and runs an antique shop?

As it emerges, none of the above. The audience may be a bit suspicious of the crotchety old aunt – and rightly so, she doted on her nephew but did not approve at all of his divorces considering him weak. She certainly did not like all the women. So, when the first wife kills the playboy, she goes to work murdering or attempting to murder the rest. It was Formerly a chemist (which the murdered antiques dealer new from his mother, her best friend, and was trying to blackmail her) putting poison into make up or glasses of hot milk.

The plot is rather better than the execution but the performance by Clara Bandick as the old aunt certainly commands attention. Philo Vance and his offsider less so.