MY YOUNG AUNTIE/ ZHANG BEI

Hong Kong, 1981, 121 minutes, Colour.
Chia Liang Liu, Kara Hui, Hou Hsiao.
Directed by Chia Liang Liu.

Filmed in the early 1980s, directed by the veteran Chia Liang Liu, who also appears as one of the central characters, the inheriting nephew. He had a long list of acting and directing performances, a focus on martial arts.

So, decades before the kung fu comedies of directors like Stephen Chow, there was a tradition of blending comedy with action. This one has many amusing moments but also is an exercise in a combination of pageantry, fights, comedy.

An old man about to die does not want his worthless brother to inherit his estate so he marries the young girl who cares for him, Kara Hui, who has a good box office combination of beauty and martial agility. She has a mission to travel to find one of his nephews and give him the deeds of the property. So, she travels by boat to find the nephew.

In the meantime, the nephew, who also has no difficulties with kung fu, has an old adviser and then hurries to the wharf to meet his auntie, initially not believing who she was. However, he accepts her and the situation.

Then his son who has been away in Hong Kong at University turns up with a group of his friends, with English first names, playing sport, raucous University students. There is also a difficulty in their believing who the auntie is.

Plot -wise, the brother who missed out on the estate is advised by a rather smooth-talking counsellor to track down the heir, steal the documents and, if there are any difficulties, sending some thugs and some martial arts experts. All this happens leading to quite an amount of the running time devoted to fights.

Initially, the auntie and the young student have their clashes – the audience prepared for this because of the thugs who meet her at the boat and her vigorous disposing of them all.

The comedy and pageantry: the young men take auntie into the city and let her loose in the shops, experiences she has never had, having a new hairstyle, buying perfumes, buying a lavish dress with a split skirt – and then involving her in fights again this being very awkward. There is another sequence when the young men go to a ball and there is a lot of fancy dress and dancing, especially the boys doing some turns that have been borrowed from Hollywood musicals.

Not the solemn kind of martial arts history – but a rather lavish and sometimes extravagant humorous variation.

MON ROI/ MY KING

France, 2015, 124 minutes, Colour.
Vincent Cassel, Emmanuelle Bercot, Louis Garrel, Isild Le Besco, Chrystelle Saint Louis Augustin.
Directed by Maiwenn.

Mon Roi is an edgy film about love, romance, tension and confusion, edge between a couple.

The film opens in Alpine territory with skiing but soon moves to a sanatorium where those who experience skiing accidents recuperate. It is suggested by a therapist that Tony, a lawyer (Emmanuelle Bercot), did not just have an accident but that the accident came from inner confusion and conflict. As the film progresses, it is clear that the therapist is not wrong.

Tony is a successful lawyer, divorced, with a great number of friends who encounters an old associate, Giorgio (Vincent Cassell) who owns restaurants. He does not remember her at first but the two go home together, have breakfast, begin an affair. She becomes more and more besotted with Giorgio. He loves her but his response is more gradual.

Eventually, they marry, and she becomes pregnant. However, a former girlfriend, quite neurotic, is always in the background, attempting to kill herself, Giorgio feeling obliged always to go to her support. Louis Garrel appears as Tony’s brother, giving her advice.

The situation gets worse, and while the child is born and the parents are happy, it seems better that they live separately. Ultimately, Tony becomes suicidal.

While both try to be good parents to their boy over the years, they divorce, have a better relationship after the divorce, and are finally scene in a school sequence discussing their son with teachers – and the prospect that there could be more peace in the lives of each. The end of the film is open.

1. An intense personal drama? Tony’s story and her perspective? Giorgio’s story and his perspective? Giorgio seen through Tony’s eyes? The audience’s eyes?

2. French settings, city, apartments, restaurants, streets, law offices, ordinary life? The contrast with the mountains, the snow and the skiing? With the sea? The sanatorium, all kinds of healing and therapy? The musical score?

3. The title? With reference to Giorgio? Tony’s perspective?

4. The opening, Tony and the mountains, skiing, the accident? In the centre? The steps to recovery? The insertion of flashbacks? The details of therapy, Tony’s response, her leg, x-rays, swimming, walking? The range of associates and friends? Conversations? Farewells and Tony’s future?

5. With the therapist, the question as to whether Tony’s accident was an accident or a distraction caused by inner turmoil and confusion?

6. Tony, lawyer, her former husband? Relationship with her brother and his wife? The friends? The encounter with Giorgio, having met him in the past, his taking time to remember? Her going to the apartment, breakfast, the sexual encounter? The follow-ups, the meals, conversation, sex? Her falling in love?

7. Georgia, his background, the restaurants, his knowledge of food, branching out, business? Staff? His comic turns as a waiter? His charm? The past relationship with Agnes? Her upset with Giorgio, the confrontation with Tony?

8. The development of the romance, proposals, the wedding ceremony, joy? The first night, the progress of the marriage, conversations?

9. The crisis with Agnes trying to kill herself, Giorgio and his going to help her, the continued help, the effect on Tony? Giorgio taking a strong stance?

10. The effect on Tony, becoming more neurotic, the difficulties, arguments, Giorgio’s proposal to live elsewhere? The importance of the pregnancy? The visits together, the ultrascans? The birth of the boy, happiness? Time passing, bringing up the boy, his relationship to each parent?

11. The separate living, communication, attraction, love? The issue of Agnes?

12. Tony, the discussions with her brother, moving out, moving back, more erratic behaviour? Leading to the pills and pill taking?

13. The divorce, happiness, feeling free, the sexual aftermath?

14. Separate lives, Tony and new friends, Giorgio giving up Agnes – and the scenes with her, with the baby, godmother?

15. The final sequence, the parents arriving to discuss their boy, the teachers, his being moved to the next grade, some kind of resolution – and the audience left with the prospects for the future?

INTERNATIONAL CRIME

US, 1938, 62 minutes, Black-and-white.
Rod La Rocque, Astrid Allwyn, Thomas E.Jackson, Oscar O' Shea, Lew Hearn, William Pawley.
Directed by Charles Lamont.

There have been various versions of The Shadow over the decades. This is an entertaining 1939 version with Rod La Rocque as Lamont Cranston, amateur criminologist, crime reporter, broadcaster.

There is some screwball comedy as well as the crime investigation. Astrid Allwyn plays Phoebe, niece of the newspaper proprietor, tired of working in domestic reporting and wanting adventure. She bursts into Cranston’s broadcast with news of a fire at a theatre. Cranston has a feud with the police chief, Weston, Thomas E. Jackson, and there is a meeting at the theatre only for there to be an explosion elsewhere in the city, a safe being opened and a rich industrialist being killed.

There are all kinds of shenanigans with Phoebe turning up at odd times. The police chief threatens the editor with no police news because he is tired of the feud with Cranston. A safe cracker has also been released from jail, Honest John, who confronts Cranston in his studio and thwarts the police – though helping out with the gun at the end. Cranston’s driver, Moe (Lew Hearn) provides some wisecracks as well as saving the day (even with a toy gun filled with cigarettes).

Because Phoebe has identified her informant and indicated that he has a foreign accent, Cranston and Phoebe go to restaurants to identify him, finding two Germans involved in financial conspiracies, thwarting bankers, prepared to do further murder.

Even though Cranston does spend some time in jail, Phoebe bails him out and he is able to continue his broadcast (to millions of listeners) each night.

Happy ending for all – except the criminals.

THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER

US, 1932, 62 minutes, Black-and-white.
Edna May Oliver, Robert Armstrong, James Gleason, Mae Clark, Donald Cook, Edgar Kennedy, Clarence Wilson.
Directed by George Archainbaud.

A small B-budget supporting feature, early talkie, that can be recommended. It has an entertaining murder mystery, some humorous and snappy dialogue, but, most important of all, the presence of Edna May Oliver, as a schoolteacher who is present in an aquarium with her students at the time of the murder.

Strange as it may seem, Edna May Oliver receives top billing and excels herself with a skill in detection, solving the case in a dramatic scene in court. Many admirers of classic Hollywood movies would remember her as Miss Pross in A Tale of Two Cities as well as the nurse in Romeo and Juliet. She made quite an impact, gathering all her strong presence and screen style, her commanding all and sundry, as Lady Catherine De Burgh in the 1941 Pride and Prejudice.

Her performance in this 1932 film is very much as the screen persona she presented over many years, reprising this role of the teacher, Hildegarde Withers, in two sequels, Murder on the Honeymoon, Murder on the Blackboard, co-starring again with James Gleason as Inspector Piper. (There were to be three other Hildegarde Withers stories, one with Helen Brodrrick, two with Zasu Pits, all with James Gleason).

There is a lot of amusement watching the seemingly haughty Hildegarde Withers ordering her students around in the aquarium, to find her lost hat pin, her discovering the body, her taking notes, comparing them with Inspector Piper, to-ing and fro-ing with him, Edna May Oliver excellent with comeuppance repartee as well as double takes.

And some lively fish scenes – and cute penguins!

The audience has seen the victim, the selfish man who slaps his wife, a rich broker, visiting the aquarium, confronting his wife’s former boyfriend from whom she is borrowing money, an attack and his slipping and falling unconscious. There is a range of suspects, especially the boyfriend, even the wife, who don’t seem to look like murderers, the manager of the aquarium who is in financial detriment because of gambling (Clarence Wilson always look sinister in films), a mute pickpocket who has been operating in the aquarium, the concerned barrister.

Lots of good discussions and theories between Piper and Hildegarde, she also being a good cook and inviting him to a meal. The couple are imprisoned on suspicion. The barrister is concerned to defend the wife. The mute pickpocket is also imprisoned – and later found hanged in his cell, the barrister admitting that he bought electric cord into the prison undetected but that it was the young man who had committed the murder.

In court, the barrister creates a scenario where Hildegarde Withers had been slighted years earlier in a love affair with the murdered man. However, in his questioning of her he gives away a clue was known only to four people – which means that he is the murderer. Hildegard expects the couple to finish romantically, but they have been denouncing each other. She emerges from jail, goes to the friend and he slaps her and walks off!!

Not only is Inspector Piper impressed, he makes a more permanent proposal – which she accepts.

This is Hollywood pre-budget at its best.

SERIALIZED/ BEST SELLING MURDER

Canada, 2017, 90 minutes, Colour.
Vanessa Ray, Adam Korson, Tara Spencer- Nairn, Tyler Hynes, Meghan Heffern.
Directed by Michel Poulette.

Serialised (also an alternate title, Bestselling Murder) is a murder mystery with a lot of suspects – and, the villain being the least likely, at least on paper!

Vanessa Ray portrays a novelist who has had critical success but, with people not buying her work, she is let go by her publishers. They also want her advance to be returned. This is difficult because she has been going through divorce and has to pay alimony to her husband and she is paying for expensive medication and treatment for her mother.

The film shows her and her alter ego confronting the publisher when he comes to offer a deal that she be a ghost writer for a very popular series. She declines and then the alter ego stabs him.

With her friend Darby persuading her, she agrees to write the story and it is downloaded for subscriptions, the first issue free is a hook. The hook is taken but there is a copycat killing the next day. With the publication of the second chapter in The Bloody Mary Chronicles, an antagonistic critic is murdered the day after.

The plot is complicated by the return of the ex-husband and her still loving him and his making financial demands. Her former student who now lives with her former husband is pregnant. There is a sympathetic detective to whom she is attracted. There is also a mysterious man who approaches her at the reading as well is in the dish neighbour who is very protective and wants to date her.

There are all kinds of complications, audience suspicions. It is revealed that her partner, Darby, is also in financial difficulties and there is the thought that she has committed the murders for publicity.

Ultimately, there is confrontation with the masked murderer, Darby being shot, the detective also being shot and the author going to her ex-husband and his girlfriend to stay for protection. And that is the last thing that this situation provides…

1. The title? Serials, episodes, reader suspense, mysteries and clues, life imitating literature?

2. The New York setting, book publishers, bookshops and readings, apartments, the streets, restaurants, police precincts, online camera studios? The musical score?

3. Hannah, age and experience, her reading? The publisher, letting her go, demanding the advance, her having spent it on her mother and medical care? Her books not bringing in income? The public and the proposition that she continue writing as a ghost writer a series of pot boiling novels, a large advance? Her deciding not to?

4. The device of Hannah receiving visitors, her other self emerging and killing the victims? The audience thinking she had split personality, was guilty of the murders? The fact that the murders happened after the publication of the chapter?

5. Hannah and Darby, their friendship, Darby and her idea, encouraging Hanna to write the murder story? The creation of the character, Bloody Mary? The publishing plan, online, subscriptions? The first chapter free, as a hook? Reasonable success? The question of tying the murder to the second chapter’s release? The online interviews? The connection made? The increasing number of downloads?

6. Darby, business-like, their past friendship, managing the details, the promotion of the interviews? Hannah and her awkwardness, being asked direct questions by the nerd interviewing her online?

7. Hannah, the background of her divorce, her sick mother and her concern? Her ex-husband and his visits, her still being attracted to him? His taking up with Julia, Hannah as her mentor, Julia taking her husband away from her? Her awkwardness, naivete, and the pregnancy?

8. Jason, Hannah paying alimony, his working while she studied, his demands, the visits, sex, the encounter with the neighbour and his threatening him? Inviting Hannah to stay with him and Julia for protection?

9. The police, Austen and Hannah attracted to him, the interrogations, the meal, his being a vegan, her drinking, his taking her home, guarding her for the night? Going back to work, his investigating Hannah and her background, financial situation? His associate, investigating Darby and finding her financial difficulties?

10. The possible suspects: the fan who approached Hannah at the reading and his later following her, being interrogated? The man next door and his wanting to have dates with Hannah, being protective of her? Jason and his need for money? Suspicions about Darby setting up situations to promote the serials? Julia last on the list?

11. The death of the critic and his antagonism towards Hannah? The imagining of Jason’s death? Of Julia’s death? Writing the chapter, not releasing it, changing the victim from Julia?

12. In the house, the fight with the masked intruder, Austin being shot, hospital and recovery? Darby being shot, in hospital?

13. The revelation, Julia and her scheming, with Jason, her ambitions as a writer, Hannah taunting her for lack of talent, following through with the murders, keeping Hannah alive as Julia’s ghost writer? The death of Jason? Hannah and the physical clash with Julia, her being hurt, Julia’s death?

14. Hanna, her new book, the reading, her fans, her mother recovered… Happy ending?

PARKLAND

US, 2013, 97 minutes, Colour.
James Badge Dale, Marcia Gay Harden, Zac Efron, Paul party, Billy Bob Thornton, Ron Livingston, David Harbour, Colin Hanks, Gary Grubbs, Jackie Earle Haley, Jacki Weaver, Paul Sparks, Glenn Morshower, Jeremy Strong, Gil Bellows, Tom Welling, Mark Duplass, Rory Cochrane, Kat Steffens,
Directed by Peter Landesman.

The occasion for the making of this film is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, on 22 November 1963, an event which stunned the United States. It also stunned the world – a world in the midst of the Cold War and soon after the missile crisis in Cuba.

Another film made at this time, for the anniversary, was Killing Kennedy with Rob Lowe as Kennedy, the film focusing very much on Lee Harvey Oswald.

The action of this film takes place over a couple of days, opening on the morning of 22 November, the businessman Abraham Zapruder (Paul Giamatti) planning to film the President’s cavalcade – with the result that he did had 8 mm film of the event itself. The Kennedys stayed in a hotel and flew to Dallas in the morning, started a motorcade and within minutes the President was shot. He was taken to the local hospital, Parkland, where the staff tried to save his life (Marcia Gay Harden as the head nurse, Zac Efron and Colin Hanks as the doctors – ironically soon to try to save Lee Harvey Oswald life after Jack Ruby shot him).

The film spends some time focusing on the President, the surgery, and anointing by a priest (Jackie Earle Haley), legal custody about the body staying in Texas or going back to Washington, the presence of the Secret Service, having to hack out the rows in the plane to transport the body back to Washington, the grief of Jackie Kennedy, the swearing in of Lyndon Johnson.

One of the characters seen on the day is Bob Oswald (James Badge Dale) going to work, shocked at the news, going to the police, interrogated. His mother is also interrogated – a powerful performance from Jacki Weaver, a rather narcissistic mother, contemplating notoriety and money, write-ups about her, and believing that her son was a spy for the American government and deserved to be buried in Arlington.

Some time is focused on Lee Harvey Oswald, but only a mention of his being shot by Jack Ruby.

A lot of time is spent with Zapruder, the Secret Service wanting his film, the difficulties in developing it, Zapruder’s sense of dignity and loyalty to the president. There is also blame in the Secret Service office in Dallas and the burning of files.

Finally, the two funerals, ceremonial in Washington, desolate in Dallas, are intercut.

The film has a very strong cast of character actors. It is straightforward in its interpretation of the assassination rather than the variety of conspiracy theories that continue to emerge.

1. Audience interest in the Kennedy assassination? 50 years after the event? Remembering, reconstructing, interpreting? 21st-century perspective on the 20th century? American politics in the early 1960s?

2. The title, the local Dallas Hospital?

3. The presentation of the staff, as persons, relaxing, at work, availability? The suddenness of the Kennedy assassination and his arrival? Shock? The work of the doctors, the nurses, the details of the surgery, trying to save the President’s life? The presence of the Secret Service, their being ousted? The president dying? The nurse, calling for the priest, the details of the anointing, the prayer, the nurse getting the crucifix and putting it on the president?

4. Audience response to the assassination, older audiences, new audiences, the experience of the assassination? Or its being part of history? The American spirit?

5. The work of the writer-director, journalist background, books, films, reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan?

6. The three days and events in November 1963? Dallas? The opening of the film, Abraham Zapruder, his eagerness, to see the president, at work, the staff, giving them the free day, his camera, standing on the column, filming? Robert Oswald and his work? The president, the night before, the plane, arriving in Dallas? The president and Jackie Kennedy? The role of the Secret Service, preparations? The DCs Service, the local officials?

7. The shooting, its being filmed? Zapruder’s reaction? Sorrels and the Secret Service contacting him? His fright, dismay? Taking possession of the film? The laboratories, the difficulties for developing 8 mm?

8. The blood, Jackie Kennedy, the president and going to the hospital, the surgery? The different personnel? The doctors and nurses, the surgery, Jackie and her reaction? The local authority, quoting state law, demanding to keep the body, the Secret Service defying him? Hurrying to the airport, hacking the seats on the plane, lifting the coffin? Lyndon Johnson, his oath? The dramatic presentation of the situation?

9. The film’s incorporation of actual footage of the president, of Dallas, the aftermath? Walter Cronkite and the other media representatives? The funeral? Footage intercut with re-enactments?

10. The local authorities, failure, James Hosty, the blame, his boss, the effect, the cover-up, the decision to burn the file on Lee Harvey Oswald?

11. The film not focusing initially on Oswald himself? The report of his leaving the repository, the bus, the shooting of the policeman? His arrest, Bob Oswald seeing it on television? Bob Oswald going in, the interrogations? The impact of Marguerite Oswald? What people call “a piece of work�? Her self-focus, seeing Lee as a spy, worthy to be buried in Arlington? Thinking of herself, the media, the money? Bob’s reaction to her? At the funeral? The Reverend and his words? A few people there? The Secret Service, the journalists, being asked to carry the coffin? The workers coming in to bury the body? A desolate scene?

12. The interrogation of Lee Harvey Oswald, his responses, Jack Ruby shooting him – and their being no footage of the shooting? Just the report? Oswald taken to hospital, the same staff, the procedures, his death?

13. The footage of the Kennedy funeral in Washington, intercut with Lee Harvey Oswald’s funeral?

14. The portrait of Jackie Kennedy, young, the children, her grief, the effect?

15. The effect of the assassination on Americans, the Cold War, fears?

16. The final information about the variety of characters seen in the film? Different careers, age, the dates of their deaths?

THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ADELE BLANC-SEC/ LES AVENTURES EXTRAORDINAIRES DE ADELE BLANC-SEC

France, 2010, 107 minutes, Colour.
Louise Bourgoin, Mathieu Amalric, Gilles Lellouche, Jean- Paul Rouve,Jackie Necissian, Philippe Nahon, Nicolas Giraud.
Directed by Luc Besson.

For more than three decades, French director Luc Besson has made quite a range of interesting films including La Femme Nikita, The Professional, The Messenger about Joan of Arc. But he has been interested in science fiction as well as fantasy, The Fifth Element considered something of a classic. But he is also fond of action films and is directed or produced a great number of these, especially the Transporter and Taxi series.

He has written and directed this film based on a series of stories of the early 20th century, a heroine who is a journalist, travels for exciting adventures, does some tomb raiding and finding a Pharaoh in Egypt, wanting to use an ancient Egyptian doctor to bring to life her sister whom she had accidentally killed after a game of tennis and has kept in her apartment. She has a friend, a professor, who has discovered secrets of the afterlife.

In the meantime, the professor has been able to raise a pterodactyl in a Museum. The creature flies around the city, causing accidents, the subject of concern by the president and officials.

The film is beautifully presented with the recreation of 1911 in Paris. However, it is not to be taken too seriously at all. Adele’s adventures in Egypt are reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark. The pterodactyl has overtones of the Jurassic Park mentality. And, finally when the professor is able to raise the Egyptians to life, skeletal life, they are in the Louvre and go for a tour of Paris, something like A Night in the Museum!

This story is more successful for audiences and the much more ambitious later film by Besson, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.

Louise Bourgoin is an attractive and lively heroine – and audiences will find it hard to see Mathieu Amalric under the disguise of her adversary in Egypt.

1. Adventure novels? The imagination? From word to image?

2. The director, his career, his love of action, his love of imagination and fantasy?

3. 1911, France, the beginning of the 20th century, streets in Paris, cars, the city, the bridges, the buildings? The museum? The countryside? Homes and apartments? The musical score?

4. The contrast with Egypt, the country, the pyramids, the tombs, the interiors, the fire, the gold, the mummies? The Nile? Special effects? Action in danger?

5. The imagination, the tradition of Raiders of the Lost Ark? Police French comedy like the Pink Panther series? Creature features and Jurassic Park? The Night at the Museum and the historical characters?

6. The opening, voiceover, Ferdinand and his walk, the pterodactyl, the chief and the dancer in the taxi, into the river? Can Can and double standards of officials? Ferdinand and the interrogation?

7. Adele, in herself, writing the books, journalist? Her sister, sitting dead in the apartment, her care for her? The flashbacks, the tennis match, the accident? Adele and her hopes, allegedly going to Peru, going to Egypt, wanting to find the ancient doctor? The clash with the archaeologist and his malevolent approach? The troops? The action adventure, in the tombs, the thieves, her assistant, finding the passages, finding the tombs? The coffin?

8. The old professor, his age, his apartment, his book on the afterlife, raising the pterodactyl, controlling it with his mind? Its coming to the house, his feeding it, hiding it from the police? His arrest, in prison? Adele and her various disguises to get him out, nurse, nun, men, failure and ousted? His going to the guillotine? Adele riding the pterodactyl? Saving him, his being shot, the pterodactyl shot? Going to the home, the encounter with Adele’s sister, the ritual with the ancient pieces, the spell, his power, his death?

9. The police, the chief, inept, always wanting to eat, the jokes? The Hunter and his appearance, self-importance? The various police helpers? Pterodactyl excrement and pratfall and physical jokes?

10. The Hunter, absurd, shooting the pterodactyl, shooting the professor, escaping, leaping into the cage with the monkeys?

11. The background of the police officials, the president, his dog being taken by the pterodactyl, Adele and her plea for him to pardon the professor?

12. Going to the museum, the nuclear physicist resurrected, healing the sister? Finding the Pharaoh, the other members from the tombs? The resurrection? The Pharaoh and his behaviour? Their going on a tour of the city?

13. The museum, the old professor, the raising of the pterodactyl? Andrej, his infatuation with Adele, the book signing? Writing her all the letters? Nervous? Helping her with the pterodactyl and its location? The bouquet – and her sister accepting it?

14. A feelgood fantasy – more for adults than children?

VICTORIA,

France, 2016, 97 minutes, Colour.
Virginie Efira, Vincent Lacoste, Melvil Poupaud.
Directed by Justine Triet.

A film of more interest to French audiences than those outside France although it has a very contemporary story, the focus on a woman who is a lawyer, her personal life, her estranged husband who creates stories about her, combining fact and fiction, her daughters and the need for babysitters. There are glimpses into her past and her relationships. The film is a showcase for French actress Virginie Efira.

An earnest former client, Vincent Lacoste, is devoted to her, babysits, is urged to study law by her, becomes attracted. The reunion at the end of the film stretches credibility somewhat, such a talented woman relying on such an average man.

At the centre of the film is a court case, where she defends a friend from the past, having a conversation with the woman accusing him – and a hearing which precludes her from the case and suspends her for six months. When she returns, she does defend the client, relying on the intervention and responses of a dog, and her friend is acquitted.

1. Contemporary French story? Professional woman? Her daughters? Relationships? Her career? Bad choices?

2. The French city, homes and apartments, law courts and offices, clubs and outings? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Victoria, her age? her background, relationship, daughters, her husband and his self-focus, publishing the stories about her, fact and fiction, her reaction? Taking him to court? Having a variety of babysitters? Samuel, past client, drugs, his bonding with the children, wanting to be the apprentice, her urging him to study law, his attraction to her? Her taking him for granted?

4. Her dealings with Vincent, past friendship, his wife, his behaviour, the wedding scene, her accusing Vincent of trying to kill her? Her own erratic behaviour? His getting the help of Victoria, her hesitation professionally? Taking on the case? The encounter with his wife in the court case, her being disbarred? Suspended for six months?

5. Sexual issues, her past promiscuity, bringing men into the house? Samuel and his response?

6. The time away from courts, her friends, support? Going back to work? The court case for Vincent and his wife? The irony of the examining of the dog, the dog and its moods being brought in evidence? Her winning the case?

7. Samuel, his leaving her, coming back after study, wanting to work with her, the relationship?

DIPLOMATIE

France, 2014, 80 minutes, Colour.

Niels Arestrup, Andre Dusollier.
Directed by Volker Schlondorff.

A film to be recommended. It has its origins in the played by Cyril Gely who opened out his play for the screen (he also wrote the screenplays for Dumas and Monsieur Chocolat). The film has been directed by celebrated German directed, Volder Schlondorff (who also directed The Ninth Day, the drama about the priest from Luxembourg – the Secretary General for OCIC, the international Catholic organisation for cinema and later its president after the war – and is being commanded to persuade the Archbishop to support the Third Reich, the threat to him that all the clergy in Dachau would be executed if he failed.

Niels Arestrup gives a powerful performance as General Coltitz, in charge in Paris in August 1944, with orders to destroy the city, a city which Hitler had visited and envied. He has discussions with a French engineer who is set up an extraordinary range of explosives to blow up buildings, to break the barriers of the Seine and its flooding key areas. The military are ready to detonate the explosives.

A Swedish diplomat, Nordling, a strong performance also by Andre Dussolier, is able to enter the general’s room because of a secret passage used by Napoleon III to visit a courtesan.

The bulk of the brief film is the conversation between the two men, the staunch stances by the General, his ideology and belief in following orders. It also emerges that there is a threat to his family if he fails. There are discussions on moral issues, on conscience, on the numbers of deaths in Paris, of soldiers falling in war, especially in Russia where the General had served. There are also cultural discussions. Eventually, the diplomat prevails, helping the General with his pills when he is in dire need of them.

There is great deal of tension in the time limit for the destruction of Paris, the Americans close to the city, the Germans beginning to retreat, breakdown in radio and phone communications and those carrying out the explosions becoming impatient – and, ironically, the officer in charge being shot before detonating by the engineer who had created the explosives’ situation.

It is hard to imagine, especially in 21st-century risk respect, that Paris could almost have been destroyed.

1. The transition from theatre to screen? The play, the interiors of the hotel, the vistas of Paris, the streets, the planted explosives, the American allies entering Paris? The musical score?

2. The title, diplomatic skills, interactions, results?

3. Paris, August 24 to the 25th, 1944? Hitler and his visit to Paris, his envy, the Opera? Decreeing that it should be destroyed? Himmler and his stealing of artworks? The events of the Allies, the work of the resistance, the population occupied for four years, the prospect of destruction of the city?

4. General Choltitz? Niels Arestrup and his presence and performance? In charge, news of the execution of his predecessor? A military man, the family generations? In Russia, one with his soldiers, orders for destruction? His complete dedication to orders and the authorities hold of his family, their deaths if he failed? Waking in the morning, looking at the prospect of Paris, getting ready for the day, his decision, the bouts of illness and his pills, the work of his aides? The plan, the visit of Lanvin? The maps, the range of explosives, in key areas, the flooding of the Seine, the consequent destruction? Orders, the underlings, waiting with the explosives, communications, phones down? And finally the issues of conscience?

5. Nordling, Andre Dusollier’s presence and performance? Background, diplomacy, a Swede growing up in Paris? His life, his Jewish wife? The secret entry, his appearance in the room? The explanation, Napoleon III, the courtesan, the stairs and their secrecy, the one-way mirror? His knowing all about the general and his behaviour?

6. Nordling, his mission, bringing the letter from the French general, General Choltitz tearing it up? Another copy? Powers of persuasion, diplomacy, talk, psychological understanding, moral issues, cultural issues?

7. The general and Nordling and surveying the views of Paris? Audience attitudes towards Paris and the possibility of its destruction?

8. The hotel, the staff (and the ironic bookings as soon as the Germans moved out!), The kitchen work, the maids, and the young Germans, their being sent away? Mayer, his return, the encounter at Soissons? The arrival of Himmler’s men? Germans in the tunnel, waiting, Lanvin, his role, shooting the officer?

9. The argument about the value of Paris, Hitler and his mania and orders? Paris and its value? Millions of deaths? The lost culture and the General’s responsibility?

10. The appeal to conscience? Nordling helping the General with his pills? The effect on the General? His family concerns, Nordling’s offer of help, the guarantee?

11. Paris saved, the allies entering, the response of the French?

12. The postscript, Nordling and his encounter with the General in 1955? And his presenting the medal for his role in saving Paris?

CAMP X-RAY

US, 2014, 117 minutes, Colour.
Kristin Stewart, Payman Maadi, Lane Garrison, John Carroll Lynch.
Directed by Peter Sattler.

While there was a lot of discussion about internment at Guantánamo, many articles, newspaper reports, it has not featured in many films. This is an inside look at prisoners and guards, a film released in 2014, hopes for the centre to have been closed not being fulfilled.

The film opens with a focus on a man being arrested, Ali, transported to the centre, the audience not knowing whether he was guilty of being a terrorist or not.

A squad of 10 arrive for military service, eight men and two women. The central character is played by Kristin Stewart, soon after completing her Twilight films. She gives a very strong performance, Amy, a young woman who escaped her small hometown in Florida, wanted to do something for her country. She is almost immediately attacked by one of the inmates but is determined to do her duty. One of the duties is to bring round the trolley of books for the prisoners and she engages with Ali. She is not well read and he wants more Harry Potter books. There is some edge in the initial conversations and, at one stage, Ali tosses excrement on her. Punishment is by having prisoners be continually moved from room to room.

The film shows some of the detail of the squad and raises issues of sexual tension, Amy kissing one of the chief guards, then resisting, his getting revenge on her by making her witness the public hosing down of the naked Ali in an outdoor cage, and she reporting him to the doctor in charge. The doctor is played by John Carroll Lynch who says he doesn’t want to be there but is obeying orders.

Ultimately, there are conversations between Amy and Ali. He has hidden a jagged edge in his Koran and threatens to kill himself. The camera focuses on Ali in his cell and his view of Amy looking through the door to the cell.

The film won a Humanitas award and enables the audience to see something of life in Guantánamo, difficulties, amenities, punishments, but no prospect of except at the whim of the American authorities – and it is made clear that they are not viewed as prisoners but detainees and therefore not under the control of Geneva conventions.

1. The title? Guantánamo and its reputation? Its purpose and mission?

2. The images of 9/11? The consequences for the US? The war against terror?

3. Al Qaeda, the arrests in various countries, militarists or not?

4. Guantánamo, internment, the range of characters there, called detainees rather than prisoners because of Geneva conventions? The rooms, basic, the various punishments, shifting from room to room? The library and access to books? The confinement over so many years? Little hope of exit?

5. The military squad arriving, eight men, two women? The briefing, their roles, Amy and the first job, holding down the detainee, her being knocked, injured lip? The reactions?

6. Details of life of the squad, their friendships, duties, meals, issues of sexuality, relationships? Ramsdell and his role, his magazines, Amy kissing him, her change in attitude, his putting her on shower duties with Ali? Her reporting him?

7. The doctor in charge, his role, not wanting to be there, but obedient? Interviewing Amy, her motivations? Her report against Randsdall?

8. The detainees, the angry man, Middle East men, bearded, the Koran? The scenes of prayer? Their being held down?

9. Ali, seen when being arrested, Amy looking at his file, the photos, his injuries? An educated gentleman? The arrest, prison? His interactions with Amy, throwing the excrement on her? The punishment of being moved from room to room? The shower in public, naked in public? His having the knife, in the Koran, his being tempted to use it, the discussion with Amy?

10. Amy, bringing the books, tough and strong, the issue of Harry Potter? Amy not being well read, no idea about Harry Potter? The description of My Antonia? Ali, his reading, University background, his ideas? Amy and the excrement, her reaction towards him?

11. Her duty, keeping the books, talking, sharing the books, the explanation of her life? The naked shower? The discussion about what she had learned during her service in Guantánamo, or not?

12. Amy, her journey, Florida, small town, the animals, the mother and the Skype contact with her? Wanting to leave the town and do some good, the Army?

13. The focus on the conversations between Ali and Amy? Especially the end, Ali with the knife, alone in his cell, the audience glimpse of Amy looking through the window in the door?

14. Stances on Guantánamo, President Bush, Obama? America’s attitude? The war on terrorism, the effect of 9/11? Years of detention for the detainees? The film’s focus on dealing with prisoners? Punishment and human dignity?

15. This film winning a Humanitas award? A humane film?