PROFESSOR MARSTON AND HIS WONDER WOMEN

US, 2017, 109 minutes, Colour.
Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote, Connie Britton, JJ Feild, Chris Conroy, Oliver Platt.
Directed by Angela Robinson.

What we find in this film is probably not what we were expecting to find. William Marston has the reputation for creating the celebrated comic strip of the 1940s, Wonder Woman. While it was a success, a lot more was happening behind the scenes.

The film opens with an American Board entrusted with supervision of children’s education interviewing Marston, wanting to ban the comic strip. As he explains what he intended with Wonder Woman, the interview is regularly interspersed with quite lengthy flashbacks to Marston’s life, his academic career, his personal life, the women, irregularities, one might say, in his relationships and the consequences for his career.

The first flashback takes us to 1928, to a classroom, to Professor Marston explaining a theory that he considers significant for understanding human behaviour: DISC – which means Dominance, Inducement, Submission, Compliance. And the film’s screenplay gives him ample opportunity to explain and illustrate these characteristics of behaviour. With him in the classroom is his wife, Elizabeth, who serves as his assistant because, with the prejudices of that era, she is not recognised with her professional qualifications.

It seems that the Marstons are looking for a volunteer, a young student who can serve as an assistant but whose behaviour they can observe to understand whether the DISC theory is valid. The lie detector was emerging at this time and the Marstons were able to contribute to a mechanism for recognising heart pace for truth and lies.

The student they choose is Olive, the niece of prominent feminist and birth control promoter, Margaret Sanger.

Luke Evans plays William Marston and Rebecca Hall is quite striking as his dominant and opinionated wife, Elizabeth. It is interesting to note that British actors have been chosen to portray the couple while Bella Heathcote, from Australia, plays Olive.

While Olive is confronted by Elizabeth to forbid any sexual activity, it soon emerges that Olive is attracted to both – which, with some difficulties, and a pregnancy, leads to a long-lived ménage a trois. Oliver’s fiance denounces them, the university authorities fire the Marstons. Olive keeps house, Elizabeth getting a job as a secretary, Marston wanting to prove his theories, sketching, which leads to the creation of Wonder Woman.

What is interesting is how much of Marston’s private life as well as the illustration of DISC, one might notice specially dominance and submission, episodes of inducement (sex and violence) leading to compliance. There is quite some attention to Wonder Woman’s background in ancient Greece, with the Amazons, the island of Lesbos, and the emerging of Steve Trevor into her world and her transition to the 20th century.

Those familiar with Wonder Woman, from the comics, the television films with Lynda Carter and the very successful superhero movie with Gal Gadot, will appreciate.

Marston was unconventional, to say the least. But it is interesting to note that his psychology studies and the emphasis on sexuality coincided with the early years of Kinsey and Masters and Johnson.

Not exactly what we might have been expecting at the beginning of the film, something of a jolt and challenge as we watch the private lives of the characters, but also interesting as providing the background of Wonder Woman. It can be noted that the Marston family did not endorse this film and DC Comics distance themselves.

1. A true story? Speculation about the characters and their private lives? Psychology? The popularity of comic strips and books?

2. Boston 1928, Harvard and Radcliffe, classes, students, classrooms and offices? The sorority? Streets, homes? The offices of the publishers? The range of songs indicating the mood, songs of the time?

3. The framework of the drama: the children collecting the comics and burning them with glee? 1946? The Association for the children? The president and the other members of the board? Interviewing Marston? His explanations, justifications, the flashbacks for his biography, for the women? DISC, his teaching, his experiments, support of Elizabeth, choosing Olive? The issue of relationships, leading to the ménage a trois? Buying a house in the street, their neighbours, living their lives secretly, the baby, the number of children? Joy as parents? The attacks, Marston being fired? His sketching, drawing the comic, the psychological content? The interview and his collapse, his illness and the information about his death in 1947?

4. William Marston himself, the performance and presence of Luke Evans? His experience in World War I, psychology, soldiers and trauma? His advocating peace? Lecturing, marrying Elizabeth, knowing her from childhood, their plans and work together? Her presence in the classroom? The choice of Olive, her eagerness? The interview? Their theories and wanting to illustrate them? Dominance, inducement, submission, compliance? The status of the theory? The University and research? The lie detector and the tests, difficult and emotional questions, mechanisms to measure heart pace?

5. Rebecca Hall as Elizabeth, strong woman, dominant, knowing William from childhood, marrying him because of respect and love? Her language, fierce? The collaboration, present in class? The choice of Olive, confronting her and warning her off her husband? The observing of the experiment with the sorority, the rituals, the spanking of the initiate? Their own feelings, sexual arousal? The interview with Olive, testing her and her emotions? Testing her emotions towards each of them? Elizabeth having to play academic second fiddle, the prejudices of the times, not acknowledging her or her qualifications?

6. Olive, Bella Heathcote, 22, in class, eager, volunteering? Her relationship with Margaret Sanger? Her celebrated mother? Her upbringing, being sent to a convent? Elizabeth and the confrontation about sex? Warm personality, nice? Her fiance? Going to the sorority, being forced to go through the enactment, the initiation, the spanking of the woman? The lie detector and her responses? Loving the two, especially Elizabeth? The relationship?

7. The effect, the ménage, audience response to the ménage? The love sequences? The three? The problem of continuing, Marston being fired? Elizabeth getting a job as a secretary? Oliver’s pregnancy, the birth, the effect on the ménage, the life of the child? Elizabeth, especially, mellowing? The three and their happiness in parenting?

8. Olive’s fiance, their discussions, going on the picnic, the challenge, Olive breaking the engagement, giving back the ring? The reputation, the fiance denouncing them?

9. Getting the house in the street, the friendliness of the neighbours, the secrecy of their lives, the later discovery, the confrontations, the fight in the street? Then moving?

10. Elizabeth, the humiliation, testing for a secretary, her work? William and his writing, books, livelihood? Moving into sketching? The comics?

11. William and his speculations, the appeal of ancient Greece? His going to the shop, the costumes, the proprietor, wary about the police, his looking at the costumes, the sketches, Olive wearing them, Elizabeth saying it was pornography? The emphasis on bondage?

12. The Greek background of Wonder Woman, the island of Paradise, the Amazons, Lesbos? And Marston outlining to the committee the super hero activities and into the 20th century?

13. The comics demonstrating and dramatizing DISC? The Board and the critique of the sexual contact, nudity, bondage and torture, sadomasochism, the film visualising the panels from the comics to illustrate this? Marston developing this, incorporating the aspects, the psychological background of the comic?

14. One with the editor, the interview, the editor accepting Wonder Woman, the female superhero, success, the reactions, the popularity? The concern about children, the burning of the comics, Marston and his defence? The hearing and its influence, the elimination of sex and the superpowers from the comics? The lull in popularity, Gloria Steiner and feminism the return of Wonder Woman? The television films? Cinema films and the Justice League, DC comics?

15. The further information, Marston’s death in 1947, Elizabeth and Olive together for 38 years, their family? The family Museum?

16. Yet the Marston family not endorsing this film, criticising the speculations about the private lives? DC comics distancing itself as well?

BRANDED TO KILL/ KOROSHI NO RAKUIN

Japan, 1967, 91 minutes, Colour.
Jo Shishido.
Directed by Seijun Suzuki.

In the early 1960s, Japanese director Seijun Suzuki made a number of films which, at the time, were colourful potboilers, films of crime in Japan, the yakuza, killers and hitmen, with a surprising amount of sex scenes and nudity. One of his earliest films was Gate of Flesh. This present film and Tokyo Drifter are considered to be some of his best films.

He made films according to order but fell out with his production company and in the late 60s moved to television. In succeeding years, his films have gained a greater reputation and are continually re-shown. An American parallel might be American International, the maker of small-budget movies, with touches of exploitation, in the 1960s and into the 1970s.

Suzuki is considered a visual stylist, though making his films quickly but able to bring a strong eye for colour, black-and-white, angles, detail which makes his films still stand out. Branded to Kill is in black-and-white while some of the earlier films open in black-and-white and move to colour.

A regular actor was Jo eshishido, usually portraying a hitman.

And all the films have very complex plots which require quite some attention, trying to identify who is who, who is on the side of good, who is a criminal, who is doing the betraying.

In this film Shishido is number three hitman but has ambitions to be number one. He does get entangled with number one in ways that he was not anticipating. There are various scenes of his hits, his entanglement with a number of women, his double dealing with bosses. There is a also an extra nuance that he has an addiction for sniffing rice!

As with his other films, they are interesting to watch in the light of Japanese cinema in the 1960s with such masters as Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Ichikawa, and their masterpieces. This is very much pop and popular culture.

HOME AGAIN

US, 2017, 97 minutes, Colour.
Reese Witherspoon, Michael Sheen, Nat Wolff, Candice Bergen, Pico Alexander, Jon Rudnitsky, Lake Bell, Eden Grace Redfield, Lola Flanery.
Directed by Hallie Meyers- Shyer.

This is a variation on the popular American romantic comedy. Actually, rather later in the film, the clue is given about the central character, Alice, Reese Witherspoon, and the three young men who live in her guesthouse and are wanting to make a film. As they go to see a producer, they actually say that one of them has a brain, and the second a heart, and the third, the nerve. Fans of The Wizard of Oz will know the reference instantly.

But, Alice, is not on an easy yellow brick road. As the film opens, she is looking resignedly in her bathroom mirror. It is her 40th birthday. It turns out that she has separated from her music industry husband, Michael Sheen, has two daughters, one of whom tends to be depressed, the other not. The audience is given a resume of her very successful film director father, his films, his many marriages, the house that he built in LA to which Alice and the children are now returning.

The three young men, Harry (Pico Alexander), the producer who thinks he is God’s gift to everyone (the nerve); Teddy (Nat Wolff), the earnest actor (the heart); and screenwriter George (Jon Rudnitsky) who is the brain but really has the most heart.

They cannot pay for their hotel room but a chance encounter with Alice at her 40th birthday party, drinks and dancing, leads to them going home with her, her mother (Candice Bergen) turning up the next morning, being charmed by their flattery because she was the star of her husband’s films, she invites him to stay.

There is a caustic interlude when Alice goes for an interview for a job in room decoration but finds her prospective employer, Lake Bell, presumptuously arrogant – they later have a rather public falling out at a restaurant.

Harry wants to charm Alice but stands her up. She is rescued by George. Teddy’s action will be when Alice’s husband, Austin, decides to come to Los Angeles to see what is happening and they have a punch-up.

The three men, all in their mid-20s, are a hit with the two daughters, especially George since the older girl is preparing a little play for presentation at the school – an event which provides something of a climax for the film.

In the meantime, the three go to discuss their prospective film with a typical Hollywood producer who wants to amplify the modest script, sex it up et cetera – and, as you would expect them to, they walk out on him. George meanwhile has been commissioned to write a TV script and Teddy has an audition.

A happy outcome with the school play and what better than to see Alice and the girls, her mother, her former husband and the three men all sitting around the table and enjoying one another’s company.

1. Romantic comedy in a divorce society? Tension to happiness?

2. LA, the movie world and culture? The home, exteriors and interiors? Mansions? Restaurants? The school? Offices? The city of LA and the score?

3. The title, Alice and her life, her family, New York, coming home to LA and establishing a new home with her daughters?

4. Alice, 40, her birthday, in the bathroom, talking with her girls, taking them to school, Isabel depressed, Rosie buoyant? The separation from Austin? The phone call for her birthday?

5. The outing, the girls and their talk, wanting to fix her up with a date? Encountering Harry at the bar, drinking, talking, dancing, all going home? Harry and his being sick, in her room, her doing the laundry, at 5.30? George and his finding her father’s den and the treasure trove about his movie career? Teddy being nice? The meeting the girls, the momentary upset, liking the girls and their liking them? Alice’s mother, arrival, her film star status, inviting them to stay?

6. The three young men, their short film, their plans, the hotel, not having enough money, being ousted? The interview with the board, the plans, the agent, the director with the horror film reputation? Their hopes?

7. Their staying in the house, their all liking Alice, Harry inviting her out, the relationship, standing her up, her drinking?

8. Going to the prospective employer, her haughtiness, on the phone? Getting her to babysit children? The encounter in the restaurant, Alice drinking, telling her off, and her husband observing it?

9. George, the writer, pleasant, phone call, writing the script? Teddy, the news of the audition? Harry and his being upset at their doing this behind his back?

10. Austin, the music world, his marriage, his job, the separation? Learning about the three, his sudden arrival? The meals, talking, his staying in the guest house?

11. Austin, wanting to stay, talking with Alice? Alice wanting the divorce, satisfied with the separation? The three men misinterpreting what they saw? Teddy and the fight with Austin?

12. Isabel, the play, her nervousness, George promising to be present? The empty seats?

13. The three and the visit to the producer, his different vision of the film, commercial, sexy…?

14. George, trying to get backstage, Isabel nervous, George’s presence, encouraging, her success?

15. Everybody sitting at the table, happiness and peace?

16. The references to brain, heart, nerve, and the three with Alice and the echoes of The Wizard of Oz?

THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM


UK, 2016, 109 minutes, Colour.
Bill Nighy, Olivia Cooke, Douglas Booth, Sam Reid, Daniel Mays, Maria Valverde.
Directed by Juan Carlos Medina.

This is an impressive period drama. London, 1880. But using the word drama does not indicate the range of the film: the city of London, Dickensian London, Limehouse and the area, poverty and vice, the music calls, a serial killer anticipating Jack the Ripper, Scotland Yard and police investigations and detection. The film is based on a book by London and Dickens expert, Peter Ackroyd.

The film is also well-crafted, atmospheric set design and locations, the colour photography design with the suggestions of darkness. And arresting performances with Bill Nighy as the Scotland Yard detective, Olivia Cooke, whose performance impresses throughout the film but even more so in the last quarter of an hour, is the toast of the music halls and Douglas Booth, based on the title character of Ackroyd’s book, Dan Leto and the Limehouse Golem (1994), is the star and (real-life) entrepreneur of the music hall.

There have been gruesome murders in the area and, with clues painted on walls, the press has nicknamed the killer The Limehouse Golem, drawing on the Jewish legend of the diabolical killer. The dead include a family who ran a local shop. At the opening, Lizzie Cree (Olivia Cooke) is accused of poisoning her husband. The local constabulary investigate, including an earnest policeman, Daniel Mays. When Scotland Yard is called in, an inspector, who can be the scapegoat if the investigation fails, is Inspector Kildare. He is played effectively in a kind of mournful, withdrawn but earnest fashion by Bill Nighy.

Investigations lead to the British Library and a group of men who read there, including Karl Marx and novelist, George Gissing. They provide the four suspects for the murders – and, as Inspector Kildare interviews them, the film visualises each of them committing one of the murders, building up for the audience the detail of what happened to each of the victims and the involvement of the killer.

In the meantime, Lizzie Cree is arrested and imprisoned. Inspector Kildare becomes intrigued, then quietly infatuated by, listening to her sad life story, visualised in flashbacks, with her as harshly treated little girl, going to the music hall, being a given job assisting, stepping in to perform and charming the audience while feeling exhilarated. She has married the journalist John Cree who is one of the suspects as the Limehouse Golem.

Inspector Kildare becomes rather desperate, building up a portrait of the killer, aided by the writing in one of the books from the British Library, a distinctive writing style, asking each of the suspects to write in that manner.

And, there is quite a twist at the end, quite unforeseen, and a tragic re-enactment of the case in the theatre presided over by Dan.

The screenplay, by Jane Goldman (X- Men, Kingsman), keeps the audience very much involved, takes them back to live in a strange and even sordid past, and providing a profile of murderous madness.

1. The impact of the film? History, social awareness, crime, police investigation? The 19th century?

2. The film based on writings by Peter Ackroyd, his expertise in 19th-century London, on Dickens? The screenwriter and her work in superhero films? 1880, London, Dickensian, Wilkie Collins and detective stories, echoes of Jack the Ripper? The musicals?

3. The title, Jewish lore, the rabbi, his research, his death? The killer, indications of the Golem in the press using this title?

4. The interconnection of the social conditions of the period, the theatre, murders, investigation? The linear aspect of the plot? The range of flashbacks? The play and the dramatising? Imagining each of the suspects performing a crime? The twist, the finale, the solution? The performance in the theatre and the hanging?

5. 1880s London, seedy, Limehouse, the streets, houses, theatre, backstage, the shops, the police officers? The ugly and squalid London, poor, the world of the prostitutes? The photography, the colour design, and visual portrait of the period?

6. The theatre, Dan Leto, his status as an artist, his performances, beginning with The End? The story of Lizzie Cree? His performances, songs, dresses? Cree’s play? Welcoming Lizzie, the attraction, watching her? Aveline and her place in the theatre, performance, trapeze? The jealousies?

7. The introduction to Lizzie Cree, married, the death of her husband, the accusations of poison, Abilene and the insinuations? Lizzie, arrested, going to prison, her patience in prison?

8. Lizie’s flashbacks, visualising her childhood, as a girl with her harsh mother, the punishments, the accusations? The mother’s death? The reading, attraction to the theatre, becoming an assistant, Uncle and his patronage? The interactions with the dwarf? The rivalry with Abilene?

9. Uncle and his place in the theatre, producer, advice? With Lizzie? Taking her to the room, his pornographic photos? His death?

10. The dwarf, in the theatre, performance, Lizzie’s reaction, his murder?

11. Lizzie’s relationship with Dan, his infatuation, the jobs, the work, becoming a substitute, performing on stage, the singing, relishing it, rapport with the audience, the repartee? Success? John Cree and his attention to Lizzie? The courting, the time, marrying, retiring, controlled at home, and dramatic aspirations, Cree and his play, not finishing
it?

12. John Cree, husband, dead, poisoned, the journalist, his stories, getting information, the attraction to Lizzie, the visits to the theatre, Aveline and his jealousy? The marriage, Lizzie living apart, his sexual relationship with Aveline? His being accused, and acting one of the murders? His own death?

13. The British Library, the list, the four men, Karl Marx, George Gissing? Tracking down each of the suspects, the characters, Marx and his research, the philosopher, the men on drugs? The intensity of the reenactments? De Quincey and Murder as One of the Fine Arts and the annotations? The writing style?

14. The murders, the Jewish man, the family and the maid? Close-up, gruesome? The dates? The reconstructions? Each of the accused building up the story? The purchase of the shop, the name, Cree, on the list?

15. Scotland Yard, involvement, Roberts and his not wanting to be the scapegoat, bringing in Inspector Kildare, Roberts and the lack of cooperation, taunting? The documents?

16. The role of the media, the media pack, headlines, pursuing Kildare?

17. Bill Night as Inspector Kildare, his character, previous failures, George Flood and his work, on the site, Kildare choosing him as his assistant? The work together? The details
of the investigation?

18. Kildare going to the prison, interviewing Lizzie? The effect, the attraction, charmed, infatuated, listening to her? Her manner, the audience sharing in Kildare’s response? The coming execution, becoming more desperate, the evidence? Her final moments?

19. The revelation of the truth, the writing, Cree on the list at the shop, meaning Lizzie? Her writing? Her confession? The revelation of her true character? The jealousies, the madness, the viciousness, the deaths? De Quincey and her writing? Visualising all the killings?

20. Her being called for execution, the guard, hoping for some reprieve?

21. Kildare, the realisation of the truth, whether to burn the note or not, his burning it?

22. The irony of his being acclaimed with John Cree as the killer, the false premise?

23. Going to the theatre, the performance of the play, Aveline and her playing Lizzie, starting with the hanging sequence, Dan in the dressing room, checking on the safety, Aveline and her being hanged – intentionally by Dan or not?

GEOSTORM

US, 2017, 109 minutes, Colour.
Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish, Alexandra Maria Lara, Daniel Wu, Eugenio Derbez, Andy Garcia, Ed Harris, Robert Sheehan, Richard Schiff, Mare Winningham, Zazie Beetz.
Directed by Dean Devlin.

There is always an audience for a disaster movie. Ever since such films as The Poseidon Adventure in the 1970s brought widescreen misadventures, on ships, at airports, on flights, in towering Infernos, rollercoasters, audiences have relished the opportunities for identification with characters in perilous situations.

The star of this film is Gerard Butler who previously had appeared in Olympus has Fallen and London has Fallen. He has always save the day, even saving the American president in peril. Perhaps the writers of this film have had more than an eye on the Has Fallen franchise because once again there is an American president and this film might have been called ‘Earth has Fallen’.

This is the future although the sequences on Earth look fairly familiar.

17 nations have combined to create an extraordinary space station, Dutch Boy, which will be able to control any crisis on Earth, especially those caused by climate change. The person behind the whole project is Jake Lawson (Gerard Butler, who might have been the better choice to portray Jack Reacher!). But, he is one of those individualistic heroes and falls foul of the Washington bureaucracy who sack him. The new man in charge is Jake’s younger brother, Max (Jim Sturgess), more the bookish and bureaucratic type. He is in a relationship with a Secret Service agent (Abbie Cornish proving that any female officer is more than the equivalent of a male officer).

Things begin to go wrong. An isolated village in Afghanistan is frozen. A lot of Hong Kong is destroyed by rising temperatures and ensuing fire. For the record, other cities which we see being destroyed include Tokyo, Moscow and Red Square, the freezing of the beachfront in Rio, a tsunami overwhelming Dubai, storms in Mumbai… For audiences with a penchant for seeing cities destroyed, Geostorm should be high on the list.

Needless to say, who has to go back to rectify everything on Dutch Boy but Jake, with Max supervising him. While Geostorm is something of a Space Odyssey of the 21st century, it is not any HAL computer that is the villain. The villain is an ambitious human – and our options are the US president, Andy Garcia, or the Secretary of State, Ed Harris.

And there is a mercenary agent on Dutch Boy and some rogue activity in the space station. Which means that Jake has a lot to do, discovering the virus that is infecting files, unmasking the villain on the space station, checking with Max as to who is the villain on Earth – with the culmination at a Florida Democratic Presidential Election rally.

If you want to see an enormous space station exploding, here it is.

But, with the new head of the space station, Alexandra Maria Lara, Jake is able to save the day.

It might be much as you would expect, though probably more spectacularly so, plenty of special effects and action, entertaining in its way.

1. The title, expectations? The future, space, earth? Politics? Heroism?

2. The Washington settings, the range of cities destroyed? Special effects, action sequences and stunts? The musical score?

3. The range of the cast, international?

4. A glimpse into the future?

5. The American locations, Washington, Cape Canaveral, Orlando, the East Coast and the quiet waters?

6. The range of destruction, the cities chosen, Europe, Asia, Latin America?

7. Dutch Boy, the idea, the United Nations, the 17 countries contributing, the vast enterprise, keeping the peace? The intention of handing over from the US to the International authorities? The political background?

8. The initial Senate hearing, Jake, late, coming from space, Max listening to him, his communicating the warnings? Jake, outspoken, the reaction of the board? Being fired? Max in charge?

9. Jake, angry, retirement? Working with engines? His daughter, his estranged wife? The clashes with Max? The past, the separation, memories of the parents, his not caring sufficiently for Max?

10. Dekkom, the friendship, support? Secretary of State? The crisis, seeing Max, urging Max to get Jake to go back into space?

11. Afghanistan freezing, Hong Kong burning, the later cities destroyed, Tokyo, Moscow, Rio, Mumbai…?

12. Max, his story, the younger brother, the relationship with Sarah, playful in the White House? Her role in the Secret Service? Max’s contact with the friend in Hong Kong, his computers, his watching the destruction, evading the destruction in his car, coming to Washington, the appointment, his being run over?

13. On Dutch Boy, the technician with the file, hiding it in the cabinet, his being shot and blown out the window? The range of staff, their jobs, the British man and his bitterness against the Americans? His being the villain? The gun, his motives, wanting more money, his death?

14. Fassbender, her being in command, her work, relationship with the staff, her knowing the ship, the rooms? At the end, the code, helping Jake?

15. The codes, Jake and Fassbender going outside, being blown away, saved, rescuing the code? Examining it?

16. The code, on Earth, Max and Dana, her work, interested, going to his home?

17. Max and Jake communicating, the fishing code, the information, suspicions of the president?

18. The political rally, telling Dekkom, his trying to shoot Max? The president being the code, biometric? The disaster, Sarah firing her gun, the escape, the chase, Dekkom’s agents? The final confrontation, car crash, their arresting Dekkom? Confrontation with the president? Dekkom’s motivation?

19. The setting the Geostorm in motion, the consequences? The range of cities destroyed, the countdown?

20. The presence of the code, getting into the computer? Jake staying on the Dutch Boy? The crew getting away? Jake staying for the rebooting, Fassbender staying? The last moment and the stopping of the Geostorm?

21. Jake and Fassbender, the special spacecraft, their being saved?

22. The two brothers and the little girl, sitting fishing, finding it boring? And the future?

THE FOREIGNER

US/UK/China, 2017, 114 minutes, Colour.

Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan, Orla Brady, Lia Williams, Charlie Murphy, Rufus Jones, Dermot Crowley, Michael Mc Elhatton, Ray Feely.
Directed by Martin Campbell.

The Foreigner is a fairly generic title. It depends on which country you are in and who is coming into the country. In this particular case it is both the UK and Northern Ireland and the person coming in (although he has lived there for 30 years) is Chinese. In fact, The Novel on Which This Film Is Based, by Stephen Leather, is called The Chinaman.

And, The Chinaman is Jackie Chan. The screenplay indicates that he is age 61, as he was when the film was made. But that does not mean that he has lost all his agility. While he might not have the martial arts movements of years gone by, he can still put up a fairly good fight – and his past training, as we find out, is in surveillance tactics, tracking tactics, trapping tactics.

When we look at the cast list, we see it is Jackie Chan versus Pierce Brosnan.

We find out the situation at the opening of the film, Jackie Chan’s Mr Quan picking up his daughter from a London school and a sudden explosion, an IRA bomb. This means that we are back in the stories of the 20th century, updated for the 21st-century. Mr Quan’s daughter is killed. What he quietly grieves, he becomes intent on righting the wrongs, on unmasking the killers, on wreaking justice.

This means that he has to confront the UK government, the UK police – who, while momentarily sympathetic, see him as a nuisance and something of a crank. So, off he goes to Belfast, to confront a deputy minister there, Pierce Brosnan, who also tends to dismiss him, declaring that he does not know who detonated the bombs.

What is a grieving father, an outsider, foreigner, to do?

This is where the plot becomes explosive, literally. Mr Quan is an expert at using fairly ordinary materials to create bombs and sets off a few, to the deputy minister’s detriment and fear. This is especially the case when he retreats to his country house and there is a huge explosion. The minister has quite a number of aides, more along the thuggish lines and diplomats, but have no chance against Mr Kwon and his fighting abilities.

There is also diplomacy. The minister sent his nephew secretly to make deals with the London police, has contact with government minister.

It all builds up to a confrontation when there is a second bomb explosion of a London Bridge, a bus being destroyed with many deaths. And there are a number of twists involving old IRA stalwarts, betrayals, twisting of information.

Clearly, there is going to be a confrontation between Mr Quan and the IRA cell. And, this does happen, Mr Quan being very shrewd as well as being very active – and, really, able to solve all the problems single-handed.

This is a kind of story that Jack Higgins used to write many decades ago, the IRA, the British, individuals who have courage and a knack for solving problems with brawn and brains. director Martin Campbell has directed two James Bond films, one with Pierce Brosnan, as well as some significant television series, including Edge of Darkness.

A contemporary entertainment in the old vein.


1. An interesting political thriller? For the 21st century? Yet harking back to the 20th century? The UK, IRA, bombings? Memories of the US and Vietnam?

2. The London settings, the landmarks of the city, life of the city? Government, surveillance operations and police? The Belfast locations, the city itself, offices? The Irish countryside, mansions, the woods? The seedier sections of London, apartments and streets? The musical score?

3. The title, the original novel called The Chinaman?

4. Jackie Chan versus Pierce Brosnan?

5. The setting, the school, Knightsbridge, Quan picking up his daughter? Her joy, the bomb, her death, the injuries, his grief?

6. Quan, Jackie Chan at 61, his screen presence, as a parent, where he lived, the Chinese cook? His character, the grief and his persistence, going to the government offices, the various interviews, his being put off? His continuing to return? His going to Belfast, the reaction there, discussions with the minister? Rejection? The gradual revelation of his American background, in Vietnam, his skills and special training? Going to the UK?

7. The British contacts, the police, the interview with Bromley, the answers and lack of answers? Wanting the government to help? His demand for some kind of vengeance? The surveillance on Quan? Everybody underestimating him?

8. His going to Ireland, Liam as the deputy minister, his personality, his affair with the young woman, her being a plant? His past, IRA activities? The tension in relationship with his wife? Relying on his nephew? His tough assistance? Quan’s visit, Liam not knowing, and wanting to be rid of Quan?

9. Liam, the contacts in London, political, his own reputation, collaboration with the UK? With the police? His nephew coming from New York, sending him to London to discuss the situation with Bromley? The irony of his nephew and his relationship with Liam’s wife? Her going to London, the apartment? Her betrayal and giving of information?

10. Quan, the effect of people ignoring him, collecting the material for the bombings? The setting up the explosion in the office in Belfast? Liam and his wife going to the country, the aids, increasing in number? The clash with Quan, the revelation of his fighting skills, martial arts? Blowing up the farm? Into the woods, setting the traps, stalking the men? His survival skills?

11. The nephew, his personality, in the US? Liaising with the British authorities, Bromley? Liam asking him to return, his hunting and confronting Quan?

12. The old IRA man, Liam summoning him, the hostilities, the old man hanging onto the past, the ideology? Stances? The connection with the wife, the information? The using of codes for information to governments after bombings? The changing of the codes, the information?

13. The further work of the group, in the apartment in London, their personalities, young, ideology, interactions? The significance of Maggie and her relationship with Liam? Her being part of the group? On the bridge, the car, the explosion, the deaths?

14. Maggie, the relationship with Liam, his being exposed?

15. The buildup to the confrontation, Quan and his return to London, disguised as the worker to look at the gas meter and repairs? Using the landlady? His being allowed in? His motivations, the vengeance on those who set off the bomb? The confrontation, the fights, the attacks, the British and their surveillance, the team ready? The defeat of the IRA gang? And the irony of Quan’s disappearance?

16. Liam, the confrontation with the old IRA man, shooting him? The shooting of his wife?

17. The bomb, the journalist, the affair with Maggie, are using his computer, for the flight? His going to Rome? The politicians on the plane? The information, the search, the chase, the split second throwing out of the bomb?

18. Liam, his ambitions, facing exposure? His IRA background and his encouraging the group to make demonstrations but not to kill?

19. Quan, his return, his being welcomed, the surveillance and the gun on him? The British, Bromley and the decision to let him live?

THIS BEAUTIFUL FANTASTIC

UK, 2016, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jessica Brown Findlay, Andrew Scott, Tom Wilkinson, Jeremy Irvine, Anna Chancellor, Eileen Davies.
Directed by Simon Aboud.


This is the kind of film that could be described as “nice�. It is also rather twee and very sweet.

It is also very British, rather low-key in its presentation of its characters and even their crises.

This is the story of Bella Brown (Jessica Brown Findlay). Telling the story is Alfie, played by Tom Wilkinson. We see Bella’s origins, her being abandoned as a baby, an eccentric biker finding her beside the water with ducks, her going to an orphanage with the nuns, but eventually her growing up, renting a house, wanting to be a writer, working in the local library, rather reserved.

She clearly irritates her neighbour, Alfie. So, what is told her story so r; she is not a friend. In fact, he is very critical of the way that she has left the rather large garden of her home in some rack and ruin.

Alfie has a cook, an Irishman named Vernon (Andrew Scott) who has two young daughters. But Alfie is dismissive of Vernon who goes next door to stay with Bella. He also supports her when the landlord arrives, giving her a one-month deadline to clear up the garden or she is out. Bella is not a gardener. She does try to do some work, even with Vernon who suffers from hay fever trying to help.

As might be expected, Alfie begins to relent, even reaching a deal with Bella that he will help working in the garden as long as Vernon still provides him with some meals – which Vernon does through a servery slide which he can slam shut at will.

Not all of Bella’s time is spent in the garden. She works at the local library which is administrated by rather bookish and prim librarian, Anna Chancellor. And there is a young man, Billy (Jeremy Irvine) who turns up for research, is noisy when he shouldn’t be, eats in the library when he shouldn’t, but there is a mutual attraction.

Alfie also has a book about gardening – which was written by his late wife. Bella reads it and that helps the bond between the two.

So, beautifying the garden within the month offers only limited dramatics for the film. Bella is supposed to go out with Billy but she sees him in town with another woman and retreats to her room in an emotional tantrum. In fact, there is an easy, over-easy solution about her seeing Billy and there is a nice reconciliation.

A touch of sadness, Bella finishing her book and reading it to Vernon’s girls, and, as has been said, nice, twee and sweet.

1. A very British film?’ low-key? twee and sweet?

2. The title, the reference to the garden, the achievement, friendship?

3. The UK, the town, the house, the garden? The town library? The streets? The musical score?

4. Bella’s story, her birth, foundling, the ducks, the old biker, the orphanage, the nuns and the priest? Her reserve, working in the library, writing at home, in her house?

5. Alfie living next door, his doing the narration, the widower, crotchety? Watching Bella and disapproving? Vernon working for him, the Irishman, the chef, with his girls? His insulting Vernon and Vernon leaving?

6. His criticisms of Bella, the old drinking lady? Setting the agent on Bella and giving her one month to improve the garden?

7. Bella, her work in the library, knowledge, interactions with the librarian? Meeting Billy, attracted?

8. Alfie, Bella and her having the month? His criticisms? His lending her the book, her making an effort? Vernon and his help? The meals through the slide?

9. Vernon, Irish, cook, his girls, working for Alfie, Alfie’s treatment, leaving, going to Bella’s house, telling the agent he was the partner, the cook and the slide, his hay fever, helping in the garden?

10. The agent, the critique, Vernon quoting him the rules and regulations?

11. The librarian, fussy, her signs, aversion to noise, firing Bella? Yet her treasuring her book at the end?

12. Billy, coming into the library, asking for books, science and robotics, eating when he shouldn’t, the attraction to Bella, keeping company, her going to meet him?

13. The crisis, her seeing Billy with the woman, her tantrum, keeping to herself, Vernon and Alfie trying to help her? Her overhearing the truth? Billy, and the triplets? His accident?

14. The garden, Bella beginning to work, not adept, Alfie’s explanations, his helping, clearing, the flowers, the result? The gift of the book? Bella reading it thoroughly? Alfie’s wife as the author, the story of her garden, her death?

15. Bella and her completing the book, the illustrations, the fantasy, with the girls, reading? An achievement?

16. Alfie talking about dying, the fact of his death? His burial? And the group gathering for celebration afterwards?

COME DRINK WITH ME

Hong Kong, 1966, 95 minutes, Colour.
Directed by King Hu (as King Chuen).


This Hong Kong film industry in the 1960s was beginning to make its mark in the wider world. This film is something of a precedent and draws on the role of the director, who had also had a long career as an actor. It incorporated Chinese history, martial arts, wars, spies and betrayal, prisons and hostages.

This was before the films of Bruce Lee.

It was instrumental in the cinema tradition of martial arts and spectacles – leading to trends in the 1990s and such films as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and spectacles from such directors as Zhang Yimou.

By the year 2000, the Hong Kong industry was very popular and many directors worked internationally. The director of this film died in the 1990s.

There is a striking opening with a file of an entourage along the horizon, interrupted by bandits, elaborate fights early in the piece, challenging the authority in the carriage. The chief of the bandits is dressed symbolically in white.

What follows is a story of rebels against authority, the bandits taking the authority in the carriage as a hostage, and making demands against the governor. The film focuses on the headquarters of the rebels and their behaviour.

However, attention turns to a young woman whom people identify as a young man – although the audience can see she is a woman. She arrives at in inn, concealing her identity, yet haughty and demanding a glass of wine. She encounters various people in the inn - and shows her martial arts, defeating all comers, especially a character called Smiling Tiger. There is also a singer with young children whom she encourages.

She turns out to be the daughter of the governor and is in discussions about the release of the hostage. However, she is caught, identified as a famous martial arts warrior – which leads to all kinds of battles, that takes up most of the running time of the film.

The film could be seen as a glimpse of the Hong Kong industry in the middle of the 20th century, its appeal for Chinese audiences – and its move towards international audiences.

AS TEARS GO BY

Hong Kong, 1988, 104 minutes, Colour
Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Jackie Cheung, Alex Man.
Directed by Wong Kar Wai.

This is the first film directed by celebrated writer-director Wong Kar Wai. He had written a number of screenplays but moved into direction and made significant films during the 1990s including his next film, Days of Being Wild, Chunking Express, Happy Forever. He achieved a great reputation in 2000 with In the Mood for Love and was represented at many festivals, including Cannes.

The film was an early opportunity for successful actors, Andy Lau and Maggie Cheung.

The background is the criminal world of Hong Kong, the mean streets, so to speak, of the city. Andy Lau portrays Wah, a gangster from his early years, but having to protect his young protégé, Fly, Jackie Cheung, who is forever getting into trouble.

The complication arrives in the form of his cousin, Maggie Cheung, coming to the city for health reasons, boarding with him, and the two gradually falling in love. This makes demands on Wah, his realising he does not have ambitions to rise in the Triad hierarchy, experiences brutality and violence, but opts in favour of a relationship with his cousin.

1. The work of the director? His first film as director?

2. The Hong Kong focus, its atmosphere? Apartments, streets, the world of the Triads, violence? The musical score?

3. The crime background, for Wah and his life, his early life and conditioning? His relationship with Fly, protecting him? The arrival of Ngor? Her health, moving in, the effect on him? The background of crime action? His experiences of brutality, yet his falling in love, not having Triad ambitions, changing?

4. Ngor, her background, arriving, health, the mask, staying inside, preserved? With Wah, going out, the risks, the change?

5. Fly, his being young, forever in trouble, Wah bailing him out, the need for protection?

6. The theme of being someone, big shots? Cultural background?

7. The villains, brutality?

8. The director and introducing of his colour photography, camera angles, stylistic flourishes?

RACE

Canada/Germany/France, 2016, 134 minutes, Colour.
Stephan James, Jason Sudeikis, Eli Goree, Shanice Banton, William Hurt, David Kross, Barnaby Metschurat.
Directed by Stephen Hopkins.

Race is in a long line of films about Olympic Games and has some footage from possibly the most famous Olympic Games film, Leni Riefenstahl’is Olympics. Stockholm 1912 was represented with Burt Lancaster in Man of Bronze, the Paris Olympics with the British runners in Chariots of Fine, memories of Zatopek in in Helsinki 1952 in The Games. There have been many documentaries about subsequent games as well. But, possibly most memorable, with a films and television movies and documentaries about the killing of the Israeli athletes in Munich, 1972.

This is a film about the 1936 Olympics, scenes of the meetings of the Olympic Committee with representation by Jeremiah Mahoney (William Hurt) who wanted to withdraw because of his criticism of Marxism and also by Avery Brundage (Jeremy Irons) who advocated going. The committee said Brundage to Berlin and he had discussions with Goebbels (an interesting performance by German Barnaby Mitchell at, with Goebbels small, silent and sinister, speaking English, his words not always being translated accurately until finally buying Leni Riefenstahl). Brundage was able to do a deal with Goebbels about minimising propaganda but, in fact, Hitler left several competitions, especially when Jesse Owens one. Goebbels is also able to blackmail Brundage over a plan to build a new German Embassy in Washington DC by his company, with plans by Albert Speer. He threatened Brundage with exposure if Jewish American athletes were not withdrawn from the relay.

The film was also reported on athletes, Jesse Owens, very well portrayed by Stephane James. It shows his life in Cleveland Ohio, his family background, his relationship with Ruth and their daughter, his going to college, his pleading running, his being supported by Ohio champion and coach, Larry Snyder

1. Dramatising of history? The 1930s? The United States? Nazi Germany? The Olympic Games, sprints and broad jump? The portrait of Jesse Owens?

2. The title and its two meanings?

3. Cleveland Ohio, homes, shops, campus and grounds, garages? Dormitories, showers and change rooms? The tour around America, the different states, Nebraska?

4. Berlin, the 1930s, streets, buildings, Nazi flags, the attacks on the Jews, Nazi offices, meetings, plans and deals? The musical score?

5. The Olympic Games, the tradition films about Olympics? Berlin, the new stadium? The interiors, accommodation, the track and field? No segregation? The crowd attending the games? The races and the podiums?

6. The story of Jesse Owens? The portrayal by Stephan James? Age, family background, with his mother and the new coat, going to college? His father, tentative? His relationship with Ruth, her work at the hairdressers, the daughter? The story of proposals and Ruth not being ready? The experience of college, his friend Dave? The farewell with his father, the bonds? Friends and backing? At college, running, Larry watching him, summoning him to the office, the discussion, the challenge and change, sports, the training, the demonstrations, the trials and Jesse’s performance? The breaking of records? 100 m, 200 m, broad jump? On tour, the club, the girl and the dancing, the affair? Ruth and the papers? The break and the girl abruptly going? His return, the apology to Ruth? Waiting outside, walking with her, the proposal, her acceptance, the wedding?

7. The Olympic story parallel to that of Jesse Owens? The meetings of the committee, Jeremiah Mahoney and his opposition to Nazism, wanting to withdraw from the games? Avery Brundage? His arguments in favour? The discussions amongst the committee, the speeches? Sport, politics? Nazi bigotry and humiliations? The role of Hitler? Sending Brundage to Berlin, the encounter with Goebbels, his speaking German only, the translation and its modifications? The proposal about restricting Nazi propaganda, Goebbels agreeing? The meetings in Washington, the building of the German Embassy, the plans, Albert Speer? Brundage’s caution – but later coming up during the games and Goebbels using it to blackmail Brundage to eliminate Jewish relay runners? The vote, close, going to Berlin?

8. The preparation for the games, Jesse and his decisions, Larry and his advice, the preparation? The visit of the delegate from the NCAAP, the arguments? The dilemma for Jesse, asking advice of Ruth, throwing it back to him? Larry, the arguments? His sprint rival? Wanting him to go? The decision? The support?

9. Larry Snyder as a person, his past career, success, his wife leaving him, the daughter? His being a top coach? Having the Ohio State record for 12 years? Watching Jesse, stern, friendship and discipline? The admiration, the demands? The tours? His stands in the changing room against the prejudice? Later with the bigoted coach wanting an apology from Jese? The arguments about the Olympics? His wanting to go as a coach, the committee refusing? His buying a ticket, going steerage, his being present, support for Jesse?

10. The atmosphere of the games, the crowds, the bigotry (and in parallel to the anti--black prejudice in the US meetings)? The change to acclaim? Jesse, concentrating and focusing, the exercises and their being mocked?

11. The hundred metres, his winning? Hitler leaving? Brundage taking Jesse to meet Goebbels? Goebbels reference to Jesse Owens as shaking hands with “that�? Hitler returning for the other events, and leaving again? Goebbels sitting and presiding?

12. The broad jump, Jesse and the fouls? The seeming prejudice? Lutz, the handkerchief? His good jumps, the rivalry with Lutz, Lutz’s foul, Jesse winning, breaking the record? Lutz and congratulations, together and their lap? Lutz risking his career with Goebbels? The two talking in the room about Nazism? Friendship? The later information that he was sent to the Russian front, keeping in touch with Jesse, but killed in action?

13. The 200 m and the win?

14. Leni Riefenstahl, her strong character, the Triumph of the Will, Hitler’s filmmaker? Making a film of the Olympic Games? The demands on Goebbels, the cameras, their positioning? Her capturing everything? Goebbels forbidding the filming of the 200 m and her defying him? Her translating for Brundage? Her later retakes with Jesse for the broad jump? The motivations?

15. Hitler and Goebbels, against the Jews, the blackmailing of Brundage about the building? The pep talk, the coaches, Brundage present, dropping the Jews? Wanting Jesse to run? His reluctance? The Jewish men endorsing him and encouraging him? The running of the relay, success, Jesse Owens and his fourth gold medal?

16. Information about the war and the consequences?

17. Larry Snyder’s career, Olympic Coach, going to Rome? Brundage and his heading the committee for decades?

18. Jesse Owens, Ruth and the family, their long life? No acknowledgement from the White House for his gold medals? The honour posthumously?

19. A film about American sport, history and a portrait of a fine athlete?