AUSTRALIA DAY

Australia, 2017, 98 minutes, Colour.
Bryan Brown, Shari Sebbens, Sean Keenan, Elias Anton, Kee Chan, Isabelle Cornish, Carolyn Dunphy, Daniel Webber, Miah Madden, Matthew Le Nevez, Simon Alrahi.
Directed by Kriv Stenders.

There is quite a lot going on in Australia Day. More than a lot. In fact, there are three stories in one – as well as the background of January 26 in Brisbane.

While Australia Day has been celebrated throughout the country for a long time, there have been hesitations and protests, especially about January 25 being the last day of freedom for indigenous people on this continent. With only 50 years of history of aboriginal rights since the referendum of 1967, there are still many issues that can surface quite powerfully about Australia Day. Then there is the reality of so many migrants, Chinese from long ago and more prevalent in recent times, the post-war European migrants, the Vietnamese in the 1970s and 1980s, and refugees and migrants from Middle Eastern countries… How do they participate in the ethos of Australia Day?

The screenplay for Australia Day takes up race and ethnic issues as well as offering a continuous background, especially from television coverage of celebrations, sunny and raucous, as well as family and picnics. There is a Chinese story. There is a middle eastern story. There is an indigenous Australian story. Throughout the film we begin to see some connections, tenuous in many ways, between the three stories – with a fine, small but significant, connection in the last few minutes of the film.

There is a lot of running in the film, a lot of chasing. A young aboriginal girl is running from the police. A young man from a middle eastern family is being pursued by white locals. A Chinese woman is escaping from sex slavery. This running and chasing motif extends throughout the whole film giving it a dramatic urgency.

Caught up in the Chinese story is Bryan Brown as a farmer whose land has been repossessed by the bank. He has suffered from drought, the effect on his cattle and their destruction. Often in the background – and then, outside the window of his flat in Brisbane, the Minister for Trade is promoting an agreement with China that is to be signed that afternoon. The Chinese woman hails him down in the street and gets into his car.

This kind of story has been prevalent in Australian films, in the important film The Jammed about sex slavery, but also a theme in the recent Goldstone as well as in the background of Top of the Lake, China Girl. The girls are truly slaves, prostituted by ruthless owners. Can an ordinary, decent enough Australian deal with this situation? Despite his being played by Bryan Brown, it seems that he can’t. But he is a man of conscience and must take a stand and make an effort.

The middle eastern story is about young drug dealer, his dominating mother, his upright father, and the younger brother being tangled with a local girl and being pursued by her brothers, one sadistic, the other with a conscience. This is a revenge story. It is also a possible peace and reconciliation story – not explicitly tied to Australia Day but important in terms of the longer inhabitants of the land since 1788 accepting newcomers who are racially, culturally and religiously different. Some interesting comparisons could be made with the Australian film, Down Under, set in the racial riots in Cronulla.

The indigenous story has its heart-rending aspects. Two young girls have been abandoned by their mother who is a drug addict in the Brisbane streets. The father is brutal and they react violently against him, killing him, taking a car, being pursued by the police – in fact, by an indigenous policewoman (Shari Sebbens) who knows them, their grandmother and the difficult family situation. She is asked to stand down from any enquiries in the search for the girl, April (Miah Madden) but she feels that she must, tracking down where the girl might have gone to find her mother, catching up with her at a desperate moment.

While we might have seen these issues in these stories before, they are worth telling again. They are interestingly acted and the film is been directed by Kriv Stenders (the Red Dog films as well as the miniseries, Wake in Fright).

1. The status of Australia Day? January 26th and its suitability? History? Protests?

2. Brisbane standing in for Australia? The suburbs, the streets, city vistas, police precincts, ordinary homes, the brothel, hotels? The musical score?

3. The three stories, the connection? The police and the aboriginal story, Terry and his connection with his son investigating the aboriginal story?? The middle eastern family, the father, taxi driver, giving April the lift and not taking her money?

4. The interconnections between the stories, their placement, editing and peace, tension?

5. The background of the television programs, the visualising of the Australia Day celebrations? The tone? The politician and the trade agreement? Her speeches?

6. Central characters running, the chases, the sense of dynamic?

7. Sonya, policewoman, the car crash, the pursuit of the car, not knowing the two girls were in the car, the effect of the crash, the girl’s death? People running? The taxi and his helping her? April, her age, the brutal father, his death, her responsibility? Her mother, leaving, drugs? April going to the office, seeing the documents, the address, leaving, going to the centre, her mother gone? The streets, the drugs? The impact on April? Her going to the bridge?

8. Sonya, her role as a policewoman, racial issues, female issues and tensions with the men? A sense of guilt? Her being stood down, her continuing the investigation, searching for April? The commands, phone calls, her chasing April, visiting her grandmother and the discussions about custody? To the centre, to the Institute, to the land with the drugs, getting medication and ambulance for the mother? April on the bridge, her talk, warding off the police and their guns? Saving April? Her achievement? The background of Terry’s son and his being part of the investigation and his attitude towards Sonya?

9. The Chinese girl, running, her being pursued? The chance encounter with Terry, getting into the vehicle? Her lack of language, fear of the police? The way she was dressed? Terry and his background, the farm, foreclosure by the banks, wanting to leave it to his son, the phone calls with his son, the son criticising of him because of his devotion of the farm rather than his wife and son? His dropping the girl, seeing her being chased by the young man, his intervention? The violence? His dilemmas? His own physical health, urinating blood? His taking her to the centre? His meeting the old man and the women, paying, seeing the girls?

10. Terry, the Minister for Trade, hearing her on the television, the resentment, his gun, seeing her out the window, his plan, the change, going with his rifle to the brothel, the confrontation, getting the girl to escape, his shooting the man at the brothel, his being shot, his son finding the message and the note in his pocket? His plan to shoot himself at the function for the signing of the agreement?

11. The young man being chased, middle eastern background, the traditional Australian men pursuing him? His story, sexual activity with Chloe, the men and their resentment, pursuing him? Her denying everything, her taking drugs? His being tied up, tortured? The hate, Sean and his character, severe? Tony as his friend? Jason, his plea for helping the young man? The situation, Jason freeing him? His running home, his older brother, the drug dealing, his mother and her strong influence, wanting revenge? The brother taking his friends, the attack on Sean, torturing him? Returning to the house, Jason? The plea to stop the revenge?

12. The father and his driving the taxi, arriving home – and the audience seeing him as the man who gave April the lift?

13. The blend of themes, contemporary Australian stories, contemporary Australian problems?

RIP TIDE

Australia, 2017, 85 minutes, Colour.
Debby Ryan, Genevieve Hegney, Andrew Creer, Naomi Sequeira, Valerie Bader, Aaron Jefferey, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, Danielle Carter, Marcus Graham.
Directed by Rhiannon Bannenberg.

Rip Tide is a small film combining surfing with fashion.

This is very much a film made by women, featuring women, of particular interest to women. But, the men are quite good characters as well…

The story is not unfamiliar. It opens in New York, the world of high fashion, the focus on Cora (Debby Ryan) an 18-year-old who is dominated by her mother, an ambitious businesswoman, whose hopes are being fulfilled in her daughter and who does not realise how little attention she really gives to her daughter as a person. The stage is set for some kind of eruption, especially when the daughter suggests to the designer how the dress could be improved – he is played by Marcus Graham in a very small cameo, mainly having a hissy fit.

Mother and daughter do on in fact am come from Australia and have visited in the past. The contact is the mother’s sister, Margot, a strong screen presence by Genevieve Hegneyi. Her husband died the previous year in a surfing accident and Cora and her mother did not make the funeral. Cora decides to buy a ticket fly to Australia – and there are some humorous moments, at least from the Australian point of view, where Cora really doesn’t understand Australian idiom especially when the genial young surfer, Tom (Andrew Creer), asks how she is going and her response is “where?�. Her mentality is completely focused on first-class in everything.

With the help of Margot and with the help of Margot’s mother-in-law, a very sympathetic old girl, Cora adjusts, is encouraged by the ever smiling, ever-twee, Chicka (Naomi’ Sequeira), and finds that she can surf well, revise memory with the attractive Tom, finds that she might have a possibility of staying back in Australia – and it is all filmed rather glowingly on the New South Wales Illawarra Coast.

Needless to say, there are a few crises, especially when Cora is asked to design dresses for a local celebration, the centenary of women surfers, and she treats one of the local girl models who tears the material to improve the dress exactly as the hissy fit designer in New York treated her. With Chicka’s help, she naturally repents, designs the dresses – and, spoiler alert, it all goes very well!

The other crisis is whether she should return to New York after her mother phones her with news of a new and substantial contract. No spoilers here – everybody will guess has to be a happy ending.

1. The title, expectations? Surfing? The background of fashion?

2. The American worlds, New York City, the contrast with New South Wales, the coast, small town, the surfer life? The score?

3. Cora, the introduction, her age, fashion and style, Australians in New York? The domination of her mother? The world of fashion, her dresses, glasses, reputation? The issue of contracts? Her suggesting changes to the designer and his negative reaction?

4. The character of her mother, busy in New York, forgetting the Australian origins? Pressure on the daughter, the career contracts, not listening to Cora?

5. Cora, the message from Margot, memories of being in Australia as a girl, the invitation to come, the decision, booking the flight, the flight to Australia – the naive American ignorant about Australian customs and style?

6. The coast, the ocean, the beaches, the waves? The house, simple, no wi-fi? The clubs for the training of surfers? The surf community? The ethos?

7. Margot, in herself, the death of Caleb and her fears and grief? Pretending to face her grief? Her rival, Owen, the friendship with Caleb, the company and the training? Her refusal to sell? The bond with her mother-in-law, doing the Tai Chi, the genial mother-in-law and her influence around the house? Margot hurrying to meet Cora, the welcome? The community, seeing the interchange with Owen? Meeting Chicka?

8. Cora and her adjusting, awkward, contact with her mother, going to the surf, succeeding? The memories, the visit to the cave with Tom, the initials? The bond, the romance?

9. Tom as a genial and friendly character?

10. Chicka, always smiling, support for Cora?

11. The local celebration, women are surfers, 100 years? The preparation of the show, Cora agreed to help, the girls, the girl tearing the material, Cora’s anger, repeating the criticism she had received in New York? Changing, forgiveness? The dresses, the day and the display?

12. Margot, sad, not surfing, challenge and Cora, her going, being rescued by Cora?

13. Tom, the clash, the reconciliation?

14. The new contract, going to the airport, the news about Margot, her not going? Her mother, the phone calls, upset?

15. Her mother’s arrival, the two sisters and reconciliation, the show, the reconciliation between Cora and her mother, the happy ending for all concerned?

PAPER BULLETS/GUNS INC

US, 1941, 72 minutes, Black and white.
Joan Woodbury, Jack La Rue, Linda Ware, John Archer, Alan Ladd.
Directed by Phil Rosen.

Paper Bullets is a small budget supporting feature – and an early film for Alan Ladd who was soon to become a star at Paramount with This Gun for Hire and a 20 year career with such high points as Shane.

The film is fairly routine, the focus on the young girl whose father is shot as a stool pigeon, goes to an orphanage, make friends with two men who are influential in her adult life. She is sacked from her job because of her father’s reputation. She is dating a playboy who is involved in hit run accident and her manoeuvres her into taking the blame and her going to prison.

Most of the film is about revenge, the young woman disguising herself and robbing people, getting enough money to challenge the father of the playboy his public face is for police reform. She insinuates herself into his group and, ultimately, exposes him.

Subplots include her roommate who wants to be a singer, has a patron in a gangster was a friend at the orphanage, and an engineer who wants to marry the woman.

Alan Ladd as a supporting role as a young man sent in undercover to infiltrate the gangs.

Phil Rosen directed many small budget features but was noted as a cinematographer with Thomas Edison voice in 1912 Miracle Man.

1. The title? The explanation about gangsters, crime, reform, control – the ballot?

2. American cities, 1941, the background of World War II?

3. The opening, the orphanage, Rita, Elliott and Mickey, foreshadowing the future, Elliott and his making the plane, Mickey and his wanting control?

4. The war, Rita at her job, sharing the apartment with Donna? The background of her father, stool pigeon, his being shot? Her being discriminated against because of her father? Her losing her job? The meeting with Elliott, his wanting her to work with him?

5. Rita and her relationship with Harry De Witt, playboy, driving recklessly, the hit-and-run? His wealthy father, the lawyer, the plan, Rita set up, the failure in the court, her going to jail? Coming out, her friends?

6. Mickey, the clubs, Donna, her singing, the audition, getting the job?

7. Rita, wanting revenge on De Witt? The wig, the hold-up, robbing the man, the headlines, her robberies? Getting the money? Rita and Donna and their moving? Mickey and his help?

8. The police, being condemned, De Witt and his wanting reform? His colleagues? Crime bosses?

9. Jimmy, being sent under cover, his codename, the connections, friends, information? The tough guy? Reporting back?

10. Rita, her plan, De Witt and his radio speech and campaigning, Rita on the radio, with De Witt, his colleagues, making the plan, nomination for mayor?

11. Rita and Elliott, his wanting to marry her, the ceremony?

12. Jimmy being exposed, the criminals, the chase and the car, the crash, the reporting of deaths in the paper? Donna and Jimmy? Her grief? Having wanted him to give up his criminal ways?

13. The arrests, in the courts, Jimmy and his testimony, reassuring Donna? The guilty findings, Rita achieving her revenge – and Elliott prepared to wait for her?

HIGHWAY DRAGNET

US, 1954, 70 minutes, Black-and-white.
Richard Conte, Joan Bennett, Wanda Hendrix, Reed Hadley, Mary Beth Hughes, Iris Adrian.
Directed by Nathan Juran.

Highway Dragnet is a crime and police chase thriller.

Richard Conte is a veteran from the Korean War, in Las Vegas to meet a friend, an encounter with a girl at the bar, her later being found murdered. He is accused, escapes from the police, teams up with two women in the desert, pretends to be their photography assistant at a resort. The police pursue, there is a final chase which leads out into the desert and, eventually, to the Salton Sea.

The two women are played by Joan Bennett, an older manager of a photography firm, and Wanda Hendrix as her model. Reed Hadley is the pursuing police officer.

Since it is clear from the beginning that Richard Conte did not do the murder, it becomes very evident the Joan Bennett has killed the woman – with the revelation that she had seduced her dead husband.

The two leads are strong, the action continuous, the creation of tension – and a climax at the Salton Sea.

Direction is by Nathan Juran, originally from Romania, and winning an Oscar for set design for How Green was My Valley, and the director of a lot of small budget films and television. This film is notable as the first production credit for Roger Corman who was to have a long career of producing small-budget films for more than 50 years.

1. Crime and chase thriller? Murder mystery?

2. Las Vegas, the Nevada desert, California, the desert, resorts? The musical score?

3. 1954, the background of the Korean War, the veterans, their experience, decorations, aftermath?

4. The title, the murder, the police, investigations, collaboration between Nevada and California, the roadblocks, connections with the police?

5. Jim, career, in Las Vegas, to meet his friend, the encounter at the bar, his comment about Terry and her looks, her reaction, the fight, the kiss?

6. Jim, the car, the police arresting him, the interrogation, the accusations, seeing the body taken out? His decision, panic, gun and escape? His saying it was like the foxhole in Korea?

7. The police, the sheriff, contacts, pursuit, the evidence? Finding Jim’s car, the torn photo on documents? The photo in the papers? Contacting local police?

8. Jim, driving, seeing the two women and the broken down car, stopping, changing, helping, the police passing? His driving with them?

9. Mrs Cummings and Susan, in Las Vegas, the job, photography and modelling? The information about Mr Cummings and his relationship with Terry? It seeming obvious that
Mrs Cummings was responsible for Terry’s death?

10. The diner, the police, the hamburgers? The tensions with Mrs Cummings and Susan? Susan reassuring her?

11. Going to the resort, more tensions, the two women afraid, Jim posing as their assistant, the manager of the resort and his excitement? Mrs Cummings and the slide with the
message? The manager panicking the visitors? Jim and the gun?

12. Taking the car, breaking through the roadblocks, the garage, the truck across the road? Going into the desert?

13. Susan, the ambiguity of her feelings? Using up the water, the sand, the branches? Mrs Cummings taking the car, lighting the fire, her return? Her opportunities against the two?

14. The background of the house at the Salton Sea? Arriving, the note from the friend, the house, the water, the arrival of the police? Mrs Cummings and the gun, Jim pursuing her, falling into the water, fearing quicksand? The confession? The police hearing, Jim and his release, the possibilities for the house and Susan?

THE LATE EDWINA BLACK

UK, 1951, 78 minutes, Black-and-white.
David Farrar, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Roland Culver, Jean Cadell, Mary Merrall, Harcourt Williams.
Directed by Maurice Elvey.

The Late Edwina Black is based on a 1920s play and was filmed several times.

This version, from 1951, is directed by Maurice Elvey, a veteran director in British film from 1918 to 1958, mainly small films.

This is also a star vehicle for David Farrar, a stalwart of British films, especially Black Narcissus. Geraldine Fitzgerald had appeared in British films since the mid 1930s, including The Mill on the Floss, had moved to Hollywood where she had appeared in many Warner Brothers films including Dark Victory. Roland Culver was a character actor in both Hollywood and British films and is quite striking here as the rather sardonic police inspector from Scotland Yard. Jean Cadell has a strong role as the devoted maid.

The film opens with the death of Edwina Black and its influence on her husband and her maid. Her malevolent presence is felt after her death especially by her husband and the maid who were in love.

It emerges, with the visit of the inspector, that Edwina Black died of arsenic poison – which makes the couple suspicious of each other but, as audiences might have suspected, the malevolent Edwina poisoned herself to ruin the couple, all with the connivance of her devoted maid.

1. Based on a popular play from the 1920s? Theatrical? Dialogue and settings mainly interiors?

2. The late Victorian era, the house, the grounds and gardens, the town, the streets, bicycles, horse and buggies? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on the dead woman? The sense of her presence? Her influence on the characters? The gradual revelation of the truth – but the audience sensing what happened quite early?

4. The household, the morning, Ellen, the call to Gregory, his going to his wife’s room, her death? His reaction, Elizabeth’s reaction, Ellen’s reaction? The visit of the doctor?

5. The funeral, in the house afterwards, the dowager concerned about Elizabeth and offering her a job? The minister? The atmosphere of the funeral?

6. Gregory and Elizabeth, the relationship, despite Edwina?

7. Gregory, character, place in the village, schoolmaster, the children at the funeral, his care for his wife? Relationship with Ellen? With Elizabeth?

8. Elizabeth, poor, her role as a maid, serving Edwina, in love with Gregory? Ellen’s hostility?

9. The action taking place over a couple of days? The tension, Edwina’s influence, the chimes, the atmosphere? The effect on Gregory and Elizabeth, their behaviour and betrayal of Edwina?

10. The inspector, his manner, giving of information, liking a cup of tea? The arsenic? The opinion of the doctor? The analyses? The issue of the weedkiller? Access? Elizabeth carrying up the milk? The hand powder and Gregory buying it, Elizabeth using it, losing it, the inspector finding it in the carriage?

11. The interactions between the two, their love, the brochure on Venice, five weeks before the death? Elizabeth and the suspicions, Gregory’s action, behaviour, lies, swearing on the dictionary? Gregory’s suspicions, Elizabeth, Venice, the milk? The tension between the two? The breakup?

12. The inspector, finding the powder, inviting himself in, the cup of tea, producing the container, Ellen’s reaction and fear?

13. The revelation of the truth, Ellen and her absolute devotion, her concealing Edwina’s behaviour? Gregory’s role in the timing? Getting Elizabeth to take up the milk? Edwina adding the poison, knowing that she was to die, her malicious death?

14. The tension between Gregory and Elizabeth, their reconciliation?

THE 9TH LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX

US, 2016, 108 minutes, Colour.
Jamie Dornan, Sarah Gadon, Aiden Longworth, Aaron Paul, Oliver Platt, Molly Parker, Julian Wadham.
Directed by Alexandre Aja.

The title certainly sounds intriguing – is Louis Drax something of a cat with nine lives or beyond?
The screenplay was written by the son of Anthony Minghella, actor Max Minghella. The director is Alexandre Aja, whose main work has been in variations of horror genre is. This serves him well in making a psychological story with touches of the bizarre.

Louis (Aiden Longworth), aged nine, gives the voice-over to the film, starting with his birth, the agony for his mother, his difficult childhood with a range of accidents, lights falling on him, electrocution at a socket and, eventually, his falling over a cliff – but surviving, dying, spasm and his coming to life again.

In the present, a doctor expert in child coma, played by Jamie Dornan (best known for a variety of 50 Shades) does his best for the child while attracted to his distraught mother (Sarah Gadon). Since the boy’s father, Peter (Aaron Paul) has disappeared, the police take an interest in the child and his mother (Molly Parker as a rather hard-boiled detective).

Louis tells his story in flashbacks, where we see the mother’s love, hear her story about Louis’ conception, of Peter being a foster father, of his being an extraordinarily loving father-figure, of the clash between husband and wife leading to the fatal picnic where Louis falls over the cliff.

Oliver Platt plays a very affable psychiatrist with a skill in hypnosis and the doctor agrees to be hypnotised because there have been some links between the unconscious Louis and the doctor – which offers revelation and a twist on what audiences might have been expecting.

1. The title, expectations? The work of the director – and working in the horror tradition?

2. The blend of realism and fantasy?

3. The opening, the voice-over, the collage of Louis’s accidents, near-death experiences? The pain of his birth, the light fixtures falling on him, the electric shock, falling over the cliff? And the audience seeing these incidents again at the end with a different perspective?

4. Louis, a boy, aged nine, in himself, intelligent, self-aware, understanding his parents, reading, at school and his being criticised? The strong bond with his mother, protective? The strong bond with his father, a true father-figure? Building up to the picnic, the cliff, the quarrel, the fall, the helicopter and his being lifted to hospital?

5. The response of his mother, her being upset, the hospital, desperate, waiting?

6. Dr Pascal, his giving the TED lecture, the fans? Call to the hospital, his particular expertise, children and coma? The situation, his friend, the doctor, and the surgery, in detail? The time of death, recorded? The sudden spasm, after two hours, Louis alive? The mystery, in a coma? The doctor, the staff and the treatment?

7. His mother, in herself, her age, her relationship with Peter, take his name? Seeing them together? The flashbacks – and in the light of the latest story? The pregnancy, her age, being raped, the name of the father, Joe? Her shame? Revelation that she wanted to adopt Louis? The difficulties of the birth, growing up with Louis, his accidents? Peter, his care at the hospital, marrying him? His becoming a true father to Louis?

8. Peter, the flashbacks, his first wife, leaving her, careful of his mother, the bonds, the wedding? His being a true father, the gifts, the bonding at home, talking, the room? Sea World and meeting his first wife, asking Louis not to tell, his telling his mother? His decision to leave and give Louis’s mother space? The buildup to the picnic, the quarrel?

9. Dr Pascal, at the party, his friend the doctor the barbecue, and seeing Louis’ mother, attracting the men, talking the kitchen, the reaction of his wife? At the hospital, kissing her, her wanting somewhere to stay, the room in the hospital, his talking with her? The police cautioning him? Learning more of the truth, his being upset confronting her?

10. Louis, the therapy, the eccentric doctor and his manner, the comic touches, Louis having his measure, yet returning, their interactions and talking, the style, the gradual revelations? His mother stopping the therapy?

11. The episode with the notes, the sinister touches and warnings? Pascal writing with his left hand? Louis’ writing? The police, the Interrogations, the writing expert?

12. The arrival of Peter’s mother, Peter staying with his mother? Her attacking his mother? Giving the information to the doctor? A new perspective on Louis’s mother?

13. The characters of the police, tough, talking, confronting Pascal? The discovery of Peter’s body, near where Louis fell? Identifying the body, Pascal at the morgue?

14. The continuing puzzle, the doctor and his expertise on hypnosis, his methods? Pascal agreeing to be hypnotised? The techniques, Pascal and the experience of hypnosis? His being interrogated as Louis, his answering in his voice? The information, the revelations of the truth?

15. Louis, waking, returning to coma? The truth about his mother, her being institutionalised?

16. The plausibility of the story? A what if… Story?

SIGN OF THE RAM

US, 1948, 84 minutes, Black and white. Discussions end of line expanded
Susan Peters, Alexander Knox, Phyllis Thaxter, Peggy Ann Garner, Ron Randell, May Whitty, Allene Roberts, Ross Ford, Diana Douglas.
Directed by John Sturges.

Sign of the Ram is one of the earliest films by director, John Sturges, who worked at Columbia with small budget films and then moved to MGM, solid dramas, then Bad Day at Black Rock, Hour of the Gun and great success with The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape.

The film is set in Cornwall, Daphne du Maurier territory but all filmed in Hollywood, with scenes of British cliffs – and most of the cast having American accents except for May Whitty and Australian Ron Randell.

The film is also a star vehicle for Susan Peters, the young starlet who suffered spinal injury in a shooting accident and acted from her wheelchair. This was her last film as her health declined and she died at the age of 31.

The film has a very strong supporting cast led by Alexander Knox as her husband, Phyllis Thaxter as a sympathetic secretary, Ron Randell as the sympathetic doctor, Peggy Ann Garner as the infatuated teenager and Dame May Whitty as the gossiping neighbour.

The film is a psychological drama, focusing on Susan Peters as Leah, a young wife, injured in an accident saving her stepchildren, seemingly sympathetic in her wheelchair, a poet – but gradually revealed as self-centred, controlling, interfering in people’s lives. Eventually, her stepchildren are turned against her. Her husband is bewildered.
An interesting psychological drama exploring the exercise of power by an injured matriarch.

1. The psychological melodrama? Family? Power-play and control?

2. The setting in Cornwall, filmed in Hollywood – and most of the characters with American accents except for Ron Randell and May Whitty? The scenes of the Cornish coast, the cliffs? The mansion? Interiors? The musical score?

3. The credibility of the plot? Leah, the marriage at a young age, the stepchildren, her role as mother? The accident, saving the children, her injuries? Confined to the wheelchair? The consequences of her confinement? Self-centred? Power and control?

4. The title, the meaning, the doctor and his explanation of the astrology and the character of the Ram – even the violent death?

5. The arrival of Sherida? Introduced by Logan? The outsider, to become secretary, the dismissals of the previous secretaries? Her meeting the family? Meeting Leah? The welcome, the discussions? Working for Leah, her poetry? Settling in the house, the support of Mallory? Support of Jane, the criticisms of Christine?

6. Leah, her age, in the wheelchair, her writing of poetry, self-deprecation? Simon looking after her health? Mallory and his continued support of her? Clara and her visits, her gossip, insinuations? The effect on Leah?

7. The day by day in the house, Mallory, kind, his children, his dislike of Clara and her gossip? Going to the picnic with Sherida? The discussion about dancing?

8. Audience response to Leah, sympathy with hearing the story about her accident, the rescue of the children, her being young and attractive? The gradual change throughout the film? Simon and his reading her well and the astrology? Clara and the suggestions about Mallory? Her growing jealousy, control?

9. Jane, love for Leah, the attraction to Simon, his visits, seeing him out? Going to the dance with him? The new dress? Her talking with Leah, Leah persuading her not to go to the dance? Simon’s reaction? Jane later realising the truth, and deciding to leave home with Simon?

10. The strong power of the discussion sequences with Leah controlling Simon, and Jane, then Catherine?

11. The contrast with Christine, her age, always wanting to be with Leah, reading her poems, obsession and infatuation? The threat of boarding school? Her suspicions of Sherida? The crisis, giving the sleeping tablets to Sherida, the strong talking to by her father, urging her to have a wider perspective? The change of heart? Apologising to Sheridn? Going to Leah, telling her she would go to boarding school?

12. Catherine, her arrival, daughter of the vicar, visiting with Clara? The previous attraction to Logan, memories of the past, going swimming, in the abandoned mine, the carving, memories? Logan and his proposal, the acceptance?

13. Leah, summoning Catherine, telling her about her parents, getting the agent to investigate, the insanity? Catherine and the news that Logan had gone to London? Feeling abandoned, writing the note, going to the abandoned mine, looking at the sea and the rocks? The vicar and his wife, their concern, the note, phoning Mallory, Mallory going to find her?

14. Catherine, saved, Logan’s return, finding there was no truth in Leah’s story about insanity? Logan refusing to go home, leaving with Catherine? Jane and Simon witnessing this?

15. Mallory, his bewilderment, going to see Leah – and his getting rid of Clara and condemning her gossiping?

16. Leah, the realisation of what was happening, the wheelchair, going to the cliff, falling to her death?

SLEEPWALKING IN SUBURBIA

Canada, 2016, 84 minutes, Colour.
Emilie Ullerup, Giles Panton, Lucie Guest, Jason Schombing, Ryan S. Williams, Miranda Frigon, Carlo Marks.
Directed Alex Wright.

What started out as a possibly interesting and entertaining drama about sleepwalking gradually becomes a murder mystery, suddenly melodramatic at the end and with a twist that defies credibility.

The theme of the film is sexomnia, sleepwalking with sexual behaviour. The film opens with a suburban housewife walking in her sleep, going to a neighbour, getting into his bed, having sex with him. Later in the film, she has other sleepwalking episodes, including going to the home of her friend and counsellor and getting into bed with her and her husband.

In past days, those studying moral theology were introduced to theoretical cases, often contrived in scenario, to explore moral dimensions as well as moral decisions. In a way, this is how this film begins. The wife finds it difficult to confide in her husband, especially as they are trying to get pregnant – and she becomes pregnant. But, she does confide in her friend the counsellorl. She and her husband also go to see a therapist to discuss the theory, the consequences, the technique of meditation before going to sleep. Finally, she is handcuffed to the bed so that she will not walk.

The husband seems a decent chap working with his best friend who has always had a thing for the husband’s wife, before they were married. The friend does not believe that there was any sleepwalking. He accosts the wife at various times and she resists. In the meantime he and his wife are having difficulties at home.

All seems to be going reasonably well in terms of her having control of the sleepwalking, her relationship with her husband except that she has not told him fully about the sexomnia relationship.

In the meantime, there have been robberies in the neighbourhood, the wife wakes up after sleepwalking event and is pursued by a van, shot at (the police later discovering this van was rented by the wife of the assailant).

When the assailant is found dead in his house, the wife is arrested but in discussions with the police, she is freed.

Then the film built up to the melodramatic ending, the wife going into the neighbour’s house and being confronted by the slighted wife, wielding a knife, intending to kill her. Her husband hurries to the scene and the wife actually tells him about the pregnancy – with the unthinkable revelation that he is behind everything, has contrived the situation out of vengeance, has freed his wife from the handcuffs, brought her to the house, killed his friend and now threatens his wife.

While the sexomnia is still an interesting case to discuss, moral responsibilities and consequences, and the situation of the pregnancy – all are sacrificed to the high melodrama of the ending.

IN GOOD COMPANY

US, 2004, 114 minutes, Colour.
Denis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlett Johansson, Marg Helgenberger, Clark Gregg, Macolm Mc Dowell.
Directed by Paul Weitz

Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid) is a 51-year old family man and ad executive for a national sports magazine. He is enjoying his success when a huge multinational media corporation, Globe Com, buys the magazine and he is replaced by an upwardly mobile and successful executive from the cell phone division, 26-year old, Carter Duryea (Topher Grace). Though Dan is not “let go� (the euphemism the corporation used instead of the offensive word “fired�), many of the people he originally hired are fired by a supervisor, Mark Steckle (Clark Gregg). Dan wants to leave with his colleagues, especially Morty (David Paymer) who is now considered to old to get a good job, but his wife’s (Marg Helgenberger) surprise pregnancy and his oldest daughter Alex’s (Scarlett Johansson) transfer to New York University from SUNY, mean he needs the money. So he stays.

Carter knows he is out of his depth but plunges ahead. His wife Kimberly (Selma Blair) cannot endure his workaholic habits and divorces him. Carter becomes so desperate for some kind of life outside the office that when Dan unwittingly invites him home for dinner, the younger man readily accepts.

Carter and Alex become friendly, and then start an intense relationship. Then just when Carter and Dan start to get along well at the office, everything starts to unravel. Teddy K (Malcolm McDowell) arrives one day and gives a speech meant to inspire the workers. But Dan is outraged at how former employees have been treated, and confronts him. Dan is fired and Carter, in solidarity, quits. Dan and Carter go visit a client, Eugene Kalb (Philip Baker Hall), Dan had been developing and strike a deal. When they return to Globe Com, they find out that Teddy K has sold the company and Dan gets his job back in the restructuring, but Carter loses his.

Dan and his wife have the baby and Carter decides to take some time off, to learn the meaning of life.

The posters for In Good Company noted that it came from “the director of About a Boy�, Paul Weitz, but fail to mention that he also directed American Pie. Perhaps with American Pie and its box-office success, brothers Paul and Chris Weitz got the puberty blues out of their system and moved on to mid-life. This is definitely where they are with In Good Company. It is a film that offers a chance and hope to the 50 year-old and reminds the 20-something hotshot that verve isn’t everything; experience counts for something.

In Good Company is a very positive film. It raises many issues about unemployment in a cutthroat, globalizing world. The film is well cast with Malcolm McDowell? (who can look sinister at the best of times and here looks like evil capitalism incarnate) as the business tycoon. Dennis Quaid is quite persuasive as the husband, father, boss. Topher Grace, coming off eight seasons of television’s successful That 70’s Show, plays the ambitious and humbled too-young executive very well. Scarlett Johansson gives a quiet performance as the elder daughter and Marg Helgenberger took time off from television’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigations to play the 40-something mother of a surprise baby.

In Good Company is not a particularly startling film, but rather conventional with refreshing themes such as: progress does not lead to Utopia; moving in an out of commitment does not always lead to happiness; long marriages and deep commitments are possible. Dealing with people in the workplace as human beings and with respect is civilized as well as a means of achieving goals. The old are not always over the hill and the young do not have all the answers.

So often we feel that we live in a merciless world. In the world of business, ruthlessness is often the order of the day. We hear it in the speeches of Teddy K of GlobeCom? in In Good Company. His executives celebrate this ruthlessness and the profit and power that will enable them to attain a lifestyle that they want to be accustomed to. What about the hard workers, those who have toiled long and hard and then are discarded in the name of restructuring and answering to shareholders? This is not the world of mercy, kindness or compassion.
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Dan is a decent man who respects his staff. He shows mercy when he stands up for the rights of his staff and rather than let the new corporate bosses terminate their employment, Dan tells them himself. Dan appeals to the cocky young Carter and tries to share his experience and practical wisdom. Eventually, Dan must to take a stand. Mercy and meekness are not passive virtues. They are virtues which are the hallmark of justice.

1. An American story? Universal story? Family, business, ethics and morality? Relationships?

2. The American city, homes, offices, 21st-century style? Restaurants, clubs? The feel of the place and era? The musical score?

3. The title, positive interpretation? Ambiguity?

4. The issue of change, in business, sports and reporting, magazines, companies and ownership, the role of boards, authority, influence? Tradition and working with clients? The new
company and the emphasis on synergy?

5. Dan, Dennis Quaid’s interpretation, his age, relationship with his wife, long marriage, the daughters, his success in life, business? Relationships with his boss? The pressures? The takeover and his having to fire people? His being the “wingman�?

6. Dan’s handling of the firing process and taking responsibility for his department, especially when he lets Morty go; Morty’s appreciation of Dan the anger of others; Dan’s handling of the downsizing of his job, moving his office, learning how to cope?

7. The introduction of Carter, his age, personality, his training, the emphasis on synergy, phone companies and business, food companies? Incorporation?

8. The focus on the family, the devotion of his wife to Dan, her being pregnant? Jana, Alex, the prospective University? Education costs, mortgage?

9. Carter, his wife, her adultery, leaving him, his being upset? Learning within the company? Working with Dan? The introduction to Alex, the relationship, keeping it secret? Alex, strong character, yet her regard for her father and obeying him?

10. Dan discovering the truth, the revelation, punching Carter in the restaurant? Alex obedient?

11. Teddy K, the owner, American style, corporate ethos, his speech, synergy?

12. The gung-ho meetings of Teddy K’s executives, their heartless and ruthless talk about cutting jobs, firing and cutting costs; Teddy K’s speech to the staff and Dan standing up to him with his questions?

13. Steckle as boss, firing Carter, Dan’s role? The effect?

14. Collaborating with Carter, sales, Dan and his client and success? Carter taking time for himself? And his relationship with Alex?

15. Dan taking Carter in hand, helping him to see more clearly what has happened and why; the visit to Kalb and gaining the large account to keep the magazine growing; Dan’s motives and the content of the conversation with Kalb; the return to find the company sold again and Steckle (like the unforgiving servant, ousted); Carter without a job but wiser for the mercy he has experienced?

SUPER SIZE ME

(With Rose Pacatte FSP)

US, 2004, 100 minutes. Colour.
Morgan Spurlock, Bridget Bennett, Dr. Lisa Ganjhu, Dr. Darryl Isaacs, Dr. David Satcher, Dr. Stephen Siegel
Directed by Morgan Spurlock

With the steady rise of obesity noted by the U.S. Surgeon General declared an “epidemic� and a lawsuit filed against McDonalds? where two overweight girls alleged that eating Mc Donalds had made them overweight (Pelman vs Mc Donald’s Corporation), Morgan Spurlock observed how McDonald’s? restaurants were up-selling customers by asking them if they would like to “super size� their orders for the chain’s fast foods. Spurlock wondered what the effect of a month of super-sizing could have on a person who ate three meals a day at McDonald’s?. So from February 1 - March 2, 2003, Spurlock began his experiment.

After visiting three doctors to establishing his weight and cholesterol for a baseline, and deem his health to be outstanding, he proceeded to eat every menu item at least once over the course of a month and if the McDonald’s? employee asked him if he would like to “super size� the item or meal, and he did so nine times during his experiment. He walks about 5,000 steps a day to various Mc Donalds restaurants in Manhattan and Houston and eats nothing that is not on the Mc Donalds menu, including water. After five days he has gained 9.5 lbs and various other ailments begin to emerge as the days go on, including depression and heart palpitations. The drinks were sugared and Spurlock did not other exercise during this time. His cholesterol level shot up to 230.

By the end of the month Spurlock had gained 24.5 lbs and it took him 14 months to lose the weight by eating a managed vegan diet prepared by his wife.

Morgan Spurlock won a Best Director award from the Sundance Film Festival in 2004 “Super Size Me� was nominated for an Oscar in 2005 for Best Documentary but “Born into Brothels� won instead. Though well received by critics, some accused Spurlock of lack of total transparency regarding his food consumption, others thought it was stating the obvious that fast-food is bad for you, and others that Spurlock’s comedic presentation diminished the message, though thought-provoking.

The two over-weight girls who sued Mc Donalds lost their lawsuit and six weeks after “Super Size Me� premiered, McDonalds? halted their “super size� program.

Comedian Tom Naughton’s 2009 documentary Fat Head launches the most criticism of Super Size Me by questioning Spurlock’s data and asserting that no one is forced to eat fast food, not even the urban poor who may not have grocery stores available to them. Naughton then goes on to a scathing criticism of the pharmaceutical industry in the U.S. for over prescribing statin drugs for high cholesterol caused by the high sugar content in processed food, not fat. In July 2013 the United States lost its first place status as the world’s most obese country with Mexico taking its place.

Other films that deal with the down side of the fast food industry in the U.S. are Fast Food Nation (2008) and Food, Inc. (2006)


Gluttony is not the most attractive deadly sin to contemplate. It is often physically disgusting. It is also morally disgusting as we realize that it is a sin for people who live a comfortable, even pampered life, while millions around the world suffer from malnutrition or starvation. Statistics continually bombard us with reminders of how many people are obese, eating unhealthy food and not doing proper exercise. We are also bombarded by commercials and advertising for all kinds of food and drink (not only for ourselves but for our pets). If we do not take notice of this, then “the writing is on the wall�. “Super Size Me� is an audiovisual exercise in warning, providing images that can serve as writing on the wall concerning eating and drinking habits.

Chronicling the effects of this fast food gluttony, as well as the greediness of the corporations who exploit the consumer, he not only puts his warning writing before us, he guides us how to interpret it. The basic message is that is unhealthy, even inhuman and that too many people are chewing their way to death.

It is somewhat ironic that in English we use the same word in two very different senses: fast. It is used for fast food, the kind that can be super-sized. It is also used to describe the voluntary abstinence from food, the kind of ascetical exercise associated with spirituality in the major religions. Morgan Spurlock, after his McMonth? would be advocating some fast from food instead of fast food.

1. The children singing the fast food song at the beginning; the law suit and reasons why Spurlock undertook his experiment, how and why he framed the project, visiting the doctors to establish a baseline for his vital signs and over all health; his girl friend’s concerns.

2.The beginning of his month of eating only Mc Donald’s food; the first time he is offered a Super Size option; the moments when he starts to fell unwell and depressed; the statistics about McDonald’s?, its locations and menu; the profit motive; his weight check-ins;

3.The conclusion of Spurlock’s experiment, his weight gain and other physical changes; his conclusions about fast foods and their addictive qualities

4. As the film states, we know that processed fast food is bad for us, so why do we eat it anyway? Is the issue really about gluttony for everyone who eats too much fast food? What about those live in low-income areas and do not have fresh food options for shopping, or parents who work and may not have time to cook? Even though fast food corporations have begun offering items that seem to be healthier, is this enough?

5. The film also asks: Where does personal responsibility end and corporate responsibility begin with regard to food that is sold to people or targeted at children? School lunch programs have begun to change what they offer children to eat and children don’t always like the healthy options. What accounts for this do you think?

6.What are the personal dimensions of food consumption, the spiritual dimensions, the social, corporate and political as well? In 2011 the U.S. Congress declared that pizza is a vegetable because it has tomato paste on it, thus making it suitable for school lunches and keeping the processed food industry satisfied. What remedies can you contribute to so as to help resolve a situation like this that can feed into gluttony and food-sugar addiction for children especially? If you or someone you know is addicted to food, what steps can you take?