TWO WRONGS

Canada, 2015, 88 minutes, Colour.
Gillian Zinser, Ryan Blakely, Brooklyn Lax, Aidan Devine, Andrea Frankle, Linda Thorson, Matt Bois.
Directed by Tristan Dubois.

Two Wrongs is an interesting telemovie, perhaps a bit far-fetched in its storytelling and motivation, but keeping audience attention while it is on-screen.

The film introduces us to a district nurse, played by Gillian Zinser, who has a little girl who has a tendency to wander – getting the audience ready for an abduction. The nurse has a number of clients, one rather flirtatious, and is at the disposal of the central management organisation. She also has a strong mother, wants her daughter to move in with her and to care for the granddaughter. She is also an earnest churchgoer.

The audience has seen a man stalking the nurse and her daughter so is not surprised when the little girl is abducted. It emerges that the abductor was the father of a little girl who had been taken, the effect on his wife being very mentally disturbing and needing medication, and his plan for the killing of the abductor who had been freed by the court on a technicality.

The criminal is one of the nurse’s patients and she is threatened that unless she ties him up, and administers medication, her daughter will die.

Eventually, the patient confesses to what he has done, especially at the insistence of the nurse’s mother who then has no compunction in wanting to kill him. Her daughter cannot bring herself to be a killer. She has gone to the address given to her by her patient, encounters the wife and then the husband who urges her to go to the police – nevertheless going to a phone box and continuing to threaten the nurse.

Ultimately, the patient guesses where the demented mother is taking the abducted child and they go there as the woman threatens to take the little girl into the water, as she had done with her own daughter. The mother rescues her daughter and the patient dives in to help – but drowns.

There is quite a superfluous emotional half minutes at the end with a kiss between the nurse and the flirtatious patient!

1. An interesting and entertaining television film? An abduction story?

2. Canadian production, American settings, the American town, homes, school, streets? Authentic feel? The musical score?

3. The credibility of the plot while on screen, persuasive? On further analysis, the Implausibilities?

4. Introduction to Sarah, age, mother, with Lauren, her relationship to her own mother? On her rounds, the variety of patients, treating Gerald, Mark and his flirting? Going to the head office, the staff and her relationships, commissions?

5. Sarah as a mother, her daughter and her age, the various scenes where Lauren disappeared and her mother was anxious, preparing the audience for the abduction? Lauren wandering away, the market, outside Gerald’s house and being observed?

6. The anonymous stalker, his phone call and covering his voice? His demands, Sarah’s shock?

7. Showing the stalker, his taking Lauren, keeping her in the basement, sedated? His wife, her bewildered state? His genuine concern for her? The medication? The revelation that their daughter had been abducted, had died? Suffocated in the boot of the car?

8. Sarah going to Gerald, the injection, tying him up, the gag? Her waiting for the phone call? Not knowing why she was asked to do this? Her deception at headquarters and getting the medication? Calling the police, the arrival, her saying that all was well?

9. Her mother, religious and church, wanting Sarah to move in? Her concern, being put off by her daughter, following her, at Gerald’s house?

10. Gerald, his denial, finally admitting the truth, paedophile, abducting little girls, loving this one, the hot day, in the boot of the car, her suffocating? His trial, the technicalities, his freedom? Changing his name?

11. Sarah, her listening, her fears? Her mother, confronting Gerald, urging him to confess, his doing so, her anger, her vengeful attitude?

12. The phone calls, the uncertainties? The motivation for the father for Gerald to die? And the later revelation that he was absent, that he was drunk, that he had not saved his daughter?

13. Gerald giving the address, Sarah going, the stalker seeing her, going to the house, the wife, her explanations about her daughter, the father and his denials, urging her to ring the police?

14. Sarah being urged to kill Gerald, preparing the syringe, her mother prepared to use the syringe, Gerald saying that she would be the equivalent of him? Sarah unable to kill Gerald?

15. The mother, not taking pills, her hallucinations, taking Lauren in the car, to the park, urging her to go into the water?

16. The father, his going to the park?

17. Gerald, with Sarah, working out that they would go to the park, Sarah and her pleading with the mother, the mother letting Lauren go, Sarah swimming and saving her? The husband saving his wife? Gerald and his urge to help, in the water, his drowning – deliberately or not?

18. Everything restored – and the superfluous romantic ending with the family and Sara kissing Mark?

VALLEY OF LOVE

France, 2015, 91 minutes, Colour.
Isabelle Huppert, Gerard Depardieu, Dan Warner, Aurelia Thierree.
Directed by Guillaume Nicloux.

Valley of Love is a brief film that features French stars, Isabelle Huppert and Gerard Depardieu, a former husband-and-wife who receive a note from their son who had killed himself, saying that he would meet them again in California’s Death Valley.

They both go to the valley, discuss their past, the mother’s seemingly callous attitude towards her son and neglecting him, the contact with his father, a film star. The mother believes that, despite his death, he will make contact while his father is much more sceptical. Yet, they go to a different spot every day as specified in the message – with the father ultimately having an unusual experience amongst the desert rocks. And then the film ends.

In the final credits, the two stars are referred to solely by their surnames. The director, Guillaume Nicloux worked with Isabella pair on the historical religious film, The Nun.

Audiences will want to watch it only for the stars rather than for the narrative and the supernatural implications.

1. A film of French sensibility in a California setting? French language? Use of English?

2. The title, the visuals of Death Valley, the deserts, the mountain, below sea level, the heat? The beauty of nature? The tourist spots? The contrast with the hotel, the rooms, swimming pools, the streets, supermarkets? The musical score?

3. The two actors – and the credits with only their surnames? Their status?

4. The narrative as real? The touch of the supernatural? The dead man, the letters to his parents, the promise of his appearing? The scepticism on the part of Gerard? The hopes on the part of Isabelle? Gerard’s experience and a sense of the presence of his son at the end? Isabelle’s response? The open ending?

5. Isabelle, the long shot of her arriving, her suitcase, at the hotel, buying the soup in the supermarket, in her room, the heat? The phone calls to her husband? The revelation that they were splitting? Her children?

6. Isabelle meeting Gerard? His coming in, across the lawn to meet her? The relationship between them? The tensions? Going into the past, their marriage, infidelities? Their son, Michael? Isabelle sending him to boarding school, his leaving the family, her not seeing him again? Gerard seeing him, on and off? The letters, the news about his death, a gay man, the issue of whether he had AIDS or not, his partner, his letters and the promise of a reappearance?

7. Isabelle and Gerard, the memories of the past, irritations? Their inquiring about each other’s lives, families? The bonds between them? The night together and the response of each afterwards?

8. The reading of the letters, Gerard and his disbelief, the revelation of his cancer, the appointment with the doctor? His feeling well? Yet his size, and the scenes of his torso and belly? The contrast with Isabelle, her glamour in her 60s?

9. Going to the variety of spots, the heat, walking, the food? The discussions? The return home each evening?

10. Gerard, at the pool, the American recognising him, the discussions, the autograph, his signing Bob De Niro, the reaction of the man, later meeting Gerard and Isabelle, their having a meal together, the discussions, about Al Pacino and the Godfather? The man offering to send Gerard his story? The wife and her enjoying the discussion, about films in Hollywood?

11. The issue of wounds, Gerard and his razor and his wrist, Isabelle helping him, bandaging? Isabelle and her nightmare, being grabbed by the ankles, the wounds? Her walking with them, the later marks on her legs?

12. The final visit, Isabelle waiting, Gerard going for the walk, the glimpse of someone amongst the rocks, his impressions, Isabelle’s response? And the ending of the film?

SPLIT

US, 2016, 117 minutes, Colour.
James Mc Avoy, Anya Taylor Joy, Betty Buckley, Hayley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula, Brad W. Henke, M. Night Shyamalan.
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

Dissociative Identity Disorder, D.I.D., Is also known as Multiple Personality Disorder. Most of us do not know people suffering from this disorder. Rather, we get some ideas from films such as The Three Faces of Eve or Sibyl. What we have now is Split, a 21st-century version of D.I.D., the portrait of a character who has, at least 23 different personalities, one more emerging at the end of the film.

There is always a difficulty in making this kind of film, the danger of sensationalising a situation. However, the screenplay take some pains here to explain the disorder as well as show a therapist working with the patient, alert to the different manifestations. Being a movie, it also dramatises, even melodramatises the character and situations – with the realisation that “it’s only a movie�.

The film has been written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan who came to audience attention in 1999 with what is now a classic, The Sixth Sense, with Bruce Willis. The director continued to pursue stories that involved touches of the preternatural including Unbreakable, Signs, The Village – and then falling out of favour with critics until his most recent film, The Visit. (He also has a cameo role for himself in each film, here working with the therapist and surveillance screens.)

What makes Split a very effective and rather eerie experience of the disorder is the performance by James Mc Avoy. Not all the personalities are shown during the film but there is a sufficient variety for Mc Avoy to make them quite different, appearance, accent, way of communication, sometimes a sense of menace.

And this is all presented in the context of an abduction, three girls taken from a car in a supermarket parking lot, finding themselves confined to what looks like the equivalent of a concrete cell.

Clearly, there is a lot of tension as the girls struggle against their confinement and encounter the different personalities, the most significant of which is a man called Dennis, bespectacled, absolutely obsessive about order and cleanliness, who also seems to be in control of the other personalities (who do not necessarily know of one another). There are two main contrasts, Barry, a fashion designer with a camp manner who is generally the one shown with the therapist, Dr Fletcher (Betty Buckley). There is also a Miss Patricia who also seems to be in some kind of control and, by contrast, a nine-year-old giggler called Hedwig.

On the one hand, there is the emphasis on the girls and how they deal with their situation and the possibilities for escape, especially a girl called Casey (Anya Taylor Joy), more strong-minded than the other two – who is given more complexity by having flashbacks inserted throughout the film to her childhood, her hunter father with guns and a dead deer, to her somewhat sinister uncle.

The film builds up to a climax, a clash of personalities, leaving the audience to ponder what they have seen and the realities of D.I.D. (There is a twist, with a touch of the facetious and shifting the mood of the film, in the last minute, which will please some but have many audiences puzzled.)

1. A drama about split personalities, 23 or 24 personalities in the one person? The medical situation? The psychological situation? Treatment therapy? Manifestations? Dangers?

2. The work of M. Night Shyamalan, his interests, the touches of horror?

3. Philadelphia, the city, exteriors, the streets, the subway station, the school? Supermarket? The contrast with the interiors, the rooms, like cells, the long corridors, the kitchen, Hedwig’s room? Atmosphere? The musical score?

4. The narrative and the focus on the girls, the abduction, the treatment? The insertion of the flashbacks of Casey’s life? Young, her father and uncle, hunting, the tent, with the deer and the rifle, her uncle naked wanting to play animals, the confronting him with the gun? The dramatic times for the insertion of these flashbacks?

5. The three girls, the social, the father offering Casey a lift, Casey wanting to be alone? In the car, the eerie silence, the abduction, the injuries to the father?

6. The girls waking, in the cell, brick and cement, harsh, cold, the beds? Their fear, reactions?

7. The appearance of Dennis, wearing his glasses, shaven head, precise, clean, the various liquids for cleaning the bathroom, changing their shirts if there were crumbs and dirt? His taking the first girl out, her experience?

8. The background of Kevin, his being a weak personality, the others emerging at different times, Dennis and Miss Patricia in charge? Barry emerging? Hedwig? Kevin’s name, the people talking about him – and the final flashback, his severe mother, his being under the bed, her punishing him? The consequences?

9. Dr Fletcher, herself, age and experience, her comfortable room, seeing her clients, her skills, the interactions, her ability to read characters?

10. Barry, his interest in fashion, the emails, the sketches, Dr Fletcher’s suspicions, that Dennis was present? Trying to draw him out?

11. Dr Fletcher and the experts, her theories, the nature of the brain, the experiment with the dog behaving in a schizophrenic way, not aware of the other personalities, multiple personalities as a way of opening up knowledge about the brain and human condition? Her lecture, the questions?

12. The three girls, their characters, interacting amongst themselves? Looking for the hollow walls, the roof, Claire and her getting into the roof, pursued and caught?

13. Looking out the keyhole, seeing the skirt, watching – and discovering Miss Patricia as a variation on the personalities?

14. The girls, invited to the kitchen to have the meal, Marcia running, put into her own cell, like Claire?

15. The appearance of Hedwig, nine, attitudes, childish, talk, et cetera, the reappearances, the touch of mischief, confiding in Casey, sharing the bed, the invitation to the room, to listen to the records, and Casey finding the windows were mere drawings?

16. Casey later seeing the various files on the computer, Orwelll and the recitation of historical information?

17. The various visits to Dr Fletcher, Barry being present, her trying to find Dennis, his admissions, the discussion about the Beast? His attitude towards the rest of the personalities, towards Kevin?

18. Casey, trying to cope, in Hedwig’s room, using the phone for communication, her not being understood?

19. Dr Fletcher coming to the house, the multiple emails, encountering Dennis, the revelation, the Beast, the 24th personality, the Beast and control?

20. Kevin having the job for 10 years, dependable, Dr Fletcher comfortable in visiting, talking, her understanding, asking for the toilet, the locked door and finding the girl? Dennis’s attack, squeezing her, her writing Kevin’s name, death?

21. Dennis, going out, the flowers, at the subway station? In the train, pumping himself up, becoming the Beast, on the train line, running throughout the city? The return home, the indications earlier of cannibalism, eating the girls?

22. Confronting Casey, information about the gun and the bullets, the bullets in the locker, her fear, confrontation, saying Kevin’s full name, firing the gun?

23. Dennis, wounded, mind control, healing himself, disappearing?

24. Casey hiding, her being found, the zoo, her seeing the animals, the police, the questions, the hospital – and her uncle waiting for her?

25. Dennis, the new group of personalities, the Horde?

26. The joke with Bruce Willis at the end, the link with Unbreakable, the musical score?

CATCH. 44

US, 2011, 93 minutes, Colour.

Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, Malin Ackerman, Nikki Reed, Shea Wigham, Brad Dourif, Deborah Ann Wolf.
Directed by Aaron Harvey.

Catch. 44 is something of a cinema exercise in the vein of Quentin Tarantino, his circuitous storytelling, his emphasis on conversations and themes, criminals, betrayals, twists, and bloody and gory deaths.

It is a star vehicle for Forest Whitaker in a role rather unlike any of his others, seen first as a meek stranded tourist, then a cop killer, then a hitman for a drug dealer played by Bruce Willis, then in a confrontation and a shootout. The focus is on three women who are agents for the drug dealer and who set out on a mission for him, going to a diner, pulling their guns, involved in a shootout with a death – and then the film going back in time, which it does again after this, culminating in the shootout and building on the developments.

The leader of the women is played by Malin Ackerman, who had been working in a strip joint and had been saved from aggressive customers by Forest Whitaker, but she does not remember – even though he took her to the drug dealer’s house.

In the diner is another agent played by Shea Whigham who has Malin Ackerman at gunpoint and she him when Whitaker enters, kills two of the diners and there is a three-way discussion about who is betraying whom.

There are various shootings at the end, some unexpected – and one only of the central characters surviving.

Actually, the film is interesting in itself, though the background is rather sordid – but critics and fans did not respond well to it.

1. An interesting thriller? The structure and style? The dialogue and discussions? The failure of the film at the box office and critically?

2. The title and the play on Catch-22?

3. The influence of Quentin Tarantino, as a crime thriller, the kinds of characters and their confrontations, the extent to dialogue and discussions, images, parables? The convoluted way of telling the story, the ending and going back several times? Bloody and gory deaths? The insertion of flashbacks and building up characters in the middle of action? The twists and double dealings?

4. The cast, Forest Whitaker in an unusual performance, Bruce Willis as the world-weary drug lord, the three women?

5. The musical score, the range of songs, the ironic lyrics, commentary on character and actions?

6. The opening, the three women, in the car, going into the diner, their discussions, suddenly producing the guns, their background and mission, the woman behind the counter killing Kara, their shooting her, the man sitting at the table, shooting Dawn? And then the film going back?

7. The introduction to the three women, the two sisters, the memory of their parents, one showering and taking a long time, the other practical? The introduction to Tes, in the strip joint, getting ready to go out, the man following her, trying to pick her up, taking his wallet? The three women driving, out-of-town, Kara and her listening to the music, the music on the radio and the comment about Bruce Willis singing? The arguments, especially between Kara and Tes? The explanation of their mission, commissioned by Mel, Kara and her wariness? The arrival again, the repetition of the scene, the deaths?

8. Ronnie, the broken down car, his accent, smile, the policeman stopping, offering to fix the car, the genial chat, the shooting, Ronnie taking the uniform and dressing himself, the body in the boot of the car, later shooting the man again? The local sheriff, finding the dead man in the restroom?

9. The repetition of the shooting scene? Tes surviving? The man at the table dead? The frightened young couple? Billy, pulling the gun, Tes and her bewilderment, her memories of Mel, being taken to his house by Ronnie, the interview, her cheeky attitude towards Mel, his flirting, yet dominance, employing her? Billy and the revelation that Mel was doublecrossing her, the set up, Billy paid to kill her and the other women? Tes and Billy with their guns aimed at each other?

10. Ronnie’s arrival, audience knowing him because of the murder, seeing him in the police uniform, immediately shooting the young couple at the table, his taking charge of the situation, reminding Tes that he knew her, the flashback to the two men in the club, dissatisfaction with the women, propositioning Tes, her reaction, Ronnie and his standover tactics, saving her, taking her to Mel’s house? Her not remembering him?

11. Ronnie taking charge? The discussions with Billy? The to and fro about Mel, the money, Billy and his associate, taking the money? The fast forward glimpsed of Billy dead?

12. Psychological aspects of the trio interacting? The audience hearing the shots from outside, Billy dead, Ronnie wounded, Tes wounded?

13. Mel arriving with his chauffeur, surveying the bodies, sitting in the booth, the discussion with Ronnie, the story about Running Bear and the cowboy, the allegory, application to Ronnie, Ronnie and his deal, Mel saying he betrayed him, Mel shooting him.

14. Mel seeing Tes, her pulling the gun and shooting him?

15. The chauffeur, listing outside, Tes coming to the window, with the gun, stranding him – and her driving off – to what? And the glimpse of the sheriff during the credits about to enter the diner?

PERSONS UNKNOWN

US, 1996, 99 minutes, Colour.
Joe Mantegna, Kelly Lynch, Naomi Watts, J. T. Walsh, Xander Berkeley, Jon Favreau.
Directed by George Hickenlooper.

Person’s Unknown is a crime drama with some unanticipated complications from its characters.

The initial focus is on a former policeman, played by Joe Mantegna, who has drunkenly killed a bystander at the time of his wife’s giving birth. He has appeared in the courts and has left the force, running a security company, but keeping in touch with former connections and police officers.

He has a one night stand with a drug addict who robs him. He uses a connection to find out about her, follows her, sees her with her disabled sister and a group who commit a burglary on a drug dealing group. He is attracted to the disabled sister and offers shelter to the women from the police and from the drug dealers.

The drug dealers follow, assisted by one of the police, and the drug addict sister is killed – and, in a siege, the former policeman is shot but the disabled sister is able to shoot the assailants, including the police officer.

In many ways, ordinary material, but made interesting by the cast, with Kelly Lynch as the addict, Naomi Watts as the disabled sister, J. T. Walsh is a corrupt policeman and a small initial role for Jon Favreau.

1. A crime drama? Psychological drama?

2. The title, expectations, the reference to unknown criminals? The ordinariness of criminals and some anonymity?

3. Los Angeles, the city, the world of business, the world of the police, drug dealing, robberies? The surrounding countryside? The musical score?

4. The introduction, Jim, as a person, the encounter with Amanda, the pickup, the night, the intimacy, her stealing his wallet? His past, in the police, drinking, his wife and child, the accident and the death of the man, the court case, the reports in the newspapers, his being dismissed, working on security, a new life? Yet his contacts, getting information, Tosh, with Cake?

5. Amanda, her relationship with Molly, sisters, their background and memories, Molly and her accident, in the wheelchair? Amanda and her involvement in drugs? Jim helping Molly, lifting her, the attraction?

6. Jim on the information, the set up, watching the group, the man disguised as a policeman at the door, knocking, the group inside, Molly sitting in the car and supervising? The man inside dancing and not hearing? The entry, taking the money, the shooting and the death of the man? The aftermath and the death of the two in the team? Amanda, her exhilaration, the fact that they achieved what they intended?

7. Tosh, the contacts, getting the information, the continue discussion with Jim, his advice?

8. Cake, his role in the police, the drug case, the issue of the robbery of the cash, the Colombian thugs, searching, tracking down the thieves?

9. Jim, helping Molly, Amanda and her reactions? Her puzzle? The clashes? The plan with the money? In the plastic bags?

10. The thugs, the buildup, the pursuit, characters and violent outbursts? Cake helping?

11. Jim buying the boat, offering to take the women to Mexico, the thugs pursuing, the going to the country? Out of town? Molly and the quiet times with Jim, talking? Amanda energy, going out, the walk, the encounter with the dealers, their pursuit, her reaction, her death?

12. Molly as a character, the experience of the accident, her bond with Amanda, her control?

13. Cake, the thugs, the violence, the chase, the threats, going to the house? Jim being hit, Molly with the gun, shooting? Cake and the confrontation and his death?

14. The persons unknown, the story of their journey centred on crime, the psychological journey, the moral/amoral journey? Future?

THE HUMMINGBIRD TREE

UK, 1992, 85 minutes, Colour.
Patrick Bergin, Susan Wooldridge, Tom Beasley, Desha Penco, Sunil Y. Ramjitsingh, Clive Wood.
Directed by Noella Smith.

The Hummingbird Tree is based on the novel by Ian Mc Donald. It offers the opportunity for audiences to have a look at something of life in the West Indies, in Trinidad, after World War II, in 1946 as well as to think about various colonial issues.

The story is told from the point of view of a 12-year-old boy who has lived in Trinidad all his life. His parents participate in the colonial life of Trinidad, his father initially seeming more adaptable, especially for people who have migrated from India to work on the plantations. The parents are played by Patrick Bergin and Susan Wooldridge. The young boy, Alan, is played by Tom Beasley.

Trinidad is about to have the first free elections with the various campaigns, from the point of view of rather arrogant British colonial candidates, from local candidates, as well as issues for the Indian migrants.

Alan is at a white school and the children, who are at his birthday party, sing songs which are derogatory of the locals. But Alan is very good friends with Kaiser, who is intended to work on the plantation, and a young girl, Jaillin. There are complications when the children are not allowed to his birthday party, when Alan goes off one evening and does not return time and goes bathing in the sea with them.

The family is Catholic and Alan goes to mass and he hears a very strong political sermon from the local priest, Niall Buggy, very critical of the Hindus, their religion, and staunchly urging the congregation not to vote to promote them. There is a rather colonial Catholicism in his perspective which is echoed by Alan.

The film has an epilogue where the older Alan comes back 10 years later, encounters Kaiser who is drinking, has become a Catholic, has been educated and is looking down on other locals, as well as Jaillin who has developed an animosity towards white people and is working suspiciously in the town.

A different picture of British colonialism and its impact.

1. A film about the British Empire, the West Indies, Trinidad, post-World War II, colonialism, free elections, consequences?

2. The West Indian settings, the affluent homes, the local villages, the fields and crops, the town, the beaches, the water? The musical score?

3. The use of popular American songs of the time, with the West Indian rhythms and lyrics?

4. Alan’s story, 12 years old, living in Trinidad all his life? His father and his position, land, politics? His mother, her colonial attitudes? The strictness of the household? The boy the only son? The white schoolmates and his playing with them, his birthday party, their scornful singing songs against the Indians? His being more at home with the locals, their Indian background, Hindu background, Kaiser and his friendship, Jaillin and his attraction towards her?

5. The political background, the British ex-patriots, their snobbishness, Ross and the hitting of his car and his condemnations? His political stances? He’s not getting the votes? Alan’s father, politically, the speeches, the importance of the elections? The first vote for the locals? The issue of work, the burning of the crops?

6. Alan going to mass, the parish priest, his political sermon? Talking of the darkness of Trinidad, the elections is a milestone, not supporting people who had 100 gods and allegedly believed in unity? The symbolism of the Eucharist, bread, not mangoes, his comment about worthy and unworthy vessels? The Hindu gods never sacrificing as Jesus did? His comment on the rallies in Port of Spain, the Christian rally, being set upon by the Hindus? The Hindus and their hearts in another distant country, hot, the Hindu league? Saying that God was love but there was no doubt that not voting for the Christian candidates would endanger immortal souls?

7. The scenes of play, 12-year-olds, the three, Kaiser and the intention of his working on the plantation, Jaillin and her family, the servants in the house, the birthday party, the cake, kissing Jaillin? Who going to mass? The statue of Mary and the answer to prayer is? The issue of becoming Catholic, Catholicism is the only faith, Hinduism being he is in? The scene in the water, Jaillin without her clothes, Alan’s father searching, coming out of the water shielded by Kaiser?

8. Alan, his age, growing up, his background, changing his values, especially race and religious attitudes?

9. The finale, his return, encountering Kaiser, Kaiser drunk, becoming a Catholic, educated and looking down on ordinary work, talking about Jaillin and her work in the city? Bringing him home, the talk with Jaillin?

10. The importance of the elections – but the detrimental consequences for all concerned?

TWIN HUSBANDS

US, 1933, 68 minutes, Black-and-white.
John Miljan, Shirley Grey, Monroe Owsley, Hale Hamilton, Wilson Benge.
Directed by Frank R.Strayer.

Twin Husbands is more entertaining than it might have been. It is a short supporting feature, running just over an hour, very strong on dialogue, more like a theatrical piece, and confined in its action to a few rooms – with a scene with a car to open things out.

What is interesting is the number of twists and the revelations about characters.

It begins something like an amnesia drama with a man waking up and being told that it is four years later, talking with the butler and finding out something of the truth, that it is a set up. In fact, it is a plan to retrieve the bonds by a wife and private secretary from a wealthy man flying in South America. The amnesiac soon discovers something of the truth, finding that the butler is an actor, planning with him to deceive the wife and the private secretary – as well as the financial manager of the estate, accepting the bonds and signing for them.

Two thieves arrive and reveal that the amnesiac is in fact a top safe cracker, Sparrow. Then the police arrive and take away the wife – only for her to find that she is in the apartment owned by Sparrow and that the police are his men. Finally, the actual police arrive and confront the private secretary. In the meantime, the wife has discovered the truth about the embezzlement by the financial manager and has returned to the house. The actor-butler has been trying to escape but is kept back by the police.

When the amnesiac and the financial advisor go to the office of the secretary, they find that the wealthy husband has died in a plane crash and that the wife and the secretary had planned to take the money and escape to South America.

There is a final confrontation, the secretary let off by having to agree to be in need of psychiatric care and being paid off to go to South America by himself and disappear. The actor-butler gets good payment – and there is a touch of romance in the air at the end.

The films directed by Frank R. Strayer, director of many similar kinds of films in the 1930s but moving towards religious themes at the end of his career in the late 1940s, especially with such films as The Pilgrimage Play.

xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE

US, 2016, 107 minutes, Colour.
Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen, Toni Collette, Samuel L.Jackson, Ice Cube, Deepika Padukone, Kris Wu, Ruby Rose, Tony Jaa, Nina Dobrev, Rory McCann?.
Directed by D.J.Caruso.

Satellites circling the Earth, one catching fire, plunging down into Hong Kong, enveloping Samuel L. Jackson in flames – action-packed beginning and, by and large, it doesn’t let up, certainly a strong fix for any adrenaline junkies. Then there is an extraordinary raid on a CIA meeting, athletic agents leaping from building to building, using all kinds of martial arts techniques, shootouts, rather large body count, except for Toni Collette as the steely and ruthless head of the xXx program once presided over by Samuel L. Jackson.

By this stage, the word that leaps to mind is “absurd� – and that really doesn’t go away. And, while there is a focus on an American intelligence agency, “intelligent� is not a word that leaps to mind.

Then there is Vin Diesel high on the transmission tower in the Dominican Republic, set upon by military, leaping off the tower, going down a cliff, landing with skateboards on rough terrain, down the mountains, eluding pursuit, and why? Because the authorities had switched off transmission for the television play of a football match – the gratitude of a nation!

And, on it goes, with Xander Cage (absent from the last xXx adventure with Ice Cube – spoiler, he does make a reappearance!) with Cage being hired by Toni Collette to track down Pandora’s Box, a device to control satellites and make them crash.

And, where is the gang who stole the books in the first place – in the Philippines! So, off to the Philippines, the whole area of illegal action that President Duterte might care to look into, and then, some more slam bang action as the military attack, Toni Collette in command. Despite the fact that most of the characters are introduced with some information, generally of a sardonically comic kind, ordinary citizens may find it very difficult to work out who exactly is who and on whose side they are, especially as a number of them change sides throughout the film!

And then on to London.

Cage is not very happy with Toni Collette and the military types that she has organised as his backup, so what is he to do! Bind them altogether, open the rear door of the plane and let them fall out… Fortunately, or unfortunately, they survive which makes them available for a final confrontation with Cage (spoiler – which they lose). This was unexpected as they thought they had shot him but nothing like some good body armour – and he goes out the back of the plane hanging onto a box and just releasing the parachute in time for a safe landing.

Actually, he recruits his own team, including a very tough woman who is on safari in Africa with lions in her sight but actually firing at hunters and poachers. She has an opportunity for some very accurate firing. Then there is the computer nerd, a pleasantly comic and attractive character who, to her final satisfaction, does get to handle a machine gun. Enjoyable is the big stunt driver, a Scotsman, who is desperate to chalk up his 200th crash, get it on video – and achieves it in spectacular stunt work.

The film is been financed by Shanghai movie company so Donnie Yen is there (after his turn in Rogue One) and Thai champion Tony Jaa, blonde haired and athletic, gets a chance to be active.

There is, of course, a political twist at the end, and a dramatic twist which indicates that you really can’t kill off an important security figure.

If this film makes money, and that will depend on the fans and their acceptance of the credibility of plot and characters, which is dubious, then there will be the return of the return of Xander Cage.

VICE SQUAD

US, 1953, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Edward G. Robinson, Paulette Goddard, K. T. Stevens, Porter Hall, Adam Williams, Edward Binns, Barry Kelley, Lee Van Cleef.
Directed by Arnold Laven.

In the television era, there have been so many series, often based on real-life, of police precincts, of cops and their daily rounds…

This film comes from the years when television was developing and there was still room for a movie about a police precinct. This is a day in the life of…

It opens with some action, criminals stealing a car, confronted by the police, the shooting, a timid funeral director having a rendezvous at a brothel being the witness. It emerges that the criminals are planning a bank robbery.

All is well with Edward G. Robinson in charge, a no-nonsense officer, sympathetic to the people he meets, shrewd in his assessment of characters, effective in action. He has a staff of officers who do interviews, go out on the beat, do door-to-door investigation – though none of the characters emerges as more significant than another.

An informer lets the chief know that there is a bank robbery in plan, to be carried out by the criminal who did the shooting of the officer. This means that the police can plant undercover officers in the bank and thwart the robbery. Acting on the word of the informer as well as information from the Madame from an escort service (legal), Paulette Goddard in a tough role, they are able to track down an associate and put pressure on him, get the fearful funeral director to identify the shooter, and finally roundup the criminals in an abandoned warehouse where they have taken a hostage from the bank.

There are a couple of other cases including a fake count and a paranoid man who feels that he sees television images all over him in the street – recommended to find a witness, the suggestion being the psychiatrist at the hospital.

The director is Arnold Laven, his second film, who also directed the Paul Newman Korean film, The Rack, as well as Slaughter on 10th Avenue. However, his main work was in television for over 30 years.

1. Life in a precinct? The 1950s? Police precincts and personnel at the time, organisation and management, detection, stakeout, arrests? A day in police life? The later television series by comparison? Black-and-white photography, sense of realism?

2. Los Angeles, the city, streets, the bank, apartments, hideouts and warehouses, the interiors, on the water? The musical score?

3. The setting of the scene, Barkis and Pete Monte, stealing the car, the police observing, ringing in, confrontation, the murder? The funeral director, his rendezvous with Vicki, telling his wife he was out of town, being a witness, the policeman’s call for help, his going over, being taken by the police?

4. Edward G. Robinson as Barney, as a person, in charge, efficient, relating to the authorities, Ginny as his assistant, with the other police, arriving, beginning the day, at his desk, the calls, the cases? The wounded policeman in hospital? His concern?

5. The range of police, the officers, identifiable but not standing out? On the job, interviews, with the suspects, on-the-job, investigations, skills, use of guns?

6. The guns, American police, the shootouts?

7. Barney and the television interview and having to leave early?

8. Barkis, being in prison, out, the connection with Marty, collaboration with Pete, the other members of the gang? The murder, the meeting in the planning of the robbery, Marty not feeling it was right, but staying? The discussions, the practicalities?

9. The informer, in handcuffs, his memory lapses and remembering, the information about the bank plan? The police going to the bank, undercover and security?

10. Mona, a character, her escorts, legal, giving information, the phone calls to Barney, the delays, his getting her picked up, her getting the information?

11. The funeral director, deceiving his wife, apprehensive, wanting his lawyer, his fears, the lawyer and his advice, that it was too dark to see, getting out, the setup for the assault on the policewoman, in and out of the precinct, his possessions, signing documents, the exasperation of the lawyer, confronting Barney? The funeral director transferred, to confront Marty, his finally getting away? The relationship with Vicki, the police asking her mother, her buying the fur, being taken in, the pressure on the funeral director because of her presence?

12. The story of the count, the woman apprehensive about her mother being deceived, his being taken in on identity issues, the police hospitality, lunch, ringing in the expert, exposing him as a fake? His wanting the fare back to Chicago?

13. The case of the man in the street, the television putting shadows all over him – Barney’s gentle handling of the case, advising him to get the doctor at the clinic as his witness?

14. The robbery, being interrupted, the shots, Pete in the car and the escape, his getting the boat, caught, Barkis taking Carol as the hostage, her parents fear and Barney’s working with them, in the warehouse, Pete getting the boat?

15. Carol, getting free, the pursuit in the dark of the warehouse? Marty in the interrogation, his giving information? Barney saving Carol? Confronting Barkis and the shooting?

16. The end of a day’s work?

BALLERINA

France/ Canada, 2016, 89 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Elle Fanning, Dane De Haan, Maddy Ziegler, Carly Rae Jepson, Kaycie Chase.
Directed by Eric Sommer, Eric Warin.

Ballerina is a French- Canadian coproduction, with attractive animation, France in the 19th century, Paris and its streets in the river, the Eiffel Tower in construction, the Statue of Liberty in construction, and the Paris Opera house. There are also scenes in the countryside, especially a stately building serving as an orphanage on the coast.

The film is clearly aimed towards a children’s audience, especially young girls who have aspirations to be dancers or ballerinas – and their devoted mothers. There is a rather lively young boy who might make the film enjoyable for a boys’ audience (or not).

Felicie is a feisty young girl at the orphanage, dreaming to be a dancer, with a music box that was left with her by her mother at the orphanage door. She is friends with Victor who wants to be an inventor. There is a ferocious superintendent, and a nun looking like a Daughter of Charity who tut-tuts and has a very bleak outlook on the realities of life.

In some slapstick comic scenes, with Victor disguised as a nun and a chicken under his habit for a bosom, with wings he invented, on an off wagons, careering and crashing, the couple eventually arrive in Paris but are separated.

This is mainly Felicie’s story, and she finds the building, is ousted by a toothy guard, encounters the cleaner who helps her but wants to get rid of her. Nevertheless, Felicie perseveres, helps with the cleaning, experience the haughty Madame and her snobbish daughter who also wants to be a ballerina. Felicie is given a letter by the postman with the invitation for the daughter to go to the dance school but Felicie goes instead, knows nothing of the movements or what is required of her but, with the cleaner’s help, is able to make an impression, even reaching the final for the audition to take a starring role in The Nutcracker, the snobbish girl being her rival.

Actually, not all plain sailing. Felicie does not win the audition and is bundled back by the haughty Madame (the equivalent of the witch in so many animation stories) and has to escape from the orphanage again, this time on the back of the motorbike by the once aggressive supervisor.

In the meantime, Victor has a job on the Eiffel Tower and is busy trying to develop wings for flight.

This all comes to a head, Madame threatening Felicie on the Statue of Liberty, Victor flying to rescue Felicie and confronting Madame.

Fortunately, there are some changes of heart at the end, and Felicie is able to demonstrate her dancing agility and her passion which leads to a satisfactory happy ending.

A bit of a difficulty for the historically-minded is that the setting is 1887, the beginning of the building of the Eiffel Tower, and The Nutcracker was not performed until 1892. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in the US in October 1886. And the orphanage superintendant rides a motor bike!

Much more enjoyable than anticipated.

1. French- Canadian animation? The universal appeal, characters, situations, music and dance?

2. The animation style, the colour, the visuals of the orphanage, exteriors, interiors, mansions, the dance Academy, the characters? Attractive? The touch of the villains with the caretaker, the superintendent, the nun?

3. The range of music, the use of the classics, Tchaikovsky and Swan Lake, the Nutcracker? Contemporary music and songs?

4. The appeal for young audiences, Victor for the boys, Felicie for the girls? The ballet for the girls? Orphans, dreams, hopes, experience of oppression, freedom, achievement, help, mistakes, overcoming mistakes, winning?

5. The title, Felicie, her age, at the orphanage, left with her music box, treasuring it, the dream about her mother as a dancer? Wanting to escape, with Victor’s help? Victor
disguised as the nun? The chickens, his wings and flying? The journey, the pursuit, the wagon, the crashes? Paris, exploring, their separation, the rendezvous, Felicie finding the Academy, the hostility of the guard, encountering Odette, Felicie following her, Odette sending her away? Felicie offering to clean with Odette, squeaky clean? The work together, her incessant questions? At the mansion, the haughty mother, her rudeness and exploitation of Odette? The daughter and her snobbishness, the dancing and her ambitions? Her throwing away the music box? And Victor fixing it – twice? Felicie taking the letter, pretending to be Chloe, at the rehearsals, her ignorance? Odette supporting her? Teaching her? Learning, meeting Victor?

6. Victor, wanting to be an inventor, his trying wings? Disguised as the nun, the literal ups and downs of the journey? Fixing the music box? The pigeons, falling on the boat, meeting the boy continually eating, the building of the Eiffel Tower, getting work, meeting Felicie? Wanting to take her to dinner, his being stood up, hurt? The ballet rival? Felicie’s apology, the music box? Hiding in the box and Felicie’s apology? The finale with the wings, the rescue, the confrontation with the haughty mother? The kiss?

7. Odette, the former dancer, her injury, her life, cleaning, her poverty? Madame, haughtiness and harshness? Odette and the shoes for Felicie? Felicie, being late for the rehearsal and audition, Odette upset? The reconciliation at the end?

8. The staff, the severe guard, the boisterous designer, the instructor and his expertise, responding to Felicie, the choice between her and Chloe, Nora being rejected? The auditions, Felicie being late, falling? His seeing her leaps and display? Giving her the part?

9. Madame, the significant witch figure from animation films? Treatment, at the audition, Chloe and her snobbery, arrogance, despising Felicie, destroying the music box? Her change of heart, congratulating Felicie, the only answer for the instructor was that she danced because her mother told her to?

10. Madame, consigning Felicie to the orphanage? Her attack on Felicie, the Statue of Liberty, climbing, Victor and his wings, her entanglement and comeuppance?

11. The nun, tut-tutting, her harsh attitude towards real life?

12. The Russian boy, skills, dating, fighting Victor? Felicie, late, falling, her apology, Odette helping her, the shoes, Chloe’s support, dancing with the prima ballerina?

13. A pleasing film, children, dreams and hopes, achievements, barriers, success?