LOUDER THAN BOMBS

Norway/France, 2015, 109 minutes, Colour.
Gabriel Byrne, Isabelle Huppert, Jesse Eisenberg, Devon Druid, Amy Ryan, David Strathairn, Rachel Brosnahan.
Directed by Joachim Trier.

Louder than Bombs is an evocative title. While there is a great deal about wars, bombs and their consequences and destruction, this occurs mainly in a series of photos rather than in the narrative of the film. The potential for bombs is not in overseas wars but in conflicts within the family.

In fact, this is very much a film about family and its tensions. It opens with the older son of the family, Jonah, played by Jesse Eisenberg rather more calmly than his usual performance, minus a lot of the Jesse Eisenberg-tics.His wife has just given birth, and he is awkward with her. But, this is to set the tone of the film because he is not the main character.

We then meet Jonah’s father, Gene, a former actor but now a teacher. In the past, he has related well with his two sons but now there is a tension with his younger son, Conrad (Devon Druid in a very convincing performance). The basic situation is that his wife, his boys’ mother, has died two years earlier. We have learned that she was a war photographer, absolutely fearless, going to the Balkans, going to the Middle East, involved in all kinds of dangerous situations with a portfolio of extraordinary photos. In the film, the photos do make quite an impact with their close-ups of war situations of all kinds – and in the final credits it is noted that many photographers contributed to the portfolio. There is a plan for an exhibition of the photos which means that father and sons have to look into their mother’s room and assess the various photos that she left behind.

in an interesting piece of casting, the mother, called Isabelle, is played by Isabelle repair it, one of the most versatile actresses for many decades. she appears a great range of flashbacks as well as in a number of the photos, in the memories of her husband and children, are sometimes enigmatic but powerful character.

Conrad is at school, exceedingly introspective, telling his father he is with friends when he phones but in fact is not, his father following him (and then an effective sequence where we see the same scene from Conrad’s point of view). Conrad locks himself in his room, plays computer games and becomes very involved, shutting his father out (though his father does try to enter the game, creating a character, but is killed off almost immediately).

As the film builds up, there is a further complication insofar as the father is having an affair with Conrad’s teacher. She is a sympathetic woman (Amy Ryan) but becomes a target when Conrad accidentally sees them embrace in the school precinct.

Another part of the conflict is the information we are given early that their mother has killed herself after returning from wars but that the father and Jonah have not been able to tell Conrad the truth, he idolising his mother.

It would almost seem that many bombs will explode in the family in their desperate conflicts – but, not spoiling the outcome at all, it is safe to say that the film is not without some hope.

1. The title and its application? Wars, especially in the 1990s in the Balkans, the Middle East wars of the 21st century? Family and tensions, wars? Images of war?

2. The director, Norwegian background, international production, cast? The American wars? The realities? The photographs and their real effect? The musical score?

3. Isabelle’s photos, the range of photos and subjects, the range of actual photographers, the build-up to the exhibition? Their impact?

4. A film about family, and having to face reality? Inner struggles?

5. The tone of the film in the introduction, Jonah, hospital, Amy and the birth of the child, his awkwardness, going out to get the food, encountering his former girlfriend, her misunderstanding about his wife’s condition? His being a professor, his academic background? As a person?

6. The introduction to Gene, the father, husband, his wife dead for two years? The friendship with Richard? Discussions about the exhibition, the meeting with the committee, his archives, Richard and the article, being explicit about Isabelle’s suicide? The visuals, Gene collecting them in bags, bringing them to Richard, their talk, asking him about the affair, Richard telling the truth, the affair outside the US, at home while he wanted to leave his wife and children, she wanted to be with her family? The writing of the article and its publication?

7. The storytelling, the linear narrative, the insertion of the range of flashbacks, created images, computer games, dreams?

8. The focus on Conrad, his age, at school, sullen and introspective? His response to Hannah? Alone, lying to his father on the phone call, his father following him – and then the audience seeing the reverse side of the story and Conrad seeing his father’s reflection in the store? His devotion to computer games, Gene wanting to identify, creating a character, being killed off? Conrad refusing to talk to his father, getting out of the car? His seeing Hannah and Gene embrace? In class, spitting on Hannah? His wandering? Imagining his mother’s death, as an accident? His not being told the truth? The past bond with his mother, remembering being the emaciated man to the exhibition, the past bond with his father? Jonah being older, Jonah seen him in his lively dance, the relationship as brothers? His concern about Jonah and his situation with his wife?

9. Jonah’s story, driving home, staying at the house, the relationship with his father, with Conrad, searching amongst the photos, seeing the photos of his mother’s affair, delaying in going back home, he and Conrad watching clips of his father’s old films, the article coming out, his not wanting Conrad to be told, going to visit Erin, the sexual encounter, expression of his fears about going home, that Amy would leave him? Finally returning with his father and Conrad?

10. Isabelle, her life, her camera skills, fearless, the war situations? Her appearing in flashbacks? Going overseas, the effect on her? The relationship with Richard? Coming home, happy, yet not feeling needed, watching the family? Going back to the war? Coming home, the depression, her death and the crash?

11. Hannah, school teaching, the affair with Gene, talking with him, the nights, the hug in the open, Conrad spitting at her?

12. Conrad, his writing, composition, giving it to Jonah to read, his response, giving it to Melanie and her positive response?

13. Conrad, going to the shop, finding the article, reading it, going to the party, his friend going home, walking with Melanie, her urinating in the street and its effect, the bond between the two, her positive response to his writing?

14. Conrad, with his father, wondering whether he was difficult to talk to? Jonah, asleep? The father driving Jonah home and Conrad in the car? All together, Conrad imagining his mother?

15. Hope and reconciliation?

SLACK BAY/ MA LOUTE

France, 2016, 122 minutes, Colour.
Fabrice Lucchini, Juliette Binoche, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Jean- Luc Vincent, Brandon Lavieville, Raph, Didier Despres, Cyril Rigaux, Laura Dupre, Thierry Laviedille, Caroline Carbonier.
Directed by Bruno Dumont.

Slack Bay was screened in competition in Cannes 2016. It has been written and directed by the prestigious director, Bruno Dumont ( L’Humanite?, 29 Palms, Flanders, Camille Claudel).

But this film is nothing like his other films – and one is led to wonder what he was intending.

The setting is the Northwest French coast, on the river Slack where it reaches the Atlantic. Many of the locals fish for their living, especially collecting mussels from the rocks and charging 20 centimes to carry people across the estuary.

On the other hand, rich French families from as far away as Lille come to the coast for the summer holidays building expensive mansions.

In 1910, we see the mussel gatherers at work on the rocks as well as their poor conditions at home, parents and four sons, the oldest of whom is called Ma Loute and give his name to the title of the film – though it is not clear why there should be a particular focus on him rather than other characters. The English title of Slack Bay is probably more effective.

Then we see a wealthy family arriving, beautifully dressed, mannered, and we begin to see a less than discreet picture of the charm of the bourgeoisie. (And one wonders what Bunuel would have made of this story in comparison with Dumont’s version)

The other elements of the story is that several visitors to the coast have disappeared, leaving behind some relics like an umbrella. It soon emerges that the poor family have been killing off the visitors – and dragging them home, putting them in a pot, and enjoying cannibal meals, with a particularly grotesque scene where the mother lifts up a foot and asks whether any of the family would like seconds… Which means that the working class are presented as cannibalistic fools.

But the presentation of the family is worse. they are all extremely mannered in gait, accent, with the audience discovering that they are inbred with a history of incest. With their stilted ways, their arrogant treatment of servants, they are quite dislikeable.

Having an investigation from the local police has an extraordinarily large and ever-inflating inspector with a small moustachioed assistant, in 1910, a French version of Laurel and Hardy in their investigations and in their manner of dealing with each other, especially with the fat man continually falling over and having to be pulled up.

One of the features of the film is that practically everybody in the cast falls over at least once, a film full of pratfalls. The difficulty is that a lot of the comedy, physical comedy, may appeal to a French sensibility but, with each repetition, is lost on an international audience.

The husband-and-wife who own the mansion are played by Fabrice Lucchini, momentarily unrecognisable, with a stoop and hunchback and a strange walk as well is way of expressing himself, often confused. His wife is played more straightforwardly by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. They have two daughters and a cousin is visiting, a person who likes to dress as a girl but is a boy and when dressed as a boy claims to be a girl – and, it emerges, is the product of incest.

Then the child’s mother arrives, over-theatrical, lavishly dressed, declaiming all over the place, screeching, snobbish, dominating the company – a most strange performance by Juliette Binoche (and it would be interesting to hear her views on her interpretation of the character and doing some inexplicable things that the director was asking of her). Her brother turns up, another eccentric bore.

There are all kinds of ups and downs, a rescue boat going out for the peasants’ son and the ambiguous child, a romance between the two and then his disillusionment about his/her identity. in the meantime, Ma Loute is also romantically involved with the made the mansion, continually being corrected, but aware of the lifestyle of the peasants.

The film becomes more and more surreal, especially with some levitations and flights.

By this stage, a devoted audience would be following the film, appreciating the bizarre aspects, the absurd aspects, and seeing it as satirically poetic. Which it probably is in some ways. But the previously very serious Dumont does not communicate well the satiric comic aspects so that many an audience will be puzzling as to what he is doing and why he has done it.

FORTRESS

Australia, 1985, 87 minutes, Colour.
Rachel Ward, Sean Garlic, Rebecca Rigg, Beth Buchanan, Asher Keddie, Peter Hehir, David Bradshaw, Vernon Welles Terence Donovan.
Directed by Arch Nicholson.

Fortress marks one of the first screen appearances for Rachel Ward in coming to Australia, marrying Bryan Brown and starting a family. She appeared in the number of Australian films as well as overseas films but in more recent years has turned her hand to very successful directing of films and television programs.

The film is a vengeance story, a young teacher, played by Rachel Ward, in the high country Victoria, just before the summer holidays, with a group of young children and their being attacked by a group of escaped prisoners, held hostage, put into a cave, escaping to get to a homestead where the elderly couple have already been killed by the thugs, making a fortress, survival tactics and a confrontation with the thugs. It has much of a brutal tone about the aggression of the teacher and the students.

Amongst the students are Rebecca Rigg who had a successful acting career as well as a young Asher Keddie who was to have a very strong television career.

Arch Nicholson directed a number of action features including Buddies and Rogue.

1. An Australian action story? An eye for an eye story? A universal story?

2. The Bush settings, the Victorian high country, the Bush, the mountains, caves? The school, the home? The musical score?

3. The title, the teacher and children as hostages, in the cave, their self-defence, fighting from the fortress?

4. The opening, the summer, getting ready for the holidays, the last days of school? Sally, her work as a teacher? Her lessons? The children? The fox?

5. The arrival of the thugs, the masks with the cartoon overtones? Vicious, prison escapees?

6. Taking the group as hostage? The violence of the men, the reaction of the group?

7. The cave, survival techniques and tactics?

8. The house, the older couple, the thugs killing them?

9. The escape from the cave, the thugs in the house? Vengeance?

10. The leadership of Sally, instructing the children, the defence and survival techniques? The range of the children? Sid, leadership, Narelle going out? Leanne and Sue? Derek and Tommy? Richard, Sarah and Toby?

11. The personalities of the thugs, behind the masks, Father Christmas, Pussycat, Derby Duck, Max the Mouse?

12. The aggressive action of the hostages, turning the attack on the thugs? Narelle, the attack on her, the man falling to his death, the spears? The action of the other men, their deaths?

13. Vengeance motives, the brutality shown – in the context of the siege?

EL CLAN

Argentina, 2015, 110 minutes, Colour.
Guillermo Francella, Peter Lanzani.
Directed by Pablo Trapero.

This is a film about domestic gangsters. In the past, in the 1930s, gangsters were presented as manic in their attitudes and behaviour, but heroes in their own minds and trying to communicate that to the society of the time. This was the area of Scarface, Public Enemy, Little Caesar. With the renewed interest of in gangster films in the 1970s, especially with the Godfather films, there was a great deal of mythmaking which some viewers saw as a glorifying of the gangsters and that ethos, the Mafia mystique.

While The Clan is the story of a gangster family, there is no glorification at all, the patriarch of the family, Archimedes Puccio, is a completely sinister figure despite his sometime smile and the cover of his being a respectable shopkeeper and family man. As portrayed by Guillermo Francella, he is a cold and calculating man, a man of planning for the success of his family, a man of planning in the several kidnappings he oversees, finding his place in the society of his time.

The society of his time is that of Argentina in the 1980s. The film shows in prologue something of the history of the dictatorship from the 1970s to the 1980s, the rule of the generals, the number of citizens who disappeared – and some choose one to the Falklands war. With the connivance of authorities, Archimedes Puccio and his henchmen engineered the abduction first of young men from wealthy families, demanding ransoms, setting up situations for collection of money, telephone threats, and the ugliness of killing their victims before they collected the money.

What is more sinister is the involvement by Archimedes of his family. His wife, seemingly middle-class domestic, was conniving in the abductions, especially in preparing the meals for those imprisoned in the family basement. The oldest son has moved away from Argentina to New Zealand, working as a shearer, but the patriarch sends his next son to bring him back and involves him in the abductions. The next son, Alex (Peter Lanzani) is a champion rugby player, admired by his footballing team, his coach, the public. He has access to the young men to be kidnapped and is persuaded to play a role, becoming more deeply involved in the criminal behaviour, the imprisonment, the collection of the money, further setups.

Alex falls in love and wants to withdraw from this family business but there is a succession of mistakes which lead to a raid on the family and imprisonment.

All the time, the audience wonders about the role of government officials, the nature of political corruption and protection, Archimedes and his patriotic loyalty, and wondering where the police are. By 1985, three years after the abductions had begun, the police go into action.

Of particular dramatic interest are the episodes where Archimedes confronts Alex in prison, wanting his son to beat him so that he can claim he was assaulted by guards and use this as part of his defence. He over plays his tactics with dire results for Alex.

The final credits give information as to what happened to each of the characters, each member of the Puccio family, Alex’s fiancee. And the note that Archimedes studied law during his imprisonment and died at age 84.

A piece of Argentinian history by one of Argentina’s best directors, Pablo Trapero, a most telling performance by Guillermo Francella, and a cautionary tale.

1. A true story? The history of Argentina in the late 20th century? The 1970s and 80s? The aftermath?

2. Latin American history at the end of the 20th century? Histories of dictatorships? Military government? The oppression in Argentina, the Disappeared? Government, war, corruption, transition to democracy?

3. The use of newsreel footage, the government at the time, interviews, patriotism, pledges of loyalty? Change?

4. The Buenos Aries’ settings, the home, the storefront, the shop, the street corner? The different areas of the city, homes, mansions, roads? For the kidnappings? The football grounds, the games in practice? The sinister basement for those kidnapped? Police and government offices? The musical score?

5. The use of contemporary songs, the lyrics and correspondence to action, the feel of the period?

6. The introduction, the raid of the family home – audience attention, leading to flashbacks, the build up to this raid again? The interlude in the middle of the film with the kidnapping of the lady and the reactions?

7. The guilt of the leader of the family, no sympathy?

8. Archimedes as a person, cold personality, amoral, greed, politics, alleged patriotism? A family man, shopkeeper, sweeping the front of the shop? Coaching his daughters with their homework? Planning the lives of his children? His respectability, access to government officials, government passes and appointments? The role of the Commodore, Gordon and his going to prison, the later developments and their letting him go? The Catholic background?

9. Alex, his age, good footballer, champion, his relationship with his father, despite his plans? The first kidnapping, the footballer, Alex and his association with the young men, agreeing to participate, the car and the setting up of the player, the car intervening, the kidnapped man in the boot, his cries and fears? Into the basement? Alex and his collaboration with the second abduction? His father giving him an amount of the ransom money? His continuing with his father? His falling in love with Monica, their sexual relationship, the prospect of buying land for their home? The explanation of the killing of the kidnapped men to him, his accepting it? His going to New Zealand to bring back his brother? His relationship with his mother, sisters, taking Palermo to the airport, his leaving and subsequent disappearance? The cumulative presentation of his character, continuing to play football, his teammates? His father being arrested, the raid and his arrest, his concern about Monica, his father’s plan, to provoke his son to bash him, the father overdoing it, Alex’s reaction, jumping to his death, but surviving? Subsequent history?

10. The father, his henchmen, their loyalties? With his wife and her participation in the kidnapping, providing the meals? His love for his daughters, helping them with their homework? A cold personality, seemingly pleasant but very sinister? Sweeping the footpath? His concern about his older son and his disappearance to New Zealand, his thinking him ungrateful? Sending Alex to get him? The political situation, his access to people, his moving into the abductions? Killing the victims? The plausible explanations? His continuing, the abduction of the shoe seller, his former friend, the visit for Alex to buy shoes, The death of the man in the car? The cover-up? The abduction of the woman, the refusal to pay the ransom? Keeping her so long and her suffering? His always making the phone calls – and the irony of the police having the records? His watching the raid, arrest, in jail, talking with his lawyers, planning his defence, claiming he was beaten up by the guards, provoking Alex, Alex bashing him, but his shock and Alex falling? The subsequent history – even to his doing the law degree in jail?

11. His wife, knowing what was happening, family life, the girls?

12. Monica, Alex and the relationship, Swedish background, the plan to buy the land, the plan to honeymoon in Sweden? The raid, her being upset – not believing the truth, finally persuaded?

13. The footballers, seeing Alex as a champion, their sadness at the deaths, the coach and his support?

14. The older brother, in New Zealand, returning, explaining shearing, his participating in the abductions? The motive collecting the money, Alex and his bike, the older brother and the case?

15. The absence of the police until the end? The changing situation in the 80s with the police and arrests? Interrogations?

16. The point of recounting this history, a cautionary tale?

BIG CITY BLUES

US, 1932, 63 minutes, Black and white.
Joan Blondell, Eric Linden, Walter Catlett, Guy Kibbee.
Directed by Mervyn Le Roy.

Big City Blues is a small film of 1932 even though it starred Joan Blondell who was on the up and up at Warner Brothers and used a number of standard supporting cast including Walter Catlett and Guy Kibbee.The central character was played by Eric Linden, New York born but from a Swedish family who appeared in films from 1931 to 1939.

The first half of the film focuses on a young man leaving home in Indiana on an adventure to New York City, naive and ingenuous, arriving to meet his cousin, and incessantly talking con man played in his usual style by Walter Catlett, who relieves the young man of a lot of his cash with smooth talk and seeming graciousness. He also introduces the young man to two showgirls from the George White Scandals, one of whom is Joan Blondell who is attracted to the young man and he more than attracted to her.

His cousin prepares a big party in a swank hotel with plenty of guests, especially from the theatre world, with the cousin emphasising his contact with everyone in the city including the mayor, Jimmy Walker.A surprise face amongst the guests is Humphrey Bogart.

The young man tends to be overwhelmed, keeps his attention on Joan Blondell, alcohol flows freely, but a fight breaks out between two of the men, including Humphrey Bogart, which leads to the death of one of the showgirls. everybody escapes but the security guard, played by Guy Kibbee who is not against imbibing himself, gives information to the police who rather relentlessly try to track down the young man and Joan Blondell, eventually finding them in a club after the young man has met up with a rather grande dame who is very kind to him.

The next part of the film is very much a grilling by the police, rather relentless, assuming guilt. Most of the other guests are rounded up and also appear in the police caught – with a group of police as well as of journalists with rather sensationalist headlines.

The end comes very quickly, some more evidence, the young couple being released, he returning home to Indiana but sending a cable to Joan Blondell – with the hopes of a new visit and meeting her again.

Very slight – and of historical interest, an early film by Mervyn Le Roy who was to stay at Warner Brothers during the 1930s but moved to MGM for big budget films and dramas and melodramas during the 1940s and 1950s.

THE STRANGE LOVE OF MOLLY LOUVAIN

US, 1932, 73 minutes, Black and white.
Ann Dvorak, Lee Tracy, Richard Cromwell, Guy Kibbee, Leslie Fenton, Frank Mc Hugh.
Directed by Michael Curtiz.

This is a melodrama from the early 1930s, going back to events in the late 1920s and moving up to 1932.The screenplay is based on a play, Tinsel Girl. As referenced in the film, this is an easy-going girl.

This is very much a pre-Code film, representing more permissive behaviour than would later be allowed, an affair between a young working woman and a rich man, his abandoning her, her being pregnant, being married in throwback to a travelling salesman who becomes involved in criminal activity, involving her. She leaves and becomes a companion dancer in a club, encounters the nice young man who was a bellboy at the hotel where she worked and who is infatuated with her. But, they are caught by the husband who is involved in a shootout with the police, telling them to drive off in his car – they hole up in a hotel, encounter a rapid-talking journalist, who sits up the situation, advises the young man to go, becomes involved with Molly, without realising who she was, sets up a phony radio call for her to come because a child is sick and so she goes in and give statements to the police. The journalist has a change of heart and stays to help her.

Michael Curtiz had come from Hungary and began directing many, many films in Hollywood, to win an Oscar in 1943 for Casablanca. Ann Dvorak was a leading lady at the time, able to do this sultry kind of role. Lee Tracy shows as always how effective years in this rapid-fire talking character. Richard Cromwell is the young man and the fickle husband is played by Leslie Fenton who was married to Ann Dvorak for several years.

1. 1930s melodrama? Guilty woman, unmarried mother, care for her child, entanglement with criminals? Police?

2. Black-and-white photography, atmosphere of the city, shops, homes, hotels, the police, journalists world? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Molly, her experience of love? The original title of the play, Tinsel Girl?

4. Molly’s story, Ann Dvorak in the role, screen presence? The initial relationship with Ralph, everything happy, inviting her to meet his mother, her dressing up, the need for stockings, her confidence, arrival, the letter, Ralph disappearing with his mother? The audience than learning she was pregnant?

5. At her job, her friend, Jimmy and his continued attention is, Nicky Grant and his floating, the promise of the stockings, Jimmy telling him you had a long distance call? Molly getting ready, Jimmy’s help, the stockings? The letter and her disappointment?

6. Three years later, married to Nicky, the little girl, entrusting her to the woman and her home? Love for her daughter? Wanting to separate from Nicky? The robberies and his criminal connections? The story of her involvement, the person in the car?

7. Getting a job, the dancers, Jimmy and his friends, talking, the encounter with Nicky, his deal, the car, the police and the shootings, driving away?

8. Molly and Jimmy getting the room, the respectable lady? Scotty and his entrance, entering the room, the phone, his journalist background, self-confidence, rapid delivery? Planning to go to Paris to write the American novel? Caught up in the case story? His talk, sending Jimmy out for the food, getting Jimmy to pay the debts? The attraction to Molly, the kiss, her resistance, Jimmy seeing them? Scotty urging him to go, the reasons?

9. The police, the investigations, Nicky and his giving testimony, Molly’s name, the photo? The police chief, the other police? The range of journalists and the curiosity?

10. Scotty, the plans with Molly? His idea of the radio and the information about Molly’s daughter? Molly going in, the police not believing her? Her testimony, the pressure on her? Police treatment? Scotty coming in, realising who she was? Her challenging him, his promise to help her? The scene with the little girl? Scotty and his wanting to go to Paris, but staying to defend Molly? The final kiss – what future?

ONCE BITTEN

US, 1985, 94 minutes, Colour.
Lauren Hutton, Jim Carrey, Cleavon Little, Karen Kopins.
Directed by Howard Storm.

Once Bitten is a vampire story, 1980s story, very 1980s and look, musical soundtrack, comedy about vampires, virgins, sexuality and blood.

Lauren Hutton had been in films for a number of years, a former model, who had made quite an impact on the big screen. here she is a 400-year-old Countess from Europe, living very comfortably in a mansion in New York City, with an entourage of young people who have been vampirised by her, even 150 years earlier, whose task it is to find a virgin before Halloween so that she can have three injections of virginal blood in order to survive.

Cleavon Little plays her majordomo, butler, confidant, in an exceedingly camp manner.

But interest in the film at the time but, especially in later years, is the fact that 23-year-old Jim Carrey portrays the central character of the young man, with a college girl friend, Robin, played by Karen Kopins, who resists his advances for sexual experiences. He and his two rather leering friends who run an ice cream truck decide to go out on the town – with quite unspectacular results in terms of being picked up or making any impression on any women.

However, the Countess is at the bar, summons the awestruck young man, Mark, intoxicates him physically and emotionally and takes him to her mansion where, unbeknown to himself, she has the first drink of his blood. He goes back and his friends are avid in curiosity, his girlfriend is completely upset. The Countess keeps pursuing him, taking his blood for a second time, he becoming more and more vampire like in terms of raw meat, blood, not liking the light, wanting to take naps during the day, to his parents’ dismay.

Eventually, Mark and his two friends and Robin all arrive at the countess’s mansion on Halloween eve – Sebastien and the entourage present, Robin defies the Countess, there are fights with the entourage to the curious amazement of Mark’s two friends.

There is a solution, with Robin agreeing to have sex with Mark so that he is no longer a virgin and the countess will not want his blood.

Jim Carrey, from Canada, had made an impression on television in In Living Colour and in short films, it was still another nine years before his successful year in 1994 with the first of the Ace Ventura films, The Mask and Dumb and Dumber.

THE MAYOR OF HELL

US, 1933, 90 minutes, Black and white.
James Cagney, Madge Evans, Arthur Byron, Allen Jenkins, Dudley Digges, Frankie Darro.
Directed by Archie Mayo.

The Mayor of Hill is moralising film from Warner Brothers in 1933, at the same time as they were producing the classic gangster films like Scarface, Public Enemy, Little Caesar.

James Cagney, always full of verve, portrays a man caught up in rackets and voting, who is given the public office as deputy for a reformatory, is caught up in what he sees as abuses in the place, decides to go full-time and reform it, with the help of the initially hostile nurse, played by Madge Evans. Dudley Digges is the bullying supervisor while Arthur Byron is the sympathetic judge.

Frankie Darro, who appeared in such films as Wild boys on the Road, is the leader of the gang. Interestingly for the times, one of the boys is black and his father appears in the court scene with a humorous quip at the assistant to the judge, And there is a Jewish boy whose father appears in the court, speaks to his son in Yiddish, and the son in the reformatory declines eating bacon.

The film offers a strange mixture of suspicious rackets and the spirit of reform, actually getting the boys to set up their own form of government within the reformatory, the leader becoming the Mayor of the hell that is the reformatory, with a police chief and the setting up of a court and proper procedures and trial by jury.

The film was remade some years later as Crime School with Humphrey Bogart in the central role. The behaviour of the boys is much the same. However, there is no nurse and the sympathetic woman is the sister of the leader of the gang. The supervisor is certainly sinister in the later film and much is made of his assistant and the falsifying of accounts. More is made in the later film of a romance, of the setting up of the head of the reformatory – and it is interesting to see Humphrey Bogart in this sympathetic role.

1. A crime drama from the Depression years? Teenage gangs? The responsible authorities? The nature of reformatories? Oppression? Reform?

2. Warner Brothers production values, city locations, the reformatory? Interiors of the reformatory? The musical score?

3. The title, the reformatory as hell? The process for rehabilitating the teenagers, setting up their own government, the mayor, Jimmy elected as mayor, his presiding, his behaviour?

4. The introduction to the gang, the boys in the street, their violence, petty thieving, the cars and the tires, the reaction of the owners? Dividing up the stolen goods? The arrests?

5. The sympathetic judge, his court, the severe assistant laying down the law? Each of the boys, different characters? The sleeping father, the anxious mother who had been beaten by her son, the Italian father supporting his son? The surly attitudes, the parents and their plea, the judge deciding it was better for them to go to the reformatory?

6. The presence of the black boy and his father, and the comic comment about thinking? The presence of the Jewish boy, his father and his store, speaking in Yiddish?

7. Arrival at the reformatory, the severity of Thompson, the dormitory, no food? The severity of the guards? The dining room, on the double, removing the hats, the inedible food? Jimmy and his fighting?

8. The arrival of Patsy Gargan, James Cagney character, his racket and boats, the money? His appointment as deputy, political move? The hostility of the judge towards him?

9. Dorothy, her presence, as a nurse, examining the boys, with Thompson, his disdain of her? Her suspicions of Gargan?

10. Gargan, his encounter with Jimmy, the reactions of Dorothy? With Thompson? Thompson and the whip for Jimmy? Gargan’s reaction?

11. Gargan, staying, the enable inedible food, the organisation of the boys, Dorothy’s help, the structure of the government, the mayor, the police chief (and the nominating of the bully), the holding court, the case with the boy and the chocolate bar, the black boy and his role as a lawyer, the jury, the decision, the punishment from the boys themselves?

12. Thompson, his racket with his assistant, the accounts? Thompson away for a month?

13. Dorothy and Gargan, working together, the attraction? The change in attitude of the boys? Positive reform? Better meals and the boy serving them, bacon and eggs – in the Jewish
boy not wanting to eat bacon?

14. Gargan, Mike and his presence, the racket, Gargan’s return, the fight, the gunshot, the suspense of the victim in hospital so long, Gargan going underground? Phoning the
reformatory? Dorothy and her complaints, her resignation? Things worse than ever?

15. Thompson’s return, getting Charlie to give information, to persuade Jimmy to leave, the clothes, Charlie persuasive, the light on in the office and Jimmy suspicions, their going, meeting Gargan on the way, his letting them go?

16. Thompson and his putting the boy in the cold in isolation, his death? The boys and their holding court, Charlie and their attack on him, finding Thompson guilty of murder, converging on in, his climbing to the roof, the setting fire to the barn, his fall to his death?

17. Jim’s return, Gargan appealing to Jimmy to put out the fire, the boys following him? A future?

18. Moral lesson from Warner Brothers in the early 1930s?

MONEY TRAIN

US, 1995, 110 minutes, Colour.
Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Lopez, Robert Blake, Chris Cooper.
Directed by Joseph Ruben.

Completely derivative, but that does not mean it does not have its entertaining moments. Decoy police on the New York subway have their action moments and their problem moments. Then there is a train robbery (echoes of Speed). And there is always the banter (comic and serious) between adopted brothers, Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, who obviously get on well with each other and play off each other expertly. What you expect is what you get.

1. A buddy film? Couple? Black and white? Serious and comic

2. New York City, the city, police precincts, the subways, apartments, gambling centres? The musical score? The title song?

3. The stars, the different styles, comic and serious, the interplay? Brothers, black and white, fostered? Growing up, John older, caring for Charlie? Charlie, gambling, irresponsible, John to his rescue, lending money? The arrival of Grace, their rivalry? John winning out?

4. The opening, Charlie drunk, the decoy on the subway, the robbers, the chase, John on the lookout, the tunnel, the money train, the shooting on the platform, the confrontation between the police?

5. Patterson, his role, personality, the touch of hysteria, his money train, the reprimand, his anger, the second attempt, the accusation, being proved wrong? His violence and outbursts, Grace arresting him?

6. Grace, police background, with the two, the dates, talking with each of the brothers, her relationship with John, Charlie seeing this? Helping the brothers? Arresting Patterson?

7. The Torch, coming to the toll offices, confrontations, the petrol, the fire, the rescue of the woman in the box? The attempt on Grace, her fighting back, the pursuit?

8. Charlie and his gambling, the thugs, hanging him by his feet, John to the rescue, lending the money, giving him $15,000, the irony of his concern on the subway, the thief taking the wallet, the old lady taking his money? The confrontation by the thugs, John fighting and saving him?

9. The idea, robbing the money train, the nature of the tunnel, the ladders…? John refusing?

10. The situation, the train, taking over, the right, the money, the fights, getting away?

11. The amount of money, the two arguing and walking into the future?

THE GREAT ECSTASY OF ROBERT CARMICHAEL

UK, 2005, 107 minutes, Colour.
Dan Spencer, Danny Dyer, Leslie Manville, Ryan Winsley, Charles Mnene, Miranda Wilson, Michael Howe.
Directed by Thomas Clay.


This is a young man’s film, made by young men about young men. Thomas Clay was 25 when he directed the film, three year’s younger when he began to write it. It focuses on life in Newhaven on the English coast at the time of the invasion of Iraq, March 2003. It slowly introduces the audience to a range of characters, often just thumbnail sketches (as with the Muslim family at the beginning of the film and the boy being bullied by two of the central characters), builds up to tensions with three older teenagers and then presents us with a graphic and ugly episode of sexual violence that will remind many of the intrusion into the writer’s house by Alex and his Droogs in A Clockwork Orange.

This is a depressing view of British youth and leaves its audience without any feelings of hope except that something must be done. The three youths at the centre of the film are not all street kids. One is. His friend comes from a migrant family which seems to be supportive. The other, Robert Carmichael, lives with his mother, attends school where teachers are attentive and popular, is involved in a film making and appreciation course, plays the cello at home with his mother and is preparing for a final assessment concert.

Neighbours remark that he is ‘quiet’.

Yet, these three lack a moral sense. They bully. They deal and take drugs. The leader, whose father finds himself redundant in the local fishing industry, is resentful of middle class people. He is a yob but exercises a powerful influence over the other two. And when they break out, they break out without restraint.

The film moves at a leisurely pace most of the time, gradually creating a mood and providing a context for the climax. It looks as if it isn’t going anywhere in particular. The acting of the three boys is effective though some of the adult performers, especially the victims, is rather stilted. But the final impact, which many will want to look away from, is the stuff, unfortunately, of many headlines today. With the television running commentary on the war in Iraq and the stances of the leadership of the US and the UK, the film-makers want to make very critical comment.

1. The response to the film? Praise for its technical excellence? Critique of its visualising of violence? Of rape? Festival screenings, nominations?

2. A British film, small-budget, British cast?

3. The title, the focus, the ambiguity of the feeling of ecstasy in sexual experience, on the drug ecstasy? The focus on Robert Carmichael, his age, relationship with his mother, life in the town, quiet, at school,teachers supportive, music and his playing the cello, preparing for the final concert, film-making, but the friend saying he had rapist eyes? The masturbation, the images of De Sade? His experience with the gang, drugs, violence?

4. The town of Newhaven, the town itself, the coast,, environment, music, school? Drug dealing?

5. Robert’s place in his family, his relationship with the teenagers, becoming friends, drawn in, Joe and Ben, the cocaine, the ecstasy? The introduction to Larry? Robert being dragged down into their experiences?

6. The characters of Joe, Ben, Larry? The bullying and brutality? The Muslim boy? Ben and his Afro- Caribbean background? Larry, out of prison, resuming his drug dealing, older and his influence?

7. The setting at the beginning of the Iraq war? The visuals of the war? The director and writer intending to make symbolic parallels between the violence and the experience of war? How effective? The criticism of the debate about Iraq and the use of these images or the criticism that it was a false depth and was attention-seeking?

8. The girl, drugged, the camera roaming around the room, everybody joining the rape? The effect on Robert?

9. The couple, the television background? The rape of the wife, the graphic brutality, Robert’s role even more violent, the bottle? The death? And the pounding use of bomb sequences – and Churchill’s victory sign?

10. An audience being challenged about British society, British youth, drugs, peer pressure, sexual violence, rape and abuse?