YELLOW BIRD / Gus - petit oiseau, grand voyage site

France, 2015, 90 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Seth Green, Dakota Fanning, Danny Glover, Jim Rash, Christine Moran Ski, Brady Corbett, Yvette Nicole Brown, Richard Kind, Elliott Gould.
Directed by Christian De Vita.

Yellowbird is a small French animation film from a small studio – but, with the English language version, quite an American cast for the voices.

The film is designed for younger audiences, for family audiences, a story of an outsider bird, hatched from lost egg, cared for by a ladybug, urged to go out of his safety zone, in contact with the patriarch bird of his flock dying after an attack from vicious cats, told the directions for the family to fly to Africa.

The yellowbird takes this as an opportunity for leadership, partly diffident, challenging another bird who should have been the leader, finding some clues but actually leading the birds in the wrong direction, Holland instead of Spain, then further north – but, with an inspiration, urges them to get inside a plane which is flying south and which lands them in Africa.

A pleasant story about birds and migration, a pleasant story about an awkward young bird and his finding himself – and with a touch of romance.

1. A film for families and young audiences? Interest in birds, migration? The outsider? Adventures?

2. The animation style, the characters, realistic, touch of caricature with Sam’s appearance and voice and the cats? Layouts and background? The forests, the sea, icebergs, inside of the planes? Africa? The musical score?

3. Introduction to the yellow bird, the egg, falling out of the nest, travelling far, hatching? The odd look of the bird? The friendship of the ladybug? His diffidence, not going outside, the ladybug urging him to greater things?

4. The flock of birds, blue? The leader, his accident, pursued by the cats, his bequest to the yellow bird? His death? His wanting Carl to lead? Giving the directions to the yellow bird?

5. The cats, scary, their comeuppance?

6. The need for the birds to migrate, the range of the members of the family, the parents, the children, Delf? The touches of comedy with the bird and the feathers over his eyes?

7. The discussions about leadership, Carl, his being upset, confrontations with the yellow bird?

8. The yellow bird and his not wanting to lead, his being urged, his instinct and sixth sense, the appearances of the ladybug and her help?

9. For the trip, the pointed rock, the fireflies and the lights of Paris, the landing in Paris? The desire for Africa, to meet their friend, the need for food, being tired? Flying north, landing in Holland, the birds pretending that it was Spain? The beach, the bears and their advice?

10. Flying north, the Arctic? The upturned boat, the interiors, dangers and menace, the seals and their ghostly presence?

11. The iron birds, the planes, the stories of the fear of iron birds? The yellow bird and his urging them to go into the plane, difficulties, rescuing Carl, his gratitude?

12. Delf, the attraction, the interplay with the yellow bird, flirting, his trying to tell the truth, the upset when they found out the truth? The encouragement of the romance?

13. Landing in Africa, the gratitude of the family? The joke about the friend being called Sam O’ Cool? The yellow bird needing a name, getting it as Sam? The ladybug and her praise of him?

THE TRAIL BEYOND

US, 1934, 55 minutes, Black and white dot
John Wayne, Verna Hillie, Noah Beery, Beery Jr, Robert Frazer, Iris Lancaster, Eddie Parker, Earl Dwire.
Directed by Robert Bradbury.

The Trail Beyond is one of nine films that John Wayne made in 1934. Entering movies at the end of the silent era, 1927, he made many supporting feature westerns, small-budget, until 1939 when he made a breakthrough with John Ford and Stagecoach. 30 years later, after so many westerns, he won an Oscar for his performance in True Grit.

The supporting westerns were fairly standard, lots of riding scenes and, in this case, many dives into rivers and lakes, including on horseback (with stuntman Yakima Canut, best known for Ben Hur, doing many of the stunts). Acting was fairly standard, often very stolid, including that of Wayne himself who was developing a screen persona which carried him through for many decades.

This is a contemporary western, and Wayne’s character having been to college. He is given the mission to find the daughter of a friend of his father’s – and he travels by train, encountering a friend from college days, Wabi (Noah Beery). Very quickly, Wabi be becomes involved in some shooting after a poker game and Wayne and he do a Butch Cassidy from the train into a river and go to an outpost. They find the skeletons of the missing girl’s father and a rival, each having killed the other, but leaving a map with a gold mine indicated.

The setting is Canada and French- Canadian assistant to the manager of the outpost steals a map and takes it to an outlaw – which leads to the abduction of the assistant at the outpost, who turns out to be the missing girl, who is rescued daringly by Wayne.

This leads to the buildup for a shootout, and escape by canoe and more going into the water before the happy ending where Wabi, who was attracted to the girl, realises that she is in love with Wayne and he waves them goodbye.

One of the features of these films is that they do pack a great deal of plot within the under-our running time.

BLACK HAWK DOWN


US, 2001, 124 minutes, Colour.
Josh Hartnett, Ewan Mc Gregor, Tom Sizemore, Eric Bana, William Fichtner, Ewan Bremner, Sam Shepard, Kim Coates, Hugh Dancy, Ron Eldard, Ioan Gruffud, Jeremy Piven, Orlando Bloom Jason Isaacs, Zeljko Ivanek, Brian Holt, Nikolai Coster- Waldau. Tom Hardy,
Directed by Ridley Scott.

The setting is Somalia, 1992, the civil war and the fighting of the warlords with the use of food supplies as a weapon in the famine stricken country. The film opens with several minutes of exposition explaining the situation. The principal action concerns the American presence along with UN peacekeepers, especially from Pakistan. An opportunity arose for the Americans to go into central Mogadishu with helicopters and ground forces to capture some of the cabinet leaders of the warlord, Aidid What was meant to take a short time with efficient action lasted more than twelve hours with 19 American casualties and a thousand Somalis dead.

Clearly the perspective of this film is American. It is based on the book by the observing journalist, Mark Bowden. The Americans did not inform the UN troops of their intentions but had to rely on their help, that of the Pakistanis, to save the day. The principal Somalis seen in the film are those hostile to the Americans, who attack the troops with sophisticated as well as basic weapons.

The film is a quite painstaking reconstruction of what happened, expertly edited so that audiences will feel that they have been in the middle of the action. The action is the focus rather than the characters, some of whom are quite well defined but most are difficult to identify and keep track of for those who are not quick to note distinguishing characteristics. However, Sam Shepard as the General in charge of the operation stands out.

As a re-creation of a battle, the film is impressive. As a portrayal of American action, it is patriotic with some nods in the direction of the Somalis.

1. A perspective on war in the Middle East in the 1990s? From the perspective of 2001 and the 21st century? Terror, Africa, Somalia, American activities, invasions?

2. The first Gulf War, American consciousness a decade later? The Bush administration? The transition to the Clinton administration? The picture of Mogadishu, Civil War, the warlords?

3. The use of Moroccan locations, for the city of Mogadishu, the streets, the markets, public buildings?

4. The American presence, headquarters, the troops and the accommodation, the detail, rooms, bunks, meals, the feel for the American troops and their morale?

5. Action sequences, the helicopters and the aerial photography, action on the ground, helicopter crashes, street to street fighting, the effect, dangers, errors, the dying, the wounded – the saving of the hand in the pouch? The stunt work, the special effects? The musical score?

6. The director, his abilities and range of films? The extensive male cast, young, at the beginning of careers? Americans, British, Australian? The masculine world (and the one phone call and the wife missing the call)?

7. The initial information on Somalia, the warlords, the place of the United Nations, the warlords and the stealing of the food, the consequences for ordinary people? The battles? The leader, his advisers? The American mission, the planned abductions?

8. The US sending in troops, their preparation, Garrison and his command, the nature of the mission, its extent?

9. Garrison, his role, his aims, the interviews with the captive advisor, our sales, defiance of the Americans? Working with his officers, with the troops? His role of coordination, contact, supervision? The importance of the informant in the car in the street, accuracy of the building for the attack? His continued supervision? The end? Failure aspects? His taking responsibility?

10. The Somalis, the situation, the stealing the food, anti-American stances? Plan, the informant, his hesitation, moving his car, parking in front of the building, the information?

11. The range of the US troops, the cast and audiences able to identify individuals? The minimal characterisation? Interactions? The officer and his interest in peace, helicopter pilots and their activity, discussions? The various commanders, the infiltrator on the ground and his coming back with information? The stern officer and his being mimicked? The young man joining up, inexperience? The soldier in the office, typing?

12. The audience and involvement in the mission, observing, sharing, the fighting, the heroism, turning into a disaster? Judgments?

13. The crash of the helicopter, the deaths, defeat, the rescue by Pakistanis? The relief, regrouping?

14. The mission, achievement or not? The claim of the film as anti-war? The presentation as pro-war, American mission style?

UNDER THE SHADOW

Iran, UK, Jordan, 2015, 84 minutes, Colour.
Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi.
Directed by Babak Anvari.

As this film opens, it seems as if it is going to be a human story of life in Tehran during the prolonged war of the 1980s, the Iran-Iraq? war, especially with Saddam Hussein and Iraqi forces bombarding Iran, even the city of Tehran.

This reviewer has participated in the number of film festivals in Tehran over the years and one of the main impressions was that Iranians cinema felt the need to tell story after story, film after film, about the experiences of that war, implanted firmly in the Iranians psyche. As this film reminds us, the war began not very long after the Iranian revolution of 1979, the fall and exile of the Shah, the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Initially, the film is very straightforward, matter of fact, with the central character, Shideh, visiting the Dean at the University, applying to return to studies, but told bluntly that she cannot because of her political involvement, on the left, in her time at the University. Her husband, who devoted himself to study in university days, is a successful doctor but has had to respond to the draft sending him for medical work into a dangerous war zone. Shideh is left at home with their five-year-old daughter, Dorsa, though they are urged by the husband to go to stay with his family for safety.

We are treated to various details of life in the apartment block in Tehran, a caretaker and his family, with a young boy who is now mute having been present at the death of his parents; a woman who decides to go to stay with her son in Paris for safety; a kind lady who minds the little girl; a woman with an old father who suffers a heart attack…

And all the time, we hear the noise of the air raids, people hurrying down to the shelter, and a startling episode where a huge bomb comes crashing through the roof, unexploded.

Actually, this is not really the main point of the film.

Dorsa has been listening to the allegedly mute young boy who tell story of the spirits who travel on the winds, the Djins, mysterious and malevolent spirits from the Persian traditions. Gradually, this theme takes over the narrative, mysterious noises and sense of presence which are not from the air raids, objects disappearing, especially the doll that the little girl cherishes, books with leaves flapping in the winds, building up to a powerful atmosphere of haunting, of dread and fear, of mysterious presence and menace…

With the context of the war and the hostile attacks from Iraq, the hostility of the Djins serves as symbolic. But, while the film does give the strong impression of the experience of war and the city under missile siege, it also builds up into quite an atmospheric terror thriller.

1. The impact of the film? The opening realism? The moving into fantasy, haunting, horror? The blend of both in the context of the Iran-Iraq? war of the 1980s?

2. The Tehran setting, the city, filmed in Jordan? The international production collaboration? Re-creation of the Iran of the period? The musical score?

3. The information about the war between Iran and Iraq? The visuals, the footage? The length of the war? The context of the Iranian revolution in 1979? The bombings, the Iraqi missiles on Tehran? The atmosphere of the war?

4. Realism, Shideh, dressed in black, going to the University, the harsh interview, her being told bluntly not to pursue studies, driving home, the checkpoints, her tear? Her past, university studies, her husband studying, her political involvement, the consequences? The influence of her mother for her to become a doctor? The marriage, the tensions, the days of study, her husband and his success, Shideh at home, Dorsa and the care by the neighbours, love for her daughter? Her mother, the photo, the book with the inscription, the death? Packing the books, throwing them out? Dorsa, her age? The husband, the doctor, his work, the draft, his appointment to a danger area? His urging her to go to his parents? The resistance, staying in their own home? Her stances that you look after her daughter?

5. The apartment block, the manager, the issue of the rent, bolting the door of the garage? The boys, the play, the young boy coming after his parents were killed, mute? Shideh seeing Dorsa and playing with the boys, Dorsa repeating the story of the Djin, the later image of the young boy speaking to Shideh?

6. The neighbour, minding Dorsa, the woman and her going to France to stay with her son, the woman and the old father? Shideh and her consulting the wife of the manager, asking her to curb the boy with his stories, the revelation that he was mute?

7. At home, ordinary life, her doing Jane Fonda aerobics, concealing the VCR, finding her videotape in the rubbish?

8. Dorsa, her age, with her father, her mother, her attachment to the doll, wanting it during the sheltering? Her wetting the bed? Being affected by the stories, the meals, fever, temperature, watching the VCR, the continued search for the doll? Her mother finally opening the locked drawer, the doll broken, the mother mending it?

9. The air raids, the noise, the windows, the shelter, the steps, fears, everybody together, the huge bomb coming through the roof, the old man and his collapse, Shideh trying to revive him, failure, the medics, the glazier fixing the room?

10. The phone call to her husband, his harsh comments?

11. The increasing number of noises, the presence and absence of the doll, finding it, Dorsa’s accusations against her mother, the increasing visions, the woman, the huge cloak, Shideh caught in it? Growing dangers, into viscous material on the floor, Dorsa holding out her hand?

12. The decision to leave, the car, driving through the bolted door, on the open road? The future?

13. The background of Persian stories, Djin, ghosts, spirits, carried on the wins? Beliefs superstitions? Fears?

14. A ghost story and haunting in the atmosphere of war and attack?

THE QUEEN OF IRELAND.

Ireland, 2015, 82 minutes, Colour.
Rory O ’Neill.
Directed by Conor Horgan.


Not a reference to Elizabeth II and her role in Northern Ireland. Rather, this is a story from the Irish Republic, and the Queen of Ireland is Panti Bliss, a drag queen who story is told and how he was influential in the Irish referendum of 2015 for marriage equality.

In fact, this film has two aims. Firstly, it tells the story of Rory O’ Neill, from County Mayo, a gay boy growing up in the 1970s who felt out of place, acted out some of his confusion, and became a celebrated drag queen. Secondly, it tells something the story of the Irish referendum and the significance of Panti Bliss in the buildup to the vote.

In order to appreciate this rather cheerful film, a realisation of the background of legislation about homosexuality and Ireland is necessary, the last of the European Union countries to decriminalise homosexual activity. This gives the context to Rory O’ Neill and his growing up, his time at boarding school and his being considered something of a sissy, his decision to go to art school and his interest in design, especially his drawings of women and clothes, his becoming involved in the underground gay culture of Dublin (literally, as he explains, gay clubs in basements with hetero clubs upstairs), his becoming involved in drag performances, spending time in Japan where he found a partner and name, Panti Bliss, and found that he enjoyed performing, jokes, ribald humour, songs, provocative performance.

Much of the film is straight to camera interview with Rory O’ Neill, looking something like a cousin of Graham Norton whereas Panti Bliss looks like a very tall Amy Poehler. Significantly, Rory O’ Neill explains that Panti Bliss is a clown, a tall female cartoon, basically an entertainer, and provocative because she is a court jester and the role of the jester in the past was to be humorous an ironic challenge. This certainly makes sense of her presence and performances.

A number of her friends, writers and producers also comment on the gay culture, relationships, clubs and entertainment.

With the referendum of 2015, Panti Bliss obviously took a stance for the Yes vote for marriage equality. Going on television and interviewed about the issues, national Irish television was sued because of what Panti Bliss said and they offered an apology. Panti Bliss followed this with a performance at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre, making a significant speech, a Noble Appeal, about the issues, understanding, compassion – which was filmed, appeared on YouTube?, received endorsements from people like Stephen Fry, Martina Navratilova, Graham Norton and was the subject of many hits, comments in the media, comments in the parliament.

Both Rory O’ Neill and Panti Bliss participated in the campaign, Panti Bliss doing performances, encouraging street demonstrations, while Rory O’ Neill much more quietly did a great deal of doorknocking and handing out of pamphlets.

While the film has a great deal of footage of the day of the referendum vote and the winning by the Yes campaign, and Panti Bliss going out to meet so many people, congratulations, dancing in the streets, plenty of photos, the film actually ends with Rory O’Neill? going home to County Mayo, with the strong support of his mother and father and sister, and realising that 40 years earlier he had fled the town, now he was returning to do a Panti Bliss performance for relatives and friends – rather rapturously received.

Rory O’ Neill says that tolerance is only a basis and that understanding is more important, that those who voted No, may come to understand the LBGTI community better and that the bad consequences they anticipated did not come about.

(It is very interesting to note that in this film from the once-Catholic country Ireland there is no mention of the Catholic Church at all, nothing about their heritage, nothing about the life of the church, nothing about the abuse cases, nothing about advice for the referendum, just the impression that Ireland is now a Catholic Church-free zone – although one old man does mention genially a picture of the Sacred Heart in prayer.)

BLAIR WITCH

US, 2016, 89 minutes, Colour.
James Allen Mc Cune, Callie Hernandez, Corbin Reid, Brendan Scott, Wes Robinson, Valorie Curry.
Directed by Adam Lingard.

It was 17 years ago, in 1999, that a small budget horror film made more of a mark than it ever anticipated, not only with its eerie tale of an ill-fated search in some dark Maryland woods but with its technique of handheld camera, (jerkiness personified) and the device of found footage. It led to a sequel but the influence of the film extended to many imitations in homages, sometimes an epidemic of found footage!

So, why revisiting of the theme 17 years later? It is too easy to say that the production company wanted to make money, not that they don’t, but this film seems to be one of those labours of love by young filmmakers who admire such films as The Blair Witch Project and who want to do their own version, enjoy creating a variation on the story, are proud of their cinematic techniques, and the desire to give their audiences some good scares.

In many ways these filmmakers succeed here – and their contemporaries, or whom the original film might be a touch of ancient history, will share the enthusiasm of the director and writer and the zest of the cast (not always a likeable lot, not always too easy to identify with) and enjoy Blair Witch on its own modern terms.A guess is that older audiences (and older reviewers) will have a feeling, especially in the first two thirds of the film that they have been there, done that!

The device for this film is that some footage has been found (of course) of the original expedition, and has come into the hands of James, the younger brother of Heather from the original. He feels he ought to conduct a search though police and other agencies have found no trace of the mysterious house in the woods. His girlfriend, Lisa, is interested in making a documentary and is persuaded to go into the woods on the search, along with James’s old friends, Peter and Ashley.They go to visit the young people who found the footage who insist that they come along on the search.

They have a range of cameras, cards, GPS, drone cameras…

A lot of the time is spent in the woods, preternaturally dark for so much of the time, trees and mysterious paths, travelling in circles, mysterious symbols appearing in the trees, loud and cracking noises, wounds to the foot, and plenty of scares in the woods. Of course, it has to be said, that any audience susceptible to these dramatic devices will be scared, agitated, affected by the situations.

Some of the older, more tried critics, then had to admit that once James and Lisa had found the house in the woods (in the dark) and gone inside this rambling and ruined mystery building, it really did become very eerie and at one stage, Lisa catapulted into a vault, trying to squeeze through claustrophobic tunnels, something the critics would dread having to do, it did become really scary.

No real explanations at the end – and probably filmmakers at the ready if they and audiences have the urge to take the narrative further.

1. The impact of the film? Horror? Terror? In comparison with the original, content, found footage, mystery? Handheld camera work? The woods, the dark, the presences? The musical score?

2. The sequel to the original? This film 17 years later? So many other films influenced by the style and content? The original revisited?

3. Situation, 2016, characters, the footage of James’s sister, the decision to go on search?

4. Audience response to the characters, the men and the women, identifying with them or not? Sympathetic? Unsympathetic?

5. Situation, the initial footage being discovered, James and his bond with his sister, his age when she disappeared, his interest in her project, his own project, working with Lisa, her documentary? Friendship with Peter and Ashley?

6. The range of cameras, improvements over the years, GPS, the drone camera, reverse cameras? Seeing them in action? The effect?

7. The visit to Lane and Talia, their personalities, their information, to one wanting to join the group?

8. The woods, the trees, the paths, the search, no house, the drone and the aerial surveys? The dark, fears, the symbols in the trees, Lane and Talia the reaction? Their being ousted? Ashley and the wound to her foot, treatment, infection, the worms? Peter, going off alone, his search? Talia and Lane returning, being ousted, the further symbols? Waking up at two in the afternoon?

9. The final night, Ashley, her foot wound, her leg, rushing away, seeing the drone in the tree, climbing, reaching out, her long fall, being dragged away?

10. James and Lisa, their search, finding the house?

11. The house, the details of the interiors, dark? The lights from the cameras? The apparition of the Blair Witch, appearance, movement? James upstairs, in the corner? Lisa, coming
inside, her fall, the claustrophobic climb through the hole, with James? Their fate?

12. The ending, the terror, no explanations? The latter part of the film and its effectiveness in horror?

HELAS POUR MOI/ WOE IS ME

Frank, 1993, 95 minutes, Colour.
Gerard Depardieu, Laurence Masliah, Bernard Veerley, Aude Amiot.
Directed by Jean- Luc Godard.

This is a film for cineastes, the cinema specialists, those who appreciate arthouse cinema, for fans of intellectual communication via the screen and visual symbols, devotees of director Jean- Luc Godard and his long career, over 50 years from the late 1950s.

Initially, Godard, part of the French New Wave, Nouvelle Vague, chose to make provocative narratives, in black and white, using the stars of the period, by Jean- Paul Belmondo and, especially, Anna Karina. The black-and-white photography was very stylish and the films concentrated on story and meanings.

In the 1960s, he made a transition to colour, still with narratives but with a lessening interest in plot development than with meanings, the films becoming more intellectual, communicating through images, dramatic editing, much less narrative.

This continued into the 1980s and 1990s – where this film fits into his catalogue.There is a provocative title, a hand-pick cast, led by Gerard Depardieu.

While there are narrative elements here, focus on relationship and breakup, the characters tend to be emblems, symbolic characters – and it always seems as if the cast are not actually performing but rather doing what the director asks them to do whether they understand it or not.

There is a juxtaposition of visuals, symbolic and challenging editing, the images making suggestions, evoking intellectual and emotional responses. This means that the quality of the visuals is important, locations, the countryside, water, as well is the interiors. This leads to more cosmic, cosmologican questions and God questions.

So, this is a symbolic cinematic essay probing human nature, sketches of individuals, the relationships, the significance of men, the significance of women, fidelity and infidelity, love falling out – all part of the human struggle.

CALAMITY JANE

US, 1984, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jane Alexander, Frederic Forrest, Ken Kercheval, Walter Olkewicz, Talia Balsam, Walter Scott, David Hemmings.
Directed by James Goldstone.

There have been many films about Calamity Jane and she has been played by many actresses including Jane Russell, Yvonne De Carlo and, possibly best known, Doris Day in the musical with Howard Keel as Wild Bill Hickok.

Jane Alexander, who excelled as a stage actress as well as on-screen, was in her early 40s when she made this film – and served as one of the producers.

There is a visual collage at the opening of the film outlining Jane’s life but the narrative takes up with her work as a scout, her skill as a shooter, her promotion of women in the Army and in other professions, when she encounters Bill Hickok, lawman, and is attracted to him and a drunken Congregational Reverend performs a marriage ceremony and documents it in a page from his Bible.However, the couple did not want people to know, although Jane was in love with Bill and would have been happy to settle down. She and he worked together successfully but he is restless and accepts an invitation from Buffalo Bill Cody to join his travelling actors.

Jane is pregnant, goes out into the mountains, gives birth, and is found by visiting English Captain O’ Neill and his wife who get her some help and then offer to adopt the child. She is reluctant but eventually sees that this would be better for the little girl – and there is secrecy.

Jane has her ups and downs, begins to drink, offends the respectable women in the town, wins money at poker – and visits her daughter during a trip to America from England. She reluctantly accept a proposal of marriage but this is not successful. Later, she is offered a position as a sideshow in the carnival and encounters her daughter once more. Her adoptive father says that Jane can reveal the truth to her daughter who has put her on a pedestal – Jane is unable to tell her the truth. She does accept an invitation from Bill Cody enjoins his travelling troupe.

Many of the Calamity Jane films have a lighter touch – this one moves towards presenting some greater realism. Frederic Forrest is Bill Hickok and in a sympathetic performance David Hemmings is Captain O’ Neill.

1. The popularity of Calamity Jane in American history and folklore? Life, her legend, a cowgirl of the 19th century, performing in Buffalo Bill’s travelling circus? The many film versions contributing?

2. The West in the 19th century, the towns, the open countryside, stagecoach routes, law and order in the towns? The contrast with the American cities, New York City? The popularity of performances by Wild West characters?

3. The opening collage, suggesting the life and the career of Martha Jane Cannery? Origins in the West, upbringing, in the West, action, skill at shooting, the work as a scout, with the Army, a woman in this role?

4. Jane Alexander as Jane, her age, appearance, skill in shooting, her swagger, the feminine touches, the masculine touches, clothes, work, reputation?

5. The stagecoach, the driving, the encounter with Bill Hickok, the two reverends going to the convention, the attack, the driver being shot, cared for, camping overnight, the drinking, the Reverend and his performing the wedding, the document from the Bible? The effect on Jane, on Bill? Their being comfortable with each other?

6. Bill Hickok, his reputation, law and order, his wanting to move on? His relationship with Jane, the marriage? The visit of Bill Cody, Jane dressing up, the gaudy presentation, punching the girl, the effect on Cody, with Hickok and his deciding to move on?

7. Jane, her pregnancy, going out into the cave, surviving there, giving birth? Discovered by Captain O’ Neill and his wife? Their providing the maid and her assistance? The offer to adopt the child? Jane and her devotion to her daughter, thinking that the O’ Neills would offer a better life and education, handing over the baby, Captain O’ Neill and the donation of money, the secrecy?

8. Jane, going back to work, writing the cattle, her reputation? Charlie and his devotion? The continued friendship with Will?

9. O’ Neill and his suggestion that she write her memoirs for her daughter? Learn to write? The manuscripts? The letter to say that O’ Neill and the daughter were in America? The skill at gambling, playing poker, winning the money, turning up to visit her daughter? O’ Neill and his support? The death of his wife? That girl, becoming friendly with Jane, sharing the stories? Jane and offered to live nearby, even to marry Captain O’ Neill, or to go on travels with them?

10. Charlie Burke, his admiration for Jane, his coming to find her, the proposal, heard wariness? Deciding to settle down, the marriage ceremony, the farm, Charlie and his laziness, Jane letting the cattle go, confronting him, leaving?

11. The return, the drinking, the coach, pursued by the Indians, the gymnastics and the riding away, getting older, not looking after herself? Will and his bar? The respectable women of the town objecting – and a huge ruckus and her attack on them? Her going into the sideshows, the continued drinking, Captain O’ Neill and Jean, coming to see her, Jean talking, the invitation to the social? Her dressing up, going, the autographs, the gossip of the women? Captain O’ Neill willing that she reveal to Jean that she was to her daughter? The intention, Jean and her admiration, Jane as a role model? Unable to tell her daughter the truth?

12. The offer from Bill Cody, seeing her practising, her manoeuvres on the horse? Going to Europe, the audiences – and the final close-up on the image of Jane in the moccasins?

13. Bill Hickok, his death, her love for him, buried next to him? The memories of Deadwood?

14. The romanticising of Calamity Jane in other movies? This one moving towards greater realism?

YOUNG ONES

US, 2014, 97 minutes, Colour.
Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Elle Fanning, Kodi Smit- Mc Phee.
Directed by Jake Paltrow.

Young Ones is a rather generic title which does not indicate at all what this film is about by or how it is communicated.

There is a scarcity of water in parts of the United States, the location where this story is set, making it look something like a post-apocalyptic story. But, there is water available and pipes are being built to bring it to the more than drought-stricken areas. In the cities, life seems to be continuing as normal and several times we see commercial planes flying overhead. People can listen to the radio and there are commercials for buying used cars…

Out in the wasteland, people try to survive, and one man with his teenage son, Ernest and Jerome, Michael Shannon and Kodi Smit Mc Phee, have a contract to bring supplies to the pipe installation workers, bringing the goods by donkey. Ernest has faith that the land can still be fruitful when water comes and tries to persuade the workers to divert some of the pipes to this area.

When the donkey is accidentally wounded by Jerome and the father has to shoot it, they go to an auction where artificial carriers, robotlike machines, are being auctioned. The son of the auctioneer, Fleming, Nicholas Hoult, is eager to buy the machine but is outbid. He is also having an affair with Ernest’s daughter, Mary, Elle Fanning.

Fleming is a resentful young man against Ernest and also ambitious and is the catalyst for some disasters and deaths. The water is diverted and the land renewed, crops growing again, and Jerome and Mary settling down with Fleming. However, something of Fleming’s treachery is discovered by Jerome and the film moved towards a violent vendetta.

The structure of the film is in three chapters, one focusing on Ernest, the next on Fleming, the last on Jerome.

The film is interestingly written and performed and it keeps audience interest. Direction is by Jake Paltrow, whose work has mainly been with television series but also directed the Good Night and a documentary about Brian De Palma.


1. Science-fiction story told in a “normal” world situation? The touch of the apocalyptic with the lack of water? Yet the possibilities of finding more water and prospering? The difficulties of people on the outskirts of the city, in the desert? Watching the planes fly overhead, listening to the radio broadcasts, the commercials for used cars?

2. The credibility of the plot, the people on the outskirts, the absence of water, the rerouting of pipes, the value of the land, ownership, banks, trading and bringing goods to workers in the desert?

3. The location photography, South African locations, the desert, the mountains, the homes, the pipelines, the wells? The musical score?

4. The telling of the story, in chapters, the particular focus of each chapter? The strong cast – and Michael Shannon disappearing after the first chapter?

5. The opening, the setting of the desert, the family, the home, father and son and their working together, the donkey, transporting the supplies, the reaction of the workers? The first chapter focusing on Ernest? His age, his drinking, reform? The effect on his wife, violence, her being in the institution, his visits, her being connected to the wires? His relationship with Jerome, wanting him to call him dad? Yet bonding with him, spending time with him, proud of him? The contrast with his attitude towards Mary, harsh, restrictive?

6. His work, with the men, the deals, the alcohol? The donkey, Jerome and the death of the donkey? Ernest and his tolerance? Their going to the auction, outbidding Fleming? Getting the machine? Using it for transporting? Fleming and his attitude?

7. Ernest, the clash with Fleming, buying the machine, Fleming being vindictive? Trying to persuade the men about the pipeline? The fight, the bashing, the knife? Fleming and his dealing with Ernest, argument, throwing the stone, the blood and the concussion, dragging him, Ernest’s death?

8. Jerome, his age, devoted to his father, his friendship with Fleming? The aftermath of his father’s death, Fleming and his relationship with Mary? Her pregnancy?

9. Mary, her character, household chores and washing with sand, anger with her father, relationship with Fleming, pregnant, wanting the money, perhaps an abortion? Are plans to leave with Fleming? her father’s death and her grief? The funeral? Brother and sister visiting their mother in hospital?

10. Fleming, only son, his father and the deals? The other old men and their surviving?

11. The rerouting of the pipes, Fleming and his ownership of the land, the water, the land being fruitful, Jerome and his seeing the initial shoot, the collage of further shoots, the crops growing, fruitfulness?

12. Seeming peace, Mary and her pregnancy, Jerome and his work, Fleming and prosperity?

13. Second chapter and the focus on Fleming and his achievement? The third chapter and the focus on Jerome and his new awareness?

14. Fleming, with Robbie and the girl, Ernest and is strict instructions to Robbie, Robbie wanting to get money and the prospect of selling the child? The discovery that the child was a doll? Fleming, his anger, killing Robbie? The pretense that he was still alive?

15. Jerome finding the machine, the filming, his seeing the wounding of his father and his death? Biding his time with Fleming? Telling him he had messages from Robbie?

16. The final confrontation, Fleming in the hole, Jerome and the gradual revelation of the truth, watching Fleming, Fleming and his protests, his schemes? The irony that Ernest was in debt to the bank and his father telling Fleming that the bank would take over the land – and Fleming’s devices to do business in getting the money, having the knife from the workers on
the pipe rerouting?

17. Fleming, his presuming that Jerome would not kill him, his death?

18. Mary, worried about Fleming not returning, the brother and sister sitting at the table, Jerome not telling her the truth – and moving into the future?

HE WHO MUST DIE/ CELUI QUI DORT MOURIR

France, 1957, 127 minutes, Black and white.
Jean Servais, Carl Mohner, Gregoire Aslan, Gert Frobe, Melina Mercouri, Roger Hanin, Pierre Vaneck, Nicole Berger, Maurice Ronet, Ferdinand Ledoux.
Directed by Jules Dassin.

He Who Must Die is now considered something of a classic of the 1950s.

In retrospect, it became more interesting to watch because of the authorship of Nicolas Kazantszakis, Christ Re-crucified, and Martin Scorsese filming his novel, with a great deal of controversy surrounding its release, The Last Temptation of Christ, 1988.

This is a story of the island of Crete, from where Kazantszakis came from and where we he was excommunicated, like the Shepherd character here, by the Greek Orthodox Church, in the 1920s, and under Turkish rule and occupation. The film opens with the Turks ousting the population from a village and destroying it, the people, with the leadership of their Orthodox priest on the road, as refugees and pilgrims, seeking help from another village which is also led by priest.

The locals are against the refugees, the priest using his authoritarian power to repel them, claiming that they are suffering from cholera. The group, suffering from hunger, take refuge in barren fields in the mountains, attempting some cultivation – but sympathetic villagers find that there is no cholera and make attempts to persuade the village to help them.

The context is the putting on of a traditional Passion Play, something familiar from Catholic countries but here presented in the Orthodox tradition, with the local priest naming some of the citizens to play the gospel characters – with whom they begin to identify more and more, especially a local shepherd with a stammer who is to play Jesus, a bar keeper and a postman who play apostles, the son of the local mayor who is to play John, one of the villagers, sinister, who is to be Judas. Local prostitute, Katarina, is, of course, to be Mary Magdalene.

The film is directed by American Jules Dassin had fallen foul of the House of Un American Activities enquiries and had to leave the United States after a successful career with a number of film noirs while in the 1940s. exile In France made such films as Rififii and Topkapi. He who Must Die is a French production. Dassin was to marry his star, Melina Mercouri who had a long career in the Greek parliament and who appeared in quite a number of his films including Never on Sunday, Promise at Dawn.

There is a very strong French cast in the central roles led by Jean Servais as the kindly priest and Fernand Ledoux is the authoritarian priest who becomes more and more like Caiaphas of the Gospels in his condemnation of the shepherd, in his heartlessness, in his dealings with the Turkish authority who is obviously the equivalent of Pontius Pilate. Peter Vaneck is the shepherd who is to be Jesus, Maurice Ronet is John, Gert Frobe is the mayor, Gregoire Aslan is the Agha.

While the village does not put on the play in its formal sense, the experience of the players and the encounter with the refugees and their plight, leading to the death of the shepherd and his continued support for those caring for the refugees means that the story itself is a passion play and the shepherd is a Christ figure.

1. The classic status of the film? Of the 1950s? Set in Greece and Crete in the 1920s? A French perspective?

2. Novelist Nicolas Kazantszakis, his literary status, his experiences in Greece, Crete? The Orthodox Church? His excommunication?

3. The work of the director, in the US, brought before the House of Un- American Activities, his having to leave the US and work in Europe? Ben Barzman as his writer?

4. Black-and-white photography, Cinemascope, the Crete locations, the landscapes, the mountains, rocky terrain, the harshness? The village, homes? The fields, the sheep? The church? The musical score?

5. The tradition of the Passion Play in European countries? Catholic traditions? Orthodox traditions? The casting from people in the village? The authority of the church? The status of the cast and their life in the village?

6. The tradition of the Christ-figure? The casting of the play, the characters, their identifying, acting out their gospel character, the consequences? Manolios as the Christ-figure?

7. The Turkish occupation, rule, the initial destruction, Priest Fotis, Loucas, the people as refugees, pilgrims, on the road, the trek into the interiors?

8. The village, the Agha, a dilettante, the boy, the music, his eating, life of ease? His collaboration with the mayor? The coexistence of Turks and Greeks? His attitude towards the church, Christians fighting against each other, more favourable comparisons with Islam, the role of Allah, the role of heaven?

9. The rich and poor in the town, ordinary people, tradespeople, the owner of the bar and his shrewish wife, the postman and his steaming open the letters, the news? The shepherd and his stammer? Katarina as prostitute? The Judas character in the town? Michelis, son of the mayor? Their lives?

10. The town meetings, the council, the role of the priest? His naming the players and their accepting? Authoritarian?

11. The postman, the barman, as James and Peter? The serious choice, taking the role seriously? Michelis is John? The Judas figure?

12. The arrival of the refugees, fears? Townspeople not offering any welcome, the leadership of the priest, his claiming cholera, ousting the people, their taking to the barren hills? Manolios going to visit, the postman and the barman, their telling the priest in the town that there was no cholera? The issues of survival for the people? Michelis and his support of Manolios? Michelis and his fiancee, her love, anxious, taking sides against Michelis?

13. The appeal to the priest, his hierarchical attitudes, belief that God decreed who was rich and who was poor? His fears? The confrontation with Manios, ex-communicating him? Michelis backing down?

14. Katarina, her place in the village, cheerful, her reputation, the massage for the mayor, the Judas character and his visits to her house, her cutting him off? The attraction to Manolios?
Then thinking him a coward, a change of heart, admiration for him? Her Mary Magdalene experiences? The ultimate stance, holding Manolios like the Pieta? (And there being no place for Mary, mother of Jesus in this Passion play?)

15. The situation, the Turks and the equivalent of Roman occupation of Judaea? The Agha and taking the easy way out, the priest and the threats? His talking to Manolios, going to the besieged group, the plausibility of Manolios backing down? The priest, his continued urging of the authorities, the Pontius Pilate and high priest situation? Manolios, collapse, dying – but declaring that he would be with the people always?

16. The priest, the worst of religion and authority? The contrast with Fotis and the pastoral priest leading the refugee people?

17. Fotis, his leadership, the good man, Manolios and Michelis supporting him, the postman of the barman, persuading the group to come down, their attempts at cultivating the fields, the hunger, the death of those starving? The confrontation with the council, the man who went to warn them, took their side, his being shot in the confrontation? Fears and the group
retreating?

18. Michelis, his father disowning him? His father dying, the reconciliation, the Agha and the shared drink, perspectives on heaven and hell? His will, bequeathing everything to his son? Going to the priest, his burning the will, his decrees? Michelis taking the refugees to the store, feeding them?

19. The preparations for battle, Michelis and his leadership, Loukas and his death, Manolios and his inspiration?

20. The allegory of the gospel? The communication of the gospel message? The relevance of the film 60 years later – and Greece and its experience of Syrian refugees?