THE GIRL FROM TENTH AVENUE

US, 1935, 69 minutes, Black and white.
Bette Davis, Ian Hunter, Colin Clive, Alison Skipworth, John Eldredge.
Directed by Alfred E. Green.

The Girl from 10th Avenue is based on a play, a slight film, a vehicle for Ian Hunter who had come from South Africa and had appeared in many Warner Bros films in the 1930s and 40s – returning to England in the 1950s. It is a star vehicle for Bette Davis, the year after winning her first Oscar for Dangerous. Colin Clive, from the Frankenstein films, is in support.

The film focuses on a society wedding, the drunkenness of Ian Hunter as Geoffrey Sherwood who feels he has been jilted. He encounters a young working girl, Bette Davis, who takes pity on him, marries him while he is drunk, decides to spend her time helping him and rehabilitating him. In the meantime, like Pygmalion, she improves her social status, especially with the help of her landlady, played by comedienne Alison Skipworth. Eventually, the society marriage breaks up, the wife flirts once again with Geoffrey, he is tempted – but Bette Davis and Alison Skipworth go to a restaurant, have a confrontation with the wife, including her throwing a grapefruit. Bette Davis regains her dignity. However, Ian Hunter continued to collapse, finally confronting the wife, realising he loves Bette Davis – and returning to her for a happy ending.

The film was directed by Alfred E. Green, prolific director of silent films as well as films and television from the 30s to the 50s. His high point was directing The Jolson Story.

One of the many films of a similar kind coming from Warner Bros during the 1930s – supporting features yet providing opportunity for up-and-coming stars.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN – VAMPIRE HUNTER

US, 2012, 105 minutes, Colour.
Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rufus Sewell, Marton Csokas, Joseph Mawle.
Directed by Timur Bekmambetov.

Well, the title is certainly provocative. It may mean that serious moviegoers (and historians and history aficionados) may be crossing it off their list of must-see films. That would leave only the action and graphic novel fans (which could, of course, include some historians) and the curious. This review comes from a curious historian.

If someone is going to make a film with this title and with this imagination, it might as well be done like this. I am not sure whether I should be writing this – but I enjoyed it, especially the playing with history (somewhat like Anonymous with Shakespeare’s plays and the Duke of Oxford) which in no way undermines the reputation of Lincoln. For those concerned about Lincoln and history, Steven Spielberg’s forthcoming portrait with Daniel Day Lewis will set the record straight.

So, what is happening here? Graphic novelist, Z, has adapted his story for the screen. And the director is the flamboyant Timur Bekmambetov (the Russian films Day… and the American actioner, Wanted). Supported by designers, costumers and seemingly legions of special effects experts, he offers a colourful film, playing with vampire myths and inserting them into Lincoln’s life as well as the waging of the Civil War.

Apparently, when Lincoln was a boy, a savage plantation owner (Marton Cokas) is confronted by Lincoln’s father when his wife is attacked and killed. The boy had been defending his black friend, William. Lincoln is bent on revenge until he meets a vampire hunter, Henry (Dominic Cooper), is instructed in confronting evil as well as in fight and weaponry techniques plus a philosophy of ridding the world of evil instead of being Abe works in a store, is dragged to meet Mary Todd whom he eventually marries.

He begins to study law, is persuaded to become political, especially after he meet Wiiliam (Anthony Mackie) again and, especially when he is tricked into travelling to New Orleans to a vampire coven to rescue the abducted William and becomes aware of slavery first hand. The coven is presided over by the arch villain, Adam (Rufus Sewell). Lincoln becomes the advocate of freedom for slaves, especially when he is elected to the congress and, of course, when he becomes president.

At these stages, the vampire hunting becomes less, the social, poiitical and freedom issues come to the fore (which could make the action fans who may not be on the history wavelength rather fidgety).

The author works the vampires into the Civil War scenarios. Adam wants to win the war so that American will become a free vampire country. But… with some twists and inventiveness and a huge set piece on a train with a vampire attack as well as a bridge set alight (quite spectacularly) and the train on the verge of plunging off the bridge.

Obviously, as Abe speaks the Gettysburg address, he has more in mind here than freedom from slavery – a realization of what might have been.

While Benjamin Walker (looking like a younger Liam Neeson) and the cast play it straight, the vampire cast, especially Rufus Sewell, have tongues in cheek. This invites us to take it all seriously even when we know it is all made up and far-fetched. It could set precedents for heroics of other presidents. ‘Teddy Rooseveldt in Cuba, Voodoo Pursuit’?

1. The title, expectations? Serious? Comic?

2. The basis in a graphic comic? Invention? Fact and fiction combined? The heroic Lincoln? In his politics? In vampire hunting? The combination? The visuals of graphic novels? Action?

3. Audience knowledge of Lincoln, history, the issues in the United States, the Civil War? His assassination?

4. Audience response to vampires, vampire legends, folklore, explanations?

5. 19th century America, Illinois, 1818, New Orleans, Washington DC, the Civil War, recreation of the period? Musical war?

6. The Civil War, the action sequences, the visceral presentation of the battles, reality, the vampires fighting? The special effects?

7. Abraham Lincoln as a boy, his encounter with Jack Barts? Barts’ appearance, the attack? The friendship with William, defending William, interracial friendship? Lincoln’s father, his debts, his wife, the attack, death? Lincoln and his revenge motivation?

8. The passing of the years, Lincoln and his search for Barts, his motivation, the build-up to the confrontations?

9. The bar, the encounter with Henry, the gun, their discussions, Henry recruiting Lincoln, the extensive training, weapons, folklore about vampires, axes, silver? Henry and his list? The types who became vampires? Lincoln and the confrontations, the hunting, the fights, deaths, burial?

10. The diary and its importance? Lincoln and his confiding his thoughts and feelings?

11. Lincoln settling down, the friendship with Joshua Speed? Helping him, work, the ball, the encounter with Mary, the dancing, the suitors, the picnic – and the marriage?

12. Mary, a strong character, determined, the senator, the invitation to work for politics?

13. William, his arrival, friendship with Lincoln, their working together, the capture, Lincoln going to New Orleans? The encounter with Adam, the vampires, the party, the fight and escape? The introduction of the slave route?

14. The character of Adam, ageless, his associates, the history of slaves, the pyramids, surviving, his wanting a vampire nation?

15. Lincoln, his speech, the people listening to him, going into politics, going to Washington, election as president, the verge of Civil War, slavery issues, William and Speed and their support? Mary?

16. The female vampire and her role in the White House, playing with her son, the son’s death, Mary and her bitterness?

17. Henry, his reappearance, helping Lincoln, the fights, the time for the final confrontation with Barts?

18. Slavery, the south, the refuge in the north? Henry and the visuals of war, his advice, the dead?

19. The confederate soldiers, Jefferson Davis? Adam and his influence? The vampires, the fight, slaughter?

20. The politics, Adam and his role, Jefferson Davis and the leadership of the south, the vampire warriors?

21. Lincoln, desperation, the discovery of the fork and the silver, collecting the silver, transforming it?

22. Speed his going to Adam, acting the part of the traitor? The build-up to the train, the voyage, the guards? The silver, the vampires and their lying in wait for ambush?

23. The train, the attack, the vampires, the woman and the confrontation with Lincoln? The axe, her death? The action sequences, the high bridge, burning, the irony of the rocks instead of the silver?

24. The alternate route, Mary and her leaving the White House, the arrangement with the slaves, the vampires and the confrontation? The delivery of the silver? The consequences for the Civil War? The use of the silver? Adam, the confrontation with Mary, the necklace?

25. The Gettysburg Address – the film’s relying on serious aspects of history? Incorporating the Civil War battles as well as Gettysburg? Lincoln, his reputation, his death?

26. The epilogue, Henry, his continuing to live, his place in the 21st century – and continuing to recruit?

27. The imagination of the writers, the director? The graphic novel – history, fiction and what if ....?
 

HIGHER GROUND

US, 2011, 109 minutes, Colour.
Vera Farmiga, Joshua Leonard, Norbert Leo Butz, Michael Chernus, McKenzie? Turner, Donna Murphy, John Hawkes, Bill Irwin, Taissa Farmiga, Dagmara Dominczyk.
Directed by Vera Farmiga.

Vera Farmiga, a versatile actress in quite diverse roles in films like The Departed, Breaking and Entering, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas or Up in the Air, has taken on demanding tasks for her first film as director by playing the lead as well. For those who ‘get’ the film (and there will be many who don’t because it deals with themes of religion and challenges to faith), she has done good work in both directing and acting.

The film is based on a memoir by Caroline S. Briggs, ‘The Darkest Hour’ and she has co-written the script with Timothy Metcalfe. Because it is a memoir rather than a biography, the film uses memoir structure: moments are glimpsed; motivations are implied sometimes rather than being spelt out; characters may also seem enigmatic or underdeveloped as the screenplay quickly moves from times and places in leaps rather than in ordered and explained progression.
That said, the film is fascinating for anyone who is concerned about religion, especially popular religion and what is often called ‘simple faith’. While devout simple faith can be a great solace and sustenance, we realise that for many it is not enough. Important questions about life and its meaning are ignored at one’s peril, an opting out that can lead to a blind and/or stubborn hanging on to the words of belief without reflection, or a shattering of the fragilities of faith leading to giving up on religious effort or despair.

Corinne, as a little girl, was stirred by an eager preacher and put her hand up to say that she had made a choice for Jesus. At home, things are not so easy: a drinking father, a carefree mother, the tragedy of a death at birth. As Corinne grows up (and Vera Farmiga takes on the role), she writes and thinks but becomes infatuated with a young band member, Ethan, who invites her to write a song with him. The older Ethan is played well by Joshua Leonard. Pregnancy and marriage follow in that order. When, some band members are fooling around in a bus and cause it to swerve into a river, Corinne’s and Ethan’s baby does not die as they had feared. From then on both become believers and members of a home church, led by an enthusiastic preacher (where men preach and women, dressed modestly, don’t).

Years go by until one of Corinne’s close friends, Annika (an engagingly exuberant performance by Dagmara Dominczyk) has a brain tumour and Corinne begins to give voice to her questions about suffering and God’s presence and absence. The help she gets is not sufficient to help her resolve her issues and her husband’s and children’s continuing devout lives. Some have complained that the film leaves the audience up in the air concerning Corinne’s decision, but there are several, non-verbal indications that tell their story satisfyingly.

The film presents evangelical Christians as they are, positive and negative and response will depend on presuppositions audiences bring to the film as to whether they approve/agree with these Christians, their faith, the Jesus-language, their charismatic approach to prayer and sharing, their moral codes (and patriarchal leadership). For mainstream church audiences, the film is a challenge to them as to how they believe, how they express that faith and speak of Jesus, how they respond to questions about God. It is a challenge to those in leadership and spiritual direction as to how they would listen to such a Christian, evaluate their prayer experiences and assist them in discerning God’s place in their lives.
Vera Farmiga made some observations on her approach to the film. She herself comes from an American Ukrainian Catholic background:
‘You've got fundamentalism, and you've got relativism. I wanted to push both ways and try to come at it from a middle ground.’
‘My dad is someone who feels the breath of God on his face. He's tapping into something that I have yet to tap into - and yearn to.’
‘Doubt is the middle position between knowledge and ignorance. It encompasses cynicism but also genuine questioning.’
(On any difficulties she encountered in casting 'Higher Ground'):] It should have been a lot harder. I'd say, 'It's about a woman enmeshed in this very particular spiritual community who's trying to conceptualize and define God for herself'. And you use the word 'God' and people quake with fear. That's when I started to realize what a touchy, bizarre, sensitive, combative subject matter it is.


1. The impact of the film for religious audiences, non-religious audiences, evangelicals, mainstream Christians? American audiences, non-Americans? The critique of religion? Of evangelical churches and communities? For or against?

2. The work of Vera Farmiga, as director, star? Her focus? Her religious journey, seeking for faith, presence of God? The audience and their sharing the journey, their judgment of her?

3. The work of Carolyn Briggs and her memoir? The title, This Dark World? The various chapters – and the captions, illustrating Corinne’s journey?

4. The locations in New York State, the evocation of the south, the Bible belt, evangelical communities? The locations, the town and homes, the church and schools, libraries etc? Sense of realism?

5. The musical score, the range of hymns throughout the whole film, the lyrics and their relationship to the plot, the familiar hymns, the way that they were inserted into the narrative? The cumulative effect of the hymns and the singing?

6. The opening, Ethan and his praising the Lord, the range of immersions, the sense of realism – and the comic touches?

7. The flashbacks to Corinne as a young girl, within her family, her relationship with Wendy, her mother and her style, wanting glamour, non-religious, the issue of the accordion and the salesman, and saying Corinne was not musical? Her father, his drinking, fighting with his wife? The development of the characters – especially for their later appearances in the film?

8. Corinne, the Sunday school, Pastor Bud and his spiel, tap tap on the microphone, tap tap on the heart, Jesus calling the children, urging them to put their hands up, their special day, Corinne putting her hand up, Wendy not putting hers up? The effect? Why? Corinne’s later reflections? Explanations to her mother?

9. The teenage Carolyn and Wendy, their sharing the room, Wendy and her worldly touches, Corinne and her diary? Study, reading, not being allowed to read Lord of the Flies – but later the librarian giving it to her? Going to church?

10. At school, the encounter with Ethan, talking, sharing, his music, the group? The title of The Renegades? Performances? Ethan wanting to write with Corinne, their composing the song? Ethan as a character, worldly, Corinne and her love for him, pregnancy, the wedding celebration?

11. The birth of their child, going travelling with the group, the permissive lifestyle, the crash, the bus in the river, saving the baby? Reliance on God?

12. The religious experience, motivations, Ethan and his singing, Corinne and her immersion, her leading songs outdoors?

13. Pastor Bud as a person, church leader, his knowledge of texts, his exhortatory style, urging people to share? Genial, the nature of his leadership?

14. The community, young, families, enclosed, the reliance on biblical texts, acknowledgment of God’s will, the dominance of men, hierarchical, the women correcting Corinne, her dress and her shoulders? Women’s roles, not preaching? At the meetings, the testimonies? The men and the reflections on sex, the sex tapes and their language?

15. Corinne and her friendship with Annika, Annika’s vivacity, yet devout? Her love for Ned? The humour of the penis drawing? Corinne and her sexual fantasies, lascivious, with Annika? The driving lessons, the policeman pulling them up, Annika’s voice pretence? Ordinary life, the years passing, food, visits, support? Annika and her praying in tongues? Corinne and her wanting to have the gift of tongues, asking for explanations, talking about the mystical experience, in the bathroom trying to induce tongues? Annika and the news of the tumour, Corinne going to the hospital, Ned and his care for Annika, going to the meetings, Annika and her restrictions and helplessness?

16. Corinne, her relationship with her children, the birth of the son, the difficulties? The years? With Ethan, the family? Her own father, his stopping drinking, change, becoming a genial presence?

17. Sharing with Ethan, Ethan and his strong religiosity, singing in the church, with the children? Corinne and her wanting to study? Changing, open to other experience, Ethan not changing?

18. Wendy coming to stay, her worldly background, yawning at church, the drugs and the children with the drugs, her leaving?

19. Corinne and religion, her past, continually wanting God, using the language of religion, the Scriptures, even tending towards preaching and being rebuked, grace before meals, her singing, yet her questions? Yearning for more?

20. The growing exasperation, confronting Ethan, leaving, the apartment and her mother helping her, the landlady’s talk about fanatical evangelicals? Going to the library, books, meeting the postman, the discussion about books, Yeats and his reading the poem, the postman with the children, possibilities for Corinne?

21. The sports event, the harsh words to Ethan, his bewilderment? Her anger and frustration?

22. Going to the therapist, his seeing himself as a prophet, the preaching kind of language, urging Corinne to stay with her husband? Not hearing her yearnings?

23. The birthday party, her son, her mother with her new husband, her father, the remembering of the past, love, the children, wanting the photo, the wedding photo and the cake – and Corinne unable to kiss Ethan?

24. Corinne going to the church, her speech to the congregation about herself, their not applauding, bewilderment? The hymn, the singing? Her kissing Ethan – and the exit from the church?

25. The issues of discernment, the inability of the evangelicals to go beyond God’s word, not listening to the human heart, the failure in spiritual direction? Corinne’s future – as religious, experiencing God’s presence, reconciling with Ethan or not? A familiar story for many people in the contemporary world?
 

COSMOPOLIS

Canada, 2012, 109 minutes, Colour.
Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Sarah Gadon, Mathieu Amalric, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, K' Naan, Emily Hampshire, Samantha Morton, Paul Giamatti.
Directed by David Cronenberg.

It requires an initial commitment to stay to watch Cosmopolis, otherwise audiences might be making for the exit quick smart. The commitment is to David Cronenberg and his career and a film of talk and ideas rather than images and action.

Cronenberg has adapted a novel by Don de Lillo. The screenplay is wordy, often poetically wordy, often philosophically or existentially wordy. It often plays more like radio than cinema.

Cosmopolis is a big American city, a financial centre, a city the American president is visiting, a city of protest (which is where the main action sequences are found), a city of enterprise as well as resentment and violence.
For a great deal of the film, the existential tycoon hero is seated in his stretch limousine where underlings communicate with him, where he has a liaison (with Juliette Binoche), where he drives to have a haircut (in fact, only half) and then to answer a mysterious call from a man who wants to shoot him.

Some of the success of the film (or not) depends on response to Robert Pattinson in the central role. In the Twilight series, Pattinson is more of a passive presence and this is the case here. An enigma. He does initiate communication but his manner is more passive than active. Perhaps he is ultimately more of a victim than a hero, but when he comes alive in the final twenty minutes, dramatically playing off Paul Giamatti who makes a powerful impression as the disturbed and disgruntled gunman, he is more impressive.

While there are the action sequences, reminiscent of so many political protests, the action is more a succession of episodes where the mysterious millionaire who manipulates markets and currencies receives a succession of characters from bodyguard to chauffeur, from financial whizkids to women friends (though he does get out of the limousine to go to a diner with a woman friend).

The screenplay has a lot to say about our world, corporations, power and manipulation as well as existential topics of identity and meaning. One can read de Lillo and pause and reflect. Cosmopolis doesn’t always afford that kind of space which means leaving the cinema more puzzled than satisfied.

1. David Cronenberg and his career, audience expectations, themes, philosophy? The visuals?

2. The novel of Don De Lillo, the popular novel, filmable or not? A verbal novel – and the transition to monologues and dialogues on screen?

3. The anonymous city, the title? Universal? Exotic? As seen from the limousine? The presidential visit, terror and fears? The ordinary life in the streets, life in the limousine? The demonstrations? Benno Levin’s house? The musical score?

4. The use of the limousine, the range of equipment, the advice on financial matters, sexual encounters, business deals?

5. Robert Pattinson as Eric? His age, career, success, family, wealth, business acumen? A passive personality? Active? Enigma? The blend of the callow and the deep? The flip and the serious? His being in the limousine? Marriage and money? His aims, the market? Market theories? His paranoia and the questions? Control or destruction? The haircut issue? His discussions with Shiner in the back of the car? Financial theories? The further discussions with Michael? Seeing Elise, getting out of the car, the breakfast, the sexual relationship, the talk, the office? Didi and her coming into the car, the sexual encounter, the discussions? His relationship with his security guard? The discussions with Vija, her advice, financial theories? Going for the haircut, the barber and the talk, the message, his leaving with the haircut half done? His being driven by the chauffeur, the discussions, puzzling where the limousines were held overnight?

6. How well delineated were the characters, just seen in their encounters with Eric: Didi, the guard, Shiner, Michael, Vija? The chauffeur? The barber?

7. The issue of the gun, buying the gun? The message, going to the apartment, finding Levin?

8. Levin, the messy apartment, the toilet, the gun, the shooting? Levin in himself, aged forty-one, the talk, his reflections, his intentions? The shooting? The final questions?

9. The images, the radio? The visuals of the apartment?

10. The demonstrations in the city, the reasons, the presidential visit, the visuals, the crowds, the young, Eric and his reactions?

11. The revelations about Eric? Levin and the issue of the yuan, discussions about patterns of finance?

12. The existential nature of the film, the dialogue, the philosophising? Purpose, life, identity, being known or not, appreciated? Futility?

13. The verbal nature of the film? How cinematic? Audience attention, capacity for reflection?

THE CAMPAIGN

US, 2012, 85 minutes, Colour.
Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan Mc Dermott, John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd, Brian Cox.
Directed by Jay Roach.

2012, US election year and incessant, minder-controlled, media-driven, down and dirty campaigning. So, why not a topical comedy, hit and miss variety, funny and serious, a cross between the humour of skits on Saturday Night Live and the humour of movies like The Hangover?

Director Jay Roach is best known for the Austin Power spoofs as well as the Meet The Fockers series. But, in recent years, he has directed two significant HBO films on American politics, Recount (on the Bush- Gore confusion in Florida, 2000) and Game Change, a forceful look at the choice of Sarah Palin as John Mc Cain’s running partner and the campaign of 2008. He is obviously on the wavelength. This is a spoof, parody (with some serious criticisms, especially of billionaire manipulators of trade and industry and unlimited profits). There was a similar kind of film with Kevin Costner,

This is a Will Ferrell comedy. Ferrell never minds appearing as a fool or a slob, or both. He gets the chance here, as a North Carolina congressman, nominating for his district unopposed. He is a sleaze. Two brothers with more money than patriotism, John Lithgow and Dan Aykroyd relishing their roles, decide that they need a stooge to buy up land, sell it to China and then build local sweatships to avoid transport. They choose the dumbest candidate, Marty Huggins, played by Zach Galifiniakis. Galifiniakis can be very funny or obnoxiously unfunny. This time he is very good. His is a role that might have starred Jack Black, and it looks as though Galifiniakis has seen Black’s excellent performance in Bernie and taken over some of the mannerisms and body language.

The campaign is rough as Brady wants to win at all costs (and produces foul TV ads and behaves accordingly). However, his manager, Jason Sudeikis (who can be crass as in Horrible Bosses but is decency in this one) can’t support him. Meanwhile, sinister Dermot Mulroney controls Marty, making him play the dirty game. But, of course, Marty, we know, will rebel, and there will be an honorable ending (even more than anticipated).

Yes, a lot of the film is quite vulgar. But, a lot of it is very funny (especially a Chinese housekeeper whose boss wants her to speak like an old Southern mammy to remember the past, and who has the final word, in Latino accent). There is a guest appearance by the dog from The Artist, one of many throwaway funny bits – with a literal punchline. Political bias? The Republican candidate is nicer than the Democrat! Funny while forgettable.

1. A spoof of American election campaigns? The background of satire and Saturday Night Live? The tongue-in-cheek tone? The crass humour? The overall effect?

2. Released in the context of the 2012 election, the style of the campaigns, regulations – and beyond?

3. The picture of Democrats and Republicans? Variety of stances? Right and left? Corporations?

4. The comic styles of Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis? Of the supporting cast? The cameos?

5. The introduction, Cam Brady, Mitch and his being the campaign manager? Cam’s wife, son? In himself, many terms in office? His relationships with people? Values, external? Private immorality? His speeches, the platitudes about God and religion? His sexual attitudes, the campaigner and his relationship? His wife and her attitudes? His presumption of success? The meetings, the papers, submitting for nomination?

6. The Motch brothers, John Lithgow and Dan Aykroyd, satirising big business and corporations? The personalities of each of the brothers? Their money, the links with China, the factories and conditions? Wanting a candidate? Buying the land, the American factories, conditions, exploiting people? Choosing Marty?

7. Marty, in himself, his walk, talk, manner? His working for the company, the tours? His guide spiel? The phone call? The maid and her being African American, imitating the accents of the south? Marty’s brother, the clashes between the two? Marty’s father? The past, his being bullied, the tickling episodes? His accepting the nomination? Going to his family, the meal, everybody sharing their secrets – and the comic touches about American secrets and behaviour?

8. Tim Wattley, a sinister presence, intruding into the family, change of house, getting the furniture out? Vetting the speeches? The attack mode? The handshaking, the low talk? The debate and reactions?

9. The satire on campaign advertisements, the media? Father and son advertisements? Mitzi, her relationship with Cam, sex? The Chinese background, communist accusations? The nature of the debates, the questions? The religious dimensions, the naming of Jesus, the Lord’s Prayer – and Cam not knowing it? His faltering rendition?

10. Mitzi, her love for Marty, the kids, the failure, the confession?

11. Blitzer, the satire on dogs?

12. Wattle moving into the house, his surveillance?

13. Marty, his reaction, his resignation, the interchange with the Motches? With Wattley? The deciding that Cam should be the candidate?

14. The organising office? Promotion, the managers, Cam and his erratic behaviour, firing people? The salacious ads – and his playing them? Mitch and his integrity, leaving?

15. Cam, the Motch brothers, the double-talk?

16. The campaign, Marty continuing, his telling the truth – and his loss?

17. Cam, his wife, the victory, her double standards? The Motch brothers? Cam, his resignation, the truth?

18. The irony of the situation in Washington, Marty as the member? Cam as his adviser? The defeat of the Motch brothers?

19. The overall comedy, American style, broad? The effect in 2012?

STRANGE MAGIC

US, 2015, 99 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Alan Cumming, Evan Rachel Wood, Elijah Kelley, Meredith Anne Bull, Sam Palladio, Kristen Chenoweth, Alfred Molina, Maya Rudolph, Peter Stormare.
Directed by Gary Rydstrom.

Strange Magic is a brightly coloured animated film, a literal fairy story.

We are introduced to a fairytale forest, full of light and colour, contrasting with the dark wood, full of evil creatures, a clash between the two, especially concerning the growth of primroses from which a love potion can be distilled, to the delight of fairies and a threat to the control of the goblins.

The film is designed principally for a younger audience given the characters and the fairy behaviour. Adult audiences might find it too much of a fairytale, although parents who watch the film with their children may be attracted by the range of songs, one introduced every few minutes, starting with Chanson D’ Amour, I’ll never fall in love again, a great range of pop songs in between, and an unexpected dramatic climax with Wild Thing.

The central character is a lively fairy, Marianne, voiced by Evan Rachel Would who is betrothed to a young fairy, Roland (Sam Palladio) who dreams of marrying Marriane, the King’s daughter. She finds him fickle and breaks off the engagement. A great influence in her life is her father, the King (Alfred Molina). Marianne goes about the kingdom, something like a warrior. This is in contrast with her flirtatious sister, (Meredith Anne Bull) who falls in love with a mini creature, Sunny (Elijah Kelly) who goes on mission to rescue her from the dark wood, encountering the Sugar Plum Fairy (voiced by Kristen Chenoweth) who has been imprisoned by the seeming tough, Bog King (Alan Cumming).

There are many adventures in the dark wood, Marianne going to rescue her sister from the Bog King but strangely attracted to him, and the possibilities for his redemption – urged on by his rather loud- mouthed mother. Roland journeys with his guards into the dark wood to find the potion to win back Marriane – but, of course, the polion spills over him and he falls in love with a giant bee.

Otherwise, everything goes as expected with a happy ending.

UNFAITHFUL

US, 2002, 124 minutes, Colour.
Diane Lane, Richard Gere, Olivier Martinez, Chad Lowe, Kate Burton, Margaret Colin, Erik Per Sullivan
Directed by Adrian Lyne.

The wind blows through a beautiful Westchester County home outside of New York City. Constance Sumner (Diane Lane), her husband Edward (Richard Gere), and 11-year old son Charlie (Erik Per Sullivan) are content as they go about their daily lives. As Edward leaves for work, Constance tells him she is going to the city later to arrange for a charity auction and to buy a birthday present for Charlie.

The wind blows stronger in the city, and Constance cannot get an empty cab to take her to the train. She falls into a young man carrying an armload of books while waving frantically for a taxi. He invites her to his apartment to dress her wound. An empty taxi approaches, but she chooses to go upstairs with Paul (Olivier Martinez).

Constance finds excuses to return to the city and visit the much younger man. They begin a passionate affair. Constance keeps saying she must stop, but she chooses to continue again and again. One day, two of Constance’s friends, Tracy and Sally, see her near Paul’s apartment. She lies about what she is doing there. They go for coffee and during the conversation, Tracy says that adultery is wrong; it always ends badly—for everyone.

Another day, Constance and Paul are at the café and Bill (Chad Lowe), who works for Edward, sees them together, kissing and laughing. When Edward fires Bill for disloyalty to the company that has been like a family to him, Bill yells back at him to look to his own family. Edward’s gradually growing suspicions are confirmed. He hires a private detective who takes photos of Constance and Paul together.

Edward goes to visit Paul and, in his sorrow and rage, kills him and dumps his body in a landfill. Just before he leaves Paul’s apartment, he checks his phone messages, and Constance has called, breaking off their affair.

Detectives come to question Constance and Edward, but they are evasive. Constance finds the pictures of her and Paul in Edward’s coat and realizes what has happened. Guilt unites them, though Edward talks about turning himself in. Their future is as unclear as a windy, rainy, dark night.

Adrian Lyne has been associated with a number of movies that have explored sexuality, infidelity, and adultery and many of them have been very frank in their depictions of sexual behavior. Some of them posed sexual moral dilemmas: 9 1/2 Weeks, Fatal Attraction, Indecent Proposal, Lolita. With Unfaithful, Lyne has shown greater restraint in portraying sexual scenes and placed greater reliance on the performances and the power of the dialogue to convey the underlying emotions and issues. The movie is all the better for it.

The source for Unfaithful is a French film by a master of suspense and psychological thrillers, Claude Chabrol; it is based on his 1969 film, La Femme Infidele (The Unfaithful Wife). In it, Stephane Audran portrays what the French call a “bourgeois” wife married to an older man, Michel Bouquet. Chabrol spent decades showing the darker side of the French middle-class, using basic moral predicaments like adultery to challenge standards and values in French family and in society.

Because Lyne is so provocative in his film-making, the immediate reaction to Unfaithful was that it was an exploitation piece. However, a careful viewing shows that Lyne is doing for American society at the beginning of the 21st century what Chabrol was doing for his French contemporaries. The ending is especially ambiguous, challenging audiences to think about what they would or would not do in similar circumstances.

An Oscar-nominated performance by Diane Lane as the unfaithful wife helps Lyne. Richard Gere is at his best as the aggrieved husband. Olivier Martinez (Horseman on the Roof, Before Night Falls, S.W.A.T.) plays the lover. Unfaithful is a good example of Hollywood’s ability to present moral issues and dilemmas for an adult audience.

In Unfaithful, Constance repents, but too late to halt the consequences of her behavior.

Unfaithful, as its title suggests, is a straightforward film about adultery. It looks at a marriage which is weaker than either the husband or wife have imagined. It shows the wife hesitating and then committing herself to an adulterous relationship while trying to keep marriage and family together. It also shows the suspicious husband learning the truth as well as the unsuspected violence within him when he confronts his wife's lover.

Connie Sumner in Unfaithful can be considered in the light of the story of the woman taken in the very act of committing adultery in John 8. Her husband has her followed by a detective. When he sees the photos of her with Paul Martel, he confronts her. This is the challenge Edward Sumner faces so that he and Connie can have a future. Can her forgive her? After his own angry and righteous confrontation of Paul Martel—not to speak of his impulsive, unjust killing of Martel and his concealing his crime—must he forgive her?

1. Contemporary setting, suburbs, New York City, homes, lofts, cafes, offices, streets? Score?

2. Domestic scenes, happiness, restrained husband, lively child?

3. Edward at work, hard phone calls, challenge to Bill and firing him?

4. Connie and the encounter with Paul, in his loft? Why the affair?

5. Connie and her friends and the warning about affairs ending badly?

6. Connie’s first encounter with Paul and the taxi; visiting Paul in his apartment, his seductive behavior, her acquiescing and committing herself to the affair; the scene on the train as she returns home, the expressions on her face showing a whole range of emotions and the conflicting feelings that she had experienced; her friend’s warning against adultery?

7. Edward's suspicions of his wife's conduct confirmed by the photos and his visit to Paul; his emotional response to meeting Paul, to seeing and being in the place of the adultery; his growing hurt, anger, and the violent attack resulting in Paul's death?

8. Unfaithful never tells us why Constance makes the choices she does. Her name signifies “constancy,” which means fortitude, fidelity, and loyalty, all of which she denies through her choices and actions. Recall the series of choices she makes (to go into the city even though the weather is bad; to go with Paul rather than take the taxi; to return to his apartment, etc.). What was the state of her conscience? Why do you think she gave into temptation over and over? What made her finally break it off? What about Edward - surprise that he killed Paul? Why or why not? What was the state of his conscience by the end of the film?

9. The final decision for Connie and Edward: the possibility of giving themselves up to the police or the possibility of fleeing to Mexico; their consciences, their concern for their marriage, for their son; sitting at the traffic lights outside the police station and the inconclusive but challenging ending?

10. The film is full of symbols that underpin the theme of the film by showing how the choices a person makes can turn order into chaos. From the opening scenes, we see the laconic setting, the wind, the collection of glass “snow balls” from various cities, the camera, video camera, photographs, the train, water and washing, the dry cleaners, the sore on Constance’s leg. In what ways did these visuals help make meaning from the film?

(Material from Lights, Camera, Faith… The Ten Commandments, Rose Pacatte and Peter Malone)

THE THING CALLED LOVE

US, 1993, 116 minutes, Colour.
River Phoenix, Samantha Mathis, Dermot Mulroney, Sandra Bullock, Anthony Clark, K. T. Oslin.
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich.

Peter Bogdanovich has had a mixed career as screenwriter, film journalist, actor and director. In his early days he published articles and books, especially on John Ford. His1968 thriller, Targets, with Boris Karloff, introduced him to the cinema world. For a while he was on top with The Last Picture Show, What’s Up, Doc, Paper Moon. For the next 40 years he continued to make films but with mixed, very mixed, success.

This was his film of the 1990s, the story about Nashville and would-be singers, the heroine coming from New York City to succeed, going to the Bluebird cafe where there were weekly auditions and performances, finding local singers. She is played by Samantha Mathis who does not immediately have success with her singing, works on the staff of the Bluebird cafe, falls in love with a moody composer-singer, one of the last roles for River Phoenix, is admired by his friend played by Dermot Mulroney and becomes a friend with another would-be singer, played with great verve by Sandra Bullock just before she became popular.

The film will be more popular with younger audiences who might be able to identify with the characters and their dreams and hopes. Older audiences may find the characters and their behaviour somewhat trying.

However, it is a picture of Nashville, a picture of the young hopefuls who continue to audition, to compose, to sing, sometimes failing, often times having success.

1. The title? Songs, music, Nashville, romance?

2. The young cast and their working together? The director and his career?

3. The city of Nashville, the look, the streets, the cafes and clubs? The music of the city? The auditions, ordinary life, young people? Hopes, ambitions, success and failure?

4. Country music, compositions, melodies, lyrics, from the heart – and entertainment pieces?

5. The Bluebird Cafe, the goal for the young people, lining up for the auditions, Lucy in charge, not being late, the performances, and notes, writing No, the list of people who could sing on Saturday? Her background, her role, the running of the restaurant, the staff? The performances? Her liking the young people, different relationships with them? Her liking Miranda but not giving her a chance? Her liking Jimmy and his success? Kyle, eventual success? Linda Lou and not succeeding? Miranda and the decision to go back to New York, her return, Lucy supporting her, the song, allowing her to sing on Saturday, and putting the song on the wall as a classic?

6. Miranda’s story, farewelling New York, hopes, the trip, arrival, the taxi, arriving late, Jimmy lying and including her in the lie? Her reaction to him? Her performance on return to audition? Not succeeding? Asking Lucy for feedback? Being offered the job as a waitress? Her work, listening to the singing, the customers? The friendship with Linda Lou, sharing the motel apartment with her, going to the cafe to write the music? The interactions with Jimmy, clashes, beginning to like him, the separation? The return? Falling in love? Confiding in Linda Lou but leaving? Kyle and his liking of Miranda? Wanting to work with Jimmy, the ride to Memphis, in the store, the proposal with the ring, getting the pastor, worrying whether it was the right thing, the wedding? The return, Linda Lou being happy, Kyle and the difficulties, talking with Jimmy? The possibility of the marriage succeeding, their moving into a house, Jimmy secluding himself to write, Miranda sleeping during the day? Jimmy and the offer to go to Dallas, leaving Miranda behind, her tearing up the paper and divorcing him? Her managing, deciding to go home, the farewell, on the bus, the inspiration, in the cafe and writing, the return, her personal song, Jimmy present, singing it? Success? Joining with Kyle and Jimmy in the truck? The future?

7. Jimmy, his story, quiet and sullen, composer, being late, lying and incorporating Miranda? Being successful? Writing, clashes with Miranda, the gradual change? Her wanting to write with him? The separation, then the trip to Memphis, proposal with the ring, returning, staying three days in his room composing, the offer from Dallas, his going, success with the entrepreneur, his decision to return, Miranda’s return, hearing her sing, the resolution of the difficulties?

8. Kyle, friend with Jimmy, his compositions, eventually succeeding, love for Miranda, but in the background? With the group, with Linda Lou? The clashes with Jimmy? Concern about Miranda, her leaving? Return? The fight with Jimmy and Lucy sending them outside? A final reconciliation?

9. Linda Lou, genial, friendly with the group, friendship with Billy, music, his being slow, accompanying her? Friendship with Miranda, sharing? Her mother and lying to her about success? Friend, reconciliation, going off happily at the end?

10. A film for young people, about young people – and in the context of Nashville and succeeding in writing and singing country music?

MARINA

Belgium, 2013, 113 minutes, Colour.
Luigi Lo Cascio, Donatella Finocchiari, Matteo Simoni, Evelien Bosmans, Flor Decleir.
Directed by Stijn Coninx.

Amongst the films by Belgian director Stijn Coninx are his portrait of a social-minded priest in the 1890s, Daens, and a serious look at the singer who was best known as Soeur Sourire/ Sister Smile with her song in the 1960s, Dominique. He has gone back into Belgium’s past with this story of Rocco Granata, a young accordion player, a singer who achieved international fame – and his keynote song, Marina.

The film offers a picture of Flemish society after World War II, the coal mines of the Limburg region and the importation of Italian workers for the mines. Salvatore Granata is one of a group of miners in 1948 who go to Belgium for a couple of years, leaving wives alone, caring for their children. However, Granata sends for his family and they are able to migrate – difficult in terms of language for the mother, easier for the children who, though seen as foreigners, begin to learn the language and become Belgians.

The father is strict, not wanting his son to become a miner but have his own forge. However, he is talented with the accordion and likes to sing, eventually winning the competition and some money, to the upset of his father. With tension in the household, Rocco tries to please his father. The father has an accident in the mine, gets limited financial compensation. It seems that the family will have to move out of its home. Rocco sells his accordion to get some money for rent.

He and his friends play in a local club and produce a record though the producer says it will have no life. On the contrary, it becomes popular, even being sold by the grocer who has been hostile to the family and not allowing his daughter to mix with the Italians. The daughter has always been attracted to Rocco and there is an incident on a bridge where Rocco saves the girl who is later raped by her boyfriend.

The end of the film has Rocco in Carnegie Hall, his performance in 1958 being broadcast and his father, eventually proud, takes the radio out of the house into the street so that everybody can listen to his son.

Actor Matteo Simoni portrays Rocco, being a Belgian of Italian origin.

1. An international story? European story? Italy? Belgium?

2. Post-war Italy? The devastation? Work, poverty, the mines, forges, the times, migration? Belgium and the mines and the needs? The workers, travel, accommodation? Prejudices for and against? The parent generation? The younger generation?

3. The period, the look, costumes and decor, in Italy, Italians and their traditions, food, patriarchal, language? The contrast with Belgium, orderly, homes, the mines, working conditions, shops, language?

4. The title, the popularity of the song, Rocco’s story and life, the hard life, his success, career? From Italy to Belgium to international star?

5. The range of the songs, the musical score? Performance? Piano accordions? Bands? Recordings?

6. Italy, 1948, the family, the father and his work in the mine, the decision to go to Belgium, the prospect of many years? The wives, at home, alone, the children? Hardships? The mentality?

7. Belgium as a foreign country, the mines, the work, the bosses, accommodation, hard, cash, the letters home? The father offering hope and the family migrating?

8. The sense of migration, the father, subservient, obedient, continuing his work, his expectations? His wife and obeying, homesick? The son and daughter, at home in Belgium, yet feeling foreign, at school, learning the language? Beginning to belong?

9. Rocco’s story, as a young boy, in Italy, devotion to his father? In Belgium, active, his music, playing the accordion? The encounters with Jackie? His friends? The shop, Helene? His mother and thrift? His mother’s later visited the shop, buying the chicory? The father, the company? His anger at his son, wanting him to have a forge, not a musician? The issue of the accordion, buying it, Rocco’s performance and the accordion left in the rain? The father’s response to Rocco’s success, going to the club, the competition, his walking out, his anger? Rocco and his talent, the competition, winning, trying to please his father? His reaction to the accordion out in the rain?

10. Helene, as a girl, the father, the shop, his bigotry, her growing up, attractive, meeting Rocco, the bond between them, going to the clubs to listen to him? Rocco’s mother the shop, the chicory, the language? His forbidding Helene to meet with Rocco?

11. The meetings, the club, Helene going to study, her boyfriend, going to the club, his angrily walking out? On the bridge – and Rocco seeing her, the possibility of her jumping? The couple on the bridge, the sexual encounter? The aftermath? The boyfriend and the rape, the effect on Helene?

12. The father, his accident, the issue of money, the rent, insurance, compensation, having to move out of the house? Rocco selling his accordion, giving the money to his mother? The heartlessness of the local bosses?

13. The role of Jackie, slow, in the background, friendship with Rocco, the encounters? At the club? his observing? going to the police, the witness to the rape?

14. Rocco, the entrepreneur, the recording and the excitement, not being able to sell it, the distribution town, the grocer and his selling copies, the other sales? Rocco becoming a success?

15. The aftermath, playing Carnegie Hall, the long dedication of the performance to his father? The family listening to it in the kitchen? His father taking the radio out so that everybody could hear?

16. A pleasing biography of a Belgian celebrity?

AN ANGEL FOR MAY

UK, 2002, 97 minutes, Colour.
Tom Wilkinson, Geraldine James, Matthew Beard, Charlotte Wakefield, Anna Massey, Angelina Ball, Dora Bryan.
Directed by Harvey Cokeliss.

Some audiences may not respond well to the fact of having angel in the title. There is more than a touch of sentiment, as there is in this film, and some moments which are rather twee.

While some of the sequences are set in Yorkshire in World War II, the 1940s, the rest of the film is set half a century later in the same village. The film also involves time travel so that the young hero of the film, Tom, Matthew Beard, is somewhat cantankerous with his separated mother, not wanting her to marry her boyfriend, with his moods, but is also much more genial when he finds himself in the middle of raids in the 1940s.

Most of the interesting action takes place in the past, Tom finding his self at a farm, managed by Tom Wilkinson, preparing to marry his housekeeper, Geraldine James, but encountering a young girl, May, Charlotte Wakefield, who has been rescued from bombed buildings. Tom and May become friends, roam the countryside and experience German planes flying over and bombs falling, go into the town where they are pursued by the police, especially after Tom takes clothes from a clothesline hoping to disguise himself and get back home.

He has been absent for three days and nobody believes his story about going back into the past. He meets an old bag lady, played by Anna Massey, who seems connected to the past. He discovers that the housekeeper is still alive in a nursing home and goes to visit her, hearing the story of May, the bomb on the farm. His effort is to go back to the past and to save May – which he does, not in the way expected.

At the cemetery in the present, he discovers gravestones – and an older woman, again played by Anna Massey, coming to visit the grave of her friend who had survived the bombing, as had she. She had moved to live in the United States.

With the focus on the children, this is a film which can be helpful to younger audiences as well as to family audiences.

1. A pleasing film for children, family, adults? Realism and fantasy?

2. The contemporary setting, a Yorkshire town, home, school, countryside? The comparison with the 1940s Yorkshire setting, the countryside, the farm, the town, the bombing raids, the destruction, the streets? The musical score?

3. The title, the folks on May, the role of Tom as an angel for her?

4. The prologue, the war, the bombardments, the damage, the Army nurse, hearing the sounds, the rats, uncovering May and rescuing her?

5. The present, Tom, his age, his relationship with his mother, his father absent, preparations for the divorce? His surliness with his mother? His reaction to Bob? Opposing the marriage, moodiness? Running out of the house, seeing the dog, taking shelter, the chimney?

6. Transported into the 1940s, the farm, Sam wondering who he was, the encounter with may, Sam’s daughter, with Susan? His being bewildered?

7. The experience of the 1940s, the damage, his taking the clothes from the clothesline of being pursued, may rescuing him and tripping the policeman? Back at the farm, becoming friends, sharing the meal? The ham?

8. May’s story, to be taken away, wildness and fear, Tom calming her down, her eating properly, at ease with the family? In the country, the success of bombs and diving into the pit? The dress, going away, the fears that she would not return, the return and everybody happy?

9. Tom, wanting to leave, Sam’s farewell, with Tess the dog?

10. Back home, everybody searching for him, missing three days, his mother’s anxiety, Bob and offering confidentiality? The police? People not believing him? The counsellor and CE had an imagination? Going back to school, the jibes from the other children?

11. Confrontation with his mother, wanting to go out, her locking the door? His asking her to trust him? His not being worried about the marriage even though his mother and Bob were prepared to sacrifice?

12. Finding that Susan was in the old people’s home, his visit, her memories, giving the information about the bomb?

13. Going back, the encounter with Rosie, the vagrant woman, recognition, that she was May?

14. His return, finding Sam did as he had seen the headstone in the cemetery? Going to the town, finding May? Trying to persuade her to come with him? The lightning? Who wanting to see her friend, going to the hospital, using his inhaler – which the boys on his previous visit had broken? Thinking it was a German bomb and he was a spy?

15. His return, going to the cemetery, encountering may, May, living in the US, her husband, her memories? Her friend living on? His return and the scenario changing?

16. With his mother, with Bob, happy future?