IN BLOOM

Georgia, 2013, 102 minutes, Colour.
Lika Babluani, Mariam Bokeria, Zurab Gogaladze.
Directed by Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross.

There are not many films which come from Georgia. This film made quite an impact, especially at film festivals including Berlin, Montréal, Sarajevo and in Tblisi itself.

The setting is an atmosphere of civil war in Georgia in 1992. While the film presupposes some audience knowledge of the history of Georgia, its place in the Soviet Union, its relationships with the Soviet Union and later with Russia, the film creates atmosphere of social unrest with touches of misery.

That the focus of the film is on two young girls in Tblisi at the time, 14-year-olds, scenes with their families, one experiencing support, the other finding much more hostility. There is a portrait of the parents, love, tensions, the problem of drinking, grandparents and the possibilities for care as well as their being upset about seeming irresponsibility in the younger generation. The two young girls are friends, seen together, lining up at the bread market, at school, with friends, one being given a gun to take care of, the fascination and the experiments, and ensuing death and throwing away the gun.

With the focus on the two girls and the characters, the issue of their potential and where they would grow up, in what conditions, and how would they grow up in their characters, the film is also grim picture of life in a capital city with the experience of uncertainty, war, the eruption of violence.

1. A film from Georgia, audience knowledge of Georgia, its situation with Russia, neighbouring countries, civil wars, the 1990s?

2. The settings, the city, the neighbourhoods, apartments, workplaces, the bakery, the streets? Authentic feel? Musical score?

3. The setting of war, the dangers, hardships, bread rations and queues, the various groups and loyalties, factions, young people, the exercise of violence? The misery and uncertainties?

4. The title, the focus on the two girls, Eka and Natia, their age, friendship, the different families? The different approaches to life, studies and future, boyfriends?

5. Eka and her family, at home, her contribution, age, family concern, her going out, with Natia, meeting Kote, her experiences, visit to the father in prison, her prospects?

6. Kote, her family, the hostilities, her father, these aspirations at home, the grandmother? The family considering her loose? Friendship with Eka? Meeting Kote, the friendship? The significance of the gun, the gift, her carrying it around, use, throwing it away?

7. Kote, in himself, his loyalties, the girls, disappearance, the atmosphere of the war, his reappearance, the group of young men pursuing him, his death?

8. The adults, the difficulties, at home, drinking, clashes between husbands and wives, the influence of the children, grandparents and their help?

9. A film of the 1990s – seen in retrospect of 20 years later, dramatising the situation, interpreting characters and events?

THE PURGE: ANARCHY

US, 2014, 103 minutes, Colour.
Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford, Kiele Sanchez, Zoe Soul, Justina Machado, John Beasley, Michael Kenneth Williams.
Directed by James De Monaco.

Purge Night was an unexpected commercial success in 2013. The film had a good cast led by Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey. It also had an intriguing presupposition: that the new government in the United States, allegedly to protect its citizens while actually culling criminal elements, has marks of a fascist and violent state proclaiming law and order yet promoting violence, and established Purge Night. It isa night in which legal restrictions were lifted and citizens were free to eliminate others, for whatever motives, with home invasion, looting as well as the indiscriminate and discriminate killing.

Writer-director, James De Monaco revisits his theme. It is Purge Night once again. This time he has three focuses for his storytelling: a young couple, on the brink of separation, whose car breaks down and who are left on the streets, stranded at the beginning of Purge Night; an African- American mother and daughter, at home, their father allegedly gone to bed having sold himself to a rich family to be their Purge Night violent victim, who find their home invaded and themselves under threat out in the street; the third is a police sergeant who is bent on avenging the death of his son in a road accident who arms himself, resists the warnings of his sister, and goes in his car – but who becomes something of a good Samaritan to the couple and to the mother and daughter, shielding them, protecting them from marauding gangs, only to find themselves sold to a rich group in a restaurant club and being set up as victims to be pursued.

The basic theme is interesting and the film has excitement – but, of course with films that portray violence to condemn violence, there is always the danger of exploitation and some audiences will think that the film has gone too far in its visual and thematic portrayal, while others will find it a satisfying picture critical of the ideas and the Purge Night.

1. The impact and popularity of the initial film? The writer-director and the new interpretation of Purge Night?

2. The city, ordinary, closing down at the end of the day, the preparations for Purge Night, people barricading themselves in buildings, vigilantes wandering the roads, people trapped outside? The night itself, the signal being given, an atmosphere of fear, violence, lawlessness in the name of the law, the focus on particular groups, the dangers, the rich and exploitation, the poor and victims? The violent climaxes? The new day and the normal returning? The musical score at atmosphere?

3. The idea of Purge Night? The new government, the fascist idea, putting down crime but allowing elites and exploiters to murder and plunder? Government officials on television justifying Purge Night?

4. The focus of the film, the three different groups, the connections, the protector, victims, the violence?

5. At the diner, Eva, her work, colleagues, urging others to be safe? Her going home, her sister watching the speaker on television, believing his propaganda, the father coming in, his spurning the propagandist? Love for his daughters, pretending to go to bed, the background of his selling himself to the rich family, the money for his daughters, the limousine, the family, rich, brutally executing him? Mother and daughter, the bond between them, barricading themselves in, the intrusion into their home, the dangers, having to escape, in the street?

6. The Sergeant, getting his guns ready, the background of the death of his son, his going to get vengeance on Purge Night, his sister’s warning, in his car, driving around the city, coming across the couple, taking them in, the mother and daughter, saving them? Their fears and suspicions? His car, the van, the men with the machine gun at the back? The shootouts, the deaths, his survival and vengeance?

7. The couple, planning to separate, shopping, in the car, the breakdown, wandering the city, afraid, the dumpster, the groups pursuing them, hiding? Saved by the Sgt?

8. The various groups before Purge Night offering protection? The groups roaming the city, the brutality? The seemingly sympathetic group, saving the victims – but selling them to the rich so they could be killed? The Sergeant and his reaction?

9. The build-up of tension, dangers in the streets, the pursuit, hiding, being trapped, escapes?

10. The group taken by the rich, the club, the people dying in, the auction for killing, the weapons, the woman hosting? The victims, lights out, the chances, pursuits, the deaths? The husband dying? The Sergeant turning the tables? The hostess and her fears? Deaths?

11. The final confrontations, the Sergeant, his motivations, going to the house, confronting the killer of his son, the killer trying to do a deal, his wife, almost the end of purge night? The violence in deaths?

12. The restoration of the normal, the acceptance in the United States of this kind of Purge Night, getting rid of unwanted elements, justifying homicide and looting, the picture of fascist decadence?

LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS

UK, 1998, 107 minutes, Colour.
Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran, Jason Statham, Steven Mackintosh, Sting, Vinnie Jones, Lenny Mc Lean, P.H.Moriarty.
Directed by Guy Ritchie.

Here we enter the rather unlikely world of London gangsters and petty criminals. Small-budget and filmed generally in sepia tones which give it an underworld look, it is fall of gangster patter which sounds both poetic and crude. The plot is very clever, full of delightful coincidences and characters crossing paths in extraordinary patterns.

These are an amoral lot and, while justice is generally seen to be done in a violent way, the moral ambiguities and their comic tone last until the final frame.

1. The impact of the film? Its becoming something of a classic of the late 1990s? Gangsters UK style, the cast and their careers, the career of Guy Ritchie?

2. The variety of London settings, the world of the criminals, shops, the sex industry, gambling, street hustlers, chefs…?

3. The colour style, muted, the overtones, the sex, the musical score?

4. British gangster film – the differences from what is expected from American gangster films? The tone of the title?

5. The underlying irony in the screenplay, the introduction to the men, their hopes and ambitions, cash and deals in the street, shops, the variety of connections, the scams, interconnection of the characters and situations, each unaware of the others, the repercussions, justice, deaths – and the humour of the ending, with a character midway between bridge and river?

6. Tom, his shop, the contacts and the deals, price haggling? Bacon and Eddie and their scams on the street, chased by the police? Soap, his work as a chef? The money stash? Meetings, planning? The background of Eddie and his bar-owning father, tensions between father and son?

7. Harry, tough, the sex shop, his deals, the set-up of the game, his elaborate way of cheating? His tough and big henchman? The bets, increasing the odds, Eddie and his stupidity, losing, indebted to £500,000?

8. The effect on Eddie, wanting to share the blame on the costs with his friends, his drinking, interactions with his father, his father’s strictness? His father being targeted for the takeover of the bar? His schemes?

9. Harry, his money, the guns, his henchman organising the burglars, the comic touches with the characters, the break in, torturing the owners of the house, one being shot? Being told they could take the antiques? Taking the muskets, selling them, Tom and his possession of the muskets?

10. Big Chris, his work as a collector, his concern about his son, his son going with him, protecting him from bad language…? His finding the guns, getting them for Harry? The encounter with the different groups, car crash, getting the bank, the money, Harry’s death, his giving the money to Tom?

11. The drug dealers, the group, their deals, being overheard by Tom and co? The plan to rob them, carrying it out? Going to the drug lord to sell the drugs and do a deal – and the irony that they were his drugs in the first place?

12. The robbers, the setup, the drug lord, the shootouts, all the deaths?

13. Tom and the group, experiencing the robbery, getting the drugs, the mix-ups and shootings, talking with the muskets, Big Chris and the bag, the money and his wanting to do good?

14. Thinking the muskets were worthless, that the police could find them, getting Tom to throw them into the river, discovering their worth in the catalogue, the mobile phones and trying to ring him? His dropping the muskets on the ledge, trying to get them, holding on, his mobile phone ringing…!

MISSISSIPPI GRIND

US, 2015, 110 minutes, Colour.
Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds, Sienna Miller, Analeigh Upton.
Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.

Mississippi Grind offers audiences an American road trip – but with quite a difference. It opens with the ravaged face of Ben Mendelsohn as Gerry, sitting and contemplating in his car. It looks very existential with angst, and it is. But Gerry is contemplating his fortunes and misfortunes in gambling, eventually going in to a familiar casino situation and trying his luck.

Inside the place, there is a cheerful character, Curtis, played pleasingly and effectively by Ryan Reynolds, who clicks with Gerry and they finish a night on the town. Actually, Gerry is a not very successful real estate agent, separated from his wife and daughter, living a rather miserable life, so it is not difficult for him to agree to go with Curtis on a trip from Iowa to New Orleans, along the Mississippi, with a plan to visit his ex-wife and daughter on the way and (misguidedly) achieve reconciliation.

We see a whole range of characters, especially Curtis, his girlfriend and the girls who work on a Mississippi riverboat. Curtis has many charming but fickle moments, brought to a head in New Orleans when he goes to a bar, listens to the ageing singer who turns out to be his mother. Gerry has no success at all with his wife, even trying to steal some of her savings from her.

The two gamblers fall in and out of the luck, but Curtis has an easy going way about him and is able to succeed on the rebound while Gerry is an all-or-nothing risk taker. He perseveres in the ending is (probably temporarily) beat.

The film was written and directed by the team of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, responsible for such films as Half Nelson, the sports film, Sugar, It’s Kind of a Funny Story. Their shrewd understanding of characters, of the impulse to gamble and its consequences, are well served by the performance of Ben Mendelsohn, long a top stalwart of the Australian film industry, venturing sometimes overseas but, in more recent years, making his mark in American films, Killing Them Softly, Exodus: Gods and Kings, A Place Among the Pines. This is one of his best performances and well worth seeing.

1. The title? The US? The river? Road film and the many States? The gambler’s world, winners and losers?

2. The locations, Iowa and the city of Dubuque? Memphis? Little Rock? New Orleans? The vistas and characteristics of each of these cities?

3. The casinos, the smaller joints, upmarket and downmarket, hotels, homes, bars? The musical score? In the casinos? The songs?

4. A film about friendship, Gerry and Curtis? An unlikely friendship? The reasons that the two men clicked? Humour, what they shared, liked, the journey, discovery, reinforcing their styles – leading to the climax?

5. The pros and cons of gambling? The film as a warning, but with hope? Not didactic? The initial visual scene of the rainbow and the references to its symbolism?

6. Gerry, sitting in the car, very serious, alone, listening to the questions and answers on his tape? Going in, fate, sitting at the table, listening to Curtis and his storytelling, Curtis buying the drinks, laughing at the jokes, relishing the anecdotes? Gerry winning, the effect? Going to Curtis’s place, the night, waking up, the hangover?

7. Gerry and his job, the real estate work, the hangover, taking the couple to the house? Gloria, smartly dressed, the interview, the conversation, the interrogation, the mixed messages, her manner, talking to her daughter on the phone, the final demands for repayment? Sending her strongman in – and Gerry getting the photo of the cat on his phone?

8. Fate, discussions about like, tossing cons, winning, the decision to go to New Orleans, the money to demand for the stake, the car, travelling on the road? Gerry and the attempted robbery and the car park, his being stabbed? Leaving, the food for the cat?

9. Memphis, the girls on the boat, Simone and Vanessa? Curtis and his relationship with Simone? The changing clothes, gambling on the boat, winning and the effect?

10. The character of Curtis, wandering, cheerful, not settling, the bet about his age and his driving licence? Stories, not always accurate? Bonding with Gerry? His relationship with Simone?

11. Gerry, the discussions with Vanessa?

12. Gerry losing money, unable to tell Curtis? The decision to go to Little Rock? Gerry’s wife’s house, familiar with it, the discussion with his wife, her antipathy? Her marrying Gary? The daughter? Eight years married and separation, her offering the tea, his attempt to steal money, her catching him, his taking the photo of his daughter, her ousting?

13. Gerry and his lies, desperate, arriving in New Orleans, going to the racetrack, his sure thing, losing so much money? Curtis giving him a hundred dollars? The intention to drive, his staying, the gambling? Going to the house of Tony, the memories of the anecdotes, Tony punching him? Continuing to
gamble, the risks?

14. Curtis, the racetrack, actually winning, the bundle of cash, the men playing basketball, the hundred dollar bet, his welshing, their bashing him and finding the money? Why did he do this? To the casino, the singer, discovering that she was Curtis’s mother, his gift of the money?

15. Gerry phoning, the providence of Curtis finding Gerry, together, gambling and success, betting everything? The sudden transition to the lobster dinner, the steak, Gerry wanting a burger? The one thing he wanted to do was to give something to his daughter?

16. The night, Curtis and the woman, Gerry waking, taking the money, the note?

17. Curtis, talking about going to Peru, the image of Machu Picchu, contacting Simone?

18. Gerry, in the car, buying the car, the photo of his daughter?

19. The blend of the didactic and the optimistic – with touches of humanity?

FLIRTING WITH DISASTER


US, and 1996, 92 minutes, Colour.
Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, Tea Leoni, Mary Tyler Moore, George Segal, Alan Alda, Lily Tomlin, Richard Jenkins, Josh Brolin, Celia Weston, Glenn Fitzgerald.
Directed by David O.Russell.

Not a propitious title, but this film is offbeat and unpredictable. It is often funny, often silly. But, in a whacky kind of loud American way, it works.

It is a quest: husband and father (Ben Stiller) goes with his wife (Patricia Arquette) and social worker and investigator (Tea Leoni) to criss-cross the US to find his natural parents. His eccentric adoptive parents (Mary Tyler Moore enjoying herself being abrasively caring and George Segal looking hangdog and browbeaten) also get in on the act. So do two FBI agents and an assortment of funny possibility parents. However, they are nothing compared with the ageing hippies who are the real thing, played with zest by Alan Alda and Lily Tomlin. Gas station explosions, gaol, cranky landladies, aerobic twins... this is the picture.

Offbeat and whacky.

1. A comedy of the 1990s? Issues of personal identity, adoption, family? The comedy of errors?

2. Across the US, New York City, San Diego, Minnesota, old hippy families? The musical score?

3. The strength of the cast – and their subsequent successful careers?

4. The tone, the characters, real, eccentric, the situations, real and eccentric?

5. Mel, Ben Stiller’s presence, style, in himself, his relationship with his parents, adoption, Jewish background? Discussions with them, the meals? The need for information, the contact with Tina and the office, the work of the agency? Nancy, the child, support? Tina being invited to the meal with his parents, with Nancy, the warnings?

6. Mel’s mother, Mary Tyler Moore, her carrying on, controlling? Ed, the father, more passive?

7. Nancy, a loving wife, mother, ordinary?

8. Tina, her studies, competence, incompetence, at the dinner, uptight, the past, the divorce, the mistakes? The sexual attraction to Mel and her acting on it?

9. The decision about the trip, excitement, San Diego, the arrival, Valerie, bonding, tender and Mel and the arm wrestling, the smash, the mother forgiving, the buildup to the story, the introduction to the sisters, the discrepancy of dates, the error – and Valerie charging for the damage?

10. Going to the snow, meeting the workers, the mistake, driving the truck and the crash, the police, discussions, reference to the hippy couple?

11. Going to see Richard and Mary, the history, protest, jail, LSD, drugs, the birth of the child, the adoption? Lonnie, his presence in the house, eccentric and bitter? The welcome by the parents, discussions, the meal, Lonnie and the poison in the meal, the effect on Paul, his illness, going to hospital?

12. Tony, knowing Nancy in the past, the attraction, in Minnesota, with Paul, as a couple, Paul and his behaviour, tension, jealousy? The decision to go on the journey with Mel and Nancy? The melodramatics during the travel?

13. Tina, the sexual attraction, the effect on Mel, the effect on Nancy, Tony and his advances, Nancy fending him off?

14. Mel and his parents, their anxiety, the phone call, decision to come, the car, the mistakes, the drugs, the arrest?

15. Everything finally sorted out – and the entertainment of the farce, but the points it was making?

THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY

UK, 2014, 104 minutes, Colour.
Sidse Babett Knudsen, Chiara D'Anna, Monica Swinn, Fatma Mohamed.
Directed by Peter Strickland.


The Duke of Burgundy is one of many moths and butterflies in this film, and one of the few male characters – the other males being moths and butterflies. This film is strictly and narrowly set in a woman’s world.

The director of the film is British, Peter Strickland (Katalin Varga, The Berberian Studio), while the film was produced and made in Hungary with an international continental cast, led by Sidse Babett Knudsen star of the Danish television and internationally popular series, Borgen.

One of the central characters in this rather hothouse, art house drama is an entomologist, played by Sidse Babett Knudsen, with a huge collection of moths and butterflies, doing research, presenting papers at the local meeting house, other presenters being women, the audience only women.

The writer-director clearly wants us to focus on the imagery of the moths, moths drawn to the flame, moths destroying themselves, the delicacy and strength of moths. The entomologist, Cynthia, is frequently seen using a microscope. And that is also an image for the film and the filmmaking. Strickland applies his cinema lens, something of a microscope, to observing the two characters, their interactions, strengths and weaknesses, dominator and dominated. This is a lesbian story.

The advertising of the film refers to a critic saying that it is 50 Shades of Grey for the thinking person! And that is not entirely wrong. While the focus on the two characters is intense and the theme certainly is sado-masochistic domination, it does not have the broader social scope of E. L. James’ story and the sadomasochism for the to multiplex audience.

The film opens with Evelyn sitting in nature, the trees, a babbling book, then going to a house, waiting for the mistress of the house to answer the door, which she very definitely is, and the maid, put upon by the mistress, spurned, criticised, made to do menial work and be accountable. Actually, while there are glimpses of trees, the film rarely goes outside the house except into the yard with the prying neighbour, and into the rather empty streets of the town and the meeting house.

When some of the scenes are repeated, the audience realises that all is not that this seems to indicate. Cynthia is the intellectual, the superior personality, bossing Evelyn around. Soon the audience sees that, in fact, Evelyn is the stronger of the two and that Cynthia is role-playing. Sado-masochistic complication comes when a local cabinetmaker, and a strong feminine character, comes to prepare a gift for Evelyn’s birthday and suggests a casket in which the partner can be locked away for long periods – which happens.

If the audience is drawn in by the situation, characters, the themes, they would be very patient as the film takes its slow pace to unfold its story and character revelation. Otherwise, many audiences will find it on the tedious and repetitious side (with a distraction, perhaps, that a violent car chase would not go amiss!). This means that the film has been acclaimed by many who admire the cinematography, the performances, the atmosphere, while others may forget it, feel distant and not be absorbed. Which is what cinema does.

1. A hothouse exploration of relationships, in a woman’s world?

2. The work of the director, his interest in women’s issues, his writing a lesbian relationship story, sado-masochism? The issue of the male gaze and the portrayal of the women, the photographing of the women, of the relationship?

3. The locations in Hungary, the lake, the forests, the small town, the absence of cars, travel by bicycle, the house, the interiors, the lecture hall? The musical score?

4. The title, the male, the moth, the range of moths and butterflies, flying, impaled? The irony of the male moths in a women’s world? The role of Cynthia as an entomologist, her studies, office, writings, using a typewriter, lectures, experiments? The other entomologists in the town, the range of lectures and explorations?

5. The metaphor of the moth attracted by the light, for destruction? The metaphor of the microscope, the filmmaker and his microscopic study of the women and their relationship?

6. The lesbian theme, other films with these themes? Sadomasochism? Domination?

7. The opening, the introduction to Evelyn, the old style dress and cape, sitting in nature, coming to the house, Cynthia and her response, Evelyn as the maid, her menial work, the criticisms by Cynthia? Her continuing to work in the house?

8. Cynthia, the mistress of the house, the scientist, her curt manner with Evelyn, reading and ignoring her, making demands, the washing, the neglected underwear, Evelyn and her submissive behaviour, doing the washing, hanging it to dry?

9. Lorna, the neighbour, putting out the washing, observing, the two women and their reactions towards her?

10. The women in the town, the compere at the lecture, the women in the audience?

11. The role-playing, Evelyn and her dominance, setting up Cynthia for role-plays, controlling? Cynthia and her response? The audience watching, seeing some of the situations repeated, looked at from a different perspective?

12. The visit of the woman and her carpentry? The genteel manner, discussing human toilets, discussing caskets for being interned? Evelyn’s birthday? The commissioning of the casket, its arrival, its use, Evelyn being put in, time and darkness, wanting to come out?

13. The changing perspectives on the relationship, Evelyn and her manner, her seeming subservience and work, Cynthia and her seeming control but actual subservience?

14. The portrait of the love, the love making, the sensuality? The violence, sadism and massacres?

15. Hothouse movie, slow-moving, style and critical appreciation, difficult film for a general public?

NIXON

US, 1995, 192 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen, James Woods, Powers Boothe, Ed Harris, Bob Hoskins, E.G.Marshall, David Paymer, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Sorvino, Mary Steenburgen, J. T. Walsh, Tony Plana, Brian Bedford, Kevin Dunn, Fyvush Finkel, Annabeth Gish, Tom Bower, Tony Goldwyn, Larry Hagman, Edward Herrmann, Madeline Kahn, Dan Hedaya, Tony Lo Bianco, Saul Rubinek, Robert Beltran, John Diehl, John C. Mc Ginley, Michael Chiklis, David Barry Gray, Joanna Going, George Plimpton.
Directed by Oliver Stone.


American writers have turned us cautious when an Oliver Stone film is released, especially if it looks at recent American history. We have had his Vietnam films, a look at troubles in El Salvador and his recent satire on media madness, Natural Born Killers - and, of course, his exercise in conspiracy theories, JFK. Now he has made a three hour study of Richard Nixon. It is less flamboyant in style than its predecessors, though there is plenty of visual flair.

At first it is difficult to follow as we are introduced to the Watergate break-in. It needs patience but, once it gets going, there is plenty to hold attention. Nixon's long political life is surveyed. He is presented as a man who is desperate for love (black and white flashbacks of his childhood highlight this) but convinced that people hate him. And he gets more and more hostile and arrogant as the difficult 70s go on and he resigns.

Anthony Hopkins does not look so much like Nixon, but gives a strong interpretation (watch him put on Nixon's smile, especially with the reporters on the plane back from China). Stone does not say this is accurate Nixon but rather an interpretation of Nixon and, as such, is most stimulating. The supporting cast, led by Joan Allen as Pat Nixon, is excellent, especially James Woods as Haldeman and Paul Sorvino as Kissinger. Is Stone now preparing a 3 hour epic on Ronald Reagan? Powerful political interpretation.


1. Audience interest in Richard Nixon? opinions about him? Knowledge of history, his personality, his presidency and disgrace?

2. The film offering an overview of American history, politics, the 1930s to the 1970s, the transitions?

3. The work of Oliver Stone, his films, the touch of the melodramatic, interest in conspiracies as well as interpretations? His visual skills and style? A biography, portrait, an interpretation – presentation of facts, imagining scenes, the hostility towards Nixon – but not demeaning him?

4. The reconstruction of the periods, the various shifts in time, explanations? The past and the childhood in black and white? Some scenes slipping between colour and black-and-white, to what purpose? The black-and-white for the college days and his marriage to Pat? The transition to the 1940s, Nixon as a lawyer, his political activity, the Chamber’s case, the footage of Hiss and his interrogation? The glimpses of the Mc Carthy and House of Un American activities, personalities like Robert Taylor and anti-Communism? Nixon and his defence of himself, television, the story of the dog, Chequers? the people whose careers he destroyed? The Eisenhower years, Nixon’s vice presidency? The visuals of the campaign against John F. Kennedy, the television debate, his losing it, issues of Cuba? His failure to be elected Governor of California, his concession speech? Out of politics, in business, his contacts with the South and the support in Texas? Bobby Kennedy as a nominee? The assassination? Nixon being sure of his election, persuading Pat to support him? The Vietnam era, the decisions, the issues, the bombing of Cambodia? The visit to China? The visit of Brezhnev? The buildup to Watergate, his political associates, their links, with criminals, the cover-up, the opening of the case, political tactics, his resignation?

5. The Watergate focus, the visuals, the breaking, Gordon Liddy, Howard Hunt, the Cubans, getting information about Daniel Ellsberg, the leaking of the Pentagon Papers? The break in on the Democratic offices? Arrest and imprisonment?

6. Nixon, his involvement, the range of tapes, seeing him tape discussions, his covering up? Hunt, the connections with Cuba, Kennedy, Castro, his being paid off? Mitchell, his support, his being targeted to take the blame? the role of Henry Kissinger?

7. Anthony Hopkins, the portrait of Nixon, intense, his words, his manner, Nixon in 1970s, his pondering things, his memories, his explanations?

8. Nixon’s childhood, the stern father at home, the meals, Nixon always telling the story of his honourable father, his store, selling before oil was found? His Quaker mother, her use of language, Thee and thou? Harold as a genial brother, the younger brothers? The issue of the cigarette, his lying to his mother, her forcing the truth? The meals? Tuberculosis, Harold and his brothers, their deaths? The dispersing of these memories throughout the film? Nixon feeling guilt for the death of his brothers? Their faces recurring?

9. His mother, her Quaker background, stern, wanting obedience, the deaths of her children, the issue of Richard and his lie? Her face appearing, sitting in the chair, a judgement on Nixon? The interview with her in her old age, the comments about her children, evasive about Nixon?

10. His meeting with Pat, calling her Buddy, the memories, driving her, the proposal, at college, football, his intensity and sport, the commentators on his drive? The wedding?

11. His California background, the town of Whittier, his education there, lawyer, California politics?

12. The point is made that Nixon was not likeable, loved – and people wondering had he been loved would there have been a difference?

13. Alger Hiss, the footage, Whitaker Chambers, Nixon’s comment about catching Hiss in a lie, destroying him? Nixon and his reputation, hated, his self-defence speech, Chequers, the dog? The support of Eisenhower, vice president, yet involved with Senator Mc Carthy and the hearings? The
meetings and influence during his time as vice president?

14. The 1960 campaign, the Jewish adviser, advice that all was lost, his associates, the introduction to Bob Haldeman? The television debate, Nixon being stumped about Cuba, Nixon’s aids accusing Kennedy of breaking faith in revealing confidential material? The failure, Pat and her response, the statistics about his defeat?

15. Pat and the politics, smoking, watching, knowing that he had lost? The other members of staff, the media personnel? Her supporting him for the governorship of California, his failure, his speech? Urging media accuracy? Pat, becoming desperate, the issue of divorce, wanting Nixon to give up political work? His agreeing?

16. The visit to Dallas, the atmosphere against Kennedy, the hostility in the South, his meeting with the business Texans, their support, talk, wealth, their bigotry? His return and the issue of the second term, his being in a stronger position, there be more explicit about niggers and the EPA, his taking stands in saying the people had elected him?

17. The scene in Dallas, Nixon at the airport? Kennedy’s death, the issue of the funeral, his not ringing Bobby Kennedy, wanting to go through Johnson?

18. The picture of J. Edgar Hoover, his relationship with Clyde Tolson, his reputation, over the decades, at home, the intimations of the homosexual relationship, the flamboyant gay style, the waiter and the flirting? Going to the races, the presence of the gangster, the tips, the horse stumbling and the others crashing, means to an end? Nixon going to the racecourse, not wanting to be seen with the gangster – but with memories of meeting him in Cuba? Getting Hoover’s support? Hoover’s preference for Nixon over Bobby Kennedy? His death in the 70s?

19. Robert Kennedy, the nomination, his death? Johnson not going for a second term? Nixon knowing that he would win? The campaign, going on television, the better arguments and presentation?

20. Pat Nixon, her character, the asking for divorce, his persuading her to support him for the campaign for the Presidency? Her drinking? The scene at the dinner and his not confiding in her, telling his assistant that Mrs Nixon had finished her dinner? His love of his daughters, his wife saying that they knew him only from television? The campaign, their loyalty, the wedding sequence and his joy? The family being present during his resignation speech?

21. Post Watergate, Nixon and his secrets, the meeting between Hunt and Dean, discussions about money, Hunt’s hold? Nixon and his listening to the tapes? The memories and the flashbacks, his excising the 18 minutes?

22. The role of Henry Kissinger, Nixon in China, with Mao, the achievement, the surprise of changes of stances over two decades? The Paris talks and the culmination of peace after all the bombings – and the revelation of Nixon’s involvement, the scenes with Nixon and his extremely hawkish attitudes towards stopping the war? Talking to the journalists on the plane from China, their applauding him? Kissinger and the issue of leaks, Ellsberg and the
Pentagon papers, the blame on Kissinger? The meeting with Kissinger, Kissinger feeling insulted and walking out?

23. The character of Haldeman, loyalty over all the years, Erlichman and his role? Dean? Advice, loyalty – and Haldeman knowing that they would be let go? The two listening to the resignation speech? Mitchell, blame, loyalty? The sequences with his wife and her talking and blaming Nixon?

24. Alexander Haig, the role of the military, hawkish, the confrontation with Kissinger, the document for resignation, explaining the alternatives and the effect for Nixon? Nixon facing it, kneeling and praying with Kissinger, signing the document?

25. The tone of his resignation speech, try to hold onto some dignity? The family, leaving?

26. Gerald Ford, the pardon, Nixon and his retiring to work on the tapes, the number of tapes, editing, those made public?

27. The funeral, the words of President Clinton, the other presidents all present?

28. Nixon’s achievement, his personality, Nixon as crooked, his ambitions in power, the religious dimension – but remembered by many as Tricky Dickie?

CRACK UP

US, 1946, 93 minutes, Black and white.
Pat O' Brien, Claire Trevor, Herbert Marshall, Ray Collins, Wallace Ford, Mary Ware.
Directed by Irving Reis.

Crack-up is quite an interesting drama of 1946, capitalising on the atmosphere of post-World War II, and the development of the dark thrillers, the film noir.

Pat O’ Brien, generally seen in genial roles in the Warner Brothers films of the 1930s, including a number of priests, is a strange choice for the art expert, though it is explained that during World War II he was verifying the authenticity of paintings taken by the Nazis (which links it to the 2014 George Clooney drama about war art, The Monuments Men). Here he is giving a series of lectures, with a touch of cynicism about what people like and modern art. However, he is taken drunk at the Art Gallery and has a story about being on a train which crashed – something of the title.

But there is a complication with a Scotland Yard Inspector, Herbert Marshall, visiting the US to investigate the destruction of a painting by Gainsborough and the possibility of art forgeries and stealth. His not sure of Pat O’ Brien’s involvement and enlists the help of his girlfriend, played by Claire Trevor.

There are further forgeries, further murders, and a revelation that an avaricious doctor on the board of the Art Gallery has been stealing the paintings and commissioning forgeries – and also using psychological drugs to induce the impression of a train crash. There is a last-minute explanation of all that has been going on and further last-minute coming in by the police and the Scotland Yard detective to save Pat O’ Brien and Claire Trevor. Still quite an interesting film.

1. Drama, film noir, 1946? The postwar feel? Art world? Police and detection? Psychological developments?

2. Black-and-white photography, the atmosphere, the art gallery, apartments, the police, the train and the crash, socials? The musical score?

3. The title, George and his war experiences, his mental state? Open to suggestion, imagining the train crash?

4. The art world, George, his lecture series, his comments on modern art, his audiences, the flip touch, the reaction of the authorities, of the board, wanting to stop the series?

5. The structure of the film: George, the gallery, the flashbacks, the train crash, the forgeries, his investigation?

6. George, Terry, and the relationship? The tension? Traybin and his presence, Herbert Marshall’s presence and style, British, serious, gravitas? George’s puzzle? The drink, the crash, the interrogation by Cochrane, his recounting of his travel, buying the ticket after the phone call, in the train, re-living the crash? His getting out, wandering? Cochrane and his suspicions? Cochrane being influenced by Traybin?

7. George, the lecture, the response, the drink with Terry, the phone call, facing the fact that there was no train crash? His breakdown?

8. The contact with Stevenson, friendship, the discussions, meeting, finding Stevenson dead? Seeing the director of the gallery and later confronting him?

9. The story of the Gainsborough painting, destroyed in the ship, Traybin and Scotland Yard, his working with Cochrane, with Terry, trying to gauge whether George was involved with the forgery and the destruction?

10. The socials, the role of Reynolds, Traybin at the party, his offering to help George?

11. George, retracing his steps, asking people if they recognised him, going on the train, getting off, the information about the train? The theory, of a house somewhere near the rail line, going to the director and confronting him?

12. Mary, her role at the gallery, friendship with Dr Lowell, getting her friend to help, George and his going to the ship, getting assistance, getting off the ship with the painting, evading the police, the copy, the wherewithal to check whether the paintings were fakes? Mary, the phone call to Dr Lowell, the taking of Terry and George?

13. Lowell, on the board, sinister, the revelation of the truth, taunting Terry, George unconscious, the explanation about the train, the drugs, hypnotic? The sounds of the train going past the house? Mary and her aggression, with the gun? Lowell and his aesthetic greed?

14. Traybin, the entry, the shootings, and the explanations?

THE ABUSE OF WEAKNESS/ L’ABUSE DE FAIBLESSE

France, 2013, 105 minutes, Colour.
Isabelle Huppert, Kool Shen, Laurence Ursino.
Directed by Catherine Breillat.

Catherine Breillat has made provocative films for several decades, many of them having difficulties with censorship boards because of their explicit nudity and sexual activity. In more recent years, she has turned to a greater interest in drama rather than explicit presentation. This is especially the case with this film.

Isabelle Huppert must be one of the greatest actresses of the time, less well known and recognised than Meryl Streep because she works on the continent, although she has appeared in a number of American films. The opening sequences where she has a stroke, lies in hospital deformed, has to go through rigorous physiotherapy, reminds audiences how talented she is.

She plays a film director. During her convalescence she sees an interview on television with a conman who spent 12 years in prison in Hong Kong for fraud, has written a book, comes across quite charmingly. She contacts him and, although he is not an actor, invites him to participate in her forthcoming film. He visits her, they discuss the project, he likes the ending and so agrees. He still keeps up his business interests as well as gambling. He is also married.

The conman moves in with the director, a platonic relationship, more a mutual exercise of power and influence with the focus on money. She is beguiled by him, signing many cheques, he gambling, continuing to call on her, especially after moving in with her. At the end, her bewildered accountants and family members cannot understand her behaviour – and there is a most telling scene at the end where she explains that what she did was really her – but also was not her, explanation and justification which mystifies the relatives and mystifies herself.

1. An interesting portrait of a woman, illness, the stroke, the attraction to the conman, her being deceived, the final explanation, justification?

2. The themes of Catherine Breillat? Exploring the boundaries of human interactions? This film as much more restrained than usual?

3. The presence of Isabelle Huppert, her strong career, ability to immerse herself in a character?

4. The opening, Maud, in bed, her pain, the experience of the stroke, trying to get out of bed, the difficulties in
phoning, the information, the body feeling dead? In hospital, the treatment, the family visiting? Her face being deformed, difficulties with her mouth and lips? Her arm crooked?

5. The cumulative effect of the scenes of physiotherapy: on the ball, moving her lips, her mouth, the wheelchair, walking, her stick?

6. Her watching television, the interview with Vilko, his explanation, his crimes, imprisonment in Hong Kong, the conman, dealing with millions? Attraction, her communicating with him, invitation to the film, his reactions, coming to see her, elaborating the plot, his being interested in the ending? His agreement?

7. Maud as a film director, her career, her assistant, discussions with him, his advice? The photographer? The characters, collaboration with Maud?

8. Vilko, his background, his marriage, the scenes with his wife? His moving in? His activities, gambling, her signing the cheques, the cumulative effect? The range of discussions with him, his coming while she was auditioning the child actor? The full amount, the squabbles? His losing his wife?

9. The effect on Maud, an obsession, dependence, losing money, the discussions about payment, her searching his clothes for money?

10. The final clash, breakup, her losing all her money?

11. The discussions with accountants, with family members, the disbelief, explaining what she did, signing the cheques – and the repetition that it was her, that it was not her?

WAY OUT WEST

US, 1930, 77 minutes, Black and white.
William Haines, Leila Hyams, Polly Moran, Cliff Edwards, Francis X. Bushman Jr, Charles Middleton.
Directed by Fred Niblo.

Way Out West seems more like a silent film than an early talkie. The staging and the performances are often somewhat stilted, the dialogue not particularly well developed. Perhaps this is because the director was Fred Niblo, a veteran of silent films, although he directed and acted in the Buster Keaton vehicle, Free and Easy, in the same year.

The film opens with the liveliness of the carnival, attracting shot of the variety of attractions, bearded ladies… until it comes to a glamorous act, with William Haines as Windy, the spruiker, bossing the girls around, setting up a gambling wheel to entice the cowboys in after they had viewed the dancing girls. He lets a dumb one win to entice the others and then, manipulating the wheel, gets $200. When they discover they have been robbed, the cowboys pursue him – but his leading lady has already stolen his money and is on the train that he intended to be on, and they decide to lynch him. Another cowboy, Buck, turns up, and reminds them that they won’t get their money back if Windy is dead. Noose around his neck, he is almost hanged as a horse nibbles on grass and moves forward.

The cowboys are determined to make Windy work on the range until he has paid his debt, and he is already chopping wood early in the morning, carrying the breakfast tray to the boss, who turns out to be Buck’s sister, well educated at Vassar, and clashing instantly with Windy, who moves in on her, so to speak, and there are clashes.

For most of the film, the cowboys play tricks on Windy, putting him on a bucking horse, his shovelling the manure, trying to milk cows (but rather opening tins of condensed milk), going to wash the boss’s car but driving it into a bull pen, being chased by the bull which crashes into the car … But, despite the attachment of one of the boys who wants to marry her, the boss decides to entrust her money to Windy, giving him $800 and her bank book for him to deposit the cash while he does some shopping. She is anxious when he does not return but he does, having had a flat tyre.

Windy is not invited to do a dance and he waits outside, but is challenged to go in, dances with the boss, fights with the rival and is injured. He interprets that she has turned from him, so he takes the car, has a shootout with the cowboys, is trapped in a sandstorm, gets back to the farm, blocks the door, only to find that the boys are all on his side…

A star vehicle for William Haines, historically interesting, but not memorable.