CHINESE TAKE-AWAY / UN CUENTO CHINO

Argentina, 2011, 93 minutes, Colour.
Ricardo Darin, Ignacio Huang, Muriel Santa Ana.
Directed by Sebastian Borensztein.


Chinese Takeaway has a lot going for it. An entertaining story and interesting central characters but with many comic touches and quite serious humane undertones.

It starts romantically in China – but this lasts only a few minutes before an absurd accident brings disaster to the couple. The film does say that it is based on actual events and the final credits are worth staying for, as glimpses of television news show the events in Russia on which the film is based, quite absurd in their way but tragic.

Then we are in Buenos Aires with one of Argentina’s top actors, Ricardo Darin, who can do serious police roles as well as more ordinary characters as he does here. He is Roberto who has his own hardware store. He is a middle-aged loner, a man of routine (lights out at 23.00 on the dot) who keeps a scrapbook of newspaper reports of would-you-believe-it stories. He can’t be drawn out of himself, even by a woman from the country who obviously loves him.

Where could this be going? China disaster to suburban Argentinian shops?

One of his pastimes is sitting outside the airport watching planes. Suddenly, a young Chinese man is tossed out of a taxi. It is the young man of the opening. Roberto goes to help him – and thus begins a tale. Jun cannot speak Spanish. Roberto is frustrated by the young man’s incessant Chinese speech and urgency.

The screenplay poses the question. If this happened to you, what would you do? Jun has an address tattooed on his arm. No luck. Try the police who are not only unco-operative but leads to a moment of violence which becomes very important in the resolution of the dilemma of Jun’s future. Take Jun to the Chinese embassy? Of course. But, while initial inquiries seem promising – Jun has worked on a ship and is seeking his uncle who has sold his shop and disappeared. Roberto takes Jun in and gives himself a week to find the uncle.

Not only does the film raise issues of language and verbal communication, signs and miming. It raises questions of language and culture and groping for understanding. And, it does raise the basic questions of human kindness, hospitality and the challenge to be a decent human being. Roberto is not always successful. He gets Jun to work in cleaning up his yard. He is worried about Jun’s nightmares. There is a false hope about the uncle, but is an error from the embassy, the staff of which later prove detachedly unhelpful.

The main help comes from Mari, the woman in love with Roberto. She takes Jun on a day of tourism around the city. It culminates in Chinese takeaway – which does provide some relief for Roberto and for the audience (though we, of course, know Jun’s sad story). The young man delivering the food is able to do some translating. Verbal communication at last.

There is a moment of disaster and Roberto’s anger with Jun and ousting him. But, a neat coincidence involving the policeman from earlier in the film leads to some hope.

Darin is completely believable and very sympathetic though we might find him difficult had we met him in real life. Ignacio Huang is also sympathetic who copes in his performance with speaking in Chinese only.

We smile. We are moved. A touch of tears. In fact, ‘touching’ is a good word to describe this blend of the serious and the comic, a film of human decency and kindness as the way we should live.

1. An Argentinian story? Chinese story? Intercultural, interracial? Universal values?

2. The Buenos Aires setting, the suburbs, the shop and the street, the airport, the police precincts, the Chinese embassy? A sense of realism? The musical score?

3. The prologue, China, the romantic interlude, the water? The rings? The absurdity of the cow falling from the sky? The tragedy? The audience left with this sequence – and the transition to Argentina?

4. The story based on actual events, the information in the final credits, the news, the Russian situation, the stealing of the cows, in the plane, the cows falling on the ship and the sailors?

5. The introduction to Roberto, Ricardo Darin’s presence? In the shop, counting the nails, his feeling that he was cheated, his argument with the salesman? His routine, meals, the papers and cutting out absurd stories, turning the light out at 2300?

6. Roberto as the loner, imagining stories, the Italian film, passionate love, with Mari? All in his imagination? Mari and her letter and his opening it six months later? Few friends? Leonel bringing the papers? Mari and her affection? His interchange with the pernickety customer – finally ordering him out? The delivery man, the offering of the gifts and Roberto’s not accepting? The delivery, the gift of the glass animal, for his mother’s cabinet? His dead mother?

7. At the airport, watching the planes, eating? The episode with Jun evicted from the taxi? Going to help him, sympathy for the victim? His spontaneous behaviour, kindness?

8. The audience recognising Jun from the prologue? Compassion for him? His speech, no subtitles? The effect for the audience? For Roberto?

9. The address tattooed on his arm, going to the address, the information that his uncle had sold the house and moved? Going to the police, the threat of the cell, the surly officer, Ricardo hitting him? Jun standing in the rain and Roberto picking him up? Going to the embassy, raising hopes? The arrival of the genial family – a mistake? Roberto and his pleading with them to take Jun? The ultimatum, the week and the calendar?

10. Meals, Jun imitating Ricardo, Roberto’s response to Ricardo’s nightmares? The job, clearing up the yard, taking out the rubbish? The sadness of his breaking the cabinet and the glass animals?

11. Mari, her life on the farm, attachment to Roberto? With Leonel? The invitation for them to join the family with the meal, the food? Mari taking Jun on a tourist visit of the city? The photos?

12. The decision to get Chinese take-away, the young man, translation, Roberto at last understanding something of Jun’s plight? Jun’s gratitude?

13. Roberto ousting Jun after the accident with the cabinet? Jun wandering? Roberto and his change of heart? In the car, the policeman seeing him, the clash between the two, the bashing, Jun seeing Roberto, rescuing him? The meal, the discussions about Roberto’s scrapbook, the farfetched stories? The Chinese take-away, the translator, Jun telling his story – and the connection with the story in Roberto’s album?

14. The family finally contacting the embassy, the happy reunion with Jun, his going to the airport?

15. Roberto and his kindness, the effect on him, driving to the country to see Mari?

16. Emotions, wry humour? A touching story and characters?

COTTON MARY

UK, 1999, 124 minutes, Colour
Greta Scacchi, Madhur Jaffrey, James Wilby, Sakina Jaffre, Gemma Jones.
Directed by Ismael Merchant.

Cotton Mary is one of seven films directed by Ismael Merchant, best known as the producer for James Ivory’s films from the early 1960s to 2005, the year of Ismael Merchant’s death. Merchant Ivory became a byword for classical films, elegantly mounted, generally British stories but venturing into versions of Henry James as well as stories made in India in their early years.

This film is set in 1954 on the Malabar coast. Madhur Jaffre (best known for her cooking books and programs as well as acting) is a woman of mixed race, Anglo-Indian?, pining for the times of the Raj, having to accept the differences – but not fitting in well, this having effect on her emotional and mental stability. Greta Scacchi (who appeared for Merchant Ivory in Heat and Dust) is the mother of a young girl, married to a businessman (James Wilby) and pregnant. There are difficulties with the pregnancy, especially in producing milk for the child. Mary works at the hospital, takes possession of the child, finds someone that she can lavish her attentions on, takes the child to her wheelchair-bound sister for milk. The mother and the father don’t know what is going on.

Mary is invited to join the household, becomes jealous of the servant who has spent his life in the house, engineers his dismissal by Iago-like insinuations. She, however, becomes more erratic, wanting to become more English, relating that her father was an English military man. Ultimately, there is a confrontation, especially after the mother is informed by her daughter of some of the things that have been going on. In the meantime, her husband is often absent, taking Mary’s niece with him and beginning an affair with her. In the background are three very British and very snobbish ladies.

The film recreates the atmosphere as well as capturing the beauty of this part of India. By setting the film half a century earlier, six years after independence, the film is able to show what happened in India during the 20th century as well as reflect on it.

1. An Anglo-Indian? story? The situation pre-partition and independence? In the immediate aftermath? A 20th century film looking at India in the 20th century, the perspective of post-independence?

2. The Merchant Ivory tradition filming in India, Indian stories, the cast?

3. The title, the focus on Mary, her nickname, its significance?

4. The family, Lily, Teresa, her relationship with John? Life in the house? Pampered? Her background as growing up in India, becoming an adult in India? Abraham as the lifelong servant? Lifestyle and wealth? Her pregnancy, its effect on her, psychologically? The hospital, the difficult birth? The response of the staff? Mary, her concern and her care, encouraging Lily? The birth, the child, Lily having no milk, the dependence on Mary, her absent husband? His arrival and concern? The distance between the two?

5. Mary and her age, her experience, her life story, Anglo-Indian?, her relying on the background of her father? In Malabar? Her culture, manners, treatment of the staff, interactions with the doctor, taking the child, reassuring Lily? Beginning to possess the child, the child giving meaning to her life, her purpose in feeding it? Lily’s response, taking Mary home? Mary willingly going?

6. Lily at home, her social life, the English women and their visits, discussions, the discussions about Mary? Her reaction? Mary’s asserting herself? Later and having her hair done, taking Lily’s dress? Insulting the women?

7. John, his life as a businessman, the distance between himself and his wife, his love for his daughter? His response to the baby, the doctors, his demands, concern? His meeting Rosie, taking her away as his assistant? The travel, the affair? A callow man? Finally exposed?

8. Mary and her own family, her sister and her being wheelchair-bound? Supplying the milk? The extended family, their concern, discussions with Mary, interest in her life at the house? Mary and her discussions with Rosie, Rosie at the hospital, asserting? Urging Rosie to better things? Mary beginning to flaunt herself in front of the family? The visit for the preparation of Lily, – her not coming, the reactions, the judgments made?

9. Abraham, his work in the house, life service, the house as his home? Mary and her jealousy, the accusations, criticising him for being dirty, the health scares about the baby, criticising him being alone with Teresa? The insinuations, the plausibility? Her forcing Lily to let Abraham go? His character, a good man, in the kitchen, serving his being hurt, leaving? Lily’s later regrets?

10. Mary and her mental state, in the house, showing off, the new man, his inefficiencies, the poor work, in the garden, not knowing the flowers, food, being drunk, careless? Lily’s puzzle?

11. The family, her disowning them? Yet having to go back to them? Rosie and her spurning Mary? Mary’s rebukes about her life? Lily and the decision to leave India?

12. Lily and her daughter, Teresa telling her the truth about Mary, the insinuations about John? Her going back to England?

13. The picture of a colonial period, the alleged post-colonialism? Stories of possibilities for India? The changes in the aftermath of independence?

THE COUNSELLOR

US, 2013, 117 minutes, Colour,
Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Janvier Bud Dern, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Ruben Blades, Goran Visnick, Dean Norris, Edgar Ramirez, Natalie Dormer, Bruno Ganz, John Leguizamo.
Directed by Ridley Scott.

Divided opinions on this one. Those who are interested in the novels and films of Cormac Mc Carthy have shown interest in it. However, many have been very disappointed by the convoluted plot as well as the time taken out from action for elaborate monologues, the kind of dialogue that nobody uses in real life, plus, at times, a specialised vocabulary.

The film is quite unpleasant in its way, with characters who are in no way sympathetic, even though the screenplay seems to be asking for the audience to have an interest in and warm to the central character, The Counsellor (never given a specific name), played by Michael Fassbender, who worked with Ridley Scott in Prometheus. He plays a lawyer who for greedy motivations, to give his wife a comfortable way of living, becomes involved in drug trafficking from Juarez, Mexico, and becomes mixed up with a number of wealthy criminals as well as many of those who usually described as low-lives.

The film is something of a fable, especially on the gospel theme of “what does it profit a man…?”. We soon realise that this is going to be true of the counsellor himself. However, another character does gain the whole world, but by the end of the film we are wondering whether this character ever had a soul to lose in the first place.

Michael Fassbender plays his role in a rather subdued way, although he has to express desperation by the end of the film and sadness at the fate of his wife. She is played by Penelope Cruz with a touch of glamour and a touch of shrewdness. There is a strange couple played by Javier Bardem and Cameron Diaz, he unashamed about his greed, his ambitions for building a club, with something of a carefree attitude towards life and issues until he has to meet them face-to-face; she is all glamour, a blonde femme fatale, unscrupulous in her dealings, manipulative. There is also Brad Pitt, seemingly a middle-man in the drug trade. He manages to have quite a spectacular exit scene.

While a lot of the convolutions of the plot are just presented rather than explained, especially the counsellor’s involvement, if we pay attention, it all works out in the end. And, there are all those monologues about the meaning of life, the meaning of greed, the nature of the world we live in, the choices which we make which create a world different from the one we are living in… They are spoken by quite a number of the characters, especially the main characters, but also a barman, a lawyer, the head of the cartels.

Some have accused Cormac Mc Carthy of a kind of misogyny. However, he is very interested in sex and its different and sometimes extreme variations. Some of the sequences, especially the opening sequence, highlights the sexuality and continues to give a tone to the film, more than especially a scene involving Cameron Diaz in the car as well as her wanting to confess to a priest who is quite disturbed by her approach. At age 80, Mc Carthy, along with director, Ridley Scott who is 77, they could be called dirty old men.

After this exploration of crime, sin and the wages of sin, Ridley Scott is directing a film version of the book of Exodus. (Though there is a lot of sin and wages of sin in that book as well!)

1. Audience interest in the film? The cartels? Drugs? Lawyers? Crime?

2. The town of Juarez, the contrast with El Paso, scenes of the desert, cities and their affluence? The finale in London? The musical score?

3. An unpleasant film, unpleasant characters, difficult to identify with? The situations, greed and betrayal, brutality environments? Desperation and despair?

4. The work of Cormac Mc Carthy, the film versions, a grim perspective on life? The work of Ridley Scott, the great range of genres he worked in?

5. The dialogue, the number of monologues, holding up the action or illustrating it? And the camera’s attention to small details, like pouring a cup of coffee, while the characters speak the monologues? The philosophy of life and its motivations, choices, the creation of a world, fate? Are spoken by Reiner, Westray, the Jese, the barman, Malkina?

6. The plot, clarity, characters, intersections, motivations?

7. The basic situation, the smuggling of drugs, the deals, the people involved, the profit motive, the nature of smuggling, spying on others, manipulating, arranging killings? The buyers? The dealers?

8. The opening, the sexual encounter and its detail, the touch of prurience, the audience eavesdropping and watching? Setting a tone, the discussions about sexuality, especially with Reiner, with Malkina, the confession sequence, the priest uncomfortable, Malkina and her casual approach, wanting to talk, perhaps boast, to someone, the priest leaving the confessional? The scene with Malkina and the car, as spoken about by Reiner, as visualised, and the counsellor asking why he was being told this story?

9. The counsellor, going into action, the discussions with Reiner, visiting the club, the plans, the encounters with Malkina? His love for his wife? The encounters with Westray? Things going wrong, his becoming more and more bewildered, the phone calls, to Westray, to his wife, the deaths, the plan to go to Boise? At the airport, the abduction of his wife, waiting in the hotel, visiting the lawyer for advice, drunk in the bar, the advice of the bartender, the phone call to the Jese, the final scenes of weeping in desperation?

10. The wife, in love with her husband, a strong character, the encounter with the young client at the hotel, her being puzzled, concerned for her husband, planning to go to Boise, going to the airport, her being abducted? The scene with the corpse in the rubbish tip?

11. The visit to Ruth in prison, his work for her, her son and the connections? Ruth sensing her son was dead?

12. Westray, his connections, warnings, the discussions with the counsellor, the phone calls, warning him, the conversation about coincidences, about his wife? Going to London, his vanity, the girl at the counter, his walking in the street, the joggers, the garrotte, his lying on the footpath, bleeding?

13. Malkina, sexy, her relationship with Reiner, listening into his discussions with the counsellor, ordering the decapitation, the characters who did her will, cold and calculating, measuring the height of the bike? Setting up the wire? The lights, watching? Retrieving the connection to the truck? The truck being held up, the false police, the shootings? Deaths in the truck taken by the cartels? Malkina’s continually giving orders, going to London, ordering the death of Westray, retrieving the computer, the girl giving the password, the discarding of her and the girl giving back the money? The final meeting with the banker and the warnings?

14. The cartels, the range of killers, the drivers, the decapitation, the shootings, the bystander driving the truck in the desert and his death, the waste disposal, the range of workers, cleaners, the scene in Chicago, the buyer, the explanation of the bodies in the drums?

15. An immersion in an unpleasant experience, with unpleasant characters, and the moral “what does it profit a man…?”.

THE DOCTOR’S DILEMMA

UK, 1958, 99 minutes, Colour.
Leslie Caron, Dirk Bogarde, John Robinson, Robert Morley, Alastair Sim, Felix Aylmer.
Directed by Anthony Asquith.

The Doctors Dilemma Is a version of a play of 1907 by George Bernard Shaw. It has been directed by Anthony Asquith who directed the 1938 version of Pygmalion for which Shaw won an Academy award for screenplay. Other plays brought to the screen include Major Barbara, 1941, and Otto Preminger’s version of St Joan in 1957.

The film relies very much on the staging of the play. Most of the scenes are played in fixed sets, Sir Colenso’s room, the restaurant, Louis’s room. The film is also very reliant on Shaw’s words, a very wordy film.

The performances are very interesting, especially those of the doctors, who are played by John Robinson who is really the central character of the film, as well as veterans Robert Morley, Alastair Sim, Felix Aylmer. The artist is played in a familiar way by Dirk Bogarde. Leslie Caron plays his wife, perhaps to studiously dramatic at times.

The film looks the part, bright colour photography, re-creation of the period, a very British production in tone, manners and accents. The question is whether the critique is as relevant today – if not for doctors, for other professionals.

1. The work of George Bernard Shaw? Play from the early 20th century? 1903 setting, 1907 performance? Shaw’s view on institutions, professionals, arrogance?

2. The film as a filmed play, the adaptation for the screen, the staging and most of the action on sets, long speeches? Some opening out, Sir Patrick walking along the street…, the restaurant?

3. Costumes, decor, sets, bright colour? Re-creation of the period? Very British in tone and style? The musical score?

4. The title and its focus on the doctors, their moral stances, the criteria for their choices?

5. Introduction, Sir Patrick walking along the street, his voice-over and reflections, his criticisms of the doctors, the maids polishing their nameplates?

6. Sir Colenso Ridgeon and his new knighthood? His reputation, his manner, his house, the housekeeper, discussions with her? the arrival of Sir Patrick and his concern about his health? the other doctors and their congratulations, BB, Walpole, their arrival, discussions, promotion of their particular stances for medicine? The refusal to see Ginevra?

7. The doctors and their different approaches, the critique of each other, the poisoning of the blood, the cutting out of organs, the value of anti-toxins? Critique, the arrogance, their speeches, their personalities, their arguments?

8. Ginevra and Louis, his painting, her posing, his demands? Their talk, his illness, her concern, the background of this story, meeting in Brittany, the love? Her going to the doctor?

9. Colenso and his being charmed by Ginevra? His resistance, too busy, looking at the paintings, wanting to buy them, his decision to treat Louis? The visit of Dr Blenkinsop, his story, being busy, meeting the other doctors, his own illness?

10. The invitation to the dinner, Ginevra and her charm, Louis and his talk at the table, his genius, yet his borrowing the money, even the small amount from Dr Blenkinsop (and later repenting and borrowing so that Blenkinsop could be repaid)?

11. The meeting of the doctors after the meal, the discussions, the revelation of the first wife, learning of the borrowings, their forming a bad opinion of Louis? Walpole taking Blenkinsop home?

12. The doctors’ visit to the house, the discussions, Louis and his philosophy of life, disdain of money yet spending it and borrowing it, his seeming lack of conscience, exploiting people, the issue of his first wife, his explanation of their short marriage, spending all the money, and have been better off in going back to her work? His meeting with Ginevra, not telling her the truth, marrying her? The doctors’ reaction to lack of propriety, bigamy? The shock, their standards? Louis and his challenging them in their values? Hypocrisies and double standards? His doing the sketch? Willing to sell it?

13. Colenso and his decision to treat Blenkinsop? A good man? Doing good work? Needing to be saved, compared with a great artist, doctors being replaceable?

14. BB and his care, the arguments, his treatment, Walpole’s reaction?

15. Louis at home, being brought in after listening to their discussions, knowing that he was dying, his comments on their behaviour, on their methods? His wanting Ginevra to marry again and be happy? Ginevra coming in, her sadness, Louis leaning on her, his death?

16. Ginevra’s long and emotional speech about Louis, her seeing only his good and refusing to believe otherwise?

17. The exhibition, everybody visiting, Colenso and is looking at the paintings, seeing Ginevra in the bright dress, her refusal to sell him the painting, a rejection of him, blame? Her new husband?

18. Shaw using drama for his critique of doctors, their practice, the pretensions of their reputations, the dangers of their remedies and inventions? How relevant the Shavian critique?

LE WEEKEND

UK, 2013, 97 minutes, Colour.
Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, Jeff Goldblum.
Directed by Roger Michel.

Le Weekend has received very good reviews. It is designed for an older audience, probably those who enjoyed The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Quartet. While it is put forward as a comedy, there is an edge to the film. Trying to find a word that would describe its sharpness and its pleasantness, the result would probably be ‘bittersweet’. And, with the British background, ‘bitter’ wins out many times.

The film has a literary background. The screenplay was written by Hanif Kaneishi, novelist and screenwriter whose films include My Beautiful Launderette and The Buddha of Suburbia. He is working again with the director of The Buddha of Suburbia, Roger Michel, well known for such films as Notting Hill.

Nick and his wife have been married for 30 years. He lectures in philosophy at a university college but has been fired because of inappropriate remarks to a foreign student. They have a son who sponges on them. A lot of the spark seems to have gone out of the marriage. They decide to rekindle their love by going back to Paris for a weekend.

The film is effective through the performances of Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan as the couple.

Because the action of the film takes place over two days, we have a great number of ups and downs in the relationship, affection one moment, irritation the next, the desire to walk out, tender moments of reconciliation. To that extent, the screenplay seems to be rather contrived, trying to put as many episodes in the running time as possible. Which means that the relationships and the tensions move too quickly as to be entirely credible.

A lot of the time is taken in going to a hotel, finding it undesirable, booking into an expensive hotel, scouting other restaurants, scrimping at one moment, paying up at others. And there are plenty of irritation scenes to go with it, making the audience continually wonder whether the marriage can be saved.

Then an unexpected character turns up, a friend from Nick’s student days, someone who has admired him and has presumed that Nick’s professional life has been unending success. He invites Nick and his wife to a party which is filled with left-bank intellectuals and academics from the Sorbonne. The friend, Morgan, is played enthusiastically by Jeff Goldblum.

The film then takes an even more serious tone with some conversation sequences, especially Morgan pouring out his admiration for Nick, toasting him at the dinner, then an important speech by Nick outlining the failure of his life. In the meantime, his wife has accepted an invitation to have a drink with one of the intellectuals after the party and has overheard Nick in another important conversation, this time with Morgan’s young son from America. The wife also makes a short speech at the dinner table, which contains a nicely subtle acknowledgement of her love for her husband.

It is not quite over yet, the couple finding that they do not have enough money to pay their extravagant hotel bill. Morgan again to the rescue. His zest communicates itself to the down-and-out couple.

This is a film which middle aged and older couples may well identify with, reflecting on their lives, on their marriage, high points and low points and the possibilities for failure or continuing success. (A caution for some older audiences who might find some of the language off-putting.)

1. A film for older audiences? Experience of life, marriage, success and failure, family? Crises and hope for the future?

2. The title, the French overtones, Paris, the French weekend in tradition? Love, lovers, bonding? The weekend for healing, for re-kindling love?

3. The visuals of Paris, the landmarks, the streets, Sacre Coeur, the hotels, restaurants? The musical score?

4. The writer and his career? His perspectives? Edge? The director and his career? Comedy and serious films?

5. The trip, the train, the passengers, Meg and Nick, the issue of the euros, indications of tension? The camp, the euros for speeding through Paris, Meg’s exhilaration, Nick’s apprehension? The old hotel, the beige room, their argument, leaving?

6. Going to the new hotel, there being no room, the special situation, the suite, the luxury, their hopes?

7. Jim Broadbent as Nick, age, lecturing, philosophy, the marriage to Meg, the years passing, the anniversary, his attitude towards his son, bludging on his parents, watching television, the phone calls? His being fired, the inappropriate comments to the foreign student? 30 years of marriage, up’s and downs, love for Meg, the accusation that of the earlier relationship with the student? In Paris, being tentative, cautious, the meals, going out, her paying, running, the extravagance and its effect? The encounter with Morgan in the street, his seeing the couple kiss, the invitation to the party, back in the hotel, sexual relationship, kissing, talking, touching? Meg and her change of moods? Dressing for the party, their arrival, talking with Morgan, Morgan’s tribute to him, the speech and the toast, his own speech, after discussion with Michael, understanding Morgan better, his awkwardness with his son, his wives? The discussion about love being difficult, not sex? Smoking the pot? Maggie and her speech, his response? The return, the mess at the hotel, not enough money, Morgan coming to the rescue? Dancing?

8. Meg, her life, her manner, tensions, her control? The anniversary and the trip? Her barbed comments, the hotel, speeding through Paris, the beige room, the new hotel, looking at the prices and restaurants? Talking, change of moods, loving, not? Her needs, touching, not wanting to be touched, talking of leaving, not leaving? The ups and downs of their love? Dressing for the party? The party itself, the guests, on the balcony and her agreeing to the later drink date, hearing Nick and his discussion with Michael, listening to the speeches, her own speech, telling her friend that she was not speaking about a lover but about her husband? The final money mess? Morgan coming, the dancing?

9. Morgan, meeting in the street, his style, his amazement, the invitation, the party, the guests, the launch of the book, the publishers? His discussions with Nick? Admiring him? Remembering the past, assuming Nick’s achievement? The tribute speech, the toast? His new wife, their relationship? His lack of a relationship with his son? Listening to Nick, his sense of failure, the end of the party? Meg and Nick and their financial difficulties, his coming to the rescue? The dancing?

10. Michael, the young son, his mother and her suicide attempt, his lack of a relationship with his father, coming to visit in Paris, out of the party, smoking pot, the discussions with Nick? His admiration?

11. The new wife, Meg talking with her, the bitter remarks, bonding? Her speech for her husband?

12. The background of academic society, lecturers from the Sorbonne, the publishers, and an elitist attitude?

13. Paris, the staffs of the hotel, the atmosphere for visitors?

14. The film as bittersweet?

APOLLO 13

US, 1995, 140 minutes, Colour.
Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan, Ed Harris, Loren Dean, Ray Mc Kinnon.
Directed by Ron Howard.

American audiences applauded this film. The “two thumbs up” reviewers, Siskel and Ebert, were interviewed and noted that it was the first American film in a long time that did not show the lone hero solving every problem, but showed Americans collaborating in a crisis. They are right and this is one of the strengths of this re-creation of the potential disaster in 1970 when the shuttle to the moon lost oxygen and it was a struggle to bring the vehicle and group back to earth. Against all odds, they did.

Audiences who enjoy the technical and the technological will be enthralled by this film. Those who are not, if they are patient, will find that they are caught up in the crisis, the way the astronauts handle situations and how Huston uses its scientific ingenuity to work out ways to get the extra energy that will save the mission. The cast is solid, the expedition led by Tom Hanks who reminds us that he can be an intelligent American as well as a Forrest Gump. Ed Harris at Houston and Gary Sinese as the astronaut whose voyage was cancelled because of suspected measles but who helps them down, stand out.

Another fine example of director, Ron Howard’s skill in popular movie storytelling.

1. A film based on actual events? Historical? 25 years after the events? A film of failure and success, consequences?


2. Ron Howard, his career, capacity for storytelling?

3. 1969-1970, the walk on the moon, the response of the public, the subsequent missions, the lessening of interest by the public, by the television channels? The musical score?

4. The introduction about the space race, the USSR, the U.S., Walking in space, travel to the moon? Apollo 13, the plans and hopes?

5. The introduction to the crew, Jim Lovell and his leadership, his personality? Tom Hanks in the role, his image on screen at the time, Oscars? Lovell and his wife, the family? Working as a guide, the call, the promotion? Preparation for the flight? His son going to college? His wife and her not wanting to come to the launch, her change of mind? Ken, his expertise, health, measles, his being excluded? Fred, jokes, his family? Jack, girlfriends, the media interest in him? The scenes at home and the good spirits amongst the men and families?

6. The tests, the equipment, the role of the computers, the plans, communications?

7. The blast off, Lovell’s wife, the joy of the success, the team at Houston, the families?

8. Ordinary life on board, people asking questions, food, urinating, working?

9. Houston, Gene Krantz, his role in control, all the teamwork, the scientific observations, communications with Apollo 13?

10. The explosion, the situation, Houston and the team trying to work out what happened? The astronauts, the flight, their coping? Intelligence and wit?

11. The difficulties, the dangers, the lowering of the oxygen, the pressures, the physical and mental condition, the cold, feeling worse in, clashes in blame, Lovell and his control, talking with Houston, following directions, the health measures?

12. The difficulties, the experts and Houston, Ken and his being awakened, coming, going to the simulator, tests and hypotheses, the various theories, the amps, the success?

13. On the ground, the families, Lovell’s wife and her presence, her son at school?

14. Going through the barriers, the heat, the long silence? Joy at contact again?

15. Ultimate success, the helicopter, the rescue?

16. The end, the information about each of the men? Their subsequent careers? Lovell and his writing of this experience?

JANE DOE: NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON'T

US, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Lea Thompson, Joe Penny, William R. Moses, Jessy Schram, Zack Shada, Robin Thomas, Tamlyn Tomita, Timothy Bottoms, Pamela Reed.
Directed by Armand Mastroianni.

Now You See It, Now You Don't is a typical Jane Doe thriller, showing her as the devoted housewife, not yet revealing her Secret Service work to her husband and family. There are many domestic scenes as usual.

The focus is on the stealing of the Declaration of Independence while on a tour. Cathy is called in to solve the problems, working well with Frank, but having a clash with Helen Morriston, played by Tamlyn Tomita, who is jealous of her interventions. Cathy steps back – but finally succeeds in the one-upping of Helen Morriston at the end. Robin Thomas is the bank manager, suave – who, we guess rightly, is the criminal. Timothy Bottoms has a role as a bank security expert and a whiz with computers. Pamela Reed is the wife of the suspect, abducted.

The plot is not dissimilar from that of National Treasure with Nicolas Cage.

1. Cathy called from home, her making excuses, her ingenuity at getting away from home and visiting the supermarket and the agency headquarters? Her comments on the stealing of the Declaration, that it was stolen before it disappeared? The meeting with Helen Morriston – and the continued clashes, Helen and her wanting to be the boss, Cathy stepping back – but solving the mystery of Fran’s abduction and rescuing her, listening to her, and the finale with the bank manager?

2. Frank, his sturdy self, running the investigation, relying on Cathy, making the peace with Helen? His involvement, care about Cathy? Her going off by herself?

3. The family story, Jack and his believing his wife worked with games? Her discussions with Susan? Nick and his computer and helping her to solve the problem?

4. The disappearance of the Declaration? The literal disappearance? The security guard and his not seeing anybody? Clarence and his comments, security at the bank? William Joyner and his concern about security? His helping Cathy, going with her, being shot? The revelation that the wound was slight? The revelation that he was the criminal mind, that the stealing of the Declaration was a distraction, the money in the bank, his team, the work of Clarence, the stealing of the money? His threatening Cathy?

5. Fran, her dead husband, his being the computer whiz, the bank using him for the disappearance of the Declaration?

6. The build-up to the climax, Cathy’s involvement, Joyner holding her at the bank, her getting the message out, the police reinforcements, her taping Joyner and his explanation of what had happened? The arrests – and the satisfactory ending?

THE HARDYS RIDE HIGH

US, 1939, 81 minutes, Black and white.
Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Fay Holden, Cecilia Parker, Ann Rutherford, Sara Haden, Virginia Grey, Minor Watson.
Directed by George B. Seitz.

This is the sixth film in the Hardy Family series. It was well established by 1939, with Mickey Rooney still in high school but moving towards adulthood, the judge presiding over justice matters in the town of Carvel, Mrs Hardy still mothering everyone, Marian their daughter and Sara Haden as Aunt Milly. This time the family gets news of a possible inheritance in Detroit and goes to find it. The heir contesting the will is played by John ‘Dusty’ King. He is rather a spendthrift.

The family goes to visit Detroit, they go on the town somewhat, Mrs Hardy being tricked by a conman, Andy meeting up with a chorus girl, Marian wanting a new dress...

There are the familiar scenes of father and son talks, Andy and his courting of Polly Benedict (Ann Rutherford) and recounting his football successes.

The film has a message about integrity – and one needs to have a moral stance as regards inheriting money.

1. The popularity of the series? By 1939? The establishing of the characters? Andy and his relationship to his family, especially his father?

2. The black and white photography, Carvel, the town, the contrast with Detroit?

3. The 1930s values, family values, relationship between parents and children? School? Courting? The issue of money, the possible inheritance for the judge, testing out the validity of the will, the possibility of a children’s hospital, the judge and his final stance?

4. The surprise of the inheritance, going to Detroit? The shopping, status? The effect? Issues of forgery? The temptation to easy wealth?

5. Philip, his being the heir, his character, playboy? Consuela, dancing, the encounter with Andy and his having to learn his lessons?

6. The family, life in the city, Milly and her encounter with the conman? Marian and her expensive dress? Andy, Phil and the drinking?

7. City live versus the country, the lauding of the values of Carvel? Polly, Andy and his relationship with her? The story of the alcohol?

8. The film as an entertaining transition from the early part of the series to the later films?

MENTAL

Australia, 2012, 116 minutes, Colour.
Toni Collette, Anthony La Paglia, Liev Schreiber, Caroline Goodall, Lily Sullivan, Kerry Fox, Rebecca Gibney, Deborah Mailman, Sam Clark.
Directed by P.J. Hogan.

Often funny, very often uncomfortable and confronting.

Most people are sensitive as to how they actually refer to, let alone talk about, mental illness and its variety of manifestations. There is a culture of reserve, people not wanting to discriminate or offend. On the other hand, there is a blatant and insensitive reference, and insensitive language, to mock the mentally sick as well as insult those with whom they disagree. These were thoughts continually rising while I watched the film and will probably be the reaction of many audiences.

Writer-director, P.J.Hogan made on of Australia’s best wry comedies, Muriel’s Wedding. The town then was Porpoise Spit, somewhere near the NSW-Queensland border. This time it is Dolphin Beach, not too far away. And, once again, there is a very dysfunctional family (five daughters who think they are mental and keep looking up books and have spirited discussion to affirm that they are), an absent father who is the local mayor, campaigning for re-election, but never home, neglecting his wife, despising his daughters, with plenty of local liaisons (Anthony La Paglia). But, as with Jeanie Drynan’s portrait of Muriel’s sad and quietly despairing mother. This time it is Rebecca Gibney, similar in many ways. She gives a fine performance. Hogan has explained in many interviews how he has dramatised his own family experiences in both Muriel and Mental.

The film spends time setting up the family scene, the girls running wild as the neighbours complain. As with the use of ABBA songs for Muriel, Mental capitalises on the songs from The Sound of Music (even to the opening flying over the Gold Coast hinterland mountains to the overture until the camera lands in the backyard with Mum doing a Julie Andrews). There is some exuberant singing as well as an ironic use of Edelweis towards the end. The next door neighbour, Nancy (Kerry Fox) is an obsessive cleaner and a gossip. Mum has to go to an institution – they say she is in Wollongong for a holiday.

What is Dad to do? Then, in the street he notices a hitchhiker and invites her to look after the girls. She is the seemingly (and actually) outlandish Shaz, played with such enthusiastic relish and diverse skills, by Toni Collette.

As with those older films like Teorema or Entertaining Mr Sloane where a stranger comes to live with a family and transforms it, Shaz in her own eccentric way, takes the girls under her wing and helps them learn self-esteem, gets the feel of things from Nancy (a well-coiffeured disciple of Pauline Hanson) and her daughter (which leads to a surprisingly funny and feeling lesbian sub-plot with Nancy’s daughter and Shaz’s aboriginal friend, played with mischievous verve by Deborah Mailman. Caroline Goodall is very good as the mother’s uptight and jealous older sister.

As if this was not enough, there is a sub-plot with Coral, the eldest girl, and her working in a shark exhibit and a romance with a fellow-worker, as well as the intervention of the owner (taking a long time to recognise who this bearded and heavily Australian-accented actor was: Liev Schreiber) and his interactions with Shaz. (Though I could have done without so much ‘youse’, ‘wuz’… and other over-flat accents and grammar, and there is some crass language.)

While all the characters have plenty of screen time and develop their characters strongly, the film does belong to Toni Collette who gives a whirlwind of a performance, often right over the top, at other times emotionally quiet, manifestations of her own life and being ‘mental’.

You might not want to do this, but the film would probably reveal a lot more on a second viewing.


1. Australian quirky films – and beyond? The title, the mentally ill, madness itself, normality?

2. The work of P.J. Hogan, his films, drawing on his own life experience, repeating themes from Muriel’s Wedding?

3. Dolphin Beach, the Australian country town, the streets and houses, the interiors? The theme park and the sharks? Boats? Institutions? Realism – with the touch of the surreal?

4. The tone of the film, humour, serious?

5. The musical score, the songs, the use of the range of songs from The Sound of Music, the opening and the Gold Coast mountains, the backyard and the line, The Sound of Music, The Lonely Goatherd, the enthusiastic singing of the group at the institution? The use of Edelweiss at the election campaign? Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye? Audience response, liking the songs from The Sound of Music, those who looked down on The Sound of Music, the humour and the parody of the film?

6. Audiences uncomfortable watching the film, talking about mental illness, showing it? The discrimination against the mentally ill, laughing at, laughing with? Jokes – or not? The critique of society and who is normal? Those claiming to be normal – and their obsessions and eccentricities? The girls and their studying the books, the descriptions of mental illness, the girls identifying, misunderstanding, Michelle and the actual schizophrenia, the norms for normality? The range of obsessives and others within normal society?

7. The introduction to Shirley, her age, dowdy, singing The Sound of Music, the washing on the line, her dancing, movement within the house, her daughters and the alert, their embarrassment and hiding, the girls and their being accused of running wild, their manners at meals, the absent father, Shirley and her husband not loving her, talking to Nancy – and being direct, even insulting? Going to have the doughnuts, the girls and their meanness in insisting she eat? The discussions with Doris? Her sister’s support, meanness, embarrassment? Shirley screaming? The father’s response, the phone call, the crisis? Shirley going to the institution? The cover of her being on holidays in Wollongong? Her back-story and her explanation, telling Shaz, her first meeting with Barry, the sexual assault? The marriage? Her pregnancy with Coral?

8. Barry and his absence, his encounter with Shirley, the sexual assault, the marriage? Having all the girls – and his regrets about not having boys? His being the mayor of Dolphin Beach? His liaisons with the secretary, with others? His advisers and the political context? The electioneering? The emergency at home, his reaction, not knowing his daughters’ names, upbraiding them for being girls? His seeing Shaz on the street, his turning around, picking her up? His neglect – Shaz getting him to come home, the meals, his being trapped, possibilities for his relationship with his children, his visit to Shirley, the apology? Shirley’s reaction, the reconciliation? His going back on his word? The Edelweiss sequence?

9. The girls, their range, ages, names? The issue of madness? Their behaviour, running wild, their uniforms? Their being embarrassed about their mother? School and their reputation? Wanting to be mad? Michelle, her actual schizophrenia, her voices, her visions of the people in Lost in Space, their search and her reaction, her fears, sleeping in the shed?

10. Coral, the oldest, her telling her story, the attempted suicide, falling on the car, her failure and embarrassment to her father? Her reading the book about mental illness? The girls talking themselves into being mental? The behaviour at meals, Coral and her authority?

11. Nancy and her being the neighbour, doing her yard, looking over the fence, talking with Shirley, Shirley insulting her? Her obsessive cleanliness? Shirley backing the car out, knocking the garbage bins over? Cleaning her own drive with a toothbrush? Donna as her daughter? The lesbian comment and her reaction? Shaz and the visit, Donna and Nancy pouring out all the scandal and gossip? Her remark about the Aboriginal camp and Shaz’s reaction? Donna and the gossip? Sandra, the visit, Nancy and her being uncomfortable? Sandra and Donna and their canoodling, leaving, the ceremony in Adelaide? Their return? Happy together? Nancy and her collapse and in the institution?

12. Doris, the older sister, her obsession with the dolls, the competitions, taking one of the girls’ hair and using it? The scene with Shirley in the diner, the doughnuts, her embarrassment? Her external niceness? Her fear of Shaz and the dog? The visit, apologising to Shirley, the dolls and their destruction – and her relapse, her bitterness? The end and Shaz destroying the dolls?

13. Coral, her work, the sharks, Trout, his friendliness, Trevor and his reaction, the taser? Trout and his apology to Coral? Their being together? Going to the waterslide, going down the slide? The relationship? Later and the interaction with Trevor, the use of the taser again?

14. Shaz, her appearance, the dog, her personality? Extrovert, over the top, her manner, way of speech, her offhand remarks and comic touches, her clothes? Encountering Barry, in the car, agreement, her conditions?

15. The credibility of her character, behaviour – and the later explanations about her daughter, Trevor, the daughter’s death, the shark? Her own mental condition? Following Trevor, finding a family to care for and transforming them?

16. Shaz with the girls, coping with them, the jokes, their manners, taking them out? Identifying Michelle’s real mental illness? The discussions about Lost in Space? Her discernment that the other girls were not mental? Her reading of the book, the comments on psychiatrists, doctors, diagnosis of mental illness? Her comments on the neighbours and who was normal or not?

17. Shaz, the visit to Nancy, the gossip, the interview with Doris, with Barry? Controlling all of them?

18. Trevor, the taser, Coral and her phone call and embarrassment, his story, his daughter’s death, the sharks, his explanation of his philosophy of sharks as an image for human existence? With Shaz, the truth? The build-up to their confrontation? Trout, the taser, tying Trevor up? The escape, on the boat? Shaz and her control, trying to destroy and get rid of the shark? The boat, the destruction, Trevor in the water, Shaz diving in, their looks to each other, deaths?

19. The girls and their involvement in these shenanigans? Their learning, changing?

20. Shaz and the visit to the institution, the depth of the discussions with Shirley, the truth? Meeting Sandra, their friendship, singing, Sandra and the elopement?

21. With Shaz gone, things reverting back to what they were, Shirley at home, relating to the daughters? The election? Barry and his wanting Shirley to support him? Her conditions? Shaz and her reappearance – announcing that she didn't die? Edelweiss, Barry singing, Shirley, the girls, the reflection of the family in The Sound of Music? People’s puzzled responses, everybody joining in?

22. Shaz and her capacity for survival – and her continuing as the mental stranger who entered people’s homes and transformed families? The future of the Moochmore family?

23. The nature of Australian comedy, ironies, quirkiness – humour and truth?

JIMMY THE GENT

US, 1934, 67 minutes, Black and white.
James Cagney, Bette Davis, Allen Jenkins, Alan Dinehart.
Directed by Michael Curtiz.

Jimmy the Gent is a brief and brisk drama for James Cagney. He runs a somewhat disreputable business, chasing disasters and finding rich people who left no will, then finding their relatives (sometimes alleged). Bette Davis portrays Joan, his former girlfriend who worked for him, but who has moved upmarket to a more respectable agency doing the same thing. Allen Jenkins is the fall guy for all of Cagney’s plans and detection.

The film is humorous in its fast-talking presentation of Cagney and his work (with an extraordinary back-and-sides haircut). Bette Davis is all charm – in the year that she won her first Oscar for Dangerous.

The film involves quite a scam, as Cagney improves his communication skills and makes his office more upmarket like that of his rival. He sets up a gambling murderer, who is actually an heir, but marries him off twice so that the second wife, who could give testimony against him, cannot go into court against her husband. Bette Davis, of course, thinks that this is the height of immorality and spurns him. However, he gets the money, discovers that her respectable boss is stealing all the money, and he promises to give a cheque to the alternate and needy beneficiary of the will.

Michael Curtiz was a prolific director at Warner Bros, with a wide range of films, culminating in his Oscar for Casablanca.

1. An amusing Warner Bros film of the early 30s? James Cagney and Bette Davis working together? Allen Jenkins always reliable for comedy – and as the stooge for the hero?

2. The brevity of the film, the sparky dialogue? Musical score? New York City, the poorer areas, the upmarket?

3. Jimmy Corrigan, Cagney’s portrayal, his work in the office, his temper, his attacks on Lou? The collage of all the rich people dying – and not having heirs? His sending out a group of men to find potential heirs? The shady background? His visit to Charles Wallingham, discovering the upmarket style, the women bringing cups of tea, the politeness? Joan and her work for Wallingham? His decision to educate himself and transform his office?

4. Joan, the friendship with Jimmy, her not liking his methods, going to work with Wallingham? Wallingham, smooth, courting Joan? His own work in chasing up heirs? His staff?

5. Jimmy, discovering the murderer? The various leads? Getting to him? Persuading him about the money? The marriage to the secretary so that he was validly married? The marriage to the witness so that she could not testify against him? The promises of money to everyone?

6. The court case, the scam, its success? Jimmy and his telling off the witness, not giving her any money? The secretary and her love for Lou? The dissolving of the marriage? The criminal getting all the money?

7. Joan, her disgust? Her decision to go off with Wallingham? Jimmy and his promising the cheque to Wallingham? Lou discovering that he was cashing it, booking the ticket on the boat to escape? Sending the telegram to Joan, her going to the boat, discovering the truth about Wallingham?

8. Jimmy and his giving the cheque for the young woman who was missing out on an inheritance? Joan happy – and the romantic happy ending?