I AM YOU



Australia, 2009, 100 minutes, Colour.
Ruth Bradley, Guy Pearce, Miranda Otto, Sam Neill, Khan Chittenden, Kate Bell, Jeremy Sims, Steve Vidler, Diane Craig, Rebecca Gibney.
Directed by Simone North.

I Am you is an Australian story based on fact. It concerns the Barber family, living in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. One night, expecting their daughter to come home on time as promised, she doesn’t and the parents contact the police, concentrating their search for their daughter, almost harassing the police, especially the mother and her overwrought emotion.

The film includes a number of flashbacks, especially to four years earlier, Rachel and her place in the family, her relationship with Manny. Kate Bell and Khan Chittenden portray Rachel and Manny.

The film is divided into chapters with headings for the different characters. While the film narrative goes forward with the search for the missing girl, it also has the narrative of Caroline Reed, a girl with mental and physical health problems, conscious of her leads ugliness and fatness, trying to please her father and becoming more and more preoccupied with Rachel, leading to her killing her. The scene of the murder is particularly grim, in its physicality as well as the emotional aftermath for Caroline.

Ruth Bradley is very good and persuasive as Caroline.

Guy Pearce as Rachel’s father is a more interior man, suffering, especially at the end in the bedroom, supportive of his wife who is far more outgoing and impulsively emotional as well as demanding on the police. She is played by Miranda Otto. The main police officer is played by Jeremy Sims. Sam Neill is Caroline’s father.

The film was written and directed by Simone North, a writer and producer for television.

1. The film based on a true story? A Melbourne story? The 1990s? Ordinary people? Madness and violence?

2. The Melbourne locations, the details, the trama, the cars, the streets, Richmond, the homes, the police stations, flats, the hospital, the sense of realism? The musical score?

3. The title, Caroline’s saying it to the mirror image of Rachel? In her skin and its reference to Caroline identifying with Rachel?

4. The strong cast?

5. The settings of the 1990s, Melbourne, homes, streets, a sense of period?

6. The structure of the film: the opening, the drive through the countryside, Caroline silhouetted on the hill, reprising this at the end of the film? The chapters, the names of the characters? The impact of the disturbing sequence of the murder and its aftermath?

7. The narrative of Rachel: dancing with Manny, the sexual encounter with Manny, her life, 15, her friends, relationships, her believing Caroline, going to do the job, her death? Imagining herself with Manny as she died?

8. The narrative of Caroline: background, illness, and epilepsy, mental disturbance, antagonism towards her mother, her dependence on her father, wanting to be good enough for him, her negative esteem? Her job, people assisting her in the office, appointments for the doctor, her friend Mary and the phone chats? Her obsession with Rachel, the plan, the discussion about the project, promise of clothes, money, persuading her to come, Rachel’s naivete, Caroline and the phone call to her father, getting Rachel to close her eyes, the weapon, strangling her, the long time, the physical effort, Rachel not dying instantly, on the floor, Caroline on her, trying to kill her? Covering Rachel’s body? Stabbing her? Leaving her in the bath? The later scenes of burial?

9. The narrative of the parents: Mike and his being rather quiet, anxious, internal suffering, supporting his wife? His wife, becoming overwrought instantly, the phone calls, pressure on the police, going to the police, day after day, the police and their wariness of her? Her criticisms, demands, emotions? The officer saying that they had devoted resources to the search for Rachel?

10. The narrative of the police: contacts, assuming that the girl was a runaway, the need for more time, talking to the parents, not reassuring them, the parents and their attack, threatening to go to the media?

11. The narrative of the media: the articles, the photos, the expert in finding people, approaching the parents, at his office, the reaction of his boss, the contact with the police, information about the mobile phone and the location, the information about Caroline, going to her house, the attempt to get in, finding her on the floor? To the hospital? The police guard? Her final confession?

12. Caroline and her background, neighbour at Mont Albert, her project on Rachel when she was young, her dependence on her father, mental condition, her imagination, cajoling Rachel, her treatment, the killing, her happiness, her profound scream? Going back to work, phoning the railways? Her appointments? The mirror image of Rachel? The narrowing of the police search, her offering to help, the phone calls to the family, her fear, hospital, her father’s visit, persuading her to tell the truth?

13. The effect on the parents, the various glimpses of them, with their children, the bedroom and the bed? Their having to accept the fact? Perhaps not wanting to know, but it being better for them?

14. The funeral, the family gathered around the coffin?

15. The sequence of the burial of the body, Caroline at the farm, in the countryside?

16. The family, the media, their acceptance? Caroline, going to prison, the information about her in prison, and the possibility of parole in 2013?

DEATH RACE 3: INFERNO

US, 2012,
Luke Goss, Dougray Scott, Ving Rhames, Tatin Phoenix.
Directed by

In the 1970s, Paul Bartel directed a futuristic film about the deadly car races, Death Race 2000, science-fiction political satire. Sylvester Stallone appeared in it. It was something of a cult success, echoing the feelings of the time, especially about violence and competitiveness and blood lust.

In 2008, it was re-made with action star Jason Statham in the central role. Surprisingly, Joan Allen was cast as the governor of the prison. In this scenario, the prison sponsored camel races with the convicts as drivers, in deadly competition, no holds barred, any trick, any violence, even to death.

The film was designed for action fans, macho fans. The governor was corrupt, commanding, caught up in deals, defeated. She was in league with a business company and the rights for televising death race.

Amongst the prisoners, there were sketchy characterizations rather than probing of personalities. The particular focus was on Jason Statham, his skills, his background, his team in the pits. There was some mystery with the death of a competitor, his being masked with the name Frankenstein, a key PR attraction for the fans.

The present director, Rene, directed a sequel for DVD distribution, Death Race 2, a prequel to the previous film, elaborating on the character of Frankenstein who was killed, but reprising the same kind of story, focusing on Frankenstein and his skills and the public’s adulation.

With this next sequel , it takes up from this point. Company owner, Ving Rhames, is out-manoeuvered by a Scots entrepreneur. He is played, very surprisingly, by Dougray Scott. He is an ambitious and ruthless character, without a single redeeming feature. Scott obviously relishes the opportunity to be a villain and chew the scenery. He takes over the company and decides to expand death race from the US and prisons to another highly secured prison in South Africa, in the Kalahari.

It is amazing to see the high tech of the prison and the setup for the televising of death race, Kalahari, even to the equipment for rockets to attack the drivers.

The films visuals rely a lot on televisual material, the fans, the details of the race, the country, filmed exotically in South Africa.

Luke Goss, from the previous film, is Carl Lukas, promoted as champion driver, Frankenstein. Has won four races and has been promised his liberty should he win the fifth. However, the entrepreneur has taken over, doesn’t want him to win, plans to kill him.

There are moments of characterization in this film, especially with Lukas and the revelation to his friends and team that he is still alive. Danny Trejo is his assistant, Tatin phoenix is his past love and driving partner, Fred Koehler is the young assistant, Lists.

There is a lot of violence, especially in fistfights, during the race, explosions, bombardments by rockets… There are also some other drivers who have a little characterisation, an Asian driver who helps Frankenstein at the end, a British man who comes on to his female co-driver and who talks, somewhat prophetically, that Frankenstein being replaced.

There is some gratuitous sex with the local manager of death race and her relationship with the entrepreneur. He bullies her – and she retaliates.
In case the film was too difficult to follow, there is a long explanation with flashbacks about all that happened, especially the double dealing of Frankenstein with Ving Rhames and their aims to bring down the entrepreneur. It included faking death for Trejo, changing military equipment, altering the branding on the face so that individuals could be tracked. Carl Lukas survives, escapes with the help of the nurse, has done a deal with Ving Rhames and lives happily ever after.

However, with his driving into the central control room for death race, Lukas drives into the entrepreneur himself who is identified as Lukas - and will become the new Frankenstein.

It is interesting to reflect on why the deaths race films are so popular and what it is in them, violence assault and battery that appeals to the macho audience.

SLIM

US, 1937, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Pat O’Brien?, Henry Fonda, Stuart Erwin, Margaret Lindsay, John Litel, Jane Wyman.
Directed by Ray Enright.

Slim is a story of the men who worked on the power lines, pioneers for the development of electrical communications in the United States, the vast towers and keeping the lines open.

The film is a Pat O’Brien? vehicle. He was very popular in these years at Warner Bros, a solid fast-talking character. In this film he portrays Red, a linesman with some experience who takes a young farmer, who wants to become a linesman, under his wing. The young man is Henry Fonda – very much the tall, gangly innocent which he used for both President Lincoln as well as Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath. Stuart Erwin contributes a comic performance as his friend Stumpy. Margaret Lindsay is a nurse. There is a short appearance by Jane Wyman as Stumpy’s girlfriend.

The film is almost documentary at times in its presentation of the work of the linesmen, the hard work on the heights, the accidents, the camaraderie amongst the men, the moving around the countryside and its stress on personal relationships. Pat O’Brien? portrays the character who is in love with the nurse, but wants his freedom and moving around, willing to give her up for the sake of his friend, Henry Fonda. Henry Fonda is naive, going to the city, meeting the nurse, pleased when she comes to him after he suffers an injury, the possibility of falling in love. The film was directed by Ray Enright, prolific director of Warner Bros films at this period.

1. A film of the 1930s? Post-Depression? Workers? Enterprise?

2. The semi-documentary style of the presentation of the lines, the towers, the dangers, the hard work, the men? Friends? Boarding together? Rivalries? The bosses? The contracts?

3. The black and white photography, the range of American locations? The countryside, the towns? The city? The musical score?

4. The picture of Red, Pat O’Brien? and his style, hard-working, not wanting to take responsibility, yet reliable? His relationship with the other men, the bosses? His friendship with Slim, helping him, his taking him to the city, meeting Cally? Red and his gambling, going to the nightclubs? Wanting to be free? In love with Cally? Finally giving her up for Slim?

5. Slim, on the farm with his aunt and uncle, watching the men, wanting to join? The opening and his stepping in? The accident with his dropping the wrench? The tolerance of the other workers? His being supported by Red? His skill in his work? Going to the city, the young country boy and his being amazed at the city, the hotel, the hospital, the clubs? His falling for Cally without realising it? His decision to go back, his loyalty to Red? The hard work? The accident? In hospital, Cally coming to help him? His final decisions – his loyalty to the workers? This being more important than his relationship with Cally?

6. Stumpy, dumb, being picked on by the others? Yet his friendship, hard work, the letters to Slim? Their friendship?

7. Cally, as a nurse, relationship with Red, off and on? Her friendship with Slim, coming to the hospital, devotion, her being disappointed in his choices?

8. The range of workers, the accidents, the difficulties, money?

9. The final accident, Red trying to rescue the worker, his falling to his death? The effect on Slim?

10. A picture of workers in the post-Depression years? The ethos of the workers?

MAISIE GETS HER MAN

US, 1942, 86 minutes, Black and white.
Ann Sothern, Red Skelton, Leo Gorcey, Allen Jenkins, Donald Meek, Lloyd Corrigan, Walter Catlett, Fritz Feld, Rags Ragland.
Directed by Roy Del Ruth.

Maisie Gets Her Man is the sixth Maisie film in a series of ten, beginning in 1939 and ending in 1947.

While the character remains the same, there is very little continuity between the films.

This time Maisie is performing on stage with a knife-thrower who goes into a tantrum (Fritz Feld). Out of a job, she encounters Pappy Goodring (Allen Jenkins, so prominent in many of the Warner Bros films of the 1930s). She gets a job persuading people to rent apartments. One of those who does is Mr Denningham, played by Lloyd Corrigan. He is helpful to her – and especially when she goes to an agent, with Herbert Hixby, played by Red Skelton. He is a corny comic, trying his best – who pals up with Maisie. When eventually they get a chance to perform, he gets stage fright, is awkward and is booed from the stage. She stands by him. However, a fiancé from the past turns up and Maisie is disappointed and goes travelling with a performing show.

The development in the plot is that in Georgia, she discovers Mr Denningham and realises that he is a fraud, organises his arrest. She goes to entertain the troops – and there is Hap Hixby and they are happily reunited.

The film depends on the verve of Ann Sothern. It is also an early Red Skelton film, giving him the opportunity to clown. The reliable supporting cast has been in many films at Warner Bros and MGM.

The film is notable only as a star vehicle for Ann Sothern and Red Skelton.

DAMSELS IN DISTRESS

US, 2011, 99 minutes, Colour.
Greta Gerwig, Carrie Mac Lemore, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Analeigh Tipton, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford.
Directed by Whit Stillman.

Whit Stillman has not made many films, three in the 1990s (Metropolitan, Barcelona, Last Days of Disco), the last of which was in 1998. So, after thirteen years, a new film, in the vein of the previous films but set amongst college students. Stillman could be considered something of a cousin to Woody Allen, with his wry look at his characters, an emphasis on dialogue and a delight in language and play on language.

This means that Stillman’s films are an acquired taste, giving two valid impressions: that there is a serious observer of human nature at work but that the touch is quite light, sometimes witty, sometimes frivolous.

The main focus in on Violet, a character with verve and supreme self-confidence (with some moments of being undermined) played with a performance that demands notice by Greta Gerwig. She looks as if she has everything together, a leader with a clique of like-minded young women, who have no hesitation in criticising men (and the group on display here are very criticisable, quite dumb at times, mentally and socially). Violet makes pronouncements on everything, especially as she runs a suicide prevention club – and intervenes in people’s lives. She also believes in speaking directly and in taking criticism on board, an expert on rationalizing.

Then she experiences a betrayal in love and goes into a tailspin. One way out is her belief in dancing (especially tap-dancing, as a remedy for depression). Despite being mocked, she finally creates a dance which she believes will change world history.

At the beginning of the film, the clique welcome a newcomer, Lily (the other two in the group are Rose and Heather) played by Analeigh Tipton, who has a broader view on life and relationships and offers the audience a way of judging Violet’s attitudes and behaviour.

It’s difficult to judge how far Stillman has taken us by the end of the film (a long way or, rather, some marking time), but, if you can take Violet, then it is a serious and comic reflection on young adults and their questions, quite different from those many raucous and coarse comedies.


1. The work of the director? Urbane stories, characters, wit? Society and critique?

2. The title, the irony of the credits, the listing of the damsels, those in distress? The irony of who was to be rescued?

3. The university campus, the houses, the fraternities, restaurants? Classes? Dance? The realism – heightened? The musical score?

4. The wit, satire, the use of language, truth and directness of expression, cliché, the role of talk, support, counsel, hurt, chastisement, challenge?

5. The focus on the theme of suicide, student suicides, prevention, depression, the reasons for depression and suicide, romances, break-ups? Concern, help, interference? The office, the three girls, the offer of doughnuts and coffee, talk, the role of dance in helping for recovery? Soap opera styles?

6. The campus, a female campus, the introduction of men, the reaction of the girls, smell, body odour? The individuals? Men and women? Relationships?

7. Violet and her friends, the names of flowers? Violet in herself, the introduction, her poise, talk, the encounter with Lily, deciding that Lily should be their friend? The roommates? Talking? The club? Suicide and prevention? The arrival of Jimbo, the comments on his name? The nature of nicknames? His concern about Priss, their handling the situation, going to meet her, cheering her up, her becoming part of the group? Their techniques?

8. Violet as leader, her family background, her real name of Emily, her mental condition in the past? Wanting to do good? Rose and Heather and their characters, followers? Violet and her pronouncements? Going to the meeting of the Daily Complaint? The editor and his speech, the clashes with Violet, his ridiculing her, especially about the tap-dancing? The issue of arrogance and hypocrisy? Lily and her comments to Violet? The chastisement? Violet and her attitude towards Frank, helping him, love?

9. The character of Rose, from London or not? Her ultra-sensitivity to body odour? Character, snob?

10. Heather, the follower, glamour, parroting Violet’s opinions?

11. The portrait of the men, their being held up to ridicule, stupidity? Frank and his being dumb? The discussion about blue eyes? Thor and his not thinking about eyes? His platitudes about learning? Xavier, the argument about X or Z, Zorro, his relationship with Lily, his new girlfriend? Charles, at the bar, his ordering drinks? His later being exposed, his life and identity? Freak Astaire and his dance training? The satire on men?

12. Lily, her character, university, her puzzlement, her being a more normal character, encountering Violet and the women, following along, observing, criticising? Yet friendship? The scenes with Xavier and Alice? The food? Her encounter with Xavier, his sexual behaviour, his explanation that he was a Cathar, the beliefs of the Cathars in the Middle Age, sexual behaviour and identity? Lily and her disgust, leaving him? The encounter with Charles, liking him? Helping violet? The encounter with Xavier later, his telling the truth? Separated from Alice?

13. Violet, her love for Frank, seeing him with Priss, her collapse? Leaving, hiding, the motel, depression, the note under the bed, her return?

14. Violet and Dance, the possibilities for international change and affecting the human race? Her belief in tap-dancing, her performances? Her inventing the Sambola, setting it up, nobody turning up, the failure?

15. Frank, his story, failure, return? Violet and the effect?

16. Fred, his story, pretending to be Charles, suave manner?

17. Jimbo, his becoming friends with the girls, with the suicide prevention?

18. The people turning up for the finale, the dancing of the Sambola – the subtitles indicating the nature of the dance and its steps? As contributing to human betterment?

19. A comedy of manners, the niche audience, the portrait of young adults, pretensions, truth? Serious undertones? The light and slight story?
 

THE CLOWN

US, 1953, 91 minutes, Black and white.
Red Skelton, Jane Greer, Tim Considine, Loring Smith, Philip Ober.
Directed by Robert Z. Leonard.

The Clown is, perhaps, Red Skelton’s most unusual film. It is a remake of the Wallace Beery- Jackie Cooper drama of 1931, The Champ. Instead of a boxing context (as was used in the 1979 remake with Jon Voight, Faye Dunaway and Ricky Schroder), the area is vaudeville and its transition into television.

Red Skelton shows a great capacity for pathos as an alcoholic has-been vaudeville comic who starred in the Ziegfeld Follies. He works with his young son, very well played by Tim Considine in his first film. (Considine went on to such films as Her Twelve Men, The Private War of Major Benson, Sunrise at Campobello.)

The film shows the two working together, their popularity. There is also a flashback enabling Red Skelton to do his ballet comedy, being bossed about by a very demanding ballet mistress. There is a scene where he has to play a stooge to a comedian at an industry gathering. He also gets the opportunity to do some of his television skits including Walking Up the Stairs, The Topsy-Turvy? House. At this stage Red Skelton did have a show on television – and was to have a long career in that medium.

Jane Greer appears as the mother of Tim Considine, who had given up the boy, meets him with a chance encounter and wants to adopt him with her husband (Philip Ober). Loring Smith has a very sympathetic role as Goldie Goldenson, an agent who had fallen out with Red Skelton but wants to help him. Eagle-eyed audiences will notice Steve Forrest as the angry young man at the carnival at the opening of the film and Charles Bronson as a gambler who wins money and a watch from Red Skelton.

The film was directed by Robert Z. Leonard, a veteran of a wide range of films at MGM over many decades.

1. A different performance from Red Skelton? The comic sequences? The serious tone and the pathos?

2. A remake of The Champ? The adaptation to the world of vaudeville and television? The 1950s?

3. Black and white photography? The New York settings? The west coast? Vaudeville and performance? Carnivals? The contrast with the world of the wealthy? The musical score?

4. The title? Red Skelton’s career as a clown? His performance as Dodo Delwyn? As a character, his relationship with Dink? His story? His career, the Ziefeld Follies, the award from Ziegfeld? The altercations, especially with Goldie? His drinking? The separation from Paula? His life with Dink, his drinking, his failures? The encounter with Paula? Paula’s husband and the proposal, his taking the money? His missing out on auditions, rejection? His agreement to be the stooge, the humiliation and Dink seeing him? The act with Dink, hitting him, trying to send him away? Dink’s return, his joy? The possibility of the television show? His performance, the routines? His collapse, his death?

5. The comic sequences, at the carnival and upsetting people – and the reaction of the angry young man, his being fired? The flashback to the ballet school sequence and its slapstick? The television show, the steps, the topsy-turvy house?

6. Dink, his age, a bright young boy? His skill at performance? His devotion to his father? Their living together, the cramped circumstances? His trying to be careful about his father’s drinking? The money? Going to see Goldie, the advance? His father’s reaction? Not wanting charity? The encounter with Paula? Memories of the past? His accepting the stooge performance and Dink’s upset? Dink, the fifteen minutes with Paula, her revelation of the truth? Meeting his half-sister? His moving in, upset with his father, running away, reuniting with his father? The happiness with the television show? His grief at his father’s death?

7. Paula, her relationship with Dodo, leaving him, leaving him with Dink and her inability to cope? Her marrying Ralph, her comfortable life, in Paris, her daughter? The chance encounter with Dink at the bar, finding out who he was, the visit, her revelation? Taking him in, willing to give him up? His future security? Her husband, his concern, offering Dodo the money? Dodo’s anger with him?

8. Goldie, sympathetic agent, the fight with Dodo? Giving the money to Dink? Organising the job? His being upset about Dodo being the stooge? The television program?

9. The world of vaudeville, of carnivals, of television – and the technical aspects of the television show compared with vaudeville?

10. A serious Red Skelton film – showing his capacity for this kind of performance?

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?

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

US, 2012, 93 minutes, Colour.
Quvenzhane Wallis, Dwight Henry.
Directed by Benh Zeitlin.


Beasts of the Southern Wilds has received a great deal of acclaim at Festivals, from critics and from the public. (One of its awards in Cannes was from SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communication.) It is blend of realism and fantasy, set in Louisiana.

The central character is a little girl, Hushpuppy. Quvenzanhe Wallis is impressive, a strong character, in herself and in her care for her ailing father. There has been quite a lot of, as PR calls, ‘Oscar buzz’ for her performance.

The southern setting introduces us to a survival way of life with a group of poor people who live on the water. Floods come and the way of life is disrupted. Father and daughter sail along the river, encountering their friends who are struggling with the flood. Eventually they are rounded up and taken to a shelter for food, care and for hospital attention. They are wary, want to get back home – which they do.

As a picture of a different community, the film has many vivid and moving moments.

The title, Beasts of the Southern Wilds, has reminded many viewers of Where the Wild Things Are. Not a misplaced reminder, especially as Hushpuppy’s imagination actually sees these almost mythical lumbering beasts – but can tame them as they bow before her. She is indomitable.

In fact, the film is a tribute to the indomitability of the human spirit.

1. The impact of this story? Acclaim, awards?

2. A Louisiana story? The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? Floods in the bayous, the picture of the communities, destruction, evacuation, people wanting to live their own lives, escape? The spirit of the bayous?

3. Life in the bayous, the homes, poverty, survival? Work? Fishing? The impact of the flood and destruction, the visuals? The Bathtub and its sailing? The contrast with the shelters, the built-up houses, communities? The scenes of the ocean?

4. The musical score – local themes?

5. The blend of the real and the surreal, the visuals of the beasts and their moving across the landscapes? Destruction? The beast chasing, meeting with Hushpuppy, kneeling?

6. Hushpuppy, the performance of Quvenzhane Wallis? Her age, strong presence? Her point of view? The little girl, the absent mother, with her father? The bond with him? Their lifestyle, the fishing, learning from him, his setting her up as a heroic figure?

7. The flood, its effect, in the Bathtub, moving along the bayou, sharing experiences with the range of neighbours?

8. The neighbours, the old man, the family, white and black? Their wanting to stay, their experiences of the flood and destruction? Their mutual support? Basic needs? The simple lives? The characters, the talk? Sailing?

9. Hushpuppy and her having to make decisions, the nature of her father’s illness, the scenes of his sickness? His trying to cope?

10. The authorities, the round-up, taking people to the shelter, the father and his going to the hospital, his not wanting to be there, the visitors, helping him leave and escape, the bus? The motivations?

11. Hushpuppy and her learning, her encounters with people, her father on the river, her sense of freedom, his illness, death?

12. The beasts, the images, their effect? The symbolic role in the film?

13. Hushpuppy, the crisis, with her father and his death? Support from the neighbours? Her accepting reality – and her growing up, her future?

APRIL SHOWERS

US, 1948, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Jack Carson, Ann Sothern, Robert Alda, S.Z. Sakall, Robert Ellis.
Directed by James V. Kern.

April Showers is a B Warner Bros musical, with Jack Carson and Ann Sothern in the lead, instead of the more A-musical stars including June Haver, Dennis Morgan, Gordon MacRae?. However, Jack Carson gets the opportunity to be a song-and-dance man as well as the pathos of his being an alcoholic. Ann Sothern is always effective. Robert Alda plays the heavy, a ladies’ man, a performer, who is unscrupulous in keeping his reputation. There is some comedy, as usual, from S.Z. Sakall. However, one of the reasons for watching film is Robert Ellis as the young son, an athletic and acrobatic dancer, a charismatic performer – which is surprising that he had a very muted career after this film and died at the age of forty in 1973.

The film is the familiar vaudeville story, the song-and-dance act that is getting tired, the restless audiences. However, things perk up when the son gets leave from school, does an audition in the hotel which is packed with entertainers, goes on stage with his parents and wows people. When they go to New York, he is not allowed to perform because of the Gerry Society (an actual society) which prevents underage children from performing. There follows the despair of the husband, his opting out, his wanting to give his wife and son an opportunity (where Robert Alda steps in). However, there is a happy ending when Jack Carson is invited back in to perform with his wife.

The film offers a lot of golden oldies, especially the title number, April Showers.

1. The popularity of this kind of musical in the 1940s? Warner Bros production? B-budget? Black and white?

2. The popularity of the songs, the oldies from vaudeville times? April Showers? Performances? Musicals?

3. The story of Joe and June Tyme? Their song-and-dance routine, the restless audience, the manager sacking them? Joe and his anger, resigning? Life at the hotel, Mr Curley and the account? The attempts to get jobs? Buster and his being in school, writing the poor letter, his turning up, his audition? June and her not wanting Buster to be in the act? The agent, being persuasive? Rehearsals, the performances, the audience reaction? The collage of performances? The happy family? The opportunity to go to New York? Spending all their money to get there?

4. New York, the visit to the agent, his regrets, the Gerry Society? The midget and his performance? The decision for Buster to be a midget? The dubbed voice? Going on stage, Buster and his shrewdness? The interview with the Gerry Society – their being caught? Having to return to the west coast?

5. Joe, his drinking, his moving out? His pride? His waiting tables? June, her being invited into the musical? The encounter with Billy Shay, Billy and his reputation, knowing June in the past, the clashes with Joe? His taking Joe’s place, the performances? Buster’s unwillingness but going through with the act?

6. The build-up to the musical, Billy and his pretending to know the routines, forcing Buster to help him?

7. June going to see Joe? Joe’s arrival just in time to clash with Billy, the fight, hospital? The invitation to Joe to come back into the musical, the routine with The Three Tymes? Success?

8. Conventional material – with the 1940s touch?

ANOTHER THIN MAN

US, 1939, 103 minutes, Black and white.
William Powell, Myrna Loy, Virginia Grey, Otto Kruger, C. Aubrey Smith, Ruth Hussey, Nat Pendleton, Patric Knowles, Tom Neal, Sheldon Leonard, Harry Bellaver, Shemp Howard, Marjorie Main.
Directed by W.S. Van Dyke.

Another Thin Man is the third of the Thin Man films with William Powell and Myrna Loy. There were six in all. The characters were created by crime writer Dashiell Hammett – and this one is based on his story, The Farewell Murder.

William Powell and Myrna Loy made fourteen films together. They work very well, she glamorous with the touch of the flightiness as well as shrewdness. He is debonair, ironic, nonchalant – an urbane detective. This time they are joined with their baby son, Nick Jr, as well as the dog Asta who has quite a lot of activity this time.

The supporting cast is very strong. Veteran C. Aubrey Smith overacts as the threatened colonel. Virginia Grey is his daughter, Patric Knowles her suave fiancé. Tom Neal is under suspicion as the secretary who writes murder mysteries. Ruth Hussey has a less than glamorous role as the baby’s nanny. The police include Otto Kruger and Nat Pendleton. Shemp Howard, one of the Stooges, has a brief comic role and Marjorie Main is the landlady.

The film relies a lot on appearances and audience suspicions – but the revelation of the murderer is quite a surprise at the end. Sheldon Leonard portrays the potential killer – but his moves are ingeniously organised so that he has an alibi for the murder that he orchestrated, allowing himself not to be tried a second time for the same crime. However, the shrewd Nick Charles, of course, works everything out and explains everything.

There is an entertaining excursion to a nightclub, with Nora Charles making mistakes in identifying a lead. However, there is a Latin dancing pair who are quite mesmerising – especially the male dancer who at times is resting on one foot and yet is moving elegantly in the dance routine. The dancer is Miguel Fernandez Mila and his partner is Carmen D'Antonio.

1. The entertaining Thin Man series? The popularity of William Powell and Myrna Loy? Plus baby? Plus Asta? The elegant backgrounds? The murder mysteries? Detection and explanation?

2. The black and white photography, the New York settings, the Long Island mansion? The nightclub? The streets of New York? Apartments? Authentic feel? The musical score? The dancing routine – a pause in the action, but fascinating?

3. The introduction to Nick and Nora, returning from their holiday, with the baby, with Asta? Settling back after the train ride? Getting everything in order? Being hassled by all the visitors? Colonel MacFay? and his phone call and demands? The decision to go to the country? The insistence of the chauffeur? Hiring Dorothy Waters as the baby’s nanny?

4. Travelling to Long Island, the body on the road, the reaction of the chauffeur, of Nick Charles? The body disappearing? The later explanation that Phil Church was trying to torment Colonel MacFay?, his using Dum-Dum? as his assistant? The connection with Smitty and the plans for the murder, the money?

5. Colonel MacFay?, blustering, self-centred? His past, with Phil Church, the threats? The burning of the pool house? The body on the road? Nick going to visit Church, Church and his three dreams? The threat to the colonel?

6. The colonel, past dealings, Nora’s father and the connection? His secretary, Freddie Colman? His adopted daughter? Her fiancé and the colonel’s disapproval?

7. The dinner, the background information? Nick, the encounter with Phil Church? The guns? His return, the chatter during the night, Lois and her coming in to chat with them? Later used for alibis?

8. The shot, the discovery of the body, the knife wounds? The later explanation of the setup with the gun? The timing? Alibis?

9. The investigations, the arrival of the police? Van Slack and his suspicions of Charles? Nick and his presence with the other murders and solving them? The irony of Nora hearing about previous girlfriends – and her later using these for notes, identities at the club?

10. The action in the grounds, the guns, the police, the dead dog? The appearance of Dudley Horn, his being under suspicion, the shooting and his death?

11. The range of suspects, Phil Church and his associates? Freddie Colman and his writing murder mysteries? Mrs Bellam and her relationship with MacFay?, Lois as her daughter? Her suspicious behaviour? The disappearance of Dorothy Waters?

12. Back in New York, the phone calls, the leads? Van Slack and his following through? Lieutenant Guild, Nat Pendleton’s comedy style? Nick and his pretending to have a girlfriend – and Guild’s reaction?

13. The information about the apartment? Nick and his visit, the encounter with the landlady? Nora turning up? As a potential customer for renting an apartment? Nick and his examining the room, the discovery of the bullet holes? The attempts on his life?

14. The nightclub, the dance routine? Nora, the contact with the member of the band? The money? Her picking the wrong man, the dancing with the gigolo? Nick, his presence, the jokes with Nora?

15. Assembling all the people in the house? Dorothy and her turning up, Nick locking her in the room? Dum-Dum? and his arrival? The shooters? The role of Phil Church – and his alibis? Being seen in the clubs?

16. The explanation of what had happened? The unmasking of Lois? The suspicions of Dudley Horn and her engineering his death? Freddie and his not being aware of anything? Dorothy Waters and her being innocent?

17. The resolution of all the problems – but the comic touch with the criminals, friendship with Nick, the arrangement for the birthday party with all the criminals and their babies? The taking of the wrong baby, the return? Asta and his shenanigans? Giving the film a blend of comedy with the murder mystery and detection?