BEAUTY / SCHOONHEIT

South Africa, 2011, 105 minutes. Colour.
Dion Lotz, Charlie Keegan, Michelle Scott, Albert Maritz, Roeline Daneel.
Directed by Oliver Hermanus.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Quite subjective. This is very much the case in this very serious, at times grim, portrait of Francois (Deon Lotz),a middle-aged Afrikaaner , a mill manager in Blomfontein, married with two adult daughters, whose life begins to unravel, especially as regards his sexuality.

The film opens with quite a long sequence of the wedding dinner of one of his daughters. The crowd greets the young marrieds, mingles – as do we. However, we can see that Francois is preoccupied, gazing at the twenty-something son of an old friend. The close-ups and the long gazes of Francois indicates that much more is going on. This is one of the visual styles of the film, the audience gazing and contemplating Francois as he gazes at and contemplates Christian (Charlie Keegan).

There are also some scenes of Francois, ordinary life, especially at home with his wife, taking each other for granted, tensions, a lot of humdrum. We see him at the mill, getting cash from the bank, talking with a friend who has left his wife and is disapproved of by Francois’ wife.

Then we go on a longish drive with Francois and find him gathering with a group of middle-aged men who meet for secret sexual gratification. This makes Francois’ obsession with Christian more understandable, especially when he goes to his doctor because he is irritated with everything and fears he will lose control of himself.

He invents a reason for visiting Cape Town, goes to Christian’s parents house but then tracks down Christian who is with Francois’ daughter. Francois’ behaviour becomes more erratic: a visit to a club, being propositioned, being sick. His plan is clear. Audiences will be horrified by Francois’ attitudes and his behaviour, especially in a graphic sexual encounter. The film tends to be visually reticent except for the two scenes, the latter of which is particularly grueling.

Advertising for the film mentions envy and jealousy, but thinking of the seven deadly sins, we can see this as a portrait of a proud Afrikaaner whose peers are still racist and think the country is going to the dogs (in contrast to the newer generation who mix easily with other races). He covets Christian and is envious of his and his way of life. He is also an angry man though he experiences that spiritual sloth that saps energy and willpower – and, of course, his motivation is lust.

Some have complained that the film does not ‘explore’ its themes, especially at the end. While it does not make its points verbally explicit, the whole film has explored in some depth Francois himself and leaves enough visuals for audiences to sort out for themselves what they have felt and thought.

1. The impact of the film? Serious? Demanding?

2. South African film, the atmosphere of Bloemfontain, homes, factories, the countryside? Capetown, the city, the sea, the beaches? Hotels, restaurants? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?

3. The title, beauty in the eye of the beholder? Francois and his gazing at Christian? His contemplating of Christian? The long takes, the focus on Christian? The audience sharing Francois’ attitude and believer(**??) in Christian’s beauty? Not? The slow pace of the film, time for reflection, emotional identification or not? Understanding Francois while not approving?

4. Beauty, beauty and goodness, the gaze of beauty? The seven deadly sins: Francois and his pride, coveting Christian, his envy and jealousy, his anger, his spiritual sloth, his lust?

5. The moral issues of the film, violence and violation, sexuality out of control, selfishness?

6. The sexual issue, the issue of homosexuality? Closets? The repercussions for the psyche of the closeted person? Breaking out of control? Issues of rape? Audiences responding to issues of rape and women? The rape of men? Honesty, the suppression of reality?

7. The South African director, his portrait of Afrikaners, their standards, being in power for so long, apartheid, opposed to apartheid, attitudes towards the government, society, the black races, as servants, factory workers? As friends or associates? As sexual objects? Issues of sexuality amongst the Afrikaners? The suppression of homosexual tendencies? The middle-aged men and their meeting – Gideon, his bringing in the young African man, sexism and racism? The older generation and the statements, the country going to the dogs? The younger generation, their ability to mix races? As equals?

8. The wedding, as an opening for the film, the long sequence, the audience immersed with the guests, the couple, their greetings? The focus on Francois, his noticing Christian, watching him? Christian with his family, with Anika? The audiences watching and gazing at Francois gazing? But knowing what was in his mind, learning more about him? While not identifying with him?

9. Elena and Francois, at home, their ordinary world, Elena and her talk, the mundane subjects, the wedding, expenses, Francois’ work? The friendship with Wilhelm, his coming to the wedding? Christian and Anika together? The meal? Discovering more about Christian? Elena and her disapproval of the man who left his wife? Francois and his talk about clients, business? Francois at the mill, the interview with his friend, the workers, getting the cash, his reputation at the bank?

10. Christian, knowing Francois when he was young, calling him uncle? Christian’s parents, coming to the wedding, driving from Capetown? Christian and his enthusiasm, studying the law? The meal, the talk about his television ads? His study – Francois looking at him at the university, his friends and their meetings, interracial?

11. Francois and his car, going out into the countryside, the destination, the look of the building? Away from people? The men gathering, middle-aged, having their beers, their talk, Gideon and his bringing the young man, his being ordered out, the visuals of the orgy behaviour? The revelation about the men, about Francois?

12. Francois going to the doctor, his general irritation, fearing that he would lose control? His return home, talking with Elena, sitting in the dark? Francois and the issue of the friend and his ex-wife? The decision to go to Capetown?

13. At the hotel in Capetown, contacting Wilhelm, going for the visit, the meal, the watching of the football, his decision to leave on hearing that Christian was at the beach? Getting Christian’s phone number, going to the beach, watching Christian and his daughter, his spite in ringing the police and saying that his car was stolen when his daughter had taken it? The phone calls to Elena? Christian and Anika leaving?

14. Francois and his going to the club, the atmosphere, the dancing, the couples, the pickups, his being propositioned, his reactions? His drinking, vomiting? His having the meal – and phoning Christian to pick him up?

15. Christian and the lift, in the car, going to the room, the drink, Christian and his getting advice about cash, Francois’ approach, Christian’s reaction? The brutalising of Christian, the punches, the rape? The focus on Christian and the aftermath? The audience empathising with him? The callous behaviour of Francois?

16. Francois at home, ordinary life with his wife, his daughter coming back, her being upset at her father’s attitude, his forgiving her, solicitous care? His going to the bank, getting the cash – for Christian or not? His sitting in the cafe, watching the two young men, the couple, the kiss – and the close-up of his face? What he was thinking, experiencing? His own life, regrets?

17. The issue of exploring the theme or audiences feeling the theme? And the glimpse of people and their ordinary lives – and compartmentalising aspects of their life, especially sexuality?

BEING VENICE

Australia, 2012, 89 minutes. Colour.
Alice Mc Connell, Gary Mc Donald, Simon Stone, Katy Wall.
Directed by Miro Bilbrough.


No, not that Venice. While the Sydney settings, the National Park and the harbor are attractive, they cannot substitute for that Venice. Especially since most of the action takes place around inner city Stanmore.

Venice is a young woman, a poet, whose life seems to be rather morose. She makes notes of phrases for her poems, especially showing a fascination with insects. Caught without a ticket on a train, she notes that the police office has ‘miserabilist décor’. That’s probably the word for this film and for Venice herself, despite a hopeful, if not happy, ending.

We gradually learn about Venice’s misererabilist childhood which means that she doesn’t relate all that well, turns men off, and the film has her wandering around being miserable, even finishing up in hospital for a while. Venice is played with convincing misery by Alice Mc Connell.

The other key character in the film is Venice’s father, Arthur, a teacher who lives in New Zealand but who has come to Sydney for a seminar. He is played by Garry Mc Donald (and his teeth which are quite prominent many times). Arthur has an oddly posh-sounding accent at first. He is pedantic, often acidic in his comments. He stays with Venice.

Gradually, father and daughter do talk and some understanding does eventuate.

This is a film that will appeal only to a specialist audience who are interested in offbeat or odd characters and how they navigate through life.

1. The writer and director a woman? Portrait of a woman? Women’s perspectives?

2. The Sydney settings (not Venice)? The inner city, the suburb of Stanmore, the streets, flats? The general atmosphere of the city? Musical score?

3. The title? The focus on Venice? Alice Mc Connell and her screen presence and performance? A morose character? Her relationship with Marcus and his breaking it off in bed? Her going to Lenny, the attraction towards him, the discussions with Irene? Irene and her pregnancy? Irene’s anger? Borrowing the car, going to the airport? Her relationship with her father? Memories of her mother, the artist, walking naked in the house, the separation? Her relationship with Arthur, his absence? In New Zealand? Her letting him stay in the flat? His manner, demands? His relationship with her, off-putting? Her work as a poet? Taking notes? The initial focus on insects, this carrying through the film? Publishing her book? Her sadness, depression? Discussions with Irene – and the scene in the national park? With Lenny? The further relationship? A reconciliation with her father, his admitting his bad behaviour? His return to New Zealand? Her future?

4. Arthur, Gary Mc Donald, the strange accent? His background, the description of his his marriage, his wife? His own decisions? To save Venice and send her to her grandmother? His neglect of her afterwards? His work in New Zealand, studying, lecturing? His project in Sydney and the scene with the schoolboys, encouraging their writing and imagination? His being pedantic, interactions with Lenny? In the flat, being woken up – and the incident of Venice not having a ticket on the train, the inspector, the phone call? Arthur and his meeting with Lenny, the discussions? Arthur and his mellowing, getting to understand his daughter? His returning to New Zealand?

5. The men, Marcus, sudden breaking off of the relationship? Lenny, his relationship with Irene, the sex with Venice? Lending the car? A future?

6. A portrait of people in Sydney? Artistic people and temperaments (the director also being a poet)? The future for a depressive character like Venice?

BLIND HORIZON

US, 2003, 97 minutes. Colour.
Val Kilmer, Neve Campbell, Sam Shepherd, Noble Willingham, Amy Smart, Jill Bellows, Giancarlo Esposito, Faye Dunaway.
Directed by Michael Haussman.

Blind Horizon is a political thriller, an amnesia thriller. Val Kilmer plays a mysterious man who has been shot in New Mexico and, on recovery, has lost his memory. However, there is a deadline for five days to a hit. The hit seems to be the American president. The man with amnesia gets flashes of memory, gradually putting together what has happened – and his role in the hit.

There is a strong cast led by Sam Shepherd as the local sheriff, Neve Campbell as a mysterious fiancée, Amy smart as a sympathetic nurse, Giancarlo Esposito as a journalist, Faye Dunaway as a mysterious connection.

Apparently, the film was very long and slow with the director’s cut, but the producers brought in another editor to speed the film up. It is very complex – and requires attention to know who is who and what is going on.

1. An interesting thriller, president, American, amnesia?

2. The New Mexico setting, the town, the desert, Black Point? The terrain? Hospitals, shops, the cinema, police offices? The plausibility of the plot?

3. The plot and its credibility, the collage during the opening credits? The jigsaw puzzle and the pieces? The president, five days to Rhombus, the flashbacks, the pieces, the connections? The plot becoming clearer?

4. Frank, his being found in the desert, driving, shot, over the cliff, his hat? In hospital, Liz and her talking to him while in coma? His recovery? The doctor, the supervision, his memories?

5. The sheriff, his being with the deputy sheriff? Their characters, the criticisms, the cash issues, illegal aliens? The antagonism between the two? Visiting the hospital? The deputy sheriff going into action? The sheriff and his job, concern, following leads? The arrival of Chloe? Frank and the information? Not believing him about the president? The plan, the president’s arrival, the sheriff’s bewilderment, Frank going into the cinema, disappearing? The process?

6. Chloe, turning up as the fiancée, how credible, the photos, the relationship, her control of him, the sexual relationship, the truth, her being shot?

7. Frank, his recovery, talking about the president, trying to reconstruct the plot? Meeting the man in the cinema? The message, the Swiss bank account? Seeing the driver in the town, his accident in the gasoline truck? Faye Dunaway and her constant appearance – the connection?

8. The plane, the change, Frank and his background with the IRS, his connections, the FBI? His cover? Real hitman or not?

9. The days counting down, the last day, the meeting again in the cinema, his finding his documents? Chloe, the gun, her being killed? Faye Dunaway and the change of plan?

10. The president, Frank and the rifle, having the president, the sheriff and the shooter in his sights? His decision? Shooting the shooter?

11. Liz, the money, transferring it, her decision to leave, waiting for Frank? Meeting him in the desert?

12. The journalist, his printing the story – and his helping Frank?

13. An entertaining and conspiracy thriller?

BURNING PALMS

US, 2010, 110 minutes, Colour.
Jamie Chung, Rosamund Pike, Dylan McDermott?, Shannen Doherty, Zoe Saldana, Nick Stahl, Robert Hoffman, Paz Vega, Peter Macdissi, Anson Mount, Emily Meade, Lake Bell, Adriana Barraza.
Directed by Christopher Landon.

Burning Palms is a compendium film. It will not be to most audiences’ taste.

There are five short stories, focusing on questions of what is normal behaviour and normal attitude, a focusing on some particular taboos, especially sexual.

Christopher Landon, son of Michael Landon, is a writer-producer but this is his first film as director.

The film has a strong line-up for its cast, but with the films lasting twenty-plus minutes, they don't have such great opportunities for developing characters.

Each of the stories is set in a different part of California, Dr Shelly the psychiatrist appearing in two of them, but otherwise their having no links.

First Story: The Green-Eyed? Monster.
There is a focus on a middle-aged couple, played by Dylan McDermott? and Rosamund Pike. They are at the airport to meet his fifteen-year-old daughter (Emily Meade). The older woman feels left out when father and daughter reunite. What follows is some detailed sequences where the father and the daughter become very close, the older woman becoming very uncomfortable. There are intimations of incest but nothing particularly explicit – although most audiences will be uncomfortable with the manifestations of closeness, dancing, topless sunbathing, intimacy at home. The daughter reveals the story of her mother’s suicide – with the result that the older woman is disturbed, dances frenetically with a stranger at a nightclub, has a sexual encounter with him – and then kills herself.

Story Two: This Little Piggy.
An American and a Chinese-American? are dating. She is a serious student. She talks awkwardly about sexual relationships. She agrees to some sexual behaviour, anal sexuality – with the result that she goes progressively mad, obsessed with her finger and its smell, scrubbing it. Her friends take her to an institution, visit her, and find that she has cut off her finger.

Third Story: Buyers’ Remorse.
Two homosexual men, Anson Mount and Peter Macdissi, adopt a young black African girl on the black market. The film shows a rather stereotype picture of the two men, working at a gym, in the showers, roving eyes, their own behaviour at home. The little girl will not say anything. They call her Mahogany, buy her clothes, meet other couples, have a party with gay couples and their children. Suddenly she takes a spear and like a hunter pierces the animal. The two men take her to a psychiatrist. They finish up deciding that they cannot deal with her and take her into the woods, furnishing her with food and clothing. They adopt a dog instead.
Fourth Story: Kangaroo Court.
A woman looks after three boys who play rather brutal and deadly games. Two maids also live in the house. The young maid (Paz Vega) is devout and upset because of the death of her child. She keeps part of the umbilical cord. When it goes missing, there are accusations and upset. The worst child, the most brutal one, has mocked the maid and she has mocked him. He decides to stage a court case, with the maids, the woman looking after them (always stoned) and a gardener who doesn’t speak English to be called to account. The kangaroo court is upsetting – with the revelation that the maid killed her own child because of the jealousy of the father. At the end she hangs herself.

Story Five: Man Eater.
This is a story of rape, portrayed at the beginning of the story, with the victim (Zoe Saldana) taking the mask off the rapist and finding his wallet. She tracks him down (Nick Stahl) and then leads him on to a confrontation. She herself manifests psychological strangeness.

The cumulative effect is a bizarre impression of Los Angeles, a probing (however briefly) of some of the taboos and raising questions for the audience and their own attitudes.

THE DOOR

Hungary, 2012, 97 minutes. Colour.
Helen Mirren, Martina Gedek, Karoly Eperjes.
Directed by Istvan Szabo.

It would be great to be able to recommend this film more eagerly than I can. Not that audiences won’t enjoy it or find it interesting, especially the performances. But, it is a Hungarian production (based on a celebrated Hungarian novel), directed by one of Hungary’s outstanding directors, so admired for his films like Mephisto, Colonel Redl and Sunshine, but it has been made in English. Whatever happened between the original screenplay writing in Hungarian and the English translation, it is often quite studied, artificial or unreal, and much of it is delivered as if the film were being dubbed (which, probably, some of the performances have been).

So, that is the major problem.

The other problem is the development of the characters and their motivations and behaviour. The Door is not a particularly long film, but might have benefited by the inclusion of some more sequences that would have illuminated the characters.

That being said, what is that we actually have?

This is a story of the 1960s-1970s, people living under strict Communist rule, with memories of World War II (and anti-Semitic behaviour of the times). And the door itself? It is the door to a dwelling where an older woman lives by herself, not letting anyone in, with neighbours suspicious of what she might have taken from a Jewish exiled family during the war. In point of fact, they are both wrong and right.

The woman, Emerenc, is a servant, a dedicated, hardworking servant whose washing, cleaning, cooking, are valued by her employers – though she is something of an inverted snob, committed to working class values, and discriminating as to whom she will work for – ‘I don’t work just for anyone, you know’.

She does accept the approach of a former teacher, Magda, who wants time to write a novel. She and her husband appreciate Emerenc’s work and meals but finds that she will enter their home at will, quite commanding in her manner, while always referring to the husband as ‘the master’.

The two women develop a strong friendship, bewildering much of the time to Magda, a relationship that Emerenc would never define as friendship. Here is the strength of the film, the relationship between the two women, especially when the husband is hospitalized. However, there are times of crisis, anger and apologies. Gradually, Emerenc does reveal so much of her story to Magda, even allowing her to come into her house.

Emerenc, sweeping snow from the footpaths constantly and diligently becomes ill. This precipitates a crisis for Emerenc and how Magda will deal with it, especially as she wins a government award for her novel, goes to a reception to receive he prize and praises Emerenc on national television (much to Emerenc’s disgust).

There are other emotional sub-plots, especially when Emerenc waits for a visit from someone from her past – and is angry when this does not eventuate. Magda also visits the town where Emerenc came from, learning more about her servant.

The key advertising point for The Door is that it stars Helen Mirren. Mirren can be Queen Elizabeth, giving an Oscar-winning performance as the Queen. Mirren can be a hard-headed, more tender-hearted than she communicates hard working rather drab looking servant. She embodies her roles and she makes Emerenc one of those strangely unforgettable characters. Martina Gedek, prominent in many German films like The Lives of Others, also gives a strong performance but also serves as a sounding board for Helen Mirren.

Allowing for the limitations for the sometimes stolid dialogue, stolidly delivered (but not by the two women), The Door is still an arresting cinema experience.

1. A Hungarian story? Production? Setting? With Helen Mirren?

2. Shot in the English language, the nature of the dialogue, some stilted, some sounding dubbed? The effect for the drama?

3. Budapest in the 1960s and 70s, the focus on the street, the area of the two houses, the wealthy home, Emerenc’s house? The contrast with the parliament, the social evening? The hospital? The score – and the use of Robert Schumann’s music?

4. The title, Emerenc’s house, the rumours about what was behind the door, her privacy, the protection of the cats? Legislation against more than two animals in a house?

5. Emerenc as the focus, Helen Mirren’s presence and performance? Cleaning, sweeping, washing? Her friendship with Polett, the lieutenant-colonel, the women with the store? Her life as a servant?

6. Her character, age, direct approach to life? The initial encounter with Magda? Calling the shots – the letters of reference? Her agreeing to work for Magda and the master? Calling Tibor the master? Her attitude towards men, especially when he was against her? Her key, entering the house when she liked, bringing the food (and resenting any tipping)? Her experience of gratitude, her reaction about the kitsch statues and decorations? The stories told about her, the Grossmans and their being Jewish, the anti-Jewish laws, their being shipped away? Her inheriting their possessions and safe? The truth, her helping the Grossmans, the baby daughter, bringing it home as her own, her grandfather’s hostility yet his looking after the baby, sad when it went? Her fear of storms, the story of her running away, the twins, the lightning strike, her mother’s grief, her mother’s killing herself in the well? The calf, the pet, its being slaughtered after the injury? Its name Viola? Taking the puppy, it growing into a huge dog, calling it Viola? Her love for the dog, walking it? Its coexistence with her cats? Her not allowing any visitors inside the house? Her hoping for the visit from the young Grossman girl, the preparation of the food, asking to give the impression that she lived in Magda’s house? Her anger when she didn’t turn up, the destruction of the food?

7. Her work, the payment, irregular hours, her inverted snobbery, talking about the workers? Magda going to church? Her approval of Jesus and his carpenter father, his being a victim of politicians and lies, their contriving his death, her feeling sorry for the mother? The arguments, the apologies, Magda breaking the dish, Emerenc smiling? Her breaking the kitsch dog? The snow, continued sweeping it away, her health, the plan to get her out of the house? Magda and her taking the cat away? The group seizing Emerenc, taking her to the hospital, Magda and Tibor waiting for her to come, her covering her face, her anger, the arguments? Magda’s lies about the cleaning of the house?

8. Emerenc and death, Polett and her hanging herself, the discussion between the two women about death, friendship, allowing a person to die when life had finished? Emerenc’s own ideas about death, no life after death, yet wanting a Taj Mahal at the mausoleum for herself and her family, respecting the dead?

9. Magda and Tibor, Magda teaching, retiring to write, her work in the house, the nature of the house, the decision to ask Emerenc for help? The lifestyle? Meals? Emerenc intruding into the bedroom? Tabor and his anger? The kitsch issue? Tabor ill, the collapse, the lungs and the blood? Emerenc saying no dog had howled? The hospital, Emerenc forbidding Magda to go to hospital, controlling her? The discussions with Magda, allowing Magda into her house, the photo of herself with the baby, explanation of the cats, her asking Magda to walk the platform in her home town?

10. Magda, the book, the bad reviews, the minister and the praise, the award, the social, her mentioning Emerenc in gratitude in the television interview? Emerenc’s negative response?

11. Magda, her learning from Emerenc, trying to gauge her moods, understand her? Emerenc’s regard for Magda, love and affection? Magda feeling she had betrayed Emerenc with getting her to hospital?

12. The end, the visit of the young girl, her never having met Emerenc, unable to remember her face? The visit to the cemetery, the fierce storm – and the memory of Emerenc and the clouds clearing? A nice – perhaps sentimental ending?

FOUR DAUGHTERS

US, 1938, 90 minutes. Black and white.
Priscilla Lane, Rosemary Lane, Lola Lane, Claude Rains, Jeffrey Lynn, John Garfield, Frank Mc Hugh, May Robson, Gail Page, Dick Foran.
Directed by Michael Curtiz.

Four Daughters is a pleasant entertainment from the late 30s, Warner Bros style. It has the touch of soap opera. Claude Rains is a music professor with four talented daughters, all of whom sing or play instruments. They are played by the Lane sisters plus Gail Page.

Complications arise when the daughters start to fall in love. Jeffrey Lynn is a top musician who is in love with the Priscilla lane character, relies on a friend, played by John Garfield, to arrange his music. He is shocked when he is jilted and his fiancée marries John Garfield – who realises what he has done and is involved in a car accident and dies. Frank Mc Hugh and Dick Foran portray the other suitors. Claude Rains offers a very different performance, quite genial, rather than his usual villains. May Robson gives her usual performance as the crusty old aunt.

The film was directed by Michael Curtiz, who directed a variety of films at Warner Bros ranging from action, Captain Blood, to drama, Casablanca, and various dramas in between.

The film was so popular that there was a sequel in 1939, Four Wives, taking up all the characters again, their situations, interrelationships – with the complication that Anne, Priscilla Lane, discovers that she is to marry Felix (Jeffrey Lynn), that she is pregnant with her late husband’s child. An example of popular entertainment – as well as the delight in making sequels to popular films.

The film was based on a story by Fannie Hurst (Back Street) who also wrote Four Wives. The screenplay was written by veteran Lenore J. Coffee and Julius Epstein, Lenore Coffee writing screenplays from 1919 over many decades and Julius Epstein co-writing Casablanca. Music is by Max Steiner. The film was nominated for five Oscars including John Garfield in a supporting role, director Michael Curtiz, best picture, sound recording and best screenplay.

1. A Warner Bros film of the 1930s? The cast? Their working together on other films? The director? Meeting popular audience expectations? Romance and the touch of the soap opera?

2. Warner Bros values, black and white photography, the musical score?

3. The Lemp family, the introduction, Adam and his conducting his daughters, their singing, performances, his criticisms? Aunt Etta and her crusty manner, the girls and their tormenting their father with popular music? His work, his home life? (And no mention of the mother?)

4. The character of Adam, care of his daughters, mischievous, friendship with Felix, support of Mickey? Kay and her singing on the radio? The meals, welcoming Ben? The preparations for the wedding? His support of Anne after the accident?

5. The daughters, their lives at home, their ages, their musical talents? Emma and her being courted by Ernest, bringing the flowers? Kay and her singing ability? Thea and her wanting to be married, meeting Ben, his flowers? His coming to the meal, stilted conversation? Anne forgetting to put the heat on the duck? Felix and his arrival, his talent? Thea and the attraction? Anne and the attraction? The preparations for the marriage? Mickey and his arrival, Anne jilting Felix? Her return home? The accident? Thea thinking it was Ben? The consequences of the accident? Building new lives?

6. Ben, stuffy, devoted to Thea? The marriage? Ernest, next door, the flowers, rejected by Emma? Finally winning her hand?

7. Anne, the youngest, wanting to stay at home, falling in love with Felix? Preparation for the marriage? With Mickey, listening to his story, feeling sorry for him, marrying him? His plans to go to South America? The return home, his death?

8. Mickey, his character, the long speeches about how fate had dealt him a hard hand? Orphan, childhood, talent or not? Always in the shadow? His playing the piano, interaction with Aunt Etta? His marrying Anne after his proposal? Down on his luck, driving the car, crashing?

9. Aunt Etta, the pleasant comic support – the backbone of the family?

10. The comedy with Felix and Anne on the gate – Mrs Ridgefield and her gossip – and the final image of her swinging on the gate?

THE GRACE CARD

US, 2010, 101 minutes, Colour.
Michael Joiner, Michael Higgenbottom, Joy Parmer Moore, Louis Gossett Jr, Dawntoya Thomason, Rob Erickson.
Directed by David G. Evans.

The Grace Card is an American religious film with commercial release. It was made by Grace Works Pictures in conjunction with Calvary Pictures, based in Memphis, Tennessee. The company was inspired by Sherwood Pictures in Georgia, the company of the Kendrick brothers who made such films as Fireproof and Courageous. This is a ministry of Memphis’s Calvary Church – with Louis Gossett Jr contributing his performance (and yet appeared in religious films like Left Behind 3) and Howard A. Klausner, writer of such films as Space Cowboys. The director of the film is Dr David Evans, an optometrist in Memphis.

The film has a lot in common with Courageous, the 2011 film from the Kendrick brothers, a focus on four police officers struggling with faith.

Michael Joiner portrays a policeman whose young son is accidentally killed by a drug dealer escaping from an arrest. He becomes very bitter, seventeen years pass, he works at the local police station but is too tense and has not received promotions. Things are tense with his wife at home and, especially, with his seventeen-year-old son (Rob Erickson) who is about to drop out of high school.

The optimistic focus of the film is Sam Wright, a fellow policeman (Michael Higgenbottom) who also is a pastor at a local church, needs financial support in order to become a full-time pastor. The church is a very enthusiastic Baptist church, plenty of music and singing. He goes to visit his grandfather, played by Louis Gossett Jr, who offers him good advice, especially about his ministry and about preaching.

The film focuses on providence, finding the proper place where one should be in life. Unfortunately for plotting, there are two huge coincidences at the end of the film which are optimistic but rather undermine the dramatic tension of the film.

In one episode, the two policemen come across a robbery, Mac, the bitter man, shoots and finds he has shot his own son. When the son is in recovery, it appears that he needs a kidney transplant. Of course, the only person who has the right blood type is the minister policeman.

There are a lot of faith themes, problems of evil themes, church themes. There are also racist themes because the minister is an African American and the white officer is bitter against African Americans who were responsible for the death of his son. In a moment of reconciliation, and using the grace card (an alternative to the race card), the criminal who has served his time comes into the church and is reconciled with the distraught father.

Technically the film is very well made, would please the religious audience for which it was intended.

1. The popularity of this kind of religious film in the 21st century in the US? Particular churches and their companies making such films? The niche audience audience?

2. The title, the end with the grace card for reconciliation instead of the bigoted race card?

3. Memphis, the city itself, homes, districts? The police headquarters? The church? The site of crimes? The realism of Memphis? The musical score? The religious hymns and their proclamation?

4. The introduction to Mac, Bill Mc Donald, with his son playing, the accident, the criminal escaping the police, killing the boy? The effect on Mac?

5. The passing of seventeen years? Mac in the police force, his still being tense? Not receiving promotions? The expectations of racism? His relationship with his wife, the bitter life at home? Her supporting her husband but finding it trying? His continued clashes with his son, the son who survived? His age, at school, not doing well, fighting with his father, the difficult meals, wanting to buy a car and his father’s taunts about money? The money paid for his private school education? The discovery that he was going to fail? His mother and the interview with the headmaster? The possibility of repeating – but not at the school? Mac and his being assigned to work with Sam Wright? The tensions and antagonism? The racism? Their working together?

6. Sam Wright, his success as a policeman? His nickname because of his being a preacher? His wife and family, his wife’s support? At church, the hymns, his attempts at preaching? His going to see his grandfather, his father walking out on the family, his grandfather and his support, the bible, the memories of slavery and benign white masters? Freedoms? Sam and his work, promotion? On the job with Mac? Their tense discussions?

7. Sara and her going to the counsellor? Their discussions? The possibility of her husband going – his refusal? His principle of not sharing problems with others? Blake, his discussions with the counsellor? His rudeness towards her? Her strong stances, getting him to talk about himself? The reality of his failing at school, tensions with his father? Her persuading him to do something kind at home – the meal, his asking his father about his work as a policeman, the father’s reaction? The revelation of the truth about the school? The son storming out?

8. Mac, with Sam, going to the scene of the crime, the shooting – and the revelation that it was Blake?

9. The hospital, Sara and her arrival, upset, the counsellor? Mac and his despair? His lack of faith? The health issue, the need for the kidney? The parents not able to give the kidney?

10. Sam, coming across Mac, in church, the discussion? The support, Mac and his admitting his bitterness, yet his love for his son? The discovery that Sam had the right blood type? The operation, its success?

11. The finale in the church, Sam and his preaching, his grandfather arriving? Mac and Sara at the church? Blake in his wheelchair? The criminal and Mac’s memories of him in the court and his defiance? His having served his time, gone to work in Kenya, reform of his life – and wanting to reconcile? Mac and his grace card?

12. The effectiveness of the storytelling – and the dramatising of Christian values?

GUNFIGHTERS

US, 1947, 87 minutes, Colour.
Randolph Scott, Barbara Britton, Forrest Tucker.
Directed by Alan Le May.

Gunfighters is a routine but introduction western. It focuses on Randolph Scott, at the beginning of his almost continuous range of westerns from this period to 1962. He portrays a gunfighter with a conscience. His friend wanted to test him as to speed at drawing, so he lays down his arms, leaves the town and goes to seek a rancher. However, he finds him dead.

Complications arise with cattle wars. A rancher who has hired hands to do his dirty work, also has two daughters. One is in league with the rustlers. The other falls in love with Randolph Scott. They are played by Barbara Britton and Dorothy Hart. Forrest Tucker is one of the gunmen.

The film explores the life on the range in the 19th century, the role of the gunfighters, the rustlers, the ambitious, the sheriffs.

The film is based on a Zane Grey story, Twin Sombreros.

1. An interesting western of the 1940s? Randolph Scott and his western career?

2. Colour photography, the towns, the ranges, the mountains? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on guns, the gunfighters, rivalries, killings, law and order, the sheriffs?

4. The focus on Randolph Scott as Brazos? In the town, his best friend trying to outdraw him? Brazos and his decision to lay down his guns, throwing them away? His riding to find the ranch? His friend dead? The immediate arrival of the gunfighters, his arrest, almost being lynched? The old man freeing him? The discussions with the sheriff? The possibilities of moving to California? His giving the bullet to Jane Banner?

5. The situation on the range, Banner, his ambitions, his hired hands, the murder of rivals? The killings throughout the film, the innocent old man who made gingerbread? The threats to rivals to Banner?

6. Brazos, with the sheriff? Discovering that there were twin girls? Bess and her trying to be seductive? His discovering the boot-print? Her guilt? Jane, the bullet, her love? Bess’s machinations? Her love for Bard? Her wanting to support him? Yet a touch of conscience? Jane, her reaction to Bess’s behaviour? The truth about her father? Saving Brazos from her father? Her leaving with him?

7. The hired men, the gunfighters, lack of scruple? The pursuit of Brazos? The fight in the town – and the tour de force of the horse, the fight under the horse’s hooves?

8. Brazos, the setup, his putting on his guns again? His holding up his hands but being quick on the draw? The other deaths? Banner’s threat?

9. Going to the sheriff, his being urged to go to California? Leaving with Jane?

10. The popular ingredients of the western, law and order, rustlers, ambitions of the cattle ranchers? The gunman with a conscience?

LA HORDE / THE HORDE

France, 2009, 90 minutes. Colour.
Claude Perron, Jean- Pierre Martins, Eriq Ebouaney.
Directed by Yannick Dahan and Benjamin Rocher.

The Horde is a gruesome horror film – presented seriously without parody of the genre. It is reminiscent of George Romero’s Day of the Dead and Living Dead films.

The film takes place over a short period. A group of police go to a funeral mourning one of their dead. They form a posse that attacks the group of criminals, led by two Nigerians, responsible for the death. To this extent it is a grim police drama, two groups of amoral people clashing. However, it soon appears that Paris is being overrun by zombies who are threatening people in the high-rise building. The two groups join forces, however suspiciously. They have to reach the ground floor in order to escape. However, zombies keep intruding on the group’s tactics, some of the police and the criminals being killed. There is a showdown between two of the criminals against the leader, one of the rebels being his brother. The brother is soon dead – and the leader confronts the rebel criminal and kills him. In the meantime, the police try to reach the bottom floor – with the help of a local who is strong with guns and weapons.

As they reach the ground floor, there are more scenes of savagery, blood-crazed and starving zombies, pounding at the gates. One of the police gets his guns, helps the others escape, chases through the zombies killing many of them till he finally stands on top of a car, firing all his rounds – but ultimately being overwhelmed by them. This is one of the most powerful sequences of the film.

The ending is surprising. The surviving woman in the police group draws a gun on the Nigerian leader, he falls to his knees, dreading being killed – and she shoots. She stands alone surviving.

While the film is gruesome, it is almost nihilistic – a film very well made but very difficult to sit through by ordinary audiences. Serious fans of the genre will be pleased – although those who enjoy the tongue-in-cheek humour and parody may be disappointed at its seriousness.

JESSE STONE: DEATH IN PARADISE

US, 2006, 90 minutes. Colour.
Tom Selleck, Viola Davis, Kohl Sudduth, Orla Brady, Gary Baseraba, John Diehl, Mae Whitman, Matt Barr, Stephen Mc Hattie, William Devane.
Directed by Robert Harmon.

Death in Paradise is the third film, starring Tom Selleck (who co-wrote the screenplay), bringing to the screen Robert Parker’s character Jesse Stone. Stone was a police officer in Los Angeles, had a drinking problem after the departure of his wife (who continually phones him in Massachusetts where he has moved). He is the chief of police, assisted by Kohl Sudduth (in all the films) and Viola Davis (in the early films, soon to have Kathy Baker become part of the team). Stephen Mc Hattie is the police chief for Massachusetts. William Devane continues his role as Doctor Dix, the former policeman, with an alcohol problem, who has become a psychiatrist and has sessions with Jesse Stone.

There are two strands in this film, as in the others. One is the straightforward confrontation between a drunken husband and his wife (John Diehl as the husband). He is in denial, Jesse imprisons him for a while, the women encourage the wife to consider leaving her brutal husband, which she finally does. He is distraught, pulls a hold-up in a supermarket, wounding Luther ‘Suitcase’ Simpson (Sudduth) and Jesse Stone is forced to confront him and kill the man. In the meantime, there is the more serious story of the body of a teenager found in the river. Investigation identifies her as a girl who had fallen into bad times, drugs and sex, a bad reputation in the town. She has very upright parents, a self-righteous father as well as a sister who has escaped from the family and is studying at the university (Mae Whitman). Stone visits the high school and encounters the headmistress (Orla Brady). They form a bond. In the meantime, there is information that the girl has been in Boston, at a centre for runaway girls, managed by a very modern nun in modern clothes, Sister Mary John, played by Kerri Smith – who was to appear in other Jesse Stone films. There is also a connection with Gino Fish, the Boston gangster, as well as another gangster, played by Leo Flynn. Flynn’s biography was to be written by a local celebrity and author.

In the event, the author is accused of the murder and having made the girl pregnant. However, with the complication, it emerges that the gangster and his assistant have set up the author as the killer of the girl so that he will not be able to write the biography of the gangster.

The film was directed by Robert Harmon who had directed seven of the eight Jesse Stone films up to 2012.

1. The popularity of the Jesse Stone series? Police stories? Murder mysteries? The role of the police – especially Chief Stone?

2. Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone, the character he has created? The loner, with his dog, having left Los Angeles, concern about his wife and the phone calls, the drinking, his interviews with Doctor Dix? His working with Suitcase, with Molly Crane? The collaboration? The role of the police chief? The town council?

3. The two plots? The drunken husband, the interviews, Stone tripping him, putting him in the cell, charging him? The wife, Molly counselling her? Her not wanting to leave her husband, her reticence? Her gradually gaining courage, the decision to leave? The siege in the supermarket, Jesse and his response, Suitcase being shot? The hospital scenes? The killing of the man?

4. The discovery of the body of the girl in the river, the search for the weapons, the missing shoe, the doctor and his diving? Suitcase and his walking around the river, finding the ring? The connection to the boy in the school – his being a suspect? Not? The interrogation of the headmistress, the information, her bonding with Jesse? The further investigations, the identity of the girl, going to her parents, her mother’s grief, the father and his self-righteousness? The visit to the sister at the university, her hard statements, sympathy for her sister, antagonism towards her parents? The information about the author?

5. The author, celebrity, the headmistress and her comments, the social, Jesse and his gatecrashing, upsetting the author, the cars parked illegally...? The antagonism?

6. The Boston connection, the phone number? Meeting Sister Mary John, the discussions with her, her help? Going to see Leo Finn? His offhanded manner, the brutal assistant? Not speaking? Going to see Gino Fish – and the information from him? Wanting Stone to do his work?

7. The confrontation with the author, his having impregnated the girl, audiences thinking he had killed her? The alibis? The truth?

8. The truth about Finn, his organising the killing? To save face and stop the biography? The confrontation with Stone, with the assistant, the assistant shooting and Stone holding Flynn in the line of fire?

9. Stone, his status with the council, having used violence? His being under suspicion? Yet his sense of achievement? Solving the mysteries?