SPEAK EASILY

US, 1932, 81 minutes. Black and white.
Buster Keaton, Jimmy Durante, Ruth Selwyn, Thelma Todd, Hedda Hopper.
Directed by Edward Sedgwick.

Speak Easily is one of the early sound films made by Buster Keaton and his company. After his great success in silent films, in such films as The General, he moved to sound but was not as successful as in his silent films. However, he appeared in film and television for almost thirty years more, finally appearing in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

In this film Keaton portrays a professor of classics who cuts himself off from the real world. When his assistant gives him a false letter claiming that he has inherited seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, he goes out into the world to experience life.

Keaton keeps his serious face all the time. His performance is also helped by the fact that he takes everything absolutely literally, has no idea of the slang of the time. This leads to quite some verbal and complex situations.

When he goes out into the world, he comes across a theatre troupe in a backwoods town. He is entranced by the performance, decides to finance the show and its going to Broadway. The show is revamped, but the creditors make demands for their money. The film culminates in the opening night of the show, complicated by the fact that Keaton comes onstage at all the wrong times, disrupts the show, swings on ropes, crashes onto the floor and all other kinds of slapstick. The audience thinks this is the real show – and it proves to be a success.

Keaton is good in the central role, better than in the previous year’s film, The Passionate Plumber. He is joined once again by Jimmy Durante who gives the same kind of enthusiastic performance of jokes, nods to the audience, piano-playing and singing, that he was to do in films and television over the next three decades or more. Ruth Selwyn is the ingénue. Thelma Todd is the vamp in the cast – in a similar role to her countess in Fra Diavolo the following year. Columnist Hedda Hopper appears as the heroine’s mother.

There is some verbal humour, quite an amount of slapstick – but, the film seems quite dated in its presentation and style and is more interesting as an illustration of the comedy of the time, Buster Keaton’s career, MGM’s support of his career.

TAKING SIDES

UK/Germany, 2003, 108 minutes. Colour.
Harvey Keitel, Stellan Skarsgaard, Mauritz Bleibtreu, Birgit Minichmayr, Ulrich Tukur, Oleg Tabakov, R. Lee Ermey.
Directed by Istvan Szabo.

British playwright Ronald Harwood is clearly still very interested in World War II stories, especially in stories that might not have made the headlines, might seem on the sidelines of the main war action and of the persecution of the Jews. He won an Oscar for his screenplay for Polish Roman Polanski's film, The Pianist. Soon after The Pianist, comes an adaptation of his play, Taking Sides, directed by Hungarian, Istvan Szabo. The Pianist, with its overtones of Polanski's own war experience, was something of a surprise to those following Polanski's career, Taking Sides will not be a surprise to those who have followed Szabo's career. In the early 1980s, he made his masterpiece about a man who sold his soul to the Third Reich, Mephisto. He followed it with war stories, particularly of World War I, Colonel Redl and Hanussen. In 2000, he released a three hour saga of the generations of a Jewish family in Austria where a central character becomes a Catholic for survival, Sunshine.

Taking Sides is very much the adaptation of a play. However, its strong characterisations, the force of its dialogue and the moral ambiguities of its two protagonists, mean that it is absorbing drama. The issue itself is powerful - and even more relevant now than when it was filmed because of the war in Iraq and the role of the American liberators, occupiers and judges.

The renowned German conductor, Wilhelm Furtwangler, opted not to leave his country, separating art from politics and, as an aesthete, hoped that he would contribute to a mellowing of the leaders of the Reich by providing music. In 1942, despite distancing himself from the Nazi party and from Goebels, and helping Jews escape the Reich, he conducted music for Hitler's birthday.

At the time of the Nuremburg trials, the allies wanted to make him an example and he was interrogated at length, charged but the charges were dismissed. Yet, he was never permitted to conduct in the US after the war.

At the time of the trials, it was assumed that the allies, particularly the Americans, had every right to interrogate and sit in judgment on the Germans. They were the occupiers and masters of a people who had sold themselves to Hitler. Now, in the light of recent events in the Middle East, these claims sound more hollow and overly self-righteous.

Listening to the words Harwood puts into the mouth of Harvey Keitel as the rather philistine former insurance investigator who loathes the Germans for their commitment to Hitler, who loathes the conductor and cannot really appreciate the music and culture arguments, we get the impression that the Americans are presumptuous and, as his secretary tells him, his interrogation methods are reminiscent of the Gestapo. Keitel relishes this role. By contrast, Stellan Skarsgaard as the conductor, conveys the bewilderment of a celebrity who has to face reality rather than speculate and retreat to a world of culture and music and who cannot believe that he is being treated the way he is.

Further dramatic complexities come from the secretary whose father was one of the conspirators against Hitler and a young American officer whose Jewish parents fled Germany in the 1930s.

There is a great deal to think about.

1. The title? The two sides: the Nazi war criminals, the American justice system, the conquering nation? The issues of the time? Universal? Americans and their taking and making judgments on other countries and cultures?

2. The work of Ronald Howard, his career, his interests?

3. The work of Istvan Szabo, his films, issues, treatment?

4. The German settings, Germany post-World War Two, the occupation? American headquarters, offices? The interrogations in Major Arnold’s office? Americans in German settings? Incongruity, the victors, the judges? Their right to be in judgment? The scenes of the ruins of Berlin? The concert in the ruined church?

5. The film based on actual characters and events? Wilhelm Furtwrangler? Stellan Skarsgaard and his presence and portrayal? His musical talent, his career, his reputation? In performance with the orchestra? For Hitler’s birthday? Not saluting Hitler? His ideal of helping the Nazis to improve their culture? His saving Jews? The ambiguity of his situation? Ideals and reality? His being puzzled by the condemnations after the war? The judgment on him? His suffering penalties? The contrast between the artist on the podium, and the man humiliated, with doubts?

6. The contrast with Major Steve Arnold, Harvey Keitel’s performance? An insurance agent, skills in investigation, the military background, philistine in culture, perhaps his desire to bring someone down? His presuppositions about the Nazis, the war, art? Art and real life? His character? His aims, his searching for evidence against the conductor, the dialogues of the interrogations? Toing and froing? The effect of interrogating the conductor on him?

7. David, his background, Jewish, escape to America? His work, attitudes, the romance with Emma?

8. Emma, her age, her experience, her father and his being executed, the plot against Hitler? Working with Arnold? With David?

9. The Russian, his culture, his understanding the conductor better than Arnold did?

10. The musicians, their being questioned, their loyalty to the conductor?

11. The film as drama, character-driven?

12. The importance of dialogue, a film of words, issues?

13. The music, the German tradition, Mozart, Schubert...? Beauty, imagination, culture? The possibility for music to improve people?

14. Did the film take sides? Did the conductor take sides in terms of the Nazis? Did Arnold take sides in terms of his condemnation? The audience? The polarisation between the two stances? Possibilities of reconciliation?

THE TEMP

US, 1993, 99 minutes, Colour.
Timothy Hutton, Lara Flynn Boyle, Dwight Schultz, Oliver Platt, Steven Weber, Faye Dunaway, Maura Tierney, Lin Shaye, Jesse Vint.
Directed by Tom Holland.

The Temp takes up a theme that was popular in some films of the 1990s, for example Disclosure, with the conflict between Michael Douglas and Demi Moore, or the more famous conflict between Glenn Close and Michael Douglas in Fatal Attraction.

Timothy Hutton is an executive in a biscuit company. He has problems, is seeing a psychiatrist, separated from his wife, concerned about promotions. There are rivalries within the company – embodied in such people as Oliver Platt and Faye Dunaway. He is given a temp to help him through difficulties. She is played by Lara Flynn Boyle, very efficient, glamorous, dangerous. As the film proceeds she becomes even more dangerous, with a confrontation between herself and Faye Dunaway.

The film shows the atmosphere of big business as well as its tensions. It also is a drama on the sexual politics and discussions of the 1990s. It was directed by Tom Holland who made an impact with Fright Night and the first of the Child’s Play films.

1. An interesting thriller? The corporate world? The 1990s? The state of play in the competitiveness between men and women in corporations?

2. The Boston settings, the city, the corporations and stores, homes, the musical score and its mood?

3. The title, the focus on Kris?

4. Peter Derns, in therapy, his paranoid attitudes and behaviour, the response to the doctor, becoming better, his wife and son, the meetings? Sport? The phone calls? Peter as a victim? Going to meetings, the issues of promotions, Jack and his sneering? Sara and her role in the company? Roger and his talk? The project, promotion, ideas, Charlene and her dominance? Peter as busy, work, needing an assistant, his assistant pregnant and going for the child’s birth?

5. Kris, her work, the sultry attitude, the femme fatale, efficiency, her decisions, decorating the office, pushing forward the projects, the work, problems with the photocopier, impressing everyone, Peter and the attraction?

6. Her personality, Stanford, lies about her past, the bank, the issue of deaths, her temporary positions? Jack and promotions? The assistant and his hand? Jack, the wasp and his death? Kris always plausible, ingratiating herself, the wife and the date with Peter and the ambiguities, her seeing the kiss, the account, the gifts, compromise?

7. Kris, Brad, the explanations?

8. Roger, his role, attitude towards Peter, death?

9. The build-up to the cookies, the glass in the cookies, the media demonstration, the mayhem with the people, the importance of this event?

10. Peter, his warnings, alert to Kris, the alienation, the picnic, the swim?

11. The meeting, going to the factory, the murder? Charlene, her presence, the attack, the fall? The police? Kris framing Peter? His paranoia contributing to his testimony?

12. Peter as chosen, office, success?

13. The contribution of Faye Dunaway and her presence as Charlene? The background of such films as Network? The clash between Kris and Charlene? The truth, murder?

14. The investigation, unmasking of Kris? Her future? The happy ending and the new temp for Peter?

UNTHINKABLE

US, 2010, 97 minutes, Colour.
Samuel L. Jackson, Carrie- Anne Moss, Michael Sheen, Stephen Root, Martin Donovan, Gil Bellows, Brandon Routh, Holmes Osborne.
Directed by Gregor Jordan.

Unthinkable is a film about American official torture – done unofficially.

The film ties in with such films as Zero Dark Thirty with their pictures of water torture and interrogations to find out more about Osama bin Laden. In this scenario, filmed before The Search for Bin Laden, four bombs have been planted in big city centres in the United States. The man who has planted the bombs, a man called Steven Younger who has become a Muslim, tapes an interview, allows himself to be arrested, brings attention to his cause by being tortured.

Samuel L. Jackson gives a strange, tantalising, often alienating performance as the chief torturer (akin to his bizarre turn in Meeting Evil). Carrie-Anne? Moss is the tough FBI agent who finds Jackson’s methods too much. British actor Michael Sheen is very good as the man being tortured. A supporting cast of officials and agents include Stephen Root as the liaison with the torturer, Martin Donovan as the FBI boss.

The film was directed by Australian Gregor Jordan who directed Two Hands, Ned Kelly with Heath Ledger, Buffalo Soldiers.

1. The title, torture and the extent of torture? The unthinkable behaviour in this film? The film testing audience beliefs and sensibilities?

2. A film of interiors, Youssuf’s room, the FBI offices, homes, the venue for interrogation and torture? The military atmosphere? CIA, FBI? The torture itself? A claustrophobic film? The musical score?

3. The introduction, Youssuf and his talking on the videos, the several attempts? The effect, the response of officials? The news on television?

4. Brody, in her office, the maps, the lists, the photos of terrorists, her subordinates, their investigations, checking lists? Saunders and his being in charge, relying on Brody? The impact of the television news about Youssuf? The reactions, the file for H? The contact from Charles Thompson? The agents going to H's house, their being tied up, the new agents, the siege being called off?

5. H, with his family, the file, mystery, the agents at his house, his gun, his being taken, the interview with Brody? Charles Thompson calling it off? H's jobs, freelance, available, pursued, relentless?

6. The official authorities, the White House representatives, the military, the general in charge? CIA agents, the FBI, soldiers? The priority for the interrogations? The four bombs planted, time running out?

7. The irony of Youssuf being arrested, standing twenty-three minutes in the mall? His calculated plan, arrest, interviews, torture, being a martyr, defying the authorities? His faith and conversion? His change? His wife, the children, the wife trying to leave for Saudi Arabia, her being held, the children held? The cause, his taking the nuclear material, background in Pakistan?

8. The time limit, the agents being desperate, the means for ends? Ends justifying means? The need for information? Some lives for many lives to be saved? Where were the priorities? The role of torture, human dignity?

9. H, his background, his control, the contacts with Thompson? The encounter with Brody, her defying him, his choosing her because of her integrity? His independence, getting the military out? His personality, the initial brutal bashing of the soldier, ousting him? Brody’s reaction? The physical torture, shocking audiences? Chopping off the finger? Hanging Youssuf, the water torture, taser, mental torture, the hood? Bringing in the wife, desperation – and the unthinkable of cutting the wife’s throat? The introduction of the children, the pros and cons, tying them up? Where the line should be drawn? Fifty-three dead in the explosion, comparison for millions dying?

10. Youssuf as a character, defying the authorities, defying H? His suffering, going to sleep, being woken? The giving of the information about the bomb, the search for it, his photo, the pressing of the switch, fifty-three dying? His reaction to his wife coming in, the shock, the impact of her death? His resolution? Faltering? His children? H untying him? The struggle with the gun, asking for the care of his children, killing himself?

11. Brody and the effect of this experience, Saunders asking her to obey? Her reaction to the military, the general, the colonel and his reaction to what was going on? Brody and her refusal to agree to H, his continued pressure, explaining the situation, the need for information, the wife and the threat, her reaction to bringing the children in?

12. H as a person, the issues becoming about him rather than safety, the cruelty, the contrast with his own family, his wife visiting, the food, the picnic? His psychology, his physical torture, interactions with Youssuf? The killing of Youssuf’s wife, untying him, the children, Youssuf’s suicide – and his holding the key point of a fourth bomb?

13. The uncertain ending about the bombs? What if...? Audiences identifying with H, his cause, his methods, or not? Audiences identifying with Brody, her reactions, her behaviour? The toll on her?

14. A film in the post-9/11 mentality and war on terrorism?

WIN WIN

US, 2011, 106 minutes, Colour.
Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Burt Young, Melanie Lynskey, Alex Shaffer, Margo Martindale.
Directed by Thomas Mc Carthy.

You may have seen Thomas Mc Carthy’s two previous films, The Station Agent and The Visitor, both well worth seeing for their drama and their sense of humanity. These qualities are present in Win Win, but there is also more humour.

Paul Giamatti is a versatile actor and has a potentially lugubrious face (used to great advantage in Barney’s Version and Sideways). He gets plenty of opportunity to use it here. He is Mike, a family man with a sensible and loving wife (Amy Ryan), a lawyer with a partner (Jeffrey Tambor at his best), whose practice is in need of clients. Mike and his partner also coach junior wrestling in the town. His prospects and his debts don’t look good. He also has a good friend (Bobby Cannavale) who loves wrestling but is no good at it and who is preoccupied with his wife’s seeing another man.

Two complications arise. One of his clients, a wealthy man, Leo (Burt Young), is about to be declared incompetent to manage his affairs. Mike decides to take on the role of guardian and receive a large stipend but, after promising Leo that he does not have to be put in a home, Mike does place him into an institution. Then Leo’s grandson turns up and Mike and his wife feel that it is the right thing to take the boy, Kyle, into their home. Mike enrols him at school where Kyle makes friends and invites him to the wrestling club not realising that Kyle has been a junior champion. Things brighten up considerably until Kyle’s mother (Melanie Lynskey), in drug recovery, alienated from her father for many years but sensing inheritance money in his will, comes to take Kyle home.

And then the truth about Leo and the institution come out. The latter part of the film involves us in the moral and legal tangles and Mike’s trying to rehabilitate himself, with his wife’s clear-sighted support.

The young man who portrays Kyle, Alex Sheffer, had never acted before but, aged 17, won the New Jersey State wrestling title in 2010. He really doesn’t act. However, his straight, almost deadpan, delivery of his lines, actually creates his character very well. A straightforward young man, no pretentions, very direct in what he thinks and believes. His performance, balanced with that of Paul Giamatti, make for serious and humorous drama.

Mc Carthy’s films explore aspects of human nature, the better sides of human nature (even when there is a need to be honest about shortcomings and failures and the need for some change of heart and recompense) and, really, what it is to be a decent human being.

1. An interesting story? Entertaining? Thoughtful? The career of Thomas McCarthy?

2. The New Jersey settings, suburbia, homes, offices, school, the wrestling world, the courts? Old people’s home? The credible atmosphere? The musical score?

3. The title, referring to characters, situations? Losing?

4. Mike Flaherty’s story, Paul Giamatti’s screen presence and performance? Jogging, discovering his stress, his friendship with Terry? Terry helping him? His love for Jackie, the children? His working with Stephen Vigman, at the office, law, coaching in wrestling? The issue of the boiler, expenses, Shelly and her work as secretary, information? Frank as a client, the issue of the cat? Leo, his losing his memory, his hopes? The court case, the fifteen hundred dollars for the carer? Mike taking on the responsibility, lying to the court, not allowing Leo to live at home, taking him to the retirement village? Jackie’s reaction on hearing the news? His deceiving her?

5. Vig, the law, no income, wrestling coach, the poor students?

6. Terry, the friendship with Mike in the past, wrestling, his not being good? Jogging with Mike, blunt talk? Stalking his ex-wife, phone calls, resentment towards her new boyfriend? Jackie, loving wife, ordinary, with the girls, upset at Mike’s lies?

7. Kyle, his arrival, relationship with Leo, his mother – and Mike and Shelly’s inability to track her down? Mike discussing the issues with Kyle? Kyle staying, visiting Leo, watching television with him? Going to watch the wrestling to be occupied? His agreeing to do some wrestling, Terry, Vig and Mike amazed at his skills? Watching the video? Terry and his enthusiasm, Mike enrolling him in high school? Success, the decision that he could stay, ringing his mother but no answer? At home, bonding well with the girls, Jackie warming to him, afraid at first, his friendship with Stemler? The competition?

8. Kyle’s mother suddenly turning up, his reaction, not wanting to see her? Her attitude towards Leo, bad memories of the past? The twenty years absence? Mike talking with her? Jackie’s initial resentment, some sympathy? Her lawyer, the issue of the will, Leo cutting her out of the will, her anger at the discussions, her lawyer trying to control her? Mike happy with the success?

9. Kyle, his personality, age, experience, respectful, monosyllabic? His response to Leo, to Jackie, to the girls? His leaving, going to Leo’s house, everybody arriving at the house?

10. His mother, the documents and transcripts of Leo in the court, the fifteen hundred dollars? Her accusations against Mike, his reactions, the truth? Her lawyer? Jackie and her dismay at the truth, leaving him at Leo’s house, his apology and her acceptance? Kyle, his mother, staying at Stemler’s house?

11. Mike and his decision to be honest, losing his practice, the mother’s lawyer, the mother and the arrangement, wanting the fifteen hundred dollars? Her leaving? Kyle hugging his mother but staying with Mike and Jackie?

12. The final images of the happy family, Kyle, Stemler?

13. Mike working in the bar, happy, not having any stress? A win situation?

14. A humane film, the complexities of human nature, virtues and flaws?

THE WARD

US, 2010, 88 minutes. Colour.
Amber Heard, Jarrod Harris, Mamie Gummer, Danielle Panebaker, Laura-Leigh?, Lyndsy Fonseca, Mika Boorem.
Directed by John Carpenter.

The Ward seems to be a horror ghost story. However, audiences would need to see it right through to the end to find out that it wasn’t really a ghost story after all, rather a multiple-personality story.

The film focuses on the ward of an asylum in Oregon in the 1960s. Amber Heard portrays Kristen, one of the inmates, who escapes and sets fire to a farmhouse. She seems much more sensible than the other inmates of the ward. They include Mamie
Gummer as the timid Emily, Danielle Panebaker as the assertive Sarah, Laura-Leigh? as the intimidated Zoe, Lyndsy Fonseca as the artist who wants to get out of the asylum. There is also the mysterious character, Alice, who has disappeared. She then starts to pursue the other girls as a ghost. Jarrod Harris is the psychologist.

While the film is fairly conventional in the horror aspects of the ghost pursuing the girls, the camera going up and down the corridor of the ward as a kind of motif and refrain, the film ultimately is interesting as focusing on Alice and her multiple personalities.

John Carpenter made a big impact in the 1970s, especially with Halloween, and then in the 1980s with a range of popular thrillers and horror stories. However, in more recent decades, he has not been as prolific as he was in the past, and The Ward, in many senses, is a very minor film.

1. The title the focus on the institution, the 1960s? The exteriors and the building? The interiors, the corridor and the camera continually moving up and down? The recreation room? The patients’ rooms? The atmosphere of the institution? The musical score?

2. Kristen and her escaping from the institution, suddenly appearing in the field, setting fire to the house, the police, their taking her to the institution? Her being the focus of interest? Her interactions with the other girls? Her seeming common sense? The head nurse? The orderly and his bossing her about? Her interviews with Doctor Stringer? Her explanations, wanting some understanding, wanting the doctor to tell her what was happening? The issue of Alice, her death, her appearance as a ghost? The threats to Kristen? Kristen and her persuading Emily to come with her to search for Iris who had disappeared? Their going through the corridors, the pursuit, their being captured? Her final discussions with Doctor Stringer - and the revelation of who she really was?

3. The ghost story – and the figure of the spectre, appearing and disappearing, threatening, killing the girls, the brutality of Iris’s death, of Sarah’s death? Her final disappearance?

4. The horror aspects? The girls under threat, the deaths, the mysterious characters, the orderly, the nurse, the doctor?

5. The multiple personalities, the explanation, Alice and her ordeal when she was young (and the flashbacks for her being chained up)? The splitting of her personalities? Emily, more conforming, Sarah and her being assertive, Zoe and her being silent, Iris and her talent for drawing? Their all being aspects of the one person? Kristen being only an aspect of Alice?

6. The finale, Doctor Stringer, the parents, Alice returning to her normal self, staying in the institution for some days before leaving – a pleasing resolution? The final moment of horror as Kristen emerges behind the mirror of the cabinet in the bathroom? The expected final scare?

WILBUR WANTS TO KILL HIMSELF

UK/Denmark, 2002, 111 minutes. Colour.
Jamie Sives, Adrian Rawlins, Shirley Henderson, Lisa Mc Kinlay, Mads Mickelson, Julia Davis, Susan Vidler.
Directed by Lone Scherfig.

This is low-key film-making. Danish director, Lone Scherfig, had a hit with her Dogme comedy, Italian for Beginners, and won many festival awards (including the Berlin Ecumenical award). That was an entertaining bittersweet comedy of a fascinating group of people and their relationships. Wilbur is more modest in scope, is bittersweet and quite restrained in its presentation of its relationships.

Filming in English in Glasgow locations and Copenhagen sets, Lone Schefring focuses on four principal characters. There is Wilbur himself, a depressive who makes several suicide attempts and who contemplates death all the time. His brother Harbour is a nice man, devoted to Wilbur, caring for him and the bookshop left to them by their recently deceased father. He meets a single mother with a young daughter and soon marries her. The rest of the plot complications are best left to be seen on screen. However, it is no secret that they are about love and death, but with some surprises.

Jamie Sives makes a brooding but sympathetic Wilbur and Adrian Rawlins is even more sympathetic as Harbour. It is a strange but nice brotherly relationship. Shirley Henderson is Alice, the single mother, whose life is brightened by her marriage to Harbour. Not a lot happens in terms of plot, but the characters are interesting and there is a lot of feeling in the performances and the direction.

1. A Scots story? Danish director? Universal themes: life, goals in life, relationships, illness, death?

2. The city of Glasgow, the city itself, the shop, hospital, homes? The musical score?

3. The title and tone, expectations?

4. Suicide and depression? Wilbur’s attempts at suicide, gas, hanging, drowning, slitting his wrists? His wanting to live or not? Wilbur and his rescuing the drowning person? Meeting Alice, Mary? Always phoning for Harber? Harber’s response? The memories of his mother and father?

5. Wilbur and children, at the museum, as a guide, in the church, discussions with the fellow guide, with the children? With Mary, reading her stories, talking with Mary?

6. Harber as a good man? The shop, the memory of his mother and her illness, death? Memories of his father, his father’s partiality for Wilbur, mistaking Harber for Wilbur? The father’s death? Going to the cemetery and the grave? Seeing Wilbur as special? Always caring for him? The phone calls and his hurrying to save Wilbur? The help? Wilbur and his staying at the shop? Caring for him? At the hospital, the nurses? Discussions with the doctor? Harber’s illness, the diagnosis, bringing the book to the doctor, not telling the family, the revelation at the meal, Alice and her anger, the hospital sequences, growing weaker, discussions with the doctor, coming home for Christmas, the joy, with Alice, getting her to promise to help Wilbur? His taking the pills, his death, the funeral?

7. Wilbur in the group, his antagonism, the suicide group, the discussions, the various members speaking, the members and their anger at Wilbur? The nurse, her flirting? The doctor, detached? Wilbur’s return to the group?

8. Alice, her character, visits to the bookshop, selling the books? The encounters with Harber, the attraction? Her work at the hospital, cleaning up the blood, late for work, her getting the sack? Her love for Mary, the bond with her daughter, going to the shop, her love for Harber, the wedding breakfast? The affirmation for her? Her saving Wilbur from hanging? The attraction to Wilbur, but her constant love for Harber? The shop, the need for money, Mary and her endowment, the partnership? Tidying the shop? The meal, hearing the truth of Harber’s illness, her anger with Harber, going to the hospital, her promise to care for Wilbur?

9. The nurse at the hospital, at the wedding breakfast, her work, Wilbur and the leaking of his ear? Her work for the doctor?

10. Moira, her constantly talking about her expertise, with the group, facilitating, her diet, her continual talk about food and medicine? Flirting with Wilbur? Her being upset at no prospects for marriage? The tension at the table, ordering the desserts, the revelation of Harber’s illness and the smouldering anger?

11. Wilbur, changing, interest in life, saving the drowner, working in the shop, love for Alice, care for Mary?

12. The three at the cemetery – walking towards their future?

I HEART HUCKABEES

US, 2004, 107 minutes, Colour.
Jason Schwartzman, Isabelle Huppert, Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin, Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg, Naomi Watts, Kevin Dunn, Tippi Hedren, Jean Smart, Said Taghmaoui, Jonah Hill, Talia Shire, Bob Gunton, Richard Jenkins.
Directed by David O. Russell.

A reasonable question to ask after viewing this oddball movie would be: is this an intelligent, neo-philosophical, absurdist exercise in relevant post-Gen X visual and verbal gymnastics or, simply, a clever hoax?

When we look at the three films from director, Russell, let alone his tongue-in-cheek aggro interviews, we find a very, very mixed bag – but, on the whole, quite irreverent in tone and theme, from incestuous relationships to quests for parental identities to mockery of American involvement in the first Gulf War. When asked for a succinct indicator of the theme of Huckabees, we can answer ‘Existential detective investigation’.

Jonathan Schwarzmann is an angst-ridden ecologist who is being ousted from his foundation by members dissatisfied with his erratic leadership, poetry recitations and the process of his being stalked so that the detectives (Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin) can examine his life and explain the metaphysical implications of the coincidences he notices. They are cosmic interconnectedness. More complications inducing increased angst include a friendship with an anti-fossil fuel campaigner/fireman (Mark Wahlberg), a smooth up-and-coming executive of the Huckabees chain (Jude Law) who is embracing environmental issues as a business promotion – and there is his glamorous girlfriend (Naomi Watts) who is the sex-object star of Huckabees commercials. A rival fate-and-doom existential detective author from France (Isabelle Huppert) also arrives to his intellectual, emotional and sexual confusion.

It is all explored rather than solved, with a screenplay which may be smart dialogue or obfuscating verbiage which may mean something or very little. The hoax option is still a strong possibility.

An IMDb comment calls it ‘an epistemological tour of reality’ – wish we had thought of that!


1. An existential comedy? The nature of existence, meaning of life, the role of physics, psychology, business, advertising, relationships?

2. The blend of the serious and the comic? Ideas, dialogue, philosophising? Satiric touches?

3. The American city, the corporations, the environment, popular movements, New Age?

4. The existential detectives, their observations, stalking their clients, making notes, offering analysis, offering advice? Their interventions? Payment? Pro bono? The rivalry with Caterine? Their theories?

5. The introduction to Albert, his language, concern about the environment, the movement, isolating the rock, squatting on it, his poem? The movement, his being the founder? His character, his clashes with Blake? The rivalry? The movement and the antagonism towards Huckabees? His going to the detectives, the impact on him? The conditions, his permitting them? The office sequences and Blake? Seeing Catherine? Meeting Tom, the bond between them? The visit to his mother, her materialism, the stepfather and his concerns? Catherine’s interventions, taking him over, the visit to his parents, the sexual relationship, falling out with Tom? With the detectives? The personnel of the meeting and the foundation? His being outvoted? The consequences with Tom, with the detectives? How much resolution to the meaning of his life?

6. Bernard and Vivian, Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin, their screen presence, personalities? The office, the interviews? The descriptions of their work? The setting up of the contracts? Following Albert? The theories, especially the blanket? The episodes, their eavesdropping, their comments? The clash with Catherine? The final resolution – or not? An oddball odd couple?

7. Blake, his age, smug, the corporation, his work, his reaction to the poems? His rivalry with Albert? His relationship with Dawn? Her commercials? Their life together, their clash, Dawn changing? His meeting the detectives, relying on them? Dawn’s change and the different advertisements? The final clash with Albert?

8. Dawn, in commercials, her relationship with Blake, living together? The encounter with the detectives, her believing their theories, the change, her Amish-like dressing? The clash with Heather – and Heather taking over her role? The conservative advertisements – and the reaction of the Huckabees hierarchy?

9. Tom, his work as a fireman, his family? The interrogation? Work with the detectives, the theories? Meeting Albert, bonding with him, their outings together? The falling out, the role of Catherine? The resolving of their friendship?

10. Catherine, from France, the pupil of Albert and Vivian, her rivalry, her books? The clashes with the detectives? Her coming to America? Her book, her studies, finding Albert, relating to him, influencing his life, behaviour, the sexual relationship? At the end with the detectives?

11. The Huckabees staff, the corporation, making money, advertising? Heather, the new face of Huckabees in the advertisements? Her clash with Dawn?

12. Albert’s mother, her not understanding her son, her way of life, affluent, her husband, the concern about the television?

13. The Sudanese man, his presence, the different roles, the explanations? His being adopted? Albert’s family?

14. The offbeat nature of the comedy, self-conscious, parody? Exploration of ideas through comedy?

THE ILLUSTRATED FAMILY DOCTOR

Australia, 97 minutes, Colour.
Samuel Johnson, Colin Friels, Jessica Napier, Sacha Horler, Kestie Morassi, Paul Sonkkila, Sarah Pierse, Jason Gann, William Zappa.
Directed by Kriv Stenders.

The Illustrated Family Doctor is a tongue-in-cheek satire about the publishing business and about hypochondria.

The film is divided into chapters, illustrating The Illustrated Family Doctor book that the central character is working on for abridgment. The setting is a company which abridges books and capitalises on readers wanting shorter versions of the books.

Samuel Johnson is one of the readers, sensitive to health issues. The film opens with the death of his father and his looking at his father’s corpse with his sister Sacha Horler. After he is asked to abbreviate The Illustrated Family Doctor, he begins to absorb all the symptoms, becoming something of a nervous wreck. Colin Friels portrays one of the co-abbreviators, Jessica Napier his daughter whom the central character encounters. He is also victimised by a criminal whose memoirs are being abbreviated. He is played with sinister presence by Paul Sonkkila.

The film also has ironic comment on family relationships, his mother and her reliance on cable television after her husband’s death, his sister and her concern about her own life.

The film is illustrated vividly, especially the medical aspects, the hero finally having to go to hospital – and moving on to a road of recovery.

The film was co-written and directed by Kriv Stenders who went on to make The Lucky Country, a contemplative portrait of pioneer days, as well as the extremely popular Red Dog.

1. The title, expectations, an Australian story, Australian tone and humour?

2. The Sydney settings, the publishing house, homes, the countryside? Hospitals? The musical score?

3. The structure, the introduction, the variety of chapters, Samuel Johnson and his story?

4. The situation for condensed books, the staff, the initial celebration, the boss and his speech, Gary and his role in the company? Ray and his mentoring? Bob and his ever-cheerfulness? Audiences responses to condensed books?

5. Gary and his sister, the death of their father, in the funeral home, looking at the body, his imagining stealing his father’s body? Indications of hypochondria? His grief, the organ donation issue, his negative reaction – and the later irony of his receiving a donation? Visiting his mother? Her seemingly offhand attitudes?

6. The chapters, Gary and his deterioration, the images from the book? Talking with Ray? Ray and his daughter? Gary and his sister, his wife, the best friend, the best friend coming round, stealing his wife? Visits to his mother?

7. Gary’s wife, Carl? At home, busking in the street, the meal, talking about the past, Carl and the affair, Gary and his reaction? Seeing the couple in the street?

8. Life at the office, downsizing, people being fired, worries, the pep-talk by the enthusiastic woman, the Power Point presentation, the platitudes? Bob and his optimism? The meeting of the board? Gary and his following the board’s advice?

9. Ray and Gary, the intervention of Snapper Thompson? His criminal background, his aims for the book, his continued threats to Gary?

10. Gary and the drink in the bar, Ray’s daughter, her violent boyfriend, the girl being seductive? Jilting her partner? Meeting Gary, the relationship? Ray and his reaction? Gary at home, the boyfriend and the violent attack?

11. Gary’s sister, concern about their mother, the continued visits?

12. Ray, Thompson, the plans, the meetings about the book, the failure of the book?

13. Ray, his attitude towards his daughter, discussions, the warnings to Gary?

14. Thompson, his instilling fear into Gary? Gary’s deterioration, his wife and Carl?

15. The completion of the book, the illustrations, Gary getting worse, going to hospital, the doctors, the operation, the issue of the donor, his recuperation?

16. The crisis, healing, getting better, a new life, visit to his mother, future – and his beginning to write?

17. An allegory about hypochondria and the human condition?

IMAGINARY HEROES

US, 2004, 111 minutes, Colour.
Sigourney Weaver, Emile Hirsch, Jeff Daniels, Michelle Williams, Kip Pardue.
Directed by Dan Harris.

Dan Harris is a young screenwriter who achieved some fame with his screenplay for X Men 2. It is more than a surprise that someone who obviously enjoys writing about larger than life imaginary heroes should write the screenplay for this film which has a decidedly downbeat tone to it and focuses once more on the dysfunctional American family and the effect that it has on the sons. The title, instead of Imaginary Heroes, could have been Real Anti-heroes.

The narrator of the film is the younger son, Tim, who has always been in the shadow of his swimming champion older brother. Their father had devoted himself to training and pushing beyond endurance the champion son while the mother favoured the younger boy. Tragedy begins the film as the family are plunged into grief, the father emotionally catatonic, the mother tough and busy, the seventeen year old trying to find his identity, his strengths and a way out of his emotional confusion. Heroes are no help.

The film is well acted by Emile Hirsh (the spoilt boy of The Emperor’s Club), Sigourney Weaver as the brittle mother and Jeff Daniels standing out in a quiet performance as the father.

Once again there are secrets and lies, perhaps a bit too overwhelming as the film tends to overextend itself and its sad events, but it is a reminder of what so many families have to deal with.


1. American families? Functional? Dysfunctional? Ordinary? The film tradition of dysfunctional families: Ordinary People, Ice Storm...?

2. The New Jersey settings? For all of the United States? Universal – for middle classes everywhere?

3. The town, homes, school, the swimming, the hospital? Ordinary? The musical score?

4. Tim and his voice-over, Matt and his swimming, the close-ups on Matt? His anguish? Tim’s explanations of his unhappiness? The visuals? Ben and his urging his son on? Matt’s room, Tim watching him? The reprising of this sequence at the end, in retrospect, Matt with the gun, asking Tim for help, Tim’s not helping, asking about Tim’s bruises? The audience perspective on this encounter and what it meant in terms of Matt’s death, Tim’s blaming himself?

5. The breakfast sequence, Tim, going to Matt’s room, returning with the blood on his shoes? The effect? Sandy? The funeral? The grief? The women talking and Sandy listening? Her closing the door on Marge? Tim and his being with the students, their asking awkward questions?

6. Suicide, its impact? Matt and his troubles? Not able to communicate? The pressures from his father, expectations of swimming? Sandy and her grieving, Ben and his grief? The place at the table, the food? Ben’s harsh attitude? Isolating himself, not working? Tim and Penny and their talking? Penny being away, her visits home? Tim not feeling part of the family?

7. Tim’s story, his diary, the scribble, the bizarre painting – and the revelation that the scribble was music? His friendship with Kyle? The clashes of the two mothers? Sleepovers with Kyle? Kyle and his tricks, the explosion at school? The authorities? The parties, the drinking, the Ecstasy? The sexual encounter? The morning, the silence? Kyle and his vehement denials? Tim being bashed by the thugs in the toilet, Kyle defending him – and the headmaster? The friendship between the two boys in the light of their common father?

8. The film as a portrait of Tim, his age, short stature, his studies, giving up the piano, his interactions with his father, his father’s verbal criticisms of him, putting him down? Sandy and her frankness in discussions with him, especially sexual matters? His girlfriend and the parties? His questioning his identity? His not looking like the family? The effect of his being told the truth by Sandy? His hatred of Ben, his outburst and anger? Ben embracing him?

9. Sandy, having to cope, her strength of character, her antagonism towards Marge? The boys and the bruises on Tim? Her going to the house to threaten? The retaliation on Tim? Her drinking? Discovering the bills, Ben not at work? Searching for him, finding him on the park bench? Memories, Ben blaming himself, Sandy asking Tim whether she was to blame? Her collapse, Marge getting her to hospital? Her illness, the doctors? The truth about the affair and Tim’s paternity? Telling Tim? The reconciliation with Ben?

10. Ben, strong-minded, silent, not going to work, on the park bench, his love for Sandy? Tim and his outburst, the truth, embracing, saying that he was always his father?

11. The portrait of Kyle, relationship with his mother, his absent father, friendship with Tim? The escapades, the parties, the encounter in Kyle’s room?

12. The girlfriend, her trying to support Tim?

13. The resolution of the family problems, the graduation, the negative speech by the valedictorian? Tim and his piano-playing, the pride of his parents and family? Penny, her support of Tim, her friendship with Vern?

14. A film that asks for reflection? And an emotional response to the problems of a dysfunctional family?