TEA AND SYMPATHY

US, 1956, 122 minutes, Colour.
Deborah Kerr, John Kerr, Leif Erickson, Edward Andrews, Darryl Hickman, Norma Crane, Dean Jones, Tom Lachlan.
Directed by Vincente Minnelli.

Tea and Sympathy made an impact in its time, a play by Robert Anderson, and adapted by him for the screen. This was the 1950s and a difficult time to make films which focused on a man’s, especially a young man’s, masculinity, sexual orientation, way of behaving.

John Kerr (South Pacific) portrayed the hero on stage as well as on screen. He portrays a young man who is criticised for not being normal, involved in sports etc, and called “sister boy”. His father is dominating (Edward Andrews). The young boy receives sympathy and tea from the wife of a schoolteacher. The teacher is played by Leif Erickson, his wife by Deborah Kerr.

The boy is enabled to understand more of his feelings by his experience with the teacher’s wife. However, the teacher himself seems to be struggling with his own sexual orientation.

The film could not be explicit about homosexuality at the period. To that extent, it might seem, given the language and understanding of later decades, to be too reticent in its treatment. However, it does raise issues which are still relevant.

Deborah Kerr had appeared in England in many films before moving to the United States and a Hollywood career. At this time she also made The King and I. Director Vincente Minnelli had made a number of musicals with his then wife Judy Garland, including Meet Me in St Louis. During the 1950s he also made a number of strong dramas including The Bad and the Beautiful as well as Lust for Life, the story of Van Gogh.

1. How interesting a human drama? A piece of Americana?

2. The contribution of colour, settings, widescreen, music?

3. The title, reference during the film, indication of themes? The value of this film, structure, the flashback technique and our knowledge that Tom ended happily?

4. The film's creation of school atmosphere and the importance of this; the film tradition about schools and schoolmasters? The presentation of the boys, their activities, the teachers, school houses, initiation rites, school tradition, sport? The importance for this film?

5. The theme of masculinity and expectations? How well were these presented? The criticism and judgements made of standards and expectations?

6. How interesting was the character of Tom and his growing up? The fact that he had written a novel about his experiences? That his difficult experiences had not ruined his life?

7. How well did the film present his character? A loner, his interests, shyness and introversion, the criticisms of the boys, incidents like the testing out of the dress, the beach and the sewing, the use of hurtful names? The effect on him?

8. The contrast with his father and his father's boisterous style? His father's expectations, the tennis? The discussion in the milk bar, the flirting with the waitress? The discussion about expectations and boys and femininity, with Bill Reynolds? Audience response to the father and to his attitudes?

9. The presentation of the father-son relationship and its inadequacy? Especially in the tennis sequence, the boys who were supporting Tom, the hostility of the others? Tom looking for love and affection and not receiving it?

10, The significance of the sequence with Tom going to Ellie? The encounter with ELlie and their conversation? Tom's failure and sense of failure? The police and the father's expectation and further disappointment?

11. How sympathetic a person was Laura? As an attractive woman in herself? Her role in the school? Relationship with the other wives? Support for Tom and compassion? The details of her concern? Her relationship with her husband, putting up with his gruffness, trying to help him? The consummation of the affair between Laura and Tom? The effect on him, the effect on her? The significance of the letter and Tom's reading it as an adult? Her comments on her characterization in the novel?

12. The character of Bill Reynolds? His role as a schoolteacher? One of the boys? His emphasis on masculinity? The arrogance in his marriage? Tom finding him at the end, alone and playing records?

13. The picturing of the boys and their varying attitudes? Their cruelty to one another?

14. Themes of adolescence, growth, identity, relationships, loneliness, homosexuality?

15. How much did the film reflect the style of the fifties? Would it be made in a similar manner now?

TEACHER'S PET

US, 1958, 120 minutes, Black and white.
Clark Gable, Doris Day, Gig Young, Mamie van Doren, Nick Adams, Jack Albertson.
Directed by George Seaton.

Teacher’s Pet is an entertaining battle of the sexes. It sounds like a Katharine Hepburn- Spencer Tracy film – and was, in fact, written by Michael Kanin, writer of the original screenplay of Woman of the Year (with Hepburn and Tracy as sports journalists).

Doris Day and Clark Gable seems an unusual casting. However, Gable towards the end of his career also starred with Sophia Loren in It Started in Naples. Doris Day had moved from light musicals to dramas and comedies with such leading men as David Niven (Please Don’t Eat the Daisies), Richard Widmark (Tunnel of Love), Rex Harrison (Midnight Lace) as well as comedies with Cary Grant and Rock Hudson. Gig Young received an Oscar nomination for his best supporting actor role – and was to win ten years later for They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

The film has the stereotype of the self-made tough editor-journalist who does not approve of college-educated reporters. He is asked to help out with a professor’s journalism class. He does so without revealing who he is – and the professor has a disdain for the editor whom she knows only by reputation. Needless to say …

The film was directed by George Seaton who had written quite a number of fine films himself including Miracle on 34th Street which has become a classic. He also wrote the screenplay for The Song of Bernadette as well as The Big Lift and The Country Girl. He directed quite a number of films including The Counterfeit Traitor and Airport.

1. The indications of the title for comedy? The light touch and irony?

2. The black and white photography? The New York atmosphere and location? The starring of Clark Grable and Doris Day and this impact?

3. How strongly was this a New York comedy? New York types and sophistication? Sophisticated humour and the humorous light touch?

4. How important was the filling-in of the newspaper world? The details of the office, the compiling of the paper, the various speeches about newspaper morale, the type of training for newspapermen?

5. The contrast with the University background? The different atmosphere, rooms, training, style of classes and study?

6. Comment on the way the film explored the theme of the self-made man versus the trained man. How important was this for understanding the characters and the film's message?

7. The film's light comment on the relationships between men and women?

8. The film's comment on psychology and its value for advising people, for their understanding themselves?

9. The importance of making concessions in conflict? The nature of lies and of the truth?

10. How attractive a hero was Gannon? The initial seeing him with Mrs Kovak, with Barney? His life and work as a newspaperman, his explanation of himself and his background? His work with the editors? His relationship with the boss? His fascination with Erica? Why did he go into the situation and stay there? What changed him?

ll. What happened to Gannon? The tough American image changed by tha feminine touch? The quality of love?

12. The impact of Erica? Was she credible at the University? Her newspaper background and style? Her enthusiasms, writing the book, collaborating with Dr Pine? How did the impact of Gannon change her? The effect of not knowing the truth? Her reaction to the truth? Her facing the reality about her father and his work?

13. The insights of the film about mutual relationships and love? Clashes?

14 How important was Hugo as a character in the film? Highlighting the personality of Erica? A foil for Gannon? The importance of the nightclub scene? advice and helping Gannon?


15. Comment on the nightclub scene and its importance for the film? Revealing character and interactions?

16. How well did the film use the conventions of light romance?

17. The character of Peggy? The musical touch and the contrast with Erica?

18. How enjoyable are films like this? How cheerful, wise, humane?

TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON

US, 1956, 123 minutes, Colour.
Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford, Machiko Kyo, Eddie Albert, Paul Ford, Harry Morgan.
Directed by Daniel Mann.

The Teahouse of the August Moon is the film where Marlon Brando is disguised as a Japanese interpreter. It is a comic role, very different from his serious roles in such films as On the Waterfront or A Streetcar Named Desire. Brando was expanding his range at this period of his career and appeared the year before singing and dancing in Guys and Dolls.

The film was based on the play by John Patrick (The Hasty Heart as well as screenplays for Love is a Many-Splendored? Thing, Les Girls). It was directed by Daniel Mann, a prolific director in the 1950s who led Shirley Booth to an Oscar in Come Back Little Sheba, Anna Magnani in The Rose Tattoo and Elizabeth Taylor in Butterfield 8.

The film is set a year after the end of World War Two and is a satire on the Americans and their plans to change their world, introduce democracy – no matter what. Sent to supervise the rehabilitation of Okinawa after the war, Commander Glenn Ford wants to build a school. However, the inhabitants want a teahouse, more in keeping with their customs. Ford is genial (despite the authorities sending a psychiatrist to help him out) and forms a friendship with Marlon Brando as Sakini, the translator.

The film is probably entertaining in retrospect not so much in terms of the post-war period but as a critique of Americans’ self-importance as well as their ambitions to change the world in the American image.

1. How appealing a comedy was this? Why? The quality of the humour, the quality of the personalities and situations, the gentle wisdom that was offered?

2. The film was based on a stage play. Was this evident? In the staging, the reliance on dialogue for impact, the development or non-development of the situations? The device of having Sakini, introduce and end the film? How successful was this latter device? Why?

3. How strongly did the film rely on its colour, Cinemascope, scenery, musical background, Japanese atmosphere?

4. How did the film rely on its success for audience response to World War Two situations, to the Japanese, to American occupation and to Americans themselves? What would the response have been in the mid-fifties? later? How enjoyable is the film now in view of changed attitudes?

5. How successful was the film as satire on two cultures? The general satire on Japanese culture, Okinawa culture and on American culture?

6. How attractive was the presentation of the Okinawans? Sakili? Introduction and explanation of their philosophy of life? Their continually being occupied and culturised? Their ability to talk and organize? The qualities of politeness, offering gifts, manners? The role of the geisha girls and the misunderstandings of Americans about them? The nature of a Teahouse? Their response to being conquered, and the irony of their attitudes towards the Americans? What insight into the chaxacter of the Okinawans did the film give? (Or do you think that this was a Hollywood concoction of what the Japanese are like?)

7. What view did the film take of Americans and their culture? Brash and comical figures? Conquerors and occupiers? Naive idealism? Imposing American ideals, manners, know-how and riches on the occupied? Loyalty to Washington and politics? Did the Americans come off worse than the Japanese in terms of satire?

8. How attractive a character was Sakini? The quality of Marlon Brando's performance and humour? Sakini and his human touches? The satire and irony implicit in his comments and behaviour? His role in the plot? His controlling the people in the village and supporting the Americans?

9. How did he contrast with Fisby? Fisby as a good man but a bungler? Living by the book but changing because of Sakini and the Okinawans? As able to undergo a 'humanising' process? The fact that he was conquered by the Okinawans? Was he right to ignore the book and its Americanism and do what the people wanted? Why? How successful a comedy figure in the film was he? Glenn Ford's performance? Comic situations and farce, much shouting?

10. How humorous was the satire on Purdie? The typical American? His platitudes? His comic behaviour and orders? Making the wrong decisions, the success of Paul Ford*s comedy performance?

11. How interesting was the character of McLean? As a psychiatrist, as a gardener, as undergoing the same process as Fisby?

12. The attraction of Lotus Blossom? Her behaviour in other villages? Ruining American plans? Fulfilling American plans? Was she a conventional enough character? The other Japanese in the village?

13. How well did the film show the enterprise of 1945 and 46? Did it seem real? Is this what happened in those days? What should have happened?

14. How might the film have been better? Less emphasis on the farcical? Less shouting? Less stagebound?

TEENAGE REBEL

US, 1956, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Ginger Rogers, Michael Rennie, Mildred Natwick, Louise Beavers, Betty Lou Keim, Warren Berlinger.
Directed by Edmund Goulding.

Teenage Rebel has very good credentials. It is directed by veteran Edmund Goulding who a quarter of a century earlier had directed Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford and others in Grand Hotel. He made a number of interesting films including The Old Maid as well as Nightmare Alley with Tyrone Power. The screenplay was written by Charles Brackett who collaborated with Billy Wilder in many of his comedies of the 1940s.

The film is a teenage story of the 50s. Ginger Rogers portrays a mother who had given up custody of her daughter during a divorce. However, her husband now wants her to take charge of the teenage daughter (Betty Lou Keim). The film shows the difficulties for the mother as well as the problems for the teenager. It is a mixture of the serious and the comic. The issues may seem rather dated and belong very much to the 1950s – but they still have their relevance in contemporary variations on the theme.

It was said that this was the first film made in black and white and Cinemascope.

1. The implications of the title for audience expectation? The original play was called 'A Room Full of Roses'. Comment on the different titles.

2. How effective was the black and white photography, the use of cinemascope, the San Fzansisco atmosphere, the realism of suburban life?

3. How obviously was this a film of the fifties? The portrayal of fashions, music, dancing, manners etc.? Does this detract from the impact of the film now?

4. How real did the film seem? In persons and themes, issues? Did the film seem unreal at all? How strong was the portrayal of teenage problems? How facile was the presentation? Was there a good reliance on sentiment or was it sentimental?

5. From whose point of view was the film presented? Parents of teenagers? Where did the main sympathies lie? What audience sympathy was evoked by the various characters?

6. Comment on the films insight into marriage, the nature of love. Nancy and her first husband and the failure of the marriage? Nancy and Jay and the mutual support in building up a fairly? Hatred inevitable in marriage? The nature of hurt and its inevitability? The need for divorce, the hurtful nature of divorce, especially when children are involved? The attitides of a previous marriage holding over into a second marriage?

7. How attractive a girl was Dody? How well was the audience prepared for her arrival? Nancy's idealism of her little girl, the first appearance of Dody and her arrogance? The fact that she was young and alone? Her memories of her father, reliance on him? Her capacity for travel and sophistication? The nature of her stories and their exaggeration? The nature of her, loneliness and defiance? The inevitability of resentment?

8. How did Dody change, how difficult wasit for her to change? Her resentment of Nancy, fear of rejection, alikeness? The details of the breaking down of the barriers? Jay and her suspicion of him? Acceptance of his quietness? The gifts? The friendliness with June and yet the rivalry? The friendship with Dick, the hurt when she discovered that he was put up to it? The interrelationship of happiness and hurt?

9. Were the details of Dody's character, especially in incidents and dialogue convincing? Insight into how a teenager can feel?

10. The importance of the choice at the end? Was it a real choice for Dody? Her seeing of her father and his relationship with his fiancee? Her understanding of Nancy and Jane? What really motivated her final choice?

11. How did Dody contrast with June, with Dick? The importance of Dick's crisis and how he handled it? Jay's help and advice? The effect on Dody?

12. How sympathetic a person was Nancy; as a mother, justified in leaving her husband, building up a new home, trying to treat her children well, the relationship with Larry and helping him to understand Dody? How sensible was she in handling situations, the reasonable nature of her sterness with Dody, advice and communication, the persuasion in returning?

13. The importance of Jay as giving advice, kepping in the background, offering support for Dody?

14. What did Grace and her family add to the atmosphere of the film? The ordinary surburban realism, contrast with Nancy and Jay and family, support for Dody?

15. Was Dody's father in anyway sympathetic? Why could he not handle marriage, his daughteer? Was he right to re-marry? Did he have any real regard for Dody? His fiancee and her willingness to support Dody?

16. What values did this film stand for? How well were they presented and communicated? In the fifties, now?

THE TEMPLE OF THE GOLDEN PAVILLION (KINKAKUJI)

Japan, 1976, 110 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Yoichi Takabayasha.

The Temple of the Golden Pavilion is a striking and beautifully coloured complex version of a story from a novel by Yukio Mishima. This film had been previously filmed by the celebrated director Kon Ichikawa under the title of Enjo (Conflagration) in the mid-50s. Mishima was a right-wing severe pro-Japanese militarist ideologist. He himself suicided in some kind of protest against Japan. Another of his novels was translated into an English setting and filmed by Lewis John Carlino as The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea. This is an nteresting parable about Japan and its transition from an old society with traditional values and manners to the experience of the war, the occupation by the G.I.s and its growing materialism. Mishima protests against this. It is also the parallel story of a maimed young man, very withdrawn, harmfully influenced by parents and friends and religion who might have come to maturity but fails.

1. The world of Yukio Mishima? His status in Japan, novels? His world view, view of society, order, morals, the individual within this, military rule? Themes of death, suicide?

2. How was this film a parable of Japanese society, especially during and after World War Two, the regrets of the loss of the military Japan, the defeat in the war, the decline after the war, the assimilation to American values during the Occupation, that Japan could be destroyed?

3, The film as a psychological study of a man? An inhibited man, a crippled man? A man who is betrayed by his mother, betrayed by religion, idealising woman in Ulko? A man who lost a woman and was forever losing her to become powerless and impotent? A religious man who saw himself as a cleanser?

4. The importance of the background of World War Two, the bombings, the threat to Kyoto and the temples? The transition to peace, the presence of the American G.I.s, the decline into Japanese materialism?

5. The title of the film, the focus on the temple itself, the way that it was visualised? Its eternal beauty and the comments by the hero's father? The temple and the small temple it contained (as the image of the temple within a man, the man within a universe?). The statues and the unseen eyes? The religious world of order, of work, of hierarchy, of ideals? The betrayal of the temple and religion, the need for a conflagration and an end by fire? The apocalyptic implications of this action?

6. The contribution of colour, beauty? The focus on particular colours and the coloured symbols? The colour of fire?

7. The conttibution of the score, the Japanese style music, more western touches? The music illustrating the dreams especially with the drums and the gongs?

8. The complexity of the structure and audience involvement, the hero's trip to the ocean, the atmosphere of death and the finding of the bugle? The flashback to his father and the temple? To the shrine and its fire? Within this the monochrome flashbacks, dreams, intercut images? The effect of these images and the understanding of the central character? The disintegration of some of the images indicating his mental disintegration?

9. His mother's recurring presence and her influencing him and pressurising him to be a priest? Her confronting him at the end? His memory of Ulko, her spurning his love, his seeing Ulko in the women that he encountered in the street, in the courtesans and geisha girls? His becoming more remote? The effect of his following Ulko and seeing her killed and the soldier die? The destruction of the feminine images for him? The background? A man of possibilities - or too maimed physically and psychologically to succeed?

10. His entering the monastery and acceptance by the priest, the detailed life at the monastery and the way that its order was presented, the daily chores etc.? Its survival during the war? Mizoguchi's training, his hopes for the future and becoming a priest?

11. His friendship with Tsurukawa? Their sharing so many of the same experiences, the ideals? Their training? Their watching life together eg. the sexual encounter with the geisha offering her milk etc.? Had he remained with Tsurukawa, could he have matured under his guidance?

12. Why did Mizoguchi change so much by the end of the war? His memories, training, the pressuee of his mother, the behaviour of the priest and his becoming worldly? The importance of the experience with the Geisha, his drunkenness, the Japanese woman and her wantonness, his stamping on her? and the way this was used in his memories as well as in the imagination of the priest? His not coping well with this, Tsurukawa's advice? The priest's choosing to ignore it because of the cigarettes?

13. The contrast with his new friend, Kashivagi? The fact that he was lame, his cynicism, the way that he was visualized and the way he walked? His story at the station about the old woman worshipping his lame leg and his sexual encounter? His setting up the girl for her compassion? The outing with the two girls and the build-up to the impotent sexual encounter for Mizoguchi? The influence of so many of the ideas of Kashimagi? The other sexual encounters and his continued impotence? Why did he ultimately succeed? His needs, yearnings, puritanical style background, his sensuality?

14. His becoming more and more remote? The priest and his concern yet his worldliness? The news of Tsurukawa's death and his visualising it? His being influenced cynically by his friend? The mother and her accusations? His continued reflection and living in his imagination, the memories of Ulko? The advice of so many people? His playing with the matches and his thinking aloud about burning the temple?

15. The importance of the presence of Ulko throughout the film? Her presence in memory, the visual style of his dreams and imagination? Her becoming a fantasy presence to him and her advice especially at the temple?

16. The build-up to the burning? His prayer and his localising what was wrong with Japan? His cutting the eye out of the statue? The burning of the temple and the conflagration? How liberating an effect on him?

17. The journey, the return to the beach, the bugle and what it signified, our finally seeing the bugle and the waves? What of Mizoguchl - what had he achieved?

18. A study of human nature, of a human being trying to cope with the world and its worldliness? An image of Japan?

TENDER ENEMY

France, 1936, 69 minutes, Black and white.
Simone Berrieay, Jacqueline Daix.
Directed by Max Ophuls.

is a mid-thirties French film by celebrated German director, Max Ophuls. He made films in both Germany and France and also in the United States after World War II - The Exile with Douglas Fairbanks Jnr and Maria Montez, two James Mason films, Caught, The Reckless Moment and the celebrated Letter From An Unknown Woman with Joan Fontaine. He also made the famous La Ronde and Lola Montes with Martine Carol. This film illustrates his pictorial style, his romantic love for conventional situations and making something different of them. It also Illustrates French film making styles of the thirties.

1. The work of Max Ophuls in the twenties and thirties in Germany and France, America in the late forties, his return to France in the fifties? A significant and acclaimed director? His treatment of romantic themes, sentiment with a dash of satiric realism? Sketching of characters?

2. The brevity of the film and its screen play: quick establishing of situations, characters and types, changing of moods, the use of comedy and sentiment, flashbacks? The blend of feelings of sadness and laughter? A satisfying resolution? The pointing of the moral?

3. Film-making in France in the thirties: black and white photography, montage techniques, special effects? The editing and pace? The use of ghosts for the fantasy touch?

4. The Gallic tone of the film - French sentiment and romance blended with realism? The explicit moralizing?

5. The introduction to the situation: the opening of the gate, the betrothal, the plane and Jacques, the mother, the carnation? The establishing of the party - with questions in the offing?

6. The entry of the ghosts, the father and his reaction, the betrothal, the speeches, success? The four years and the flashbacks? Wealthy fashion, the extravagance of the wife, the circus and the eloping? The regrets of the father? Other women? His death? the victim? His still being a hale and hearty ghost?

7. The circus performer - his act, the romance, the elopement, sending the wife back but her husband gone? Illness? The Riviera? Death?

8. The revelation about the captain, the story, the shot?

9. Annette, innocent, the arranged marriage, greed, fickleness, the eloping, her daughter and unhappiness? Her relenting and making decisions to help her daughter? Her memories of her own bitter experience?

10. The daughter, her fiance and uncle, her sadness, the happy escape?

11. The comedy with the servants counterpointing the focus on the main characters?

12. The moralizing about true love and arranged marriages with their disastrous consequences? The criticism of the formal expectations of society and pressures on marriages?

13. The flavour of the French light touch? The very earthly ghosts? The humanity of the characters and learning by mistakes? The happy moral of the good deed done by the ghosts?

THE TENDER TRAP

US, 1955, 111 minutes, Colour.
Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, David Wayne, Celeste Holm, Lola Albright, Carolyn Jones, Howard St John, Tom Helmore.
Directed by Charles Walters.

The Tender Trap is a romantic comedy, 50s style. Frank Sinatra who had a reboost of his career with his Oscar for From Here to Eternity and playing in such films as Suddenly, is an almost forty-years-old theatrical agent. He is a womaniser (with several of the women in the cast list. However, he meets an aspiring actress played by Debbie Reynolds who was only twenty-two at the time. She had shown verve in such films as Singin’ in the Rain and does so here.

David Wayne also appears as someone with a mid-life crisis, wanting to emulate Sinatra’s career. However, he comes to realise what a chauvinist Sinatra’s character is – and Sinatra, of course, has something of a conversion experience. The title song by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy van Heusen was nominated for an Oscar, has become a perennial Sinatra favourite – and is sung at the end by the main cast with the chorus of ladies. It is an entertaining end to a frothy film.

The film was directed by Charles Walters, a choreographer who directed a number of MGM musicals in the 1940s including Good News, Easter Parade and The Barkleys of Broadway. He made a number of smaller films at MGM but also a number of musicals in the 50s including Torch Song, Easy to Love and The Glass Slipper. After this he made High Society ….

1. How enjoyable was this film? The musical background, the comedy style, the gloss and glamour?

2. The use of Cinemascope, colour, the initial song, the reprise at the end, the American faree and comedy style?

3. How obvious was it that this was a film of the fifties? In style, in treatment of themes?

4. How important were the stars? the impact of Frank Sinatra, of Debbie Reynolds? The film's comedy about men? The irony of the title? The presuppositions about men in light American comedy? Their attitudes towards themselves, their superiority, their relationship to women? Charlie as casual? The women doing everything for him? Joe as the married man facinated by Charlie's life and style? The comedy in this, the irony and disillusionment? The film's stance on traditional values?

5. The light touch of comedy about women? Women and glamour, beauty and charm? Their eagreness for marriage? The 50s ideal of the woman being married? how convincing was this, in recent experience? The irony and comedy in the procession of girls who attended Charlie? The rather sharp satire in their final rejection of him?

6. How attractive a heroine was Julie? her verve, disillusionment, falling in love? An attractive heroine? how conventional?

7. Silvia as a contrast with Julie? Silvia's aims, her wise-cracking personality, her emphasis on her age, her relationship with Joe, her fascination with Charlie, the disillusionment of the double engagement, the happy ending for her? The charm of the career girl seeking marriage?

8. The film's use of farcical elements: mix-up of identity, double engagements etc?

9. How appropriate was the happy ending for the marriage, Joe reconciled to marriage, the man in the lift and Silvia's marriage?

10. Was the film a successful example of the 1950s light comedy genre?

TENTACLES (TENTACLI)

Italy, 1977, 103 minutes, Colour.
John Huston, Shelley Winters, Bo Hopkins, Henry Fonda, Delia Boccardo, Cesare Danova, Claude Akins.
Directed by Ovidio G. Assonitis.

Tentacles was a rip-off of Jaws, one of the many made in the second half of the 70s to capitalise on Spielberg’s success. The Italians were past masters at this kind of imitation.

The surprising thing about the film, apart from the imitative plot and the special effects for a giant octopus, is the cast, especially with Henry Fonda as the greedy head of a tunnel project which poisons the water and creates the giant octopus. John Huston and Shelley Winters are also aboard. This is one for completists only.

1. An entertaining disaster film? The obvious modelling on 'Jaws'? The use of the same techniques: music, camera angles, the hidden sea monster, the threats and the killings to arouse audience suspicions and suspense, the sudden shocks, the confrontation of the monster, the holiday atmosphere and a wide number of people threatened within this situation? How does the film compare with the basic Jaws pattern, 'Jaws' themes? How well does the film stand on its own?

2. The film as an Italian production? Italians writing, screening in America? The re-creation of American atmosphere, the use of American stars?

3. The importance of the colour photography, wide screen, the electronic music and the score for suspense? The special effects especially for the giant octopus and its killings, the final fights? The killer whales and the confrontation of the octopus?

4. Comment on the use of special effects - the opening deaths with their atmosphere, the presentation of the octopus and the undersea photography, the sequences with the ships and their destruction, the race and the death of Jamie, the whales and their training, the final fight and rescue?

5. How credible was the basic plot? The presentation of ordinary people - the Turners, the workers, the police, Will Gleeson and his wife and his work? The importance of the ecological background and Whitehead and his business deals, Corey and his going beyond orders and causing the disruption and the effect on the octopus? The octopus and the scientific explanations? The deaths and their effect on family life? How well were all these ingredients combined?

6. Will Gleeson as the hero of the film? A credible personality, his relationship with his wife? His work, injuries, sending help for the project, reaction to the death of his men, arrival with his wife, his being hailed as a celebrity, his attempts to discover the truth, the effect of the death of his wife and her family, his confrontation of the octopus, his work with the whales, his despair, his talking to the whales and the final victory? Going away with his friend Mike at the end - his philosophising about themes? How contrived, how authentic?

TEXAS ACROSS THE RIVER

US, 1966, 101 minutes, Colour.
Dean Martin, Alain Delon, Rosemary Forsyth, Joey Biship, Tina Marquand, Peter Graves, Michael Ansara, Andrew Prine.
Directed by Michael Gordon.

Texas Across the River is based on the John Wayne vehicle, The Comancheros. This time it is all tongue-in-cheek – an opportunity for Dean Martin to fool around in a western and French star Alain Delon to try himself internationally (but in farce). Joey Bishop is an Indian. The film is tongue-in-cheek, has all the ingredients of a western – played for broad comedy. Direction is by Michael Gordon who directed much better films in his day including Cyrano de Bergerac and Pillow Talk.

1. How enjoyable was this film as a spoof of western conventions, heroes, the west, the gunfighters, the army, Southern gentry, heroines? How clever was it, how funny?

2. How does this kind of film pay homage to the popularity of the western? Did this film support the western? How critical of the west and its standards was it? Affectionate criticism?

3. The importance of colour, scenery, music? Dean Martin's easy-going heroism? Alain Delon's exotic touch?

4. How conventional was the plot? Relying on audience expectations of standard situations and characrters? How were these ridiculed? How were audience expectations thwarted? For
amusement?

5. The importance of the heroes? Alain Delon and his European chivalry? Spanish nobility? Heroism with the sword etc.? How engaging a character? The contrast with Dean Martin's style? The Indian warfighter? The conman?

6. How attractive was the heroine? Her marriage and its interruption, the death, her pursuing her loved one, the dangers of the west etc.? A typical western heroine? being poked fun at? Her contrast with the Indian girl who also becomes a heroine?

7. The satire on the Indians, Joey Bishop's style, appropriate? The Comanches and their pursuit? The Chief and his observation of things?

8. The importance of the fights, the dangers, the style of
the heroics?

9. How important was the atmosphere of stupidity, for example the end and 'Here come the Cavalry'?

10. The build-up to the climax as a typical western? What is the value of this kind of western humour, the perspective of parody on the western genre?

TEXAS CARNIVAL

US, 1951, 77 minutes, Colour.
Esther Williams, Howard Keel, Red Skelton, Ann Miller, Keenan Wynn, Paula Raymond.
Directed by Charles Walters.

Texas Carnival is an enjoyable innocuous little musical comedy from M.G.M. in the early fifties using their stock company for a rather relaxing small budget film. Esther Williams gets some rather strange chances to swim. Howard Keel in an early role sings as usual. There are some funny Red Skelton routines and Ann Miller gets a chance to dance. Direction is by Charles Walters, the choreographer who had made such films as Easter Parade and who went on to success with such films as 'Lily', 'The Tender Trap', 'High Society'.

1. An entertaining musical comedy in the M.G.M. tradition, with the M.G.M. stars?

2. The conventions of the M.G.M. musical Howard Keel's singing, the romantic songs, Ann Miller and Red Skelton with comic songs and dances? The Texas songs and dancing? The swimming routines and the opportunity for Esther Williams in the pool, in Slim's imagination? Red Skelton and his comedy routines, for example with the boots, with the cigarette, the chuck wagon race?

3. Colour photography, musical choreography, style?

4. How important was the plot - an an excuse for the comedy and the songs and the romance? The humour of the irony of mistaken identity, from poverty to wealth and the happy ending? The fairytale elements in the American style?

5. Debbie, the Esther Williams type - work in the carnival, caution, exasperated at Connie, falling in love, the happy ending? Slim as the conventional hero - the singing cowhand, gallant hero? Connie as the Red Skelton type, the comedy routines in the carnival, the friendship with Danny Sabinas? The mistaken identities, coping with the situations especially Sunshine, the chuck wagon? Sunshine as the good-hearted gold-digger with the sheriff father?

6. The effect of the supporting cast especially the sheriff with his drawing of the gun, Danny Sabinas and his drunken friendship, the routines and his return to his room with the shower and the curtain, his severity when sober? His sister and her co-operation? The Texas cattlemen and the association?

7. The comedy routines in the carnival, in the hotel, at the fireside and the Texan dances and meals, at the chuck wagon race?

8. The presuppositions about good, heroes and heroines, wealth, happy endings?