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Sean Patrick McAnallen 4/22/05 Class Notes for April 18 2005
Presentations began today
Presentation 1 La Retour de Martin Guerre and Sommersby The Return of Martin Guerre, is the story of a young couple with an impotent and lazy husband (MG). Martin disappears and is assumed to have gone to war. When he returns he is a completely changed man. A family dispute over money results in Martin being accused of being someone else. While on trial the real Martin returns. To save Mrs. Guerre’s reputation Panquette, the imposter, dies for his crime and the real Martin reclaims his wife. The film is set in the Middle Ages. Sommersby follows the same plot line, yet has been Americanized. Setting is now following the Civil War. Again the main character is accused of not being the real Sommersby. In the Hollywood version, Richard Gere’s character also saves the town and allows freed slaves to use his land. The character is more heroic in the American version of the film. By refusing to say who he really is in order to protect the town and Mrs. Sommersby’s honor, R. Gere’s character dies as a result. Major Themes: Inescapable bad marriages. Marriage itself. Can people really change? Duty and honor in society. Major Differences: Time Period. What is on trial. Wife’s defence.
Presentation 2 Culture influenced decisions of directors of the films, Little Indian, Big City and Jungle to Jungle. Artistic decisions may cost a director commercially. The storyline in both films is the same: Workaholic husband neglects young wife. She leaves but never divorces. At this point, both films jump ahead 12 years. Man wants to remarry but has to seek out wife for divorce. At this point the man finds out that he has a son. Both films end happily with the son’s love causing the father to reconcile with his family. Reinforces Cultural Views: Husbands excessive work and neglect of family are portrayed negatively in both films. Wife’s medical mission work portrayed positively. Son is virtuous and is portrayed as heroic. Goodness triumphs. Portrayal of Husband’s Fiancé: French woman is portrayed as spacey, into new-age religion, dependent. Hollywood version is bright, articulate, successful, independent. No religious stance. Portrayal of Business Partner: French Partner smacks his son often and verbally abuses family. Hollywood Partner never hits his kids and respects his family. Portrayal of Russian Mafia: French Russian Mafia is seen as stupid, a bit crazy, and operate out of small apt. Hollywood Russian Mafia is seen as clever, savvy, and operate a thriving business. Both films use popular domestic comedy actors. Both films use Venezuela as wife’s location but the French version sets the father in Paris and the Hollywood version sets the father in New York City.
Presentation 3 Talented Mr. Ripley and Purple Noon The story was written by the same author as Strangers on a Train. In Purple Noon Ripley’s character, particularly his sexuality, is not really explained. Portrayal of women in each film is different. Murder committed by Ripley in each film is very different. Purple Noon was made 39 years before Talented Mr. Ripley. At this point the murder scene from each film was shown. In Talented Mr. Ripley the murder is not premeditated and more emotionally driven. The Purple Noon murder scene shows Ripley as a more calculated killer. The Ripley character in Talented Mr. Ripley can definitely be seen as a homosexual character where as in Purple Noon sexuality of the character is not really addressed.
Presentation 4 Jakob the Liar and Life is Beautiful The key question posed in this presentation is should the Holocaust and humor coexist in a film? Dan’s Thesis for this presentation states, “The role of humor in both films is both appropriate and pertinent to the films’ aims of understanding and condemning the Holocaust”. We looked at scenes to identify the role of humor in these films.
Humor is used as a subversion device. Life: Humor corresponds to the film’s prologue, selling the idea of the film as a fable.
Jakob and Life: Humor underscores the sad fragility and humanity of the protagonist’s dire situation within the Holocaust.
Jakob: uses the context of Jakob’s death to provide a poignant commentary on the role of hope in the midst of tragedy. Bolsters the sense of loss accompanying Jakob’s death through irony. Life: Conveys the simultaneous tragedy and hope experienced by Holocaust survivors. Reveals the ultimate goodness of hope and meaningful sacrifice by contrasting with the evil of the Holocaust. Both films use humor to offer a broader, more holistic moral paradigm through which the Holocaust must be viewed. Life is Beautiful won many awards including 3 Oscars. This is quite an amazing feat for an Italian film.
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