"NORMAN LOVES ROSE"

Australia, 1982, 98 minutes, Colour.
Warren Mitchell, Carol Kane, Tony Owen, Myra de Groot, Sandy Gore, Barry Otto.
Directed by Henri Saffran.

The film is rare in its presentation, so explicitly, of a Jewish family, a Jewish way of life and customs. The film focuses on thirty-year-old Norman who becomes infatuated with his sister-in-law. She becomes pregnant – and someone suggests that Norman be the father. He is very pleased with this rumour and does nothing to discourage it.

The film has an international cast with Carol Kane coming from the United States to play Rose. Warren Mitchell, veteran of many British films as well as Till Death Do Us Part, also appeared in plays in Australia as well as television films and series at this time. The supporting cast includes Barry Otto and Sandy Gore. Tony Owen is the young Norman.

The film was directed by French-born Henri Safran who worked mainly in television from the 60s to the 90s but made a couple of significant films for the cinema including Storm Boy as well as a Tasmanian-based adaptation of Ibsen’s The Wild Duck with Jeremy Irons and Liv Ullmann.

Another angle on Australian urban society, especially the Jewish perspective and Jewish humour.

1 The tradition of Australian comedy? Raucous and ocker comedy? The contrast with more subtle comedy? This film in that tradition? The emphasis on urban comedy, affluent background, greater sophistication - with the raucous touch?

2. The influence of American sex comedies: the screwball comedies of the '30s, the battle of the sexes, the risque style, the discreet daring? The problem comedies? How well do the American styles translate to Australian situations?

3. The Australian atmosphere of this comedy? Authentic background? Sydney and the use of suburban locations especially Vaucluse etc.? Schools, wealthy homes? Clothing factories? Restaurants? Colour photography, the feel of contemporary Sydney? The musical background? The contribution of the song - and its lyrics?

4. The importance of the Jewish setting and the traditions of Jewish comedy? The comparisons with Jewish communities in European settings, in the United States? How well did these conventions transfer to Australia? The authenticity of the Jewish community atmosphere of Sydney? The explanation of backgrounds e.g. Morris and his life in Poland, migration, setting up in Australia, success? Accents and style? Work, industry, wealth? The group cohesiveness of the Jewish community cliquishness? Schools, families living close as neighbours? The background of religion - the Synagogue, training of the boys, the Bar Mitzvah, the celebrations? The background of Torah? (And the seeming theological justification for Norman's behaviour?) The community in Sydney, friends, interests? The film's comment on Jewish parents and their relationship to children - the benign but distant father? The possessive mother running her son's lives? The importance of the humour and the satire - especially on mothers? The serious undertones for the Jewish community where the mother takes over the life of her son, seems to emasculate him? A Jewish comedy with point?

5. The comedy devices and their reality and unreality? The initial flashback and winding of the film, the artificial autumn leaves, Norman and his voodoo dolls and the repercussions on Michael, the use of the theme music from Love Story etc.? Distancing the audience and making the plot somewhat unreal as well as inviting audiences to identify?

6. The basic sexual question and its discreet handling? The older woman with the boy, the brother-in-law with sister-in-law? How real, artificial? The discretion of the visuals, the language? The devices for suggestion? The points being made about marriage, sexuality? Puberty?

7. How plausible was the plot? The introduction to Norman and his reaction on the bus, sitting next to the woman on the bus? His encounter with Rose? Her pregnancy? His listening in to discussions, his relationship with his parents, his being alone. studying Torah and his hearing about the responsibility for his sister-in-law? Adolescent infatuation? The continual contact with Rose, in and out of the house. his protecting her, playing on her wanting to be pregnant, the outings? The sexual liaison and the overtones of farce and mistaken identities? His tiredness in school? His wanting the truth to be told about the child? The voodoo for his brother? How well did the film define his character - a plausible boy of 13? A Jewish son?

8. Rose and her feyness, the pregnancy and the flashback? Her relationship with Michael - the ice cube sequences etc.? Her watching television and seeming disinterested - yet shrewd? The discussions with Maureen? Her background of the arranged marriage and the expectations by Michael's parents? Her exasperation with Michael? The visits to the doctor? Taking Norman for granted? Looking after him? The appeal of his gallantry? The outings? The romance with him? Her pregnancy - and her not telling the truth? Grateful to Norman for a passing phase? The plausibility of the relationship and Rose's character?

9. Morris and his work, his friends, the card games, his illness, his anticipating the reactions of his wife, the friendship with Shirley and the outing with her, his trying to talk to Michael, Michael reprimanding him for the outing? The background of his life? The depth in telling his story to Shirley? The Bar Mitzvah and his pride? His attempt at sex talk with Norman and his reticence? Warren Mitchell's skill in drawing more than a two-dimensional character? The contrast with the mother - the Jewish mother with her fuss, forcing her children to eat, emphasising the health of her husband, worried about her sister, the visit to Melbourne and her not enjoying it, phone calls, anxiety about the pregnancy, worry about, praising Michael and overpowering him, her criticism of his being a dentist? Her delight in the pregnancy? Fussing over Rose? The butt of Jewish jokes?

10. Michael as dentist, the comedy about his work? The burlesque overtones of the nurse? The contrast with Charlie and his sexual escapades? His inability to call Charlie 'Charlie'? His worry about the pregnancy, the ice cube sequences, his despair, anger? His strained relationship with Rose - background for her relationship with Norman? The Bar mitzvah and his taking responsibility for Norman? His being scandalised at his father's outing with Shirley? The irony of his arranging for Charlie's girlfriend to initiate Norman sexually? His happiness at the pregnancy? The theme of the Jewish mother emasculating her son?

11. The sub-plot of Charlie and Maureen? Charlie and his trying to be 'with it'? His girlfriend? The fights with Maureen? The propositioning of the girlfriend and her walking out on him? His going how under Maureen's conditions? Maureen and looking after the children? Friendship with Rose? Chatter? Her eye for Norman?

12. The sketch of Morris' friends at work, the card games? The satire on the Jewish background?

13. Themes of religion, the Bar Mitzvah? The very orthodox Jew glimpsed in the school bus, in the Sydney street?

14. The blend of comedy, farce, sex jokes, satire - with serious point? A successful comedy?