WHITE MAMA

US, 1980, 105 minutes, Colour.
Bette Davis, Ernest Harden Jr, Eileen Heckart, Anne Ramsay.
Directed by Jackie Cooper.

White Mama is a pleasing American telemovie, with a racism theme as well as the difference between the generations. It is a star vehicle for Bette Davis who is a widow taking on a young black man with a police record, looking after him, helping him to rehabilitate. The young man is played well by Ernest Harden. The supporting cast includes Eileen Heckhart as a bag lady. The film shows the American city, the changes in the neighbourhoods with the coming of blacks and Hispanics, the retreat of the whites. It shows the possibility of communication between the races. Bette Davis give quite a restrained and moving performance. The film was directed by veteran actor Jackie Cooper.

1. The impact of the telemovie? Portrait of people, situations, themes?

2. Gearing of the movie to the wide television audience, their responses to character, the racism issues?

3. The atmosphere of the city, the poor apartments, the streets, the slums? The musical score?

4. Bette Davis and her career? This characterisation? Playing well with the young black actor?

5. Racial issues in the U.S. of 1980 - the cities, blacks and whites in neighbourhoods, the dangers of drugs and robberies? Physical attacks? The people on the street? Poverty, redevelopment of buildings?

6. The situation with Mrs Malone, audiences identifying with her, with BT? The identification with the situation and the characters determining response to themes?

7. Bette Davis as Mrs Malone: age, her own house and her furniture, her dead husband and the memories, looking after him, the money for the hospital bills? Her friendly neighbour? The arrangement to get some money by taking BT on parole? Her being taken aback, her manners and her dignity? Welcoming him, showing him the house, the bed and the room, his feet off the quilt? The medal? Turning off the music? The talk, her expectations? His getting a job? Her own pride and attitudes toward not receiving charity? In the streets, seeing the bag-ladies and their life? BT being stabbed and her going for the penicillin, paying the money, taking care of him? Their discussion about values and what she stood for? Her attitude towards his boxing career? His getting money from boxing? Her presumption that he was stealing? The eviction notice, her dismay and the phone calls, BT taking all her things? Going to the priest and his offering the small amount of money? Her supporting the church over many years? Going on the street, the bags, comparing herself to the other women? Seeing the Bag Lady, getting help from her, being on the park benches, in the bus? Her being rescued by BT, her things, his taking her to the hospital, the new apartment? Her delight in seeing her cupboard and her bed again? The bonds between the two, his going into the army? The fight and her desperation at his generosity, being able to receive from him, taking the money from the promoter? Selling her cupboard? His farewell, leaving the light on for him? Her life being transformed?

8. BT, his age, family background, stealing cars, on parole? Attitudes towards Mrs Malone, calling her affectionately White Mama? Looking over the apartment, eating the music? Attitudes towards robberies? Wanting to box, going to the gym? His various jobs, success, being laid off? His knowledge of the streets? His being stabbed, not wanting to go to hospital, recovering, cared for by Mrs Malone? His belief in himself? No other values? The court and his being free? The eviction notice, the clash between the two, leaving with her things, rescuing her in the bus, taking her to the hospital, going into the army, wanting her take a gift, his being battered in the boxing ring and getting the money for her? His going away, returning, his life transformed?

9. The bag-ladies in the street, the black woman, the mad woman and her knife, stabbing BT, her death? 3 Bag Lady and her friendship, guiding Mrs Malone around the city, the park benches, the bus, being evicted from the restaurant? The final glimpse of her at the end of the film and her staying on the street?

10. The atmosphere of the city, the neighbour and her being evicted, blacks, whites, shopkeepers, restaurants, the Judge in the court?

11. A humane telemovie with values?