FUN AND GAMES

US, 1980, 98 minutes, Colour.
Cliff de Young, Valerie Harper, Peter Donat, Max Gail, Art Hindle, Michael Nouri.
Directed by Paul Bogart, Allan Smithee.

Fun and Games is a telemovie about sexual harassment in the workplace. The film focuses on a divorcee, played convincingly by Valerie Harper. Max Gail is her boss, who wields his power over her and prevents her from promotion because of her refusal of compliance. Cliff de Young is an executive, caught up in women's issues.

The film shows the experience of the workplace, gets an emotional response from the audience. It is sympathetic to women's issues. It highlights the crassness of so many men.

The film's original director asked for his name to be removed from the credits. The film is credited to the mythic Allen Smithee (Death of a Gunfighter etc.).

1. Audience response to this kind of telemovie? Social issue in dramatic form? Entertainment? A story for social awareness and change?

2. Californian context? The workplace? Homes? Board rooms? Restaurants? The world of business and industry?

3. The title and its seemingly innocuous tone? The serious focus on women's issues, the attitudes of men?

4. The portrait of Carol Heffernan: Valerie Harper's style? Getting up, looking after her daughter? The absence of her ex-husband and financial support? Her relationship with Greg? His being on the move? Her inability to tell him what had happened? His letter from Panama and his wanting to understand her? her anger in going to work, the crash with Pete? Her exasperation? Ray Garvey and his approaches at work? At the workplace? Her friends? The possibility of promotion, her study? Dependence on Carvey? her attitudes towards sexual harassment? Putting up with it? The intervention of Pete, her anger at him, misunderstanding? Ser going to meet him, hopes of support? His failing her? The possibility of promotion? Garvey's attack on her, refusing the promotion, harassing her, putting pressure on her? Her decision to go to the Board? The assistant and her warnings? her decision to go ahead, the continual pressure, working overtime etc.? Being fired? Her wanting to withdraw ? the serious thinking over the issue and continuing? The assault by Garvey? Her going to the court, her friends, her mother not understanding her? Pete's arrival and the affidavit? Her confidence in going forward? A character who made a stand?

5. The character of Pete - the crash, his investigation into Carol, fascinated by her car? His decision about the insurance? His being misrepresented by Garvey? His own relationship with Laura? His using her? Admiring her? The visit to the restaurants and the fun and games with his fellow executives with Janice? His beginning to see things differently? Laura's being ignored in the boardroom? His involvement with Carol's case? His backing off?
Osborne and his pressures? Gordy and his not taking on any responsibility? His return, Laura's leaving, his seeing Garvey attack Carol? His watching his friends, giving the money to Janice? His decision to go with the lawyer, not believing Carol would give in? His giving her the affidavit?

6. Ray Garvey as an ordinary workman, relationship with his workers, his pride in his work? The remarks and passes at the women? The pressure? His expectations? Previous reports? Management and their support of him? His anger at Carol? His assault? Typical of men in the workplace? The contrast with the executives and their compliant secretaries? The jokes at the restaurant and the competition in touching the waitress? Their disregard of Carol and the issues? The secretary and her going off in Osborne's limousine? The comment about the Middle Ages and the attackers and occupiers of countries with the modern businessmen as their equivalents? The contrast with Greg and his treatment of Carol?

7. Laura and her relationship with Pete, her intelligence, wanting to be on the think tank, her taking up Carol's case? Her being ignored at the meeting? Her decision to leave? The exemplification of the harassment and ignoring of women professionally?

8. The presentation of the unions, Carol going to make her case, the men at the union meeting rejecting her? The support of Rosa?

9. The presentation of the workplace, the credibility of the characters and events?

10. The presentation of the issues? The inequality between men and women? Men exploiting women? The necessity for women to take a stance? The contribution of this film towards social attitudes?