CONSTANCE

New Zealand, 1984, 98 minutes, Colour.
Donagh Rees, Martin Vaughan, Shane Briant, Jonathan Hardy.
Directed by Bruce Morrison.

Constance is a New Zealand film from its heyday in the 1980s. It has a 1948 setting, focusing on a young woman who is a teacher but is in love with the movies. She is able to imitate the stars (and sequences of famous vamp films are shown).

However, she grows discontented, has difficulties with her family and becomes involved with a photographer who lacks scruples and morals and exploits her.

Donagh Rees is Constance, and has worked in the New Zealand from the 80s in such films as Starlight Hotel, The Rainbow Warrior, Crush as well as television including Hercules and Xena. British actor Shane Bryant who migrated to Australia and New Zealand in the 1980s is the photographer. Australian Martin Vaughn plays her father. Writer-director and actor, Jonathan Hardy, wrote the screenplay and appears in the film itself.

1. An interesting film? New Zealand industry? Portrait of a woman in her times?

2. The atmosphere of 1948, Auckland, suburbia, ordinary homes, the city, society, the cinemas? The atmospheric score?

3. The use of films: Gilda and the atmosphere of the film noir of the '40s, Rita Hayworth as love goddess? Brief Encounter and the contrast with the very British Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard and their station affair? Comments on exotic French and Italian films coming to New Zealand in the late '40s? Marlene Dietrich in The Blue Angel, her song? Edith Piaf's songs? Kay Starr?

4. The structure of the film: the portrait of Constance, glimpses of her past and present, her memories, fantasies, dreams? The pace? The blending of these styles? Her life, prospects of marriage, impact of deaths. her withdrawing?

5. The portrait of Constance: her going to the pictures, in Auckland, 1948, the impact of Rita Hayworth and her glamour and style? The prologue with the dance show on the stage and its glamour and sex? Constance's memories. a little girl, make-up and clothes, her father's darling. her mother's disapproval? Her girlfriend at the pictures? Going to her ordinary home? Relationship with her father - more than average interest and love for her? Mother's love and disapproval? Their impact on her? Her teaching, putting make-up on the little girl as Gilda, the dancing in the classroom? The teacher's disapproval, her getting the sack? 'Constance doesn't work'? Going to the dance, meeting Errol and testing her effect on him., flirting. the successful dancing, the approval of the others? The contact with society? The meal at the Barr household? Her aplomb? Society-climbing with Mrs. Barr? The meeting, the proposal of her membership? The election to Secretary, her performing her function as Secretary? The encounter
with Richard, the contrast with Errol, the car outings? Playing off each against the other? Errol coming with his mother to take the books from the home? The humiliation? The clash with her girlfriend? The taunts about Peter? Richard and the garden party, her humiliation of Mrs. Barr and her friends? The encounter with the photographer, flirting? Fashion model, the photos, the modelling sequences, the sinister assistant, the build-up to the rape? Her reaction? Richard's reaction? The proposal, the visit to his parents, the Bishop and his wife, the prim attitudes? Her waiting for Richard's family, the Dietrich imitation and shocking them? Sending Richard back to his mother as she had done with Errol? Relationship with her father, her father's death? Her mother at home, working in the library, the friendship with John? The night out and her mother's disapproval? The clash with her mother, the separate parts of the refrigerator, the shopping. her mother's death? Her beginning to withdraw? The background of her party entertainments and Dietrich and Piaf imitations? Her drawing away from John? Her going to the pub, bringing the friends home - imagining that they were society friends? Her mental collapse? Staying with her memories and the ghosts of her parents?

6. The sketch of Constance's father: his love for his little daughter. doting on her, money problems and preoccupations, the visitors, treatment of the Bishop and his wife. relationship with his wife? The drama of his death? Constance's mother and her distance, disapproval, being busy, practical? Her grief at her husband's death? Being upset, waited on by Constance, disapproving of her, the smashing of the glass, the shopping and her death?

7. Errol and the smart Auckland set, the dance, friends, the outings. at home, his fear of his mother and taking the books away from Constance? The contrast with Richard and his nice manner, the car, care, conventional, his parents, Constance's breaking the engagement?

8. The sketch of Constance's girlfriend, the dance, the pictures, her friendship with Peter, Constance in distress going to her, the break between the two?

9. John as her father's friend, the outings, coming to see her in the library, spending the night, the funeral and her letting him go?

10. Auckland society and its imitating England, Mrs. Barr, meals, parties, tennis and swimming, afternoon teas. the manipulation of the meeting? The snub at the party?

11. The photographer and his being fashionable, attraction towards Constance, the modelling sequences, his sinister assistant? The set-up for the rape?

12. The portrait of a girl in her times? Controller, victim?