MADAME SOUSATZKA

US, 1988, 122 minutes, Colour.
Shirley Mac Laine, Navin Chowdry, Peggy Ashcroft, Twiggy.
Directed by John Schlesinger.

Madame Sousatzka is a piece of civilised entertainment. Shirley Mac Laine won a Golden Globe award for her performance and channels her eccentricity and exuberance into a striking performance as a Russian- American emigre music teacher in London. John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy, Sunday Bloody Sunday, An Englishman Abroad) has made an elegant and intelligent drama focusing on Madame and a young Indian pianist who learns from her demanding method and then has to grow away from her. The screenplay was co-written with Schlesinger by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, the novelist, author of so many of the James Ivory films.

There is some delightful music, emotional conflicts and a gallery of beautifully observed characters, especially Peggy Ashcroft, Twiggy, Geoffrey Bayldon as tenants of Madame's block of flats. A richly textured film.

1.An enjoyable film? Portrait of Madame? A sense of humanity? Music?

2.The films of John Schlesinger, the place of this film in his work? London and the world of Madame, of music, of the Indians living in London? Of advertising and agencies? Authentic? The attention to detail?

3.The music selection, classics? Their insertion throughout the film? Giving the film beauty?

4.The setting: the opening concert, the anxious mother, Menek and his playing, Madame's late arrival, the pupil and his course of study?

5.Shirley MacLaine's portrait of Madame: age, appearance, dresses, her room, her manners and manner, her way of speaking? The background of the French Revolution, her parents going to America, her mother looking after her, her father leaving and living close by, her own training and its severity, her concerts and her failure, running from the stage? The insertion of the memories into her listening to the concerts? The celebration of her birthday? Her skills, sensitivity, hounding her students, shouting, demands? Her reaction to forcing pupils into concerts, the clash with Menek's mother? Her taking Menek as a student, his physical tensions, abdomen, massage, heart? The biscuits? His development, her inviting him to stay over, his sharing in the celebration of her birthday? Her being jealous of Jenny? Wary of the agent and his coming to listen to Menek play? Menek's skills, interpretation of the pieces? Scales, playing? Her forbidding him to use the skateboard - and his hurting his hand? The visit with the flowers? The concert, Leo and her disdain of him, her fear of Menek going to Leo? Her visits with Lady Emily? The drive and the news about the concert? Her upset at the agent and his arrangements of the concert? Her going to the concert, her upset at Menek's error, her reaction to the applause? Inviting him home? The letter and his leaving her? Her having to let him go? The parallel with Edward, Edward's visits, her rejection, audiences understanding that he had followed the same path? The new pupil brought by Edward? Madame as the teacher and as the mother?

6.His age, the Indian background, the dominance of his mother, her being abandoned by her husband, living for her son? His skills, the initial concert? Coming to Madame, playing the scales, the abdomen, the massage from Mr Cordle? The lessons, Madame's rewards, the biscuits? His fear and awe of her? Practising at home? Keeping the skates, falling and injuring his hand, concealing it from Madame? Helping Mr Cordle? The party and the enjoyment, the drinking? His mother arriving at 1 a.m., her arguments, buying him a new shirt? His mother and her pastry work - and the hair in the pastry, her getting the sack? Going to the concert, meeting Leo? Fascination? The agent, playing for him, going to lunch? The decision to do the concert, not telling Madame? The rehearsal? His anticipation, apprehension, playing, the error, the conductor anxious, recovering, the applause? His upset and not wanting to take the bow? The conductor asking him to? People's favourable reaction? The friendship with Jenny, sharing and talking with her? The night of the concert, her going to her apartment, spending the night with her? His writing the letter to Madame - and going to Leo, his future?

7.Edward and the comparisons with Menek, Madame disowning him, the visits, his playing concerts in Ottawa, the return and bringing the new student, the reconciliation?

8.Menek's mother and her ambitions, the long story of her background, wealth, husband and disdain of him? Her work, borrowing money from the neighbours, the initial concert and her anxiety, wanting Menek to play concerts? The pastry work, the hair, getting the sack? Her jealousy, the 1 a.m. visit and her tantrum, buying the shirt? Catering for the final concert? Her supreme joy?
9.Lady Emily and her owning the house, pleasant, age and experience, her friends, the council members coming to examine the house, the party for Madame's birthday, Edward's gift, her fall and being in hospital, Mr Cordle and his visits, eating the dessert? Her moving, going to the country? The visit of Madame? She and Mr Cordle listening to the radio of Menek's performance?

10.Mr Cordle, his work, his being bashed as a homosexual, Menek's helping him, the party and his toast, the loneliness, visiting Lady Emily in the hospital, leaving London and boarding with her, listening to the recital?

11.Jenny as attractive, her songs and tape, her affair with the agent, his using her, the visits, his not listening to the tape, going to see him at his office, the entrepreneur and his sexual advances and her rejection, friendship with Menek, at Madame's party, at the concert, the night with Menek?

12.The agent, his relationship with Jenny, listening to Menek play, intruding, busy at his office, the lunch, the rehearsals, the concert?

13.The entrepreneur, the approach to Jenny? The success of the concert? The festival and the performances?

14.The sketch of Leo, his career, the failure of his arm, conducting master classes, taking Madame's pupils, the invitation to Menek, Menek attending a master class?

15.The detail of observation, character nuances and moods? Themes of growth, talent, the fostering of talent, education and influence, possessiveness, love and letting go?