THE MAN WHO CRIED
UK, 2000, 117 minutes, Colour.
Christina Ricci, John Turturro, Cate Blanchett, Johnny Depp, Harry Dean Stanton.
Directed by Sally Potter.
The Man Who Cried was written and directed by Sally Potter (Gold Diggers, the acclaimed and award winning Orlando, The Tango Lesson). This is her most ambitious film, its narrative going back to Russia in 1927, moving to England, then to Paris before the war and in the early years of World War II and finally finishing in the United States.
While the title is The Man Who Cried and this applies to the various male characters in the film, especially the gypsy played by Johnny Depp and the opera singer played by John Turturro as well as Susie's Russian father; however, the focus of the film is the young girl who is taken from Russia and, thinking she is being taken to America, arrives in England where she is harshly treated. However, the grows up, auditions for Paris and there finds the beginning of a career in variety and in opera. The young girl who plays the six year old Susie is Claudia Lander Duke. She is very powerful in her screen presence and focuses audience attention on the role of Susie. She is well played as an adult by Christina Ricci. Cate Blanchett also has a virtuoso part as Susie's gold digging friend, Lola, also a refugee from Russia. Harry Dean Stanton is the American Jewish opera entrepreneur in Paris.
The film traces a period of fifteen years. However, it covers so much of the 20th century persecutions, racial prejudice, migrations, Depression, the war and its aftermath. Ironically, it finishes in Hollywood with a director of musicals. Music is important to the film. There are many excerpts from opera as well as classical music in the background and traditional songs. These are important for the character of Susie's father, Susie herself as well as the opera singer. The film has a great deal to say about relationships and a perspective on the experience of war by a young girl who is an outsider.
1. The impact of the film? Its humanity? Men who cry? Women who don't cry? The 20th century situations that led people to cry?
2. The range of settings: Russia, England, Paris, New York, Hollywood? A 15 year period, a transition from the 20s to the 40s?
3. The importance of music, the opera segments, the classical music, songs, the musical background? Communication through song? Poetry, lyrics, music and communication and self manifestation? Music as an ideal, a dream?
4. The background of World War II: Stalin's Russia and the persecutions and migrations, pre war Paris and the glittering life, the reaction to the invasion of Poland, thinking that Germany wanted to go east, the invasion of France and Paris?
5. The rounding up of Jews and gypsies? The decisions about escaping and going to America?
6. The film's focus on Susie: as a young girl and sharing her experience in Russia (and the dialogue in Russian)? Her loss of her father going to America, the village and its being destroyed, her companions on the dray and finally getting to the port? Her isolation in being the only one allowed to go? Thinking that she was arriving in America and finding herself in England? The outsider, given to the English couple, their reaction and taking her photo of her father?
7. At school, called a gypsy? Watching the gypsies and her singing? The Welsh music master and his harshness yet helping her to sing? Her leaving home, her parents giving her the coin and her photo? The audition and going to Paris? The singing, the woman wanting girls with good legs? In Paris, the dancing, her singing? The opera? The encounter with Lola and their sharing a flat together? The contrast between Lola's extroversion and Susie's introversion? The gold digging philosophy of Lola compared with Susie's attitude toward life, her memories, her consciousness of her Jewish origins? Communication at that level?
8. Lola and her encounter with Dante, drawing Susie along with her, their work in the opera? Watching Cesar on the horse? The bond between Susie and Cesar, her following him, going to the gypsy camp, the bike being stolen, the welcome, her singing? The bond between them, the sexual initiation? The possibility of a future?
9. The outbreak of war? The landlady and her taking an interest in Susie because she was Jewish? Feeding her? The information about the invasion of Poland? The old lady being taken away by the Gestapo? Susie and her facing the realities of war? The opera and people not coming, her being on stage with Dante? Dante and his attempted seduction and her refusal? His racial denunciation of her? His mouthing the anti Semitic sentiments? The support of Cesar? Lola and her success; and her warning Susie to go? Buying the tickets, Cesar urging her to go and find her father? The boat trip, the glamour on the sea, the attack? Her arriving in New York, the information from Immigration, seeking out the Jewish community, her father and his loss of faith at hearing of the death of his family, the irony of his being a successful Hollywood musical director? Her finally seeing him in the hospital, singing, his calling her by her real name, the end of a quest?
10. Lola and her story, Moscow, the glamorous blonde, extroverted, provocative dancing, friendship with Susie, sharing the apartment and expenses, philosophy of flirting with men? The gold digger of the 30s? Appearance, beauty, style? Imposing on Dante, seductive, leading him on, holding him back? The relationship with him? The contrast of the opera and her watching the Busby Berkley musicals and the swimming sequences; and the irony of her own swimming and her swimming when the boat was attacked? Her personal dilemmas with the Nazis; arrival, anti Semitic statements, Dante's denunciation of Susie? Her decision then to buy the tickets, go away with Susie? On the boat, finding a patron; and the attack?
11. Dante as the impoverished opera singer, always remembering his background? His skill as a singer? The clashes with Perlman; especially about the horse on stage? His reaction when it did its droppings on the stage and people laughed? Taking himself seriously? His mouthing Italianate statements about art and music? About Mussolini; and the interview? Attracted by Lola, the affair with her, the glamour of his life and her enjoying it? The outbreak of the war; people not coming to the opera, Susie as sharing the stage with him, his attempted seduction and his denunciation? Going to the church and his bitterness about the Jews, praying to Mary to save him and wanting the Germans to win? His waking up in the church, accepted by society, singing Italian songs for the Nazis?
12. Cesar and the gypsy romanticism, his silence, on stage with the horse, riding through Paris, up the steps, with his other gypsy riders? Susie and her watching him, the intensity; and her following him to the camp, the bonding, the singing in the camp, the relationship? The possibility of her staying with him? The denunciation of the gypsies, the round up of all the men, Cesar and his finding the women? His dilemma, urging Susie to leave and find her father, his remaining to fight for his people? The final night together; and the final glimpse of him crying?
13. Perlman, the American Jewish impresario, his success in Paris, his handling of Dante? His support of Susie and declaring himself Jewish? The failure of his opera?
14. Parisian society, the wealth, the glamour, the opera? The transition to collaborating with the Nazis? The urbane Nazis and the contrast with the rounding up of the Jews, the closing of the gypsy camp?
15. Russia, the attack on the villages, Jews in Russia, the persecution, burning of villages, migrations, paying money to get on boats, being given arbitrary names on arrival in England or America? The contrast with the British couple, their reserve, depriving Susie of her belongings but giving them back at the end? The cruel children? The stern Welsh music teacher?
16. The finale in New York, the Jews and the migrations to the United States? The story of Susie's father and his loss of faith? His success in Hollywood and her finding him with his family?
17. 20th century themes and universal meanings?
