BRIGHTON ROCK

UK, 2010, 111 minutes, Colour.
Sam Riley, Andrea Riseborough, Helen Mirren, John Hurt, Nonso Anozie, Phil Davis, Maurice Roeves, Sean Harris.
Directed by Rowan Joffe.

The new film version of Graham Greene’s 1939 novel, Brighton Rock, brings some Catholic themes into prominence. A BBC/UK Film Council production, it is directed by Rowan Joffe, who wrote the screenplay for The American, a Greene-like drama about a burnt-out hitman. His father, Roland Joffe, directed The Mission and City of God as well as the forthcoming film about St Jose Maria Escriva, There be Dragons, all films with Catholic themes.

Greene himself wrote the screenplay for the Boulting Brothers’ 1947 version of Brighton Rock, imbuing it with his frequent themes of sin and the possibilities and impossibilities of redemption. His central character, Pinkie (played with force by Richard Attenborough and now by a sullen Sam Riley) is one of the nastiest of Greene’s villains, young, brash and ambitious, the opposite of that other Greene arch-villain (all smiles and sinister calculation), Harry Lime, from The Third Man. The other central character is the naive young waitress, Rose, who becomes the target of Pinkie’s scheming so that she will not turn a police witness against him for the murders he committed.

The setting of the present film is 1964 rather than Greene’s original 1930s. It is the period of thugs and gangs, of Mods and Rockers and riots, the time just before the abolition of capital punishment in Britain. The film recreates the period and offers the visuals of Brighton, the dark swirling water, the Pier, the Pavilion, the blocks of waterfront flats, streets, tea rooms and bars, as well as dilapidated houses and estates.

It is not usual to have Catholic characters and themes in British films. However, they are a staple of adaptations of Graham Greene novels. There is no shirking of them here. But, what they do show is how little touched by the depth of faith so many Catholics are. Pinkie says he is ‘Roman’ but doesn’t practise, though he says that atheists have got it all wrong denying God and, especially, the existence of Hell. But, there is a moment when he is being chased along the beach, when he drops to his knees and starts reciting the Hail Mary. Rose is devout in a junior primary school kind of way. She is pious, prays the Rosary, goes to Church, lights candles, kneels before the Crucifix.

These depictions could serve as an indictment of the frequent lack of adult follow-up in faith development for so many Catholics – which Greene wrote about in the 1930s, in his screenplay in the 1940s and which is again presented here.

However, under the surface of what Pinkie says and believes, are the themes of Greene’s more serious works like The Power and the Glory, The Heart of the Matter and The End of the Affair. Anyone wanting to follow up on film versions could well look at the 1952 version of The Heart of the Matter where these issues are spelt out with grim finality and the 1999 version of The End of the Affair, adapted by Neil Jordan.

The convert Greene always struggled with the teachings of the Church, not only the moral issues, but the theology of sin, grace, forgiveness and redemption. He believed that literature had, of necessity, to be about sin.

Greene imagined characters who were torn between love of God and love of another human being, highlighting the contrast, especially when the love of another human being seemed more important and tangible than love of God. This is the case with Rose in Brighton Rock. She is so flattered and affirmed by Pinkie’s attention to and treatment of her (though she cannot recognise this in Ida who tries to befriend and save her) that she is willing to commit a mortal sin by marrying him in a registry office (though he assures her it is not a real marriage because there is no priest). Ultimately, she is persuaded that she should take her life for love of him, to protect him and to be with him forever. She affirms this to the nun at the end of the film where she is seen as pregnant and still living with glowing memories of Pinkie, unaware of his cruelty, and the record that she insisted he make on the pier where, in reality, he declared his hatred of her, despising her.

Can Rose be saved because of her love for Pinkie? She is asked by another girl whether she believes in ‘all this stuff’, including miracles. She sees the record player, the camera tracks towards the crucifix, she plays the record (while we know what is really on it) and, as a visual aural alternative to the cruelty of the novel’s ending, Greene devised the ending where the record sticks on ‘I love you’ and repeats it over and over again. Rose is delighted. God has worked a miracle.

Pinkie’s theology is deeper but pessimistic and grace-less, more like that of Scobie in The Heart of the Matter and Sarah in The End of the Affair. Both are prepared to lay down their lives, and their immortal lives, including belief that they would go to Hell, for the sake of their human loves. Scobie commits sacrilege with communion so as not to hurt wife or lover. Sarah risks beginning her affair all over again after sacrificing her love so that her lover could survive a bombing raid. Pinkie has a speech where he declares his grim belief in the harshness and suffering of Hell. He cannot express any real belief in Heaven. And that is how he lives his life, cheerless and cold, pressurising Rose to kill herself – and then he dies.

The person of grace in the film is the blowsy Ida (Hermione Baddely memorable in 1947, Helen Mirren in the current version). She is not a person of faith in any way, except in some goodness in human nature, in her trying to protect Rose, and in a sense of justice that evil should be punished. She is no saint, even at the end, but she does good. It is something the same with Pinkie’s henchman, Dallow, whom Ida relies on at the final confrontation with Pinkie.

Brighton Rock is not so much of a theological treatise as The Heart of the Matter and The End of the Affair can be. But, it does raise the ‘De Profundis’ (Out of the Depths I Cry) nature of deep storytelling about the human condition. On the other hand, it is also an example of a more nihilistic approach to sin, death and life after death, an ‘Enter the void’ film.

This version of Brighton Rock brings an old way and style of Catholicism centre screen. Audiences might wonder and question. It is not the core Catholicism of believers whose focus is not just on the Passion and death of Jesus but on the Resurrection (a criticism made of Mel Gibson and The Passion of the Christ).

A friend once wrote that Graham Greene tasted life through rotten teeth. Greene also probed theological questions with this bitter taste in his mouth.

1. The original Graham Greene novel, a novel of the 30s, its status? Plot, character, themes?

2. The 1947 version, considered a classic, Richard Attenborough’s performance? Graham Greene’s screenplay? With Terence Rattigan?

3. This version’s adaptation from the 1930s to the 1960s? The atmosphere of 1964, crime in England, thugs and gangs, Brighton, the gang wars, the political background, capital punishment coming to an end, the Mods and Rockers, the riots? The changes and the fear of young people?

4. The plot and its drama, conflict, good and evil, crime and passion?

5. The religious themes and Graham Greene’s Catholicism? Religion itself, Catholic faith, Catholic identity? Pinkie’s comments on belief, atheists having it all wrong? No religion in practice, his sudden Hail Mary on the beach when pursued? The elements of prayer, Rose’s prayer, her rosary beads? Going into the church, the candle and the crucifix? The elementary faith, neither of them well instructed? Piety, visual icons and pictures? The focus on Hell, Pinkie and his preoccupation with Hell, damnation? Questioning Heaven? These elements as a reflection of Graham Greene’s own faith and search? The focus on sin, mortal sin? Each of the central characters praying, in desperation? Their moral choices, mortal sin in the wedding, happiness, the issue of absolution? The final focus on miracles? The credibility of faith or not? The depth of awareness, the dictates of conscience?

6. Brighton and the widescreen treatment, the opening scenes of the swirling dark water, the beach and the water lapping, under the pier, Pinkie and his walks along the beach? The pier, its novelties, shops? The range of entertainments? The 1960s, the people on the pier? The panoramas of the city? The pavilion? The buildings and flats? The areas of decay? Tea parlours and pubs? Inserts of the city throughout the film, the feel of Brighton?

7. The pace, drama, action, characterisations, score?

8. The title, the visual of the sweet, the name remaining even after the rock had been cut, choking the victims with Brighton Rock? A symbol?

9. Kyte, the opening, his desperate phone call, trying to contact Spicer, Spicer late to the phone? Kyte’s desperation, the chase, the knives, Hale and his killing Kyte? Pinkie coming up and seeing it? The chase? The introduction to Pinkie, Kyte as a father figure, the photos in the room? The casket of the dead man, the team, their plan, wanting to scare Hale, the rivalry with the different gangs, especially that of Mr Colleoni? The henchmen?

10. Hale, his participation in the killing of Kyte, going to see Ida, their past relationship, his wanting her help, offering the drink, his fear, the introduction to Ida and Phil?

11. Hale, going under the pier, his fear, talking to Rose, the cigarettes? Spicer coming up, the photo being taken? Rose’s reaction to Hale, to the photo, going back to work? Getting the coupon? Hale, his being chased by Pinkie and Spicer, under the pier, trapped, Pinkie and his bashing Hale? The knife, Pinkie’s initial cowardice, the change, Hale slashing Pinkie’s face? Spicer and the reaction to the death? The news, the papers, the photo?

12. Spicer and his situation, the police, the role of evidence and witnesses, Pinkie and his wanting to handle the situation? Spicer as a character, petty crook, wanting to get out, the fear, his being chased? In the crowd, the riot, his not dying, Pinkie thinking he was dead? The character of Crab, the fight, the fear? Ida and inviting him for a drink, getting the truth from him? The character of Dallow, his friendship, his advice? The encounters with Ida?

13. Colleoni, at the swank hotel, his staff and protection, Pinkie, going in, the talk, Colleoni liking Pinkie, the threats? His henchmen and the attack outside? The fights, the gangs, Colleoni saying he was a respectable businessman, his later talks with Ida about Pinkie?

14. Phil, age, friendship with Ida, the betting shop, Pinkie’s visit, slashing him?

15. Pinkie finding Rose, the tea room, the clash with Ida? Befriending Rose, his method of seduction, talk, taking her out, on the pier, the puzzle about his own sexuality, the kiss, taking Rose dancing? The menacing talk, the threats, acid on the face? His warnings? Getting the coupon from her?

16. Rose and the encounter with Hale, the introduction, her lunch break, curiosity, the photo, her saying she never forgot a face? At work, Pinkie and his intrusion, charm, talking, her chat, the other waitresses? Ida and her taking a shine to Rose? Rose going out, on the pier, happy, responding to Pinkie’s attention, nobody treating her so well? Her emotions, underage, her inexperience? Yet her father – and his shouting through the room when Ida visited? Her fear, the issue of the acid? In love with Pinkie, the information about the murders, dealing with it, her shrewdness, her loyalty?

17. Pinkie in himself, the small group, his age, the henchmen, his room, the weapons? Asserting his role in the group, killing Spicer, the consequences?

18. Rose and her reaction to Pinkie, his pinching her hand and her allowing him? The future, Pinkie and the bargaining about the money with her father, her father selling her, going to the church, praying the Rosary? The encounters with Ida? Her resisting Ida’s friendship?

19. The wedding ceremony, her running late, Pinkie’s angry reaction, his warning her that it was a sin, that it was not a proper marriage because there was no priest, Dallow and the charwoman as the witnesses, going to the pier, Rose urging Pinkie to make a record, his angry reaction? The record and his pouring out his hatred and spite? Rose happily watching, his giving her the record?

20. Rose, the record, happy, her finding the money, buying the dress, wearing it with pride? Twirling?

21. The background of the Mods and the Rockers, the scenes on television, the newspapers? Brighton and the riots, the various crowds, bikes, fights, police? Pinkie taking advantage, the bike, Spicer, the wounds, Spicer not dying, his death – on the rocks, with Brighton Rock in his mouth?

22. Ida and her liking Rose, her friendship with Phil, her background, blowsy, refined at the tea shop? The relationship with Fred? Her concern, finding Rose and Pinkie, pretending to be Rose’s mother, Rose lying about it and finally telling the truth? Her going to Colleoni? Seeing Crab, trying to get information from him? Talking with Phil, her going to Dallow?

23. Pinkie, his walk on the beach, the note from Rose, going wherever he would go, his intending to throw it away, keeping it, telling Dallow what he was doing, the threats? Ida and the confrontation? The issue of Rose testifying? Driving to the lighthouse?

24. Rose and Pinkie on the cliff, the kiss, his persuading her to shoot herself, the reasons, the gun? Their being interrupted by Dallow and Ida? The fight, Dallow throwing the acid on Pinkie’s face, his bewilderment, falling over the cliff? Taking Rose away?

25. Ida and Phil, in the tea room, the champagne, the room? Ida as the figure of good in the film? Trying to do good? Her comment to Rose about the pill and not bearing a murderer’s child?

26. The final scene with the nuns, Rose pregnant, the issue of absolution, her still loving Pinkie despite everything, her faith? The record player, her seeing this as a miracle – and the record being stuck, replaying “I love you”?

27. The overall impact of the story as a drama, characters? Graham Greene’s religious and human dimensions, especially the possibilities of sin and damnation, the emphasis on these rather than on grace?