THE TROJAN WOMEN

Greece/US, 1971, 111 minutes, Colour.
Katharine Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave, Genevieve Bujold, Irene Papas, Brian Blessed, Patrick Magee.
Directed by Michael Cacoyannis.

This film offers an opportunity for audiences to see great performances in Euripides’ classic play. Katharine Hepburn is Hecuba, Queen of Troy, Vanessa Redgrave is Andromache, Genevieve Bujold is Cassandra. Irene Papas plays Helen of Troy.

The film was directed by Michael Caccoyanis who had made a film version in 1962 of Euripides’ Electra with Irene Papas. In 1977 he was to make Iphigenia with Papas as Clytemnestra. Caccoyanis is probably best known for making Zorba the Greek.

The translation used is that by Edith Hamilton which was produced in 1938, considered better than the classic translation by the Greek scholar, Gilbert Murray.

The film is very much a stage version of Euripides – but the stylised play, the stylised language, all fit into this kind of visual presentation.

There have been many popular versions of the Trojan War including the 1955 Helen of Troy as well as Troy with Brad Pitt in 2004.

1. The reputation of Euripides? His Athenian background? His insight into war and his own contemporary experiences? Interpreting them in the light of old Greek myths and the Trojan War? His use of the traditions of Greek drama - elements of tragedy, central characters reciting speeches, chorus participating in the action, a reliance on mythological background, religious myths, a sense of history? The masked characters and the paradox of impersonal and personal characterisation? Tableaux? The effect of pity and terror in the audience and the move to insight into tragic situations and characters?

2. How well did the film make the transition from stage drama to cinema? Incorporating the traditions of Greek tragedy? The opening out of the action? The use of realistic locations, however symbolically? The staging? The filming of speeches, of chorus speeches? Tableaux and close?ups? The contrast between static speeches and action sequences? The sense of ritual? A sense of developing drama, sense of movement of people from destroyed Troy to the Greek ships? Colour photography, decor, costumes? The cinematic qualities of the film?

3. The importance of the selection of the star cast? Their personal presences on the screen, the traditions of their film and stage work, idiosyncrasies? How well did the female ensemble work together? A blending of their qualities or star turns? The importance of Katharine Hepburn holding the film together? Michael Cacoyannis and his work on bringing Greek tragedy to the screen: his previous Electra, his subsequent Iphigeneia? His sense of the past, Greek heritage, Greek drama and its religious and social significance? The relevance of Greek tragedy to the contemporary world? The Trojan War in the light of world events and wars (Vietnam etc.?) in the early '70s?

4. The introduction about wars? Their horror, violence, the aftermath? The focusing on the role of women in war and their suffering? The anti?war tones of the film?

5. The presupposing audience knowledge about the Trojan War itself, its issues, characters, dramatic events? Audience sympathies for the Trojans and ag~ ainst the Greeks?

6. Hecuba as centre of the film? Her role as Queen of Troy, her love for Priam, her husband, and his death, for Hector and the humiliation of his death? Katharine Hepburn's interpretation of the role, presence, age, grief? The pain at Cassandra's madness? The tensions with Andromache, the hostility towards Helen? Her appearances with the chorus of Trojan women? Their supporting her in her grief? Astyanax and his death, her lament? The significance of her poetry? The mood of her poetry? The grief, the memories of war, its meaninglessness? The issues in her speeches? The build-up to the confrontation with Talthybius? The fierceness of the antiwar stances? The dignity of woman?

7. Cassandra and her place amongst the Trojan women, prophetess, her madness? The insight into war and grief? Her violation, her death and her being taken away in the cart? The cinematic devices to indicate her madness e.g. the swirling camera photography?

8. Andromache as a woman of strength? Her grief for Hector and his death and humiliation? Her love for her son and protection of him? Her bitterness? Going as a slave to Achilles? The death of her son? The primal shriek?~

9. The contrast with Helen ? her being the cause of the war, her being imprisoned and caged, the sensuality of her washing herself and the suggestions of nudity? The hostility of the women? Her arguments with Menelaus and confusing him with her plausibility? The wanton manipulator? The face that launched a thousand ships?

10. Talthybius as representative of the Greeks, conquerors, the blunt soldier, his relationship with the soldiers and control of them, the killing of Astyanax?

11. Menelaus and his strengths and weaknesses, his love and infatuation for Helen, his being deceived, his vindictiveness?

12. The role of the chorus ? echoing the principal women, the grief and lament, the expressions of fear? How well was the chorus integrated with the main speeches?

13. The purpose of war, politics, religion, personal whim? men and women and their suffering?

14. The quality of the poetry, the translation, the delivery of the speeces and their dramatic impact? The contrast with the action? Cassandra's leaving, the soldiers riding, the camera going over the cliff with Astyanax's death?

15. How involving was the film? An emotional experience? The audience being distanced because of the styles of Greek tragedy? The status of the play among the Greek classics?