1984

UK, 1955, 90 minutes, Black and White.
Edmond O'Brien, Jan Sterling, Michael Redgrave, David Kossoff, Mervyn Johns, Donald Pleasence.
Directed by Michael Anderson.

1984 was a daring experiment for its time. George Orwell's novel had a great reputation, but many would think that it was unfilmable. However, this is an interesting adaptation for the screen, presenting so much of Orwell's atmosphere and detail. There is much dispute as to its success. The film was directed by Michael Anderson, a director who has a mixed career. He was to make Logan's Run in 1976.

It is interesting to note the similarity of some of the themes and treatment of the two films. Also unusual was the casting, in a British film, of Edmond O'Brien as the hero and Jan Sterling as the heroine. Michael Redgrave, Donald Pleasence, and David Kossoff amongst others gave a British atmosphere to the film. There are quite some dramatic visual effects, the black and white photography creates the atmosphere of 1984. It is a useful kind of visual presentation of plot and themes and should be seen in conjunction with reading the novel.

1. The reputation of George Orwell, the basic tones of his message, audience response to this and interest in Orwell? The appropriateness of a film version of his work?

2. The quality of the black and white photography, the re-creation of the sets, the use of lighting which tended to reduce them to artificiality, the devices like the winking eye, the torture apparatus? The television screens? A blend of the future and the present? Atmosphere by the presentation of a frightening future within the known aspects of the present?

3. The significance of the introduction and explanation, its reprisal at the end? The artificiality of this, the highlighting of the moral fable? Comment on the basic moral of 1984.

4. How important was the explanation of Oceania, London the capital of Airstrip one of Oceania, the other world powers? The overtones of the bombs which were recognisable from World War II? The choice of 1984 as a near enough date? The credibility of this kind of transition within a generation? The transition from the 50s to the 80s? The fact that it was within peoples' living memories, e.g. the talk of the junk shop owner?

5. What was the purpose of the parable, a warning about the way the world was going, a critical commentary on the world of the twentieth century, its totalitarianism, socialism, brainwashing? The fascistic dictatorships of the 20th century and their effect? The dehumanising of people?

6. The presentation of Oceania, the look of London and the present and future? The drabness, peoples' quarters, the hotels and apartments and shops? The eyes everywhere, the T.V. screens, the faces coming on the TV screens without notice? The placards with Big Brother watching? The slogans? The conformism and brainwashing with jobs, clothes, ways of behaviour?

7. The atmosphere of fear and apprehension which pervaded the whole of society, the attitude of hate? The slogans about war being peace etc.? The symbolism of the two minutes hate and the way that the people participated, the effect that it had on them? The TX. propaganda? The week of hate? The effect on moulding the attitudes of people? How different was 19'84 from the 50s? How different from the present?

8. The presentation of Winston Smith's home, the television screen, drabness? The cafe, the rules, Selena and Parson and her spying on him? The drabness of the sequence in the cafe where Parsons and Smith met, Rutherford and Jones being present and then the propaganda about them?

9. The character of Winston Smith? The ordinary man? His role in work for the government, the ministry of truth and the irony of this? The fact that he was a rebel and wanted to keep a diary, the devices to avoid the detection of the diary and yet his failure? The build-up of his fear of Julia following him? Her note and its effect on him? His readiness to betray the government by meeting Julia? The effect of love in his life, his attitudes towards the junk shop room, the fields and the tower, her change of dress, the ordinary way of life and even keeping house?

10. The personality of Julia? First seeing her through Winston Smith's eyes, as a person of fear, the detailed scenes of her following him and the effect of this? The note? The effect on her of the experience of love and of keeping house?

11. The contrast of the shop and the kindliness of the junk shop owner, the talk about the past, the fields, the tower and the sudden eruption of the military exercise to the tranquillity of the tower?

12. The presentation of people at work in the ministry of truth, the artificiality of the set. their work. the lies in language and history, the double think and its language, history being changed, photos being destroyed. the effect on ,Winston as he knew the truth and as he saw it being changed? The thought police as being manipulators of this?

13. The ambiguous character of O'Connor? His control in the ministry of truth? His seeming friendliness, the ambiguity of his behaviour towards Smith. The fact that he was on the Thought Police, the sinister role in his final brainwashing and indoctrination of Winston? The surprise to find that the junk shop owner was a member of the thought police?

14. The presentation of Rutherford and Jones as symbols of the scapegoats of the lies and propaganda of Oceania? The facts versus the propaganda? The hatred roused in people by the use of these symbols?

15. The presentation of the arrest, the torture, the build-up to brainwashing and Winston's fear of rats and his torture by what he feared most?

16. The presentation of Parsons in prison, the comradeship with Smith, the irony of Parsons' daughter reporting him?

17. The end when Julia and Winston both confessed that they had succumbed to torture? The self-humiliation? The effect of this kind of fascist dictatorship?

18. How appropriate was the ending with Smith continuing to defy Big Brother even unto death, Julia's death?

19. How valid a critical picture of totalitarianism was 1984? How relevant are its warnings?