REVENGE

UK, 1971, 80 minutes, Colour.
Joan Collins, Sinead Cusack, James Booth, Ray Barrett, Kenneth Griffith.
Directed by Sidney Hayers.

Revenge is a small, at times overwrought, melodrama. It focuses on a father whose little girl has been molested and killed. He is goaded into action by another father whose daughter has been killed. They pick on their victim, abduct him, torture him, plan to have him killed, - but then seem to realise that he may not be the killer. The presence of the killer in the cellar has an effect on the man's family, disrupting it completely.

In a surprise twist at the end, the victim is revealed to be the true killer and the father kills him while he is attacking another little girl. The film is grim - but corresponds to the headlines so often found in newspapers. The film probes the capacity for violence and revenge, the brittleness of family relationships and tragedy being able to disrupt families.

James Booth is very good in the central role. Joan Collins is his wife -and, at moments, exploits her screen image - even in pre-Dynasty days. Ray Barrett has a good role as the other father and Kenneth Griffith is excellent as the child-molester. They film is directed by Sidney Hayers who worked on The Avengers and made a number of other thriller movies including Deadly Strangers.

1. The impact of the film? Interest? Entertainment? Exploration of human nature?

2. The location photography, the authenticity of the English town, the homes, the streets, the pub? The people in these situations? Colour photograph? Atmospheric musical score?

3. The title and the indication of the theme: the focus on the funeral, the emotions of the parents, the antagonism towards the killer, the lynching mentality, the exasperation with police justice, taking the law into one's own hands, the repercussions on the individual, on others, on the victim? The irony of the ending and the victim being truly the killer?

4. The credibility of the central situation: the molesting of little girls, the long sequence as the men tracked the killer down the street, saw him at the school, his reactions to the girl? Audiences believing that the man had killed the girls - or not? The credibility of the father's reaction, of Harry goading him on? Of the plan seemingly easy in theory, disrupted in fact? The number of accidents - the dog, their being seen, the victim not dying, the cellar of the hotel and its having to be concealed, the victim getting out, his injuries? The visits of the police? The newspaper reports? The repercussions on the father and his grief, violence? The stepmother and her feeling hostile, her passion for her stepson? The stepson and the brittleness of his relationship, his relationship with his stepmother? The reaction of the younger sister? The behaviour of the police? The molester attacking another little girl, the final death? Height, harmed for the sake of the film?

5. The focus on Jim as an ordinary man, his work at the pub, his friendly relationships with his customers, his grief at his daughter's death? His friendship with Harry? Harry persuading him to abduct the molester? His son being in on the plan? The problems with his daughter? Carol and her relationship with him? His part in the abduction, his violence in throttling the molester? His tension in trying to decide what to do, blaming Harry and demanding him to participate? Trying to coordinate the various members of the family, concealing the presence of the victim? The passing of time, the plan to return his corpse to the house, the visit of the police, his acting drunk? His weariness and not knowing what to do? His bewilderment with his wife and son leaving? The reaction of his daughter? The phone call from Harry about the innocence of the molester? His treating him well, feeding him, offering him money? His return to find him molesting another child, killing him? Ringing the police? A credible portrait of this man in such a plight?

6. Harry and his own experience, friendship with Jim, persuading Him to vengeance, helping with the plan, backing out from violence? His wanting to get away? The passion of his theories? His ringing about the newspaper report?

7. Carol as stepmother, being the barmaid, marrying Jim? The resentment of Jill? Her passion for Lee? Being mystified about the cellar, her anger at the molester, striking him? Her participation in the plan? Her being insulted by Jill, hurt by Jim? Lee and his passionate attack in front of the molester? Her decision to leave Jim and go with Lee? Credible behaviour? Motivation?

8. Lee and his place in the family, working in the pub, relationship with Rosie? Active in the plan, following the molester, driving the car, the bike? The violence in the cellar? Covering up? Having to cope with Rosie? His impotence with her? The attraction towards Carol? His almost raping her in the cellar? Leaving with her? Credible? Jill and her resentment, her reaction to the molester being in the cellar, pleading humanity, offering him food? Her misunderstanding of his comments about the sex in the cellar?

9. Rosie as the girlfriend, working in the bar, drawn into the mystery, the puzzle of the cellar? Lee's impotence and her being hurt? The police and their investigations, techniques? The empty cellar?

10. The portrait of the molester, seeing inside his house, his devotion to his mother, preserving her room, his going out to the shops, the long way round, staging at the school with the girls, returning the same way? The justification of their suspicions? His being abducted, the violence against him? Deserving it whether he was guilty or not? his suffering in the cellar, wanting water, his escape into the fields, return because his glasses were broken? The rehabilitation by Jimi, feeding him? The visit of the little girl and the audience reaction to his plans for her and the molestation? The film's comment on child molesters?

11. Exploring the theme of revenge and violence - dramatised and made emotionally credible?