ROSELYNNE AND THE LIONS

France, 1989, 180 minutes, Colour.
Isabel Pasco.
Jean- Jacques Beneix.

Roselynne and the Lions was made by Jean Jacques Beneix, celebrated director of Diva and Betty Blue (and receiving poorer reviews for his stylised Moon in the Gutter).

This slight story of a teenage couple who become lion tamers, fall in love, clash and develop their talents is made to seem far more powerful and significant than it is. But, that said, Beneix treats his characters with ringmaster tough affection so that they come across persuasively - as do the very strong sequences with the animals. It is a light story, but stops out treatment.

1. Entertaining study of human beings? Youth? Circuses? Animal trainers?

2. The work of Beneix and his flair, his films and their style, subjects? His personal interest in the story and his relationship with the female star?

3. The French settings, the country town, Munich? School, the zoo, the circus, the hotels? The real world, the stylised world? The style for filming the circus and its arena? Activities in the ring? Stunts with the circus? The actors themselves and their lion taming expertise? Editing and pace? Score?

4. The presentation of the lions and tigers, audience response to animals in captivity, performing in circuses? The training? Cruelty? Circus and performance?

5. The technique for our entering into the circus world, the long passageway, the ring, experiencing the circus, sharing the experience with Roselynne?

6. The school, Thierry and his daydreams, being mocked, the teacher, going to the zoo, watching the animals and the training, his applying to do the training? His working, impressing the trainer, attracted to Roselynne, working with her, learning, his achievement? The teacher and his being impressed? The growing relationship with Roselynne? Frazier watching? Their decision to leave and to go and find fame and fortune?

7. Roselynne and her age, her relationship with her mother, her mother's love, her mother wanting her to be a lion tamer, memories of Roselynne's father? Her skills with the animals? Friendship with Thierry? The decision to go, leaving?

8. Seeing the youngsters at work, with Markovich? The bigger circuses, the camels, Thierry and his feeding the animals? Management and the clashes? Markovich and his attitude towards the youngsters? Thierry giving the warning to the buyer about the buying of the lions?

9. The Koenig circus? The decision to go, the possibility of being hired? Markovich testing them out? Koenig watching them?

Click and his training of the tigers? The reference to the little French couple? Roselynne and Thierry out of their depth, the audition, showing their abilities?

10. Munich, the circus, Koenig and his influence on the circus, the lions and their difficulty, the lions on heat, Theory being tested? The effect on him? Frantic and the danger? The effect on Roselynne? Their life in the hotel, the love between the two, the bonds, hopes and ambitions?

11. Koenig and his belief in his circus? The decisions about Roselynne? The journalists? Roselynne and the interviews? The rehearsals and photos? The article and her reaction?

12. Thierry and his anger, watching Click, the jealousy, his ill-treating Roselynne, his brutality, the trick with the plank, his being gored, going to hospital?

13. The portrait of Click, German severity, the rules? With the Animals, his drinking? Relationship with Koenig? His failure at taming the lions? His response to Roselynne? His fear, drinking, killing himself?

14. The reconciliation between Thierry and Roselynnne? Reunited, Koenig supporting them, the final performance, the glamour, the focus on Roselynne and the animals, symbolism of death? Conquering death?

15. Portrait of the characters, in a different world?

16. The portrait of human beings in comparison with the world of the animals? Human conquering animals? Conquering fear? Taming? A symbol for human life, control, ambitions?