THE RAGING MOON
UK, 1971, 112 minutes, Colour.
Malcolm Mc Dowell, Nanette Newman, Bernard Lee, Gerald Sim.
Directed by Bryan Forbes.
The Raging Moon is a romantic film written and directed by Bryan Forbes who has made such excellent films as Whistle Down the Wind, The L-Shaped? Room, Seance on a Wet Afternoon, King Rat. This film is obviously more light-weight, but is very effective. There are similarities 1n the plot to Love Story, but this film shows what British screenplay writer and director might have made of this film. The mixture of sentiment with realism is carried off very well.
The film is interesting also for the performance of Malcolm Mc Dowell prior to A Clockwork Orange but after If..... Nanette Newman is Forbes' wife and has appeared in many of his films. She gives a touching performance.
1. The title comes from a poem by Dylan Thomas, What bearing did it have on the film?
2. What was your final reaction to the film? Did it leave you happy or sad? Why?
3. Was this a realistic film? Was it a sentimental film? How well did it combine realism with sentiment?
4. What were your first impressions of Bruce? How typical was he of a young man his age? Was he likeable? How did he fit into his family? his relationships with them? his father? his friends?
5. What incidents did the film use to build up Bruce's character and help the audience understand him? Why were the football scenes so important? As well as the other sequences showing his vitality and the use of his legs?
6. How sorry for Bruce were you when you realised that he was a paraplegic? What impact did this have? How did the film communicate this?
7. Was he sorry for himself? should he have been? Were people's reactions to his illness predictable? How should they have reacted? especially his family?
8. Was it better for Bruce to go to an institution? What was happening to him at home? What effect was it having on him?
9. What were your first impressions of the home? Through whose eyes were you seeing it? Were these first impressions valid?
10. Were Bruce’s first reactions reasonable? Justified? Why could he not communicate? Did the other invalids do enough to encourage him? What finally got through to him?
11. Why was Bruce attracted to Jill? Would their paths have crossed otherwise? What did they have in common besides their physical condition? What needs did they have which the home supplied? Why did they fall in love?
12. How did Bruce's attraction to Jill change his behaviour and life at the home? Why was Jill so attractive? How did her illness, her family explain her character? Was she a strong woman? Why did she fall in love with Bruce?
14. What role did the matron play in the film? the chaplain? the other inmates of the home and their illnesses, friendliness and sorrows?
15. What impact did the preparation for the wedding have on you? How had Bruce changed by this stage? How had Bruce made true friends?
16. How sad was Jill's death? The screenplay did not prolong our expectations. Rather, the death was sudden. How effective was this?
17. What were the repercussions of Jill’s death on Bruce?
18. What future had Bruce? How had his love and illness changed him?
19. How humane a film was this? What effect would it have the average audience?
