PLAYERS

UK, 1979, 115, Colour.
Ali Mc Graw, Dean Paul Martin, Maximilian Schell, Steve Guttenberg, Pancho Gonzales, Guillermo Vilas.
Directed by Anthony Harvey.

For devotees of lush international love stories and of Wimbledon finals, perfect. For those who like either, entertaining. Within a men's singles championship (credible hero Dean Paul Martin vs. Vilas, with Pancho Gonzalez genially playing himself as coach), the love affair of a hustler turned champion with an older woman (40ish and looking it Ali Mc Graw) is told in cumulative flashbacks. The romantic plot is fairly predictable, the tennis match not. The tennis is well - often excitingly - filmed with glimpses of many players like Nastase, Alexander, Mc Enroe. The success of the film rests on Martin and his pleasant personality and tennis skills persuade us that all this is quite possible.

1. The focus of the title, its reference to sport, its reference to life and romance?

2. The basic appeals of the film? To tennis fans and enthusiasts? For an American audience? International audience? The British background of tennis playing and championships? The appeal to audiences from tennis playing countries?

3. Audience knowledge of tennis and its skills and rules? The enjoyment of the authentic sequences? The atmosphere of the Wimbledon championship? Training, scoring? The way that the tennis sequences were filmed and edited?

4. The appeal of the love story, the love story with different ages especially with the focus on the older woman? The conventions of falling in love, affairs, clashes, decisions about commitment? How conventional was this material?

5. How satisfying the ending of the film? The tennis results? The decision about the affair? How credible?

6. The importance of the structure of the film: the opening five minutes with the build-up to the beginning of the championship match, the framework of the tennis match and its progress, ups and downs? The balance of the flashbacks of the love story with the present tennis? The presence and absence of Nicole at the match? The cumulative effect of the present tennis match and the flashbacks?

7. The impact of the opening sequence: the long passing of time, Wimbledon and its atmosphere, the commentary, the information about the players, their moods, tension? Two men on the verge of success? The contrasting personalities of the two men? Their response to tension? The audience getting to know each of them through the match? The difference in knowing Chris and his being the hero? The audience not knowing the background of Vilas, except as an authentic Player and his relationship with his coach? The balanced focus on the two coaches? The suspense and puzzle as to who was to win?

8. The build up of the character of Chris as a boy, his hustling with his friend, the gaining of money? The hustling in Mexico and the skill with the betting? The bashing of the fingers? Chris and his propensity for gambling? His theory about winning games and leading the opponent on? His explanation of his philosophies of play and of fear for his performance in Wimbledon? The bonds between Rusty and himself?

9. Pancho Gonzales and his reputation, Chris watching him as a boy on the television, his approach to him at Las Vegas, the challenge match and his winning against Gonzales, the decision about the training, the long sequences and detail of hard physical exertion and training? Gonzales and his personal style, genial attitude? His watching Chris during the match?

10. The introduction of Nicole, the car, the crash, the garage, the filling in of forms? Her decision to invite him home? The relationship between the two, the age difference, the sharing of interests, the breaking down of her tension? The intimate and sexual aspects of the relationship? The love scenes? The effect of the relationship on each? His falling in love with her and devotion to her? Her attraction towards him? The significance of his being in Mexico and her having to leave when the telephone went? The different world of Europe in which she moved? The repercussions of this in London and her decision to go? How well portrayed was the character of Nicole? Fashionable woman, her being kept? The puzzle of her living in Mexico? How much of her character was revealed,
her not telling the truth to Chris, the importance of Marco telling the truth about her later? Was it credible that Chris could fall in love so strongly with her?

11. The sketch of Marco, the rich European businessman, his ability to summon Nicole from Mexico? The yacht, his hospitality? The final argument with her? His attitude towards Chris? The reaction to her leaving him? A sketch of the big businessman and the kept mistress?

12. The build up of Chris and Nicole's separation, her accusing him of taking the money? The clash between the two? The device of showing the happiness of one birthday and Chris' ringing her during her next birthday? His coming to her as a success? Her decision to go with him? The mutual dependence? The London sequences and their sharing things together? How much did he depend on her? Her decision to leave before the game? The effect during the game on him and the continued focusing on the empty seat? The significance of her return towards the end of the match, her standing and watching? The return and date at the ferris wheel?

13. The effect of Vilas winning the match and the future for Chris? Would he go to Wimbledon again? The future of the relationship with Nicole?

14. The success of this kind of commercial venture combining '70s interest in sport and sport films and the love story? The optimistic tone of the end of the '70s? Insight into relationships?