PLAY IT AS IT LAYS
US, 1972, 101 minutes, Colour.
Tuesday Weld, Anthony Perkins, Adam Roarke, Tammy Grimes.
Directed by Frank Perry.
Play It As It Lays is a very American film, not so popular outside America. It is also presented in its screenplay, in a kind of stream of consciousness form focusing on the central character, a Hollywood star who goes downhill, played very well by Tuesday Weld. The film focuses on various episodes in her marriage, her career, abortion etc. Anthony Perkins leads an effective supporting cast. The film was directed by Frank Perry. He and his former wife Eleanor were responsible for such interesting films as David and Lisa, Last Summer. Since then Perry's career has not been so striking, eg. Man on a Swing, Rancho Deluxe. Play It As It Lays is a very sardonic look at the American way of life, symbolised by Hollywood and the film world. Joan Didion wrote the adaptation of her novel.
1. The meaning of the title, the tone of the phrase, reference to games, to life and experience?
2. An interesting film, enjoyable? For women, for men? American audiences?
3. Audience expectations and response to the Hollywood life style? Rich, idle, successful, ambitions? A particularly American life style?
4. Colour, locations, the wealthy Hollywood and California life style? Nevada and locations? Music?
5. The importance of the structure and audience involvement: the initial focus on Maria and the credit sequences with the aspects of psychology and tests? Her comments on the tests and indications of psychological disturbance? The film ending with her and her comment about experiencing nothing? The interspersing of the film with her comments in the institution? The fragmentary nature of her flashbacks and the revelation of her character?
6. What themes were most explored: the indication of psychology during the credits? Life, questions and appropriate answers? Her comments with B.Z. concerning questions and answers, the right answers, the right answers? Having four aces but in the wrong game? The cynical experience of nothing?
7. Maria as an American woman? An Everywoman character of the 20th century? Her explanations of her family and the deserted town, mother, father and their deaths? The friends from the past and the opportunities? Her going to Hollywood, the nature of her tests and the comments during the tests as revelation of herself? Her success in film? Her marrying Carter, the child and its having to be institutionalised and the effect on her? Her drifting from Carter as he was successful? Her affairs ? and her relationship with the father of the child that was aborted? Her revelation of the abortion, her experience of the abortion and the effect on her? Her decision to go away and stay in her own apartment? The build-up to the divorce? Her drifting after the divorce, Nevada, the gangsters? Her breakdown? Her relationship with her daughter and her love for her? How well did the film show the facts about Maria, how did it put together the meaning of her life? How sincere was she in her quests? In searching for an answer? How much was she in control of her life, how much a victim? Her inability to cope? How was this revealed in her relationship with her husband, her lovers, B.Z. and Helena, Carlotta?
8. The portrait of Carter as the successful young director? His success within the film world, with B.Z.? His push and style? His relationship to Maria and their drifting apart? A portrait of a chauvinist male, a type?
9. The significance of B.Z. and Helena? For their marriage, their being paid to stay together? Helena and her marriages, her insights, her understanding of B.Z., friendship with Maria?
10. How central was the character of B.Z.? His skill as a producer, the bond with Carter, with Helena, with Maria? The relationship with Carlotta and her observations about people? What made him so cynical? The importance of his explanation of Jewish background, his father as a Jesuit trainee and his losing his faith, his alcoholism? His glib remarks, attitude towards Hollywood? Yet his willingness to help everybody even though it depressed him? The significance of the bonds with Maria, their walks along the beach? Their discussions about life and death? The significance of his helping her with the abortion, in getting her away from the apartment? The reasons for his death and his experience of nothing? His contribution to Maria's breakdown?
11. The importance of the abortion theme and her experience in telephoning, pain, the assistant, the operation and its effect on her memories? The importance of the incidental characters associated with the abortion? With the leasing of the apartment?
12. The people of the Hollywood parties, in the film world, gangsters and lawyers, gamblers? What view and vision of the world?
13. The contrasts with the visits of Maria to her daughter? The live daughter and the aborted child? The importance of the sequence where she told the father of the child about the abortion?
14. A portrait of a meaningless world? How pessimistic was the overall view of the film, justifiably so? Did the film give insight into people asking important questions about life and failing to get answers? From a woman's point of view especially?
