PEPPERMINT FRAPPE
Spain, 1967, 92 minutes, Colour.
Geraldine Chaplin.
Directed by Carlos Saura.
Peppermint Frappe is an early film by celebrated Spanish director Carlos Saura. It was also the first of eight films in which he featured Geraldine Chaplin (others include Raise Ravens, Elissa My Love and Mamma Turns 100).
The film is an interesting look at an introverted and somewhat repressed doctor. He is also a man obsessed by sexuality. He has a timid secretary (played by Geraldine Chaplin with her natural looks). He has a reunion with an old school friend and his new wife (Geraldine Chaplin in blonde wig). With a touch of James Stewart in Vertigo, he becomes obsessed with the women (both secretary and wife) with violent results.
The film is attractively photographed in the Spanish provincial town of Cuenca. It was dedicated to Luis Bunuel (a daring move in the latter part of the '60s when Bunuel was out of favour with the Spanish government).
1. The impact of this drama? Spanish drama? Universal themes of middle age, obsession and violence?
2. The attractive colour photography in the Spanish provinces? Cuenca? The countryside, the city? The '60s? The devices for Julian's memory? The musical score - classic and contemporary pop?
3. The title and Julian’s favourite drink? The focus on Julian, the credits sequences with his cutting out the photos from the magazines? His skill as a doctor? Ana as his assistant? At work, surviving? Not marrying? The meeting with Pablo, the friendship, the past? His memories of-the past - especially with the marriage ceremony and himself as the lower half of the priest watching the two getting married? His attraction towards Elena? Fascinated by her, the outings, the car, the drives, the talk on the bridge, its beauty, the potential suicides? Elena’s brightness, her dancing? The comparisons with Ana? His seduction of Ana at home? His not possessing Elena and therefore the plot to kill both Pablo out of jealousy and Elena? His transforming of Ana into Elena (and the memory of his visit to the beauty parlour with Elena)? The brutality of the murder yet his quiet manner, the car over the cliff, his bicycle? Ana waiting for him disguised as Elena and playing the drum as in his memories of Elena on the Good Friday? Their retreat from the world? The madness?
4. The contrast with Pablo, the successful friend, Africa, their not having seen each other for a while, Pablo's marriage, verve, his house, his happiness with Elena, boisterous style, becoming Julian's victim?
5. The importance of the memories - of the two boys and the play, marriage ceremony of their childhood? Julian's memories of the Good Friday festivities and Elena beating the drum?
6. Geraldine Chaplin as the two women: Ana and her primness, her work, attentiveness to the doctor, her visit to him, the drink, the seduction, the change in her, wanting to be changed, knowing about Elena, seeing the photos, understanding that she was to be changed to Elena's form, witnessing the murder? Why did she change? To be loved and accepted? Her final beating of the drum and the whirling camera? The contrast with Elena, her blonde and glamorous style, background of Africa, speaking English, her verve, the -outings, the bridge, the flirting, the memories of beating the drum, the final encounter, going to her death, running and being chased by her husband?
7. A world of reality and fantasy? Isolation? Obsession leading to violence? Basic drives, frustration and their dire results madness?
