PROMISES IN THE DARK

US, 1979, 115 minutes, Colour.
Marsha Mason, Susan Clark, Ned Beatty, Kathleen Beller, Michael Brandon.
Directed by Jerome Hellman.

Producer turned director, Jerome Hellman (Midnight Cowboy, Coming Home) has kept a firm balance between "message drama" and soap opera in this story of a dedicated doctor and her care for a terminal patient. The writing is strong but the themes are moving and the excellent performances engage the audience.

Marsha Mason has a fine role as the lonely but busy and drained doctor. Susan Clark and Ned Beatty are persuasive as the parents of Kathleen Beller who performs well in the difficult role of the terminal patient. The film, while grim in its implications, looks at the pressures in the medical profession as well as the need for compassion.

1. The appeal of the film, audience interest in themes and persons? An enjoyable film? Human interest, illness, suffering, coping with suffering, death? Moral decisions?

2. The significance of the title, its use in the film? The darkness of illness, death? Promises and vague hopes? The reactions of people to illness and death? Audience expectations from the film?

3. The focus on Sandy and Buffy? The tine given to each woman in establishing her character, her basic situation, suffering? Interaction and dependence? The blending of the two strands of the plot? How well did the film illustrate each character and the quality of the interrelationship? A serious message film, a film of sentiment? Successfully moving between both extremes?

4. The use of authentic hospital personnel for the film? An authentic atmosphere about the hospital, the impersonation of the staff, treatment? The presentation of hospitals in detail, technology and machinery? The manner of the hospital staff and the dealing with patients? The pros and cons of hospital practice e.g. the X rays and their quality? The background of Connecticut and West Hartford? The contribution of the score for atmosphere?

5. The tone of the opening with Sandy driving - the long credits sequence, the revelation of character and invitation to the audience to understand her? Marsha Mason's presence and style? The long journey from Indiana and the implications of leaving home behind? Her arrival, taking over a practice? Her establishing her proficiency, communication with people? The unsatisfactory X rays and the communication with Jim? Her work with Dr. McInerny? Her having to take Buffy as a patient, the operation sequence after the explanation of difficulties and the possible danger for amputation? Her success with Buffy, the moving sequence when Buffy cane out of the anaesthetic? Her care for her, Buffy's parents' reaction and their wanting Sandy to continue her care? The discussion with Dr. McInerny? Seeing Sandy at work, her compassion in the hospital, her continually being exhausted and drained? Her living alone and the variety of sequences in her apartment - her study, television programmes, dedicated to work? Her slovenliness at home, her meals, the decision to go out to the restaurant and the sadly ironic sequence of watching the woman dining alone? Her later decision to clean up the apartment? The encounters with Jim, the outings, the discussion about the outings, her explanation of herself and her divorce, her reticence? Asking him to leave? His breaking down her resistance - phone calls, notes, poem? The growing bond between the two and her permitting herself to enjoy his company? Her care for her patients, care for Buffy? Her plain talk to Buffy and the importance of the argument around the hospital bed and trying to avoid telling her the truth? Her discussion with the Koenigs? The relationship with the nurse? Her visits to the Koenig home, Buffy's getting worse and her telling her the truth, the collapse situation and the ambulance and this leading to Buffy's death?

6. Buffy and her decision about dying, her wanting the machine turned off? The nurses' attitude, the parents' attitude? The way in which the film focused on Sandy and showed her deciding to turn the machine off? On what basis, medical ethics, morality? Ordinary means of keeping people alive? The necessity of extraordinary means or not?

7. The introduction of Buffy? the boys and girls at the football, play, the kick, the breaking of the bone, the hospitalisation, the puzzle, the X-rays, the operation and the amputation? Her grief and response to Sandy's care? Her relationship with her parents? Going home and the group around her, welcoming her? The bond with Gerry - the love scenes, the friendship, her putting him off because she knew the truth - and his hurt? Her demands to know the truth, her going in and out of hospital, the range of treatments, experimental treatment? Her pain and cries in the night? Her parents and their ability and inability to respond? The collapse and the nurse getting the ambulance? Her talk about death and the turning off of the machine? How well did the film communicate the reality of terminal illness, the emotional implications, the truth about death?

8. The portrait of the Koenigs - in themselves, their work, relationship? Fran and her ability to control, Bud and his seeming weakness? The discussions with Sandy, with Dr. McInerny? Seeing each of them at their work and their professional success? Bud and his softness, the sequence of his raking the leaves? Fran and her strength, her being paralysed on the steps? The illness making the two grow together? Their decision about not turning the machine off?

9. The subplot with Jim - his success at his work, his flirting with Sandy, his attention and devotion to her, the outings, the visits at her apartment, his trying to break down her resistance? The visit to Buffy and his skill as a doctor? How authentic the subplot?

10. The presentation of the staff ? Dr. Mc Inerny, his ethics, rules? Decisions about Buffy and treatment and the machine? The nurse and her calling the ambulance, Sandy's rebuking her, her reaction to the final decision?

11. The sketch of Gerry, the bond with Buffy, the sequences in the room together? Her rejecting him?

12. How well did the film discuss and illustrate thews of illness, medicine, machines, tests, experimental programmes, the dignity of dying at home?

13. Stages of illness, the psychology of dying, the dignity of dying? Death in contemporary society and ability to face it? The contribution of films like this?