NOT QUITE JERUSALEM

UK, 1985, 109 minutes, Colour.
Joanne Pacula, Sam Robards.
Directed by Lewis Gilbert.

Not Quite Jerusalem was directed by Lewis Gilbert, director of Alfie, Educating Rita as well as many action adventures, especially several of the James Bond films with Roger Moore. It is based on a play by Paul Kember, who has opened up his play to make it a mixture of comedy and terrorist drama.

The film focuses on a group going into a kibbutz. The photography of Israel is quite spectacular at times. However, the group tends to be something of a caricature, as group and as individuals. The terrorist scenes are well staged. But, all in all, while enjoyable in its way, the film does not quite jell.

1. An entertaining blend of drama, comedy, action?

2. The audience presuppositions about Israel, Arabs, terrorism, life on the kibbutz? Contemporary '70s and '80s Middle East questions?

3. The location photography, its beauty? The kibbutz, the desert, cities? Authentic feel, climate, weather? Scenes of work? The action sequences and the special effects? The musical score: blend of action themes and romantic love theme?

4. The title and its focus on Israel, the kibbutz, the Promised Land and the individuals not quite achieving it?

5. The film based on a play, adaptation of characters, opening out? The conventions of the group meeting, confined, interacting? Humour, crises, change?

6. Life on an Israeli kibbutz: the communal lifestyle, sharing, no wages? The mixture of Jews and Gentiles? The management and their control? The initial jokes about the plane raid and the effect on the visitors? The jokes about food, work, the dormitories? entertainment? Gila and her attitude, superior tone, her changing? The glimpse of her parents? Work, production, support of the kibbutz? Terrorism and dangers? The memories of Israeli wars? The cemetery sequences?

7. The group and its international tone, the opening of the film and the various locations, airports? The individuals leaving home, home based situations? Hopes, arrival, practical jokes, settling in, the nature of the work, their mistakes, success, some staying?

8. Gila and her work on the kibbutz, her Israeli stances, her surliness to the visitors, her antagonism towards Mike, explaining things laboriously to him, their work with the cattle and the hay, his mistakes, her hard words? Trying to begin again? Her relenting, the visit to the cemetery, the horse riding? Introducing mike to her parents? Falling in love, the affair, shared experience, discussions about the future? The terrorist raid and her being taken, her coming out of the fortifications? The farewells, her being hurt, Mike and his plans for the future, his return? Mike's background, hopes for being a doctor, American style, antagonism towards Gila, the affair, the effect on him, commitment?

9. Pete and Dave with their British background, Cockneys and North Country types? Their expectations? Working with the poultry, finding the food difficult, ogling the girls, their reaction to the Finns and the large Swedish girls? Their carry on? The jokes at their expense? Their concert item and the satire on the British? Dropping their trousers and offending the Israelis? Their being expelled from the kibbutz? Their drinking, the fire, their heroism in the rescue and changing people's attitudes? Pete going home, friendships, his helping of Carrie? Dave staying?

10. Carrie and her primness, leaving home, stories about being a nurse, the photo and it being her father, her high standards, work, the Entertainment Committee, people poking fun at her, the Australian girl and her friendship, puzzle? Dave hurting her and Pete's rescuing her? The story about her breakdown? The effect of her stag in Israel ? and her going off her tablets, deciding to stay, the reception officer?

11. Rothwell and the American comic style (Jerry Lewis style)? His ingenuous style, rabid loyalty to his Jewishness? Comic turns? His failure of his item on the stage? The attraction towards Yoshiko, falling in love, the tourist group arriving, the encounter with his parents, his mother's disdain? Sharing the experience of the terrorists? The happy ending?

12. Angus and his religious background, in the military, his terms in Ireland and its effect on him? Love for children? Making the boat? His accidentally causing the fire? His wandering Jerusalem?

13. The variety of people on the kibbutz, Grace and her ocker style? The international flavour of the workers?

14. Rothwell's parents and the tourist group, their presumptions, heavy American style, prejudices?

15. The Arabs introduced in the credit sequences, from New York, from Jerusalem, planning, the split-second timing of the rehearsal, their cause, the execution of the raid and its failure, the strong Israeli security, the siege in the town, the military operation, their deaths? The hostages and their experience?

16. A picture of young people in the '80s, styles, generosity, hopes, crises and coping?