NUMBER ONE

US, 1969, 100 minutes, Colour.
Charles Heston, Jessica Walters, John Randolph, Diana Muldaur.
Directed by Tom Gries.

Number One is a sporting film, about American football. But, unlike the heroics of the sports films of the '50's, this one shares the sombre and questioning mood of the '60's. The advertising says that when you're Number one, the only way you can go is down. But the point of the film is how and when do you go down? Do you retire at your peak? Do you stay in the game you love until someone overtakes you? What happens to your middle-age, if you try to stay at the top too long? Thus Number one is a psychological sports drama.

The questions of the film are rather obvious and so are the varying angles offered for forming an answer. This makes the film somewhat pedestrian, but does not necessarily take away interest. The hero is 40, has been a great quarterback, but another man is up and coming. His marriage is satisfactory, but his wife is a most successful fashion designer who has tried to share his interests but not to her husband's selfish satisfaction. They have no children. As the film opens, he is weakening physically, is dissatisfied with his wife, has an affair with an admirer, and considers jobs he might take up. We never really know the answer because the last frame of the film is still a question.

Charlton Heston is good as Ron Katlan ('The Big Cat') and Jessica Walters effective as his wife. Tom Gries, the director, uses straightforward techniques as well as numerous flashbacks to the Big Cat's heyday. (Gries worked with Heston in the fine, subdued Western, Will Penny and in The Hawaiians). Although a sports film, principally a film of middle age and ageing.

1. Was this a satisfactory sporting film? Was it merely a football film?

2. How did you know that the 'Big Cat' was losing his grip?

3. Ron Katlan was edgy, arrogant and selfish. Why? Was he dissatisfied with himself? Did he face the realities of age and ageing?

4. How successful was his marriage? Had he done all he could for it? Was he too demanding on his wife?

5. Did his wife harm the marriage by her fashion career? Was she loving and interested in his game? Would children have made a difference?

6. How did Katlan appear as a club man? what was his relationship with the coach?

7. Why did he have the affair with the admiring girl? Did he love her at all? Was he right to tell his wife the truth immediately?

8. What was the point of showing us Katlan sounding out prospects for jobs in computers, in leasing cars?

9. Why were the flashbacks of sporting success effective because shown within sequences of job seeking?

10. What options did Katlan have, continuing, retiring, being displaced, the points of view put forward by the coach, Kat's retired friends (the big time car leaser, the friend who borrowed money), Williams, his wife, the tennis shop owner, "You do what you do the best in the world."?

11. Why did Katlan play at the end? What decision had he made?

12. What was the meaning of the final scenes with Katlan on the ground?