RHINOCEROS
US, 1974, 104 minutes, Colour.
Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder, Karen Black, Joe Silver, Anne Ramsey.
Directed by Tom O’ Horgan.
Rhinoceros was one of several films made of celebrated theatre productions, the American Theatre series of the 1970s. Other films included Joseph Losey’s Galileo, Luther with Stacy Keach, Lost in the Stars, based on the Kurt Weil play, and John Frankenheimer’s version of Eugene O ’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh.
This is an opportunity to see a film version of a play by Eugene Ionesco, one of the writers of the Theatre of the Absurd movement (which included Jean Genet and Samuel Beckett).
The Theatre of the Absurd focused on character, lack of dramatic conflict, absurd situations which the characters talked about and acted in as if with perfect logic. In this case, a bored accountant (Gene Wilder) and his friend John meet for a cup of something at a restaurant and find a herd of rhinoceros charging down the street. It seems that humans are turning into rhinoceros – and the question is will the bored accountant conform or not. Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder had played together to great advantage in Mel Brooks’ original The Producers. Karen Black appears here as the girl of the accountant’s dreams.
The film is not particularly opened out and is very theatrical – the work of Tom O’ Horgan who is better known as a theatre director than a film director.
1. What is the value of having the American Film Theatre? Its presentation of plays on film?
2. How well was this film produced as a film, incorporating the values of the stage structure? Did the film seem too stagebound?
3. What was the main impact of this film? How enjoyable was it, how interesting, how demanding? Why?
4. What were the main characteristics of the film as comedy, as a serious exploration of human nature, as a farce, as a parody of human behaviour? Which aspect predominated, why?
5. The significance of the title: Why was this animal chosen, its significance in itself, as a lumbering pre-historic animal, the opening and the emphasis on the dinosaur’s skeleton's evolution)? The significance of the pre-history, rhinoceros and the fact that it was never seen? Only heard? The emphasis on evolution and devolution?
6. In devolution, as opposite to evolution, the theme for the meaning of this film? The retarded man going backwards? What were the main characteristics of this devolution and the reason for it? How pessimistic a view of human nature is this?
7. How well did the film create its atmosphere? John standing behind the dinosaur head and emerging? The intercutting of John and Stanley and their final meeting? What anticipation did the film have?
8. How central was Stanley for the film? A kind of Everyman figure, a man who did not devolve, the man who survived and who wanted to survive, affirming his individuality and not coming to a bad end? How would he be described as a human being? His fears, timidity, opting out by drinking, his relationship with John, Daisy, the people at work? The quality of his work and life? His capacity for relating and his fears of relating? The disappointments of his life? What insight was given via the character of Stanley?
9. How did John contrast with him? Zero Mostel's screen personality? (Did it obtrude in the film? contrasting with Gene Wilder’s screen personality?) The humour of John's approach to the restaurant, his disregard for others, the accident and his taking the apple, his dandy way of presenting himself? His relationship with John and dominating him? Why did John change into a rhinoceros? Was the scene in which he changed adequate? What was the point of the change? How humorous was this, how frightening? Why was he changing?
10. Why did all the others change into a rhinoceros? The men at work? Nicholson and Carl and the others at work turning into rhinoceroses? Why did Daisy finally give in? the herd instinct, people afraid to be alone, turning insensitive in group fear, turning aggressive and trampling down others? Was this them well portrayed?
11. What type of person was Daisy? In her work, in her relationship with Stanley and John? The importance of the rescue sequence from the office? Her concern for John and visiting him at his home? What happened that she gave in?
12. The importance of Stanley's nightmare? Its symbolism and its relationship to the theme?
13. The film had an American setting. How was this an allegory for the wider world? Its particular significance to America?
14. What were the main themes of the film? Especially the exploration of human nature and individuality, the modern world and society, totalitarian aspects of society and their influences on human thought and behaviour, the destruction of people in society?
