IT'S MY TURN
US, 1980, 91 minutes, Colour.
Jill Clayburgh, Michael Douglas, Charles Grodin, Dianne Weist, Daniel Stern.
Directed by Claudia Weill.
It's My Turn is conventional romantic comedy ingredients: woman faced with decisions and career, commitment. It is given the very light touch here but gains depth by Jill Clayburgh's capacity for intelligent and emotional acting, illustrating strength and vulnerability. Michael Douglas is surprisingly and effectively genial, Charles Grodin again is the insensitive, self-absorbed success. There is a beautiful cameo of feminine sensitivity by Beverly Garland as a tender step mother. This is a woman's film - executive producer, writer and the director Claudia Weill (Girlfriends) probing the character of a woman who is an achiever, has a capacity for personal independence but is not militant or antagonistic. Short, slight, pleasantly entertaining interludes and something to think about. The film is reminiscent of Jill Clayburgh's roles in An Unmarried Woman and Starting Over.
1. The romantic comedy tradition: the screwball comedies of the '30s, romantic fluff, the more permissive treatment from the 160s? The comedy able to probe - presenting surface froth but some depth and point?
2. The film offering a woman's viewpoint? The contribution of women to the making the film? Does it differ in any significant way from a film made by men? The principal focus on a woman? Relationships between men and women? Expected roles and questions - and traditionally masculine roles and questions being used for women?
3. The title, its reference to Kate and her life? Tone? Title song and lyrics?
4. The film taking place over a weekend: presenting Kate's basic situation, a challenge and change, seeing her situation afresh, changing, looking again at her life and making a future? The structure of the film with the younger couple: Kate and Homer, the transition couple Kate and Ben and the background of the older generation's marriage?
5. Kate as focus - Jill Clayburgh's sensitivity and intelligence in interpreting her role? Seeing her as an intellectual, skilled teacher, researcher? The successful professional woman? Her clashing with the student? The basis of her relationship with Homer, the quality of the relationship? His business absorption, joking, divorce? Kate working at the mathematical formulae in bed? Her indecision about going to New York - for the marriage, for the job interview? Her worry about having meals ready for Homer and his family? Hurting her toe? Homer's support and seeing her off? Her capacity for love, affection? Homer's meeting her needs? The reference to the space of their home? The importance of decisions about love. career, future?
6. Kate's arrival at the party and her silly behaviour? Her love and admiration for her father? Her resentment of Emma - the background of the selling of the house, the importance of the breakthrough in the powder room with Emma's sensitivity and explanation of her care for Jacob, Kate's realisation of this? The basis of love, admiration and friendship? Her encounter with Ben, his gallantry in offering to dance with her when she mistook her father's wanting to dance with her? The humour of the variety of dances and her becoming sick? Images ‘of Kate's uncertainty? Her interest in Ben, learning about his profession, and about his life? Fascination?
7. The transition from the party to the night - the walk home, the games competition and Ben beating her - but her wanting to win at darts? The build-up to the seduction? The flowers from Homer and her cutting her finger - and this theme later in the film? Her tightness and awkwardness? Her inability to relate intimately with a stranger? Ben's anger and leaving, his later sending the roses and the apology? What had Kate learnt about herself from the encounter with Ben?
8. The effect of the meeting with him - the news of her successful interview, the possibility of moving to New York, the question of leaving Homer, wearing clothes in Ben's favourite colours. visiting her fat-her and rushing to buy the present? Helping in the apartment? wanting to know more about Ben? Going to the baseball, seeing him in the line-up, getting enthusiastic, going home with, him and the intimacy being possible?
9. The background of Homer, his divorce, the kids? His not wanting to marry again and have to be part of another person's life completely? Ben, his wife having the affair, his love for his daughter, the phone calls? The possibility of being famous and Ben's being famous? Kate's being famous and important?
10. The wedding ceremony Jacob and Emma and their love, Emma and her sensitivity to Jacob's illness? The enjoyment of the wedding - Jacob and Emma as a pattern for Kate, friendship, love, intimacy, connecting?
11. The argument with Ben, the airport sequence, the issues of their future, Kate's career and moving to New York? The arrival in Chicago and talking with Homer? His inability to be fully loving of her and intimate with her? Her decision to leave?
12. The final sequences with the resumption of the mathematics problems, the comments about problem and formulae, a beginning? The gift and the possibility of a future life for Kate?
13. The contrast of the presentation of themes of love and career. Career taken for granted and possible for achievement - the need for love and an equal relationship with a man?
14. The film's light probing of themes of relationships, relationship of men and women and their roles, interests, affection, sexuality, intimacy, marriage? The uncertainty of the present generation in contrast with the serenity of the older generation? How wise a humorous film was this?
