THE WILD DUCK
Australia, 1983, 92 minutes, Colour.
Liv Ullman, Jeremy Irons, Lucinda Jones, Arthur Dignam, Michael Pate.
Directed by Henri Saffran.
The Wild Duck is an unexpected addition to Australian films. It is an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's classic play to the Tasmanian countryside at the beginning of the 20th century. The change of locale to Tasmania works quite effectively, a distant and somewhat isolated community. The film also benefits by being set at the beginning of the 20th century with its anticipation of hope and progress. While Tasmania is not mentioned specifically in the screenplay, audiences around the world may not have realised that it was set in Australia.
Adaptation and direction is by director Henri Saffran. Saffran had made a number of significant films in Australia, especially his children's classic Storm Boy. He made other films like Norman Loves Rose. The cinematography is excellent by Bruce Beresford's regular cinematographer, Peter James.
The cast is also very interesting, Saffran inviting Liv Ullman to play Gina, the wife of the family, the downtrodden woman who has something of a scandalous past. Jeremy Irons came to portray her husband Harold. Lucinda Jones is Henrietta, the little girl who becomes the victim of her parents' tragedy. The wild duck of the title is a bird who is wounded - and who becomes a symbol of Henrietta.
The supporting cast is very strong with John Meillon as the father, shooting wild game in the attic of his son's house, remembering his past. Arthur Dignam is Gregory, the friend who comes to visit, insensitive, good intentions but also self-righteous, who feels that he must tell the truth no matter what the cost and does so with tragic results. The cast also includes Michael Pate.
Ibsen's view of the world tended to be somewhat grim if not pessimistic. Society does not help individuals of families, truth and lies are essential ingredients of an Ibsen drama with tragic results when the truth is revealed.
There have been several versions of The Wild Duck, including a 1977 German version of the play. This version also has an international cast led by Jean Seberg and Bruno Ganz.
1. A quality entertainment? The quality of Australian production? Interpretation and adaptation of Ibsen's classic?
2. The background of Ibsen: 19th century Europe, Norway? The status of the family in 19th century European society? Questions of class? Roles and stereotypes of men and women? Wealth? Law, crime, fraud? The quest for the truth? The belief in progress and honesty? The change in religious background - the collapse of the Christian denominations? Individual religion and piety? The religion of honesty and truth? The bleakness of Ibsen's outlook? The relevance of this play in his time, later? Within the context of Ibsen's plays? Its classic status?
3. The adaptation from Norway to Australia? The change in time - to the early 20th century? The relevance of the characters, situations, issues to Australia? To a not-so-distant past? Australia and Norway as outpost nations, frontier, isolated? The Australian atmosphere and flavour - period? The universality of Ibsen's play and its themes? Does the adaptation to Australia work?
4. The film as based on a play: the reliance on dialogue for the stage, limited action? The opening out of the action from rooms and houses to the streets and the countryside? An appropriately cinematic adaptation?
5. The contribution of colour photography, decor, period? The use of colour: light and darkness, warmth and cold? The establishing of the atmosphere of the town? The homes? Streets, shops? Railway station? Costumes and styles? The early 20th. century: cars, cameras, guns etc.? The musical score and its orchestrations and echoes of classics?
6. The atmosphere of the opening: Wardle and his shooting, 'a big shot', hunting, the power of the hunter, the wild duck and its freedom, becoming victim? Wardle's eyes - and the importance for Henrietta's being his daughter? The wounding of the duck - because of his partial sight? The dog and its rescuing the wild duck? The intervention of Peters and his asking for the wild duck to be a gift for Henrietta? Wardle's offhandedness - with its irony about his relationship with Henrietta? The wild duck visualised as symbol, as becoming a symbol for Henrietta?
7. The role of Wardle: his wealth, relationship with the Major, the business partnership, the story of the past and his exploiting the Major? The Major going to jail and Wardle prospering? His home life, relationship with his wife? The irony of his estrangement, his exploiting the servants - especially Gina and the fathering of Henrietta? His alienation from Gregory? His buying Harold and marrying off Gina? Avoiding the responsibility of parenthood? His patronising of the Major and giving him copying work? The friendship with Mrs. Somers, the entertainments at her house? The proposing to Mrs. Somers? The arguing with Gregory? The truth being told? His being a controller? The present for Henrietta and the revelation of the truth? The attack on the wealthy classes and their exploitation? The insecure basis for their wealth? Gregory's observation of the group playing Blind Man's Bluff at the party and the use of the symbolism of blindness?
8. Henrietta as the wild duck? The duck as a symbol of her - her tending it? Her facing the reality of killing it as a self-sacrifice for love of her father, her killing the duck and herself? Her place at home? Love for her mother - the shopping sequences etc.? Love for Harold as her father? The talk about the sweets, her disappointment when he brought home only the menu? Her love for her grandpa: the attic and the hunting, the tending of the rabbits? Her age, growing up to adulthood? A loving child? The difficulties with her sight - the irony about the comments of blindness in the family and her being Wardle’s daughter? Her growing bewilderment, trying to please everybody? The help of Roland and Morrison? Their caring for her and supporting her? The meeting with Gregory at the station? Her
9. Gina and her strength, practical woman? Her ability to take the photographs, do the shopping, prepare the meals - even the breakfast for Harold during the crisis? Her devotion to her family? Her love for Harold and concealing the truth from him? The mistrust of Gregory? Her comments about truth and lies? The necessity of covering the truth for protection? Her opposing Gregory's desire to reveal the truth and his optimism about the truth healing everything? Harold's reliance on her for surviving, encouragement in his experiments, work? Reliant on his return. even though he was shocked and despised her? The background of her mother and her putting her in service, the relationship with Wardle. the marriage? The argument at the end - and her even persuading Harold for a reconciliation? The grief at Henrietta's death? The funeral sequence? Her final consolation of Harold? The presence of Liv Ullmann in the role with her Norwegian background?
10. Harold and his eccentricity (son of his eccentric father)? Jeremy Irons' twitchy and mannered performance? Moodiness, reality and unreality, sense and stupidity, living in a world of his own, his inventions - and practical outcome or not? Harold going to meet Gregory at the station, his eager anticipation, their friendship - after so many years? Getting ready to go to the party, the promise to Henrietta for the sweets? His presence at the party - after the difficulties with getting the suit ready? The small talk and his awkwardness? His father's arrival and his being embarrassed by him, avoiding him? An indicator of instability and what was to come? His forgetting the sweets but bringing the menu?
Harold as lazy, being waited on at home? Work, invention - and its unreality? Moodiness? Friendship with Gregory and his moving in? The moody reaction to Gregory's earnestness? Gregory telling him the truth - and its being shown in silhouette with the audience imagining what was being said? The gift for Henrietta? The blindness and his realising she was Wardle's child? His going out drinking with Roland and Morrison? His disillusionment, disappointment? Self-centred reaction? Disgust with Gina? His return? The talk - and almost reconciliation? Gregory's trying to persuade him of Henrietta's sacrifice and her love? The pasting of the gift back together after his irascible tearing of it? His reaction to Henrietta's death? The funeral, grief? Gina consoling him? A credible character - adapted from a stage presentation of an intense eccentric character?
11. Gregory and his background in the town, his clash with his father, being away 16 years, the return? His pleasantness? Suspicions? Over-seriousness? The party in his honour, his behaviour, the criticism of his father - blind man's bluff? His attacking Gina? Henrietta's shame? His moving into the house? Moving out? His passion for truth? His unreal hopes that the truth would be liberating? His causing mischief in the family? Roland's attack on him? The intensity of his persuading Henrietta to kill the duck - the different versions of his persuasion? Gina's rejecting him? His own blindness - moral blindness in the name of honesty and truth? A 19th century idealist? The film's comment on the evil wrought by such an idealist?
12. John Meillon as the Major: the background of the war in the Sudan, his age, drinking. copying for Wardle? His hunting in the attic? Living in a world of his own? His disappointments? The background of his work with Wardle. the fraud, his imprisonment? His relationship with Harold - the father seen in the son? Love for Gina, for Henrietta? His explaining how to shoot the wild duck to Henrietta? His grief?
13. Roland and Morrison: the doctor alcoholic and his practice, the unfrocked clergyman? The patients? The drinking and their sense of failure? Their help to Henrietta, to Harold? Arguing about Gregory? The support of Henrietta on her birthday? Themes of lies and illusions?
14. The picture of society in the town: the affluent guests at the party, Mrs. Somers - and her visit to Gina and friendship with her? The game of blind man's bluff? The discussion of wines?
15. The sense of tragedy at the end: power, using people, victims being used, weaknesses, suffering, retribution to the next generation, loneliness, madness, love and hatred?
