THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES

US, 1940, 89 minutes, Black and white.
George Sanders, Margaret Lindsay, Vincent Price, Dick Foran, Nan Grey, Cecil Kellaway, Alan Napier.
Directed by Joe May.

The House of the Seven Gables is based on the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne – and the house can still be visited in Salem, Massachusetts. Hawthorne was also the author of The Scarlet Letter which has been filmed a number of times including films by Wim Wenders and Roland Joffe.

The film shows the struggle between two brothers for the possession of the house. George Sanders, the sinister brother, frames his brother and gets him sent to prison for twenty years. Margaret Lindsay as Hepzibah waits for him. When the brother, Vincent Price, gets out of jail he has a plan to wreak his revenge.

The film has the basic outline of the novel – and with the skill of the two leading actors and Margaret Lindsay, gives some body to the characterisation and themes of the book.

The film was directed by Joe May, Joseph Otto Mandel, one of the founders of German cinema prior to World War One, influencing Fritz Lang in his work. When Hitler was elected as chancellor, he moved to the United States where he directed only a few films.

1. The house of the seven gables itself was a central symbol - what did it symbolise with reference to the principal characters, to the New England society of the times?

2. Nathanael Hawthorne was fascinated by the working out of the Puritan origins of New England throughout its history? the strict external moral code, the greed in the name of respectable righteousness, the superstition and fear of evil and the devil. Were these themes present in the film and well developed?

3. How important was the family curse? Why?

4. How were the two brothers presented at the beginning of the film? The musician was meant to be an easily-recognised bohemian irresponsible type, the lawyer the respected, responsible type? Were these your first impressions? Were these the impressions of the townspeople? Did ideas and impressions change? Did those of the townspeople? What does this say about the Puritan code which placed so much store and value on externals?

5. Why was the father so unreasonable? Were you shocked by the death scene and the accusations of murder? Why?

6. Was the trial a fair one? What was wrong with it?

7. How did the passing of the 20 years, with the changes in the principal characters, show how evil prospers and good suffers?

8. Did Hepzibah do the right thing in becoming a recluse? Was she true to herself? What else could she have done?

9. Did prison benefit Jaffrey? Did it change him? How?

10. How ironic was the meeting in prison between Hepzibah and Jaffrey? Is evil often overcome by chance and ironic twists of fate?

11. How did Jaffrey prosper in 20 years? Was he happy?

12. What made Hepzibah blossom again - the human contact, some love, hope, achieving something?

13. Was the plot too cunning in trying to trap Jaffrey? What did he hope to gain by tricking Jasper?

14. Death according to the curse - but how did the curse operate: from outside him or from within him?

15. Was the ending too neat or was it fitting for all the suffering, patience of the principal characters?

16. The film is old-fashioned - is its style too dated or does it still stand up well todav?