SECOND SERVE

US, 1986, 100 minutes, Colour.
Vanessa Redgrave, Martin Balsam, Alice Krige, William Russ, Louise Fletcher, Nina Van Palandt, Reni Santoni, Jeff Corey.
Directed by Anthony Page.

Second Serve is a strong and effective telemovie, based on the true story of Dr Renee Richards. It offers Vanessa Redgrave an extraordinary opportunity for a powerful tour de force as the American doctor who underwent surgery to become a woman. She is absolutely persuasive as a man, entering into the part so well that the audience forgets that it is Vanessa Redgrave or a woman acting the part. Even in the scenes where the doctor cross-dresses, and even when the surgery is completed, Vanessa Redgrave does not appear as herself but rather as someone who has had such an operation. The make-up is excellent and persuasive and complements Vanessa Redgrave's performance.

The supporting cast is strong, including Louise Fletcher as her powerful mother, Martin Balsam as a conservative psychologist. The film highlights the tensions for the person who has to grapple with the problem of gender identity - and does it sympathetically so that audiences will be able to understand the problems and the solutions.

The case was all the more prominent because Renee Richards was a tournament tennis player and had to submit to court proceedings to determine her eligibility to play as a woman. After her own tennis career, she was the coach of Martina Navratilova.

The film was directed by Anthony Page, a veteran of serious movies and telemovies including I Never Promised You a Rose Garden and The Patricia Neal Story.

1. The impact of the film? Based on a true story? The focus on characters, problems? Audience ability to understand characters and problems?

2. The film designed for the telemovie audience, presenting the issues strongly but for the wide audience to identify with and appreciate?

3. The American settings, New York and affluent society, the tennis world, California, the French, Spanish and Casablanca locations?

4. The quality of Vanessa Redgrave's performance? Entering into the character? Make-up and costume? Voice tone? Masculine manner? After the operation - and the appearance and manner of the transsexual? The strong supporting cast?

5. The flashback framework, the voice-over commentary? The use of flashback throughout the film, especially collages of memory?

6. Audience understanding of transsexuality? The psychological background, social influences, influences of parents? The question of cross-dressing? The effect on the person? The judgments of society according to stereotypes? Behaviour, moral issues, relational issues? The consequences?

7. Vanessa Redgrave as Richard: tennis player, the relationship with Gwen, loving her, the strength of their relationship? Yet the need for cross-dressing, going out into the New York streets? The visit to his mother, the visit as a consultation - Vanessa Redgrave indicating the moods and the torment of Richard? His mother blaming herself? His father? Agreeing to go to the psychologist, the sessions, the conservative psychologist and demanding that he fight? The decision to leave? Going to see Josh, their friendship, Josh humiliating him in front of the couple? Josh pressurising him? The visit to the sympathetic doctor, the hormone treatment and electrolysis, the effect? His practice - and the little girl commenting on his appearance? The pressure on the doctor and the not continuing the treatment? Discussions with Josh about going to Casablanca? The visit to Spain and France, the talking with the transsexuals? The date, the dance, the attack and the criticism, the fight? Going to the hospital, preparation for the operation, backing out? The return, going back to normal, dates with Josh, meeting Miriam, the marriage, the passing of the years, the slides, the birth of the child, the separation? Miriam's hurt? Fishing with his son and trying to explain his leaving? Cross-dressing, the second doctor, the easiness of the operation? Going to see Josh again, revealing what had happened? Josh's acceptance? Going to California, the interview with the doctor and getting a position? Swimming, the friendship with the pool man? Dating and the affair? Playing tennis, being seen by the organiser, going to the tournament? The phone call and the threat of the exposure? Television program? Going back to see his father, the acceptance? The court case, Renee Richards as legally a woman, the court supporting her? Miriama taking the son away? The final sequence with Andy, the fishing, the son's acceptance of the situation and wondering why others couldn't?

8. Richard's mother, dedication to her work, consultation, the problem of talking with her son, the flashbacks and dressing up Richard in girls' clothes, the relationship with his sister, the effect? The photos? His father's disapproval? The bonds between son and parents? Going back to his father at the end, the father supporting his choices?

9. Joshua as friend, not understanding, the humiliation in front of the couple, wanting to stop Richard changing? The warnings about Casablanca? The final acceptance, the date with Miriam? The final bond and the complete acceptance?

10. Gwen, her background, in love with Richard, wanting to marry, pregnant, the decision about the child? Wanting to help? Miriam, the date, the marriage, the child, the slides? The separation and her taking Andrew away to Europe?

11. The response of the doctors: the conservative psychologist wanting to argue Richard out of his problem? The older doctor and the hormone treatment, the pressure from authorities? The young doctor who agreed to the operation? The hospital in Casablanca?

12. Transsexuals, the patients in the waiting room, communication with each other?

13. The background of the tennis world and Renee Richards' prominence in it?

14. The sequences in France, the transsexual and her advice? Spain, the man approaching Renee, the attack?

15. The plea to the courts, the status of transsexuals - and Renee explaining that she was a doctor, a surgeon, tennis player, parent and not just merely to be labelled as transsexual?

16. Her achievement in herself, for transsexuals?

17. The value of this kind of telemovie in presenting characters, issues, emotional and understanding response?