THE SHOOTING PARTY

UK, 1984, 92 minutes, Colour.
James Mason, Edward Fox, Dorothy Tutin, John Gielgud, Gordon Jackson, Cheryl Campbell, Robert Hardy.
Directed by Alan Bridges.

The Shooting Party is an elegantly photographed adaptation of a novel by Isabel Colgate. It was directed by Alan Bridges who showed flair with this period in The Hireling. Bridges has also directed such films as Out of Season, Age of Innocence.

The film is set in 1913, a weekend shooting party in Darbyshire - serving as a metaphor for the pre-World War British society, a dying aristocracy, elegance and double standards, needing somehow or other to be purged. (Something of these elements appeared in Alan Bridges' version of Rebecca West's novel The Return of the Soldier.) The film is served by an excellent cast, James Mason very good in one of his last roles. The decor, locations reflect the atmosphere of the times - and take an audience back into a world of good manners (where deeper passions lay beneath the surface).

1. The impact of this British film, its period, a memoir of an age, a symbolic fable about the early 20th. century?

2. 1913, the British countryside, its beauty, the homes, the hunt? Manners and gentility? The detail of lifestyle on an estate, manners and styles for dining, relaxation? Costumes? The contrast between the aristocracy and the servants? The musical score and its mood?

3. The focus on a small group of characters, the composition of the party, what they stood for, their backgrounds, interactions? Treated realistically? Symbolically?

4. The introduction by Sir Randolph and his comments on the times, the wealthy, the role of the aristocracy, the impending war, his point of view on Britain, the transition from 19th. to 20th. century, his vision? Lionel's view - the end of an age? The philosophical reflections about the period? Evidence? Validity? The end of the film with the voice-over comment about World War One, the members of the shooting party who were casualties?

5. Manners and good form, expectations on the aristocracy? Country estates? Sir Randolph and Lady Randolph, their household and the management of it, their guest list? The benevolent landowner - with a common touch? His relationship with his guests, with his family, with Tom, with the ordinary people? Minnie and her sharing her husband's vision, the importance of the garden sequences and the translation of the flowers? The variety of the aristocracy, European background, Jewish businessmen? The attitudes towards Europeans and to 'the Israelite'? Government, change, languid beauty, romance, flirtations? The role of women - decorous? The role of men - virile, competitive? A blend of arrogance and charm?

6. The ordinary people: the tenants, the game-beaters, the assistants, the poachers, the servants? Style, manner of living, opportunities, education - and. Sir Randolph with the possibility of people moving out from a poor lifestyle by education?

7. The British and the traditions of the hunt and shooting, a manly sport, a gentlemanly sport, non-competitive? The animals who were hunted? The visuals of the hunt, the birds, the sounds, the shooting? The ducks and their deaths? The hounds? The contrast with Osbert's duck? Guns, the rules? Cardew and his objections, his demonstration, his views on hunting - and the way that they were taken by the party? By Sir Randolph? Life at the inn, Tom Harkins, crackpot?

8. Sir Randolph and his presiding at the shooting party? His position in society, his age and experience, wisdom? Aristocracy, the common touch? With Minnie? The members of his family? The children and the writing of the diaries, playing with dogs? His relationship with Tom Harkins, with the keeper and the offer of money for the education of his son? The encounter with Cardew and the discussion of pamphlet-writing and publication? The breeding of birds. the killing of birds? His understanding of the various members of the party, his diplomacy? Tom's accident. his staying with him, his praying with him at his death, comfort? His standing in the centre of the group of the shooting party?

9. Bob and his brusqueness. ordinariness, arrogance and presumption, relationship with Olivia? Why had they married? Expectations of his marriage? Child? His relationship with Lionel? Lionel's attention to his wife? Olivia and her place in society, love for husband. feminist views? Her being sought after by Lionel? The past relationship? Walking together. the love talk, the butterfly? Her being alarmed at Lionel’s attention?

10. Lionel and his youth, work at the bar. a gentleman, champion shooter, his ideas, paying attention to Olivia, pursuit- of her. the love talk? The highwayman? The competition with Lord Hartlip? His self-assurance? His valet, the valet using his letters to Olivia? The death of Tom, his blaming himself for his competitiveness? Had he survived World War one, a new man for a new age? The news of his death?

11. Sir Reuben and his title, access to Sandringham, his wealth? Decisions? His pursuing Aline, the affair, the break with her? The film's comment on the place of Jewish businessmen in British society? Anti-semitic attitudes?

12. Gilbert and his intensity. his physical pain. his competitiveness, his assistant tallying his score? The estrangement from his wife and their agreement to separate? The shooting party, his intensity, shooting Tom? Offering money as compensation? Guilt? His wife and her estrangement, behaviour in society, wealth, flirting, the affair with Sir Reuben? His leaving her?

13. The Count and his pleasant manner, the Hungarian background, arrogance? Cicely and her youth, gossip. infatuation with the Count. talk with the women? Her reaction to his arrogance and breaking with him?

14. Osbert and his sister, the fancy dress, the discussion about the writing of memoirs, the wild duck as the pet, the search. the danger?

15. The valet and the maid. their place in society. in the household, the valet using the letters to court the maid?

16. Tom Harkins and his poaching, sneering at the aristocracy, his encounter with Cardew. helping with the hunt, his being shot, praying, Sir Randolph helping him, the tobacco, his death?

17. The shooting party as a group: the weekend structure of the film: the arrival, introduction to the characters. revealing their backgrounds, the meals and the talk. the hunt preparations. the walks. the marquee? The quality of the talk of the film? Too preachy? Ideas and images?

18. The film as a British story. character study? The audience caught up in the experience and its meaning?