THE MAN WHO HAD POWER OVER WOMEN

UK, 1970, 89 minutes, Colour.
Rod Taylor, Carol White, James Booth, Penelope Horner, Alexandra Stewart, Keith Barron, Clive Francis.
Directed by John Krish.

The Man Who Had Power Over Women is a brief sex comedy of 1970. It has some witty dialogue, focuses on an advertising executive who is having a midlife crisis, especially falling in love with his best friend’s wife (Carol White). James Booth portrays the best friend. The film also stars Alexandra Stewart as somebody with an eye for everyone.

The film was directed by John Krish who went on to direct the Jesus Project film, Jesus, which was released in 1979 and released continuously ever since, dubbed into many languages.

Rod Taylor had been a hit star of the 1960s but was in some decline during the 1970s. Carol White had made an impact in Cathy Come Home and Poor Cow.

1. The advertisements for this film agreed with the title and added that he used this power "and used it, and used it, and used it". Do you agree? Or was the title rather ironical?

2. How did the first sequences communicate what kind of a world we were in? the international pop scene with its ballyhoo and artificial words and emotions, its fawning and vanity, the world of advertising and the need to exploit, to hold your job? Why does this world seem so repulsive on the screen? Why do so many people like this world and find themselves happy in it?

3. What kind of man was Peter? Why was he in this job, in this world? Was he satisfied with himself, happy? Why did he drink so much?

4. Why was Peter's marriage a failure? Why couldn't a man
in advertising, whose job wee persuasion, communicate with his wife? Why did they quarrel? What was wrong with her? Did she try too hard to hold him? What did the flashback to their wedding reveal about their marriage and their relationship?

5. How had advertising formed or did he have that kind of personality? jokes, superficial, jovial? Did you think he had a happy marriage? Were you surprised to find him carrying on with Frances? Ware you surprised that he did not suspect his wife and Peter? Why?

6. Why was she frustrated in her marriage? Did she still love her husband? Why did she become Peter's mistress? What was she looking for? Did she find it with Peter?

7. Why couldn't Peter reunite with his wife? Whose fault was this?

8. Why did women throw themselves at Peter? the neighbour, Frances? Did he want them to do this? How do you explain his reactions to Frances?

9. What picture of the business world, records, advertising, did the film give? How did it show men selling their soul to phoniness? How do men survive in this world? Why can they so easily cut each other's throats for promotion?

10. Why was Peter disappointed with himself and this world?

11. Was death a surprise? Was the sequence in bad taste or was it just like one of jokes? How did his will reveal him? his true self?

12. What impact did the sequence of the pregnant girl's death have on you along with the star's vanity and indifference?

13. What was Peter's reaction to this situation and his going to the court to protect the star? How did it change him?

14. Did you believe that Peter had capitulated to the business world as be sacked the executive? Were you surprised?

15. Were you surprised at the final showdown? Could Peter have done anything else? Were you glad at the star's exposure and his callousness to his fans and their surprise? Why?

16. What future was there for Peter? Many of his problems were those of middle-age and lack of achievement. Had he overcome them?