FELLOW TRAVELLER
UK/US, 1989, 97 minutes, Colour.
Ron Silver, Hart Bochner, Daniel Travanti, Imogen Stubbs, Jonathan Hyde.
Directed by Philip Saville.
Fellow Traveller is a film about the American black list, the proscribing of American writers, actors and producers because of suspicions of their belonging to or association with the Communist Party. The Un -American Activities inquiries of the late '40s and the pressure of Senator Joe Mc Carthy caused what Lillian Hellman called "Scoundrel time". Other films to treat this theme include Sidney Pollack's The Way We Were, Martin Ritt's The Front (written by Walter Bernstein, who experienced the black list), and Irwin Winkler's Guilty by Suspicion (1991 with Robert de Niro and Martin Scorsese portraying a Joseph Losey character.)
This film is an interesting collaboration between the BBC, the British Film Institute and American Home Box Office. It was designed as a theatrical feature and was directed by Philip Saville, a veteran of British films and telemovies for over twenty years. The cast is both British and American (especially with Ron Silver effective as the central character) and Daniel J. Travanti.
The film focuses on a writer and an actor, good friends who are victims of the black list. The writer leaves for England and writes under a pseudonym for a television Robin Hood series (as did Ring Lardner Junior in real life). The actor stays in Hollywood and finally kills himself - thinking that he cannot live because he has named names. The film also highlights the activities of the Communist Part in the United States, especially in the atmosphere of the Allies during the war, the United States and the Soviet Union.
Daniel J. Travanti portrays a psychiatrist who has various actors and producers in therapy and who uses inside information to name names - and he alleges this for the sake of international socialism. The themes of Marxist socialism and Freudian psychology are interwoven into Michael Eaton's very effective screenplay.
A film of drama, a film of American history, a film of intelligent themes, intelligently explored.
1.A British and American co-production? Effective cinema/TV? A blend of mainstream traditions and more experimental moviemaking?
2.The impact of the structure: beginning, middle and end, but not necessarily in that order? The credits sequences, the end credits? Suggestions of period, flashbacks, intercuts of different times? The overall picture of the period from 1943 to 55? The making of the Robin Hood series, Kaufman's writing, the parallels in the Robin Hood story with his own experience?
3.Re-creating the atmosphere of the '40s and '50s? The United States, Los Angeles and Hollywood, the contrast with London in the '50s? Period sense? The background of moviemaking? The colour photography, light and darkness? Musical score?
4.The background of the house inquiries into un-American activities? The suspicions of communists, the Cold War? The alliances during the war? The spectre of Reds from the '30s? Senator Mc Carthy and his inquiries? The scoundrel time? The subpoenas, the naming of names? The senate inquiries, the politicians and their stances, their bullying methods, the televising of such inquiries? The responses of the American public, the responses of politicians? The responses of the media and sponsors? Fear? The establishing of the black list and its consequences?
5.The title, communists? The application of this title to each of the central characters? To Asa Kaufman?
6.The portrait of Asa Kaufman, the focus of the film? Ron Silver's performance, screen presence? Nervous energy, creative writer? The memories of childhood, growing up, the friendship with Cliff? Writing? The Jewish background? The atmosphere of 1943, the making of movies, the messages in the propaganda films of the time? The 1943 benefit and the atmosphere of World War Two? The studios, movies, dramas and messages - and verbose or verbal messages being dropped? The sunny atmosphere of California, the world of Sarah, Joan, Cliff and Asa, the beach and play? The changing atmosphere of the late '40s? The growing tension, Asa's nerves, writing, his going to Jerome Leavy? His own personal nightmares - and the visualising of the nightmares? The departure for England, leaving Joan and the children? Arriving in England, the boarding house, his sense of being alone, the phone calls, the jobs? The BBC? The possibilities of writing for Robin Hood? Mental blocks, writing blocks? The parallels with his own experience? His wanting to write the common man? The phone calls to Joan? The news of Cliff's death and his reaction?
7.Asa and his work, the unAmerican activities, the inquiries, Cliff and the defiance? The interpretation of the dreams, his parents? The film screenplay's interest in Marx and Freud, psychology, socialism? The growing danger, a danger to himself, his moral decisions about what to do, stay in America or leave?
8.The British background of changes in television in the '50s, the TV director and his changing loyalties, Sir Hugo Armstrong of the BBC's style? The BBC controls over the screenplay? The contrast between British outlook and American - and heroes as if they were in the Battle of Britain? The advertisements, the staging of the Robin Hood episodes? Asa's ability to survive?
9.The device of the Robin Hood parallels, the allegory and characters, the betrayal, Friar Tuck, Little John? Hart Bochner playing Cliff and Cliff as Robin Hood? The end - and the family watching the Robin Hood episodes?
10.The portrait of Joan, her marriage to Asa, their love, the family, her concern? Cliff's death and the phone calls? Her jealousy of Sarah? Thinking the marriage was over? Her coming to Britain?
11.The portrait of Cliff - and the Errol Flynn/John Garfield parallels? The credits, happy at the beach, his washing, swimming, his writing the letter, the brutal violence of his death? The headlines? The '40s star, his relationship with Sarah, his enthusiasm about Leavy, his psychotherapy? His sense of his self, the cause? The prison movie and the execution? The friendship with Asa? Their parting? The farewell letter, writing to Sarah, asking forgiveness? The pressure on him by the situation, his career, by Leavy?
12.Leavy, at the benefit, the fashionable psychiatrist, his Freudian theories? Working with Cliff? The initial encounter with Asa, Asa's wariness, outbursts? Their sessions? His going to England, Asa's attack on him during his speech, the questions, getting the audience against Leavy? His rationalising of his naming names, the purifying of socialism, Russian and its show trials - and the comparison between the US and the USSR?
13.Sarah, her experience in the United States, the affair with Cliff, returning to England, her being watched? The Communist Party, its meeting, organising the conference? Meeting with Asa, allowing him to stay, the sexual encounter, his guilt? Her attitude towards Leavy? The conference, Leavy's speech and her reaction, leading the opposition? The impact of Cliff's death, her memories, coping?
14.The background of Britain: the strict landlady, her snooping, ousting Asa when he had Sarah in his room? The police, surveillance - the police and their eating, arrogance? The world of the television studios, directors, technicians? Sarah's friends and their arguments? The membership of the Communist Party, at the conference?
15.The impact of this experience and time on Asa, the sense of betrayal, his own lack of self-confidence, his writing, his conscience, being united with his family and starting again?
16.The film as a British perspective on the United States in the '40s and '50s, the memories of the scoundrel time and its consequences?
