OLD BOYFRIENDS

US, 1979, 102 minutes, Colour.
Talia Shire, Richard Jordan, John Belushi, Keith Carradine, John Houseman, Buck Henry, Bethel Leslie.
Directed by Joan Tewkesbury.

Old Boyfriends is a psychological drama, a portrait of a woman whom we discover is in breakdown and who is visiting the men in her past life - with vengeance in mind. The film is a star vehicle for Talia Shire (the Godfather films, the Rocky series). The men include Richard Jordan and John Belushi.

The film was directed by Joan Tewkesbury who wrote the screenplay for Robert Altman's celebrated Nashville. It has a similar episodic structure, but lacks the drama and the humour of Nashville.

1. The impact of the film? Interest in the portrait of Diana? Relationships between men and women? The film's lack of box office success?

2. The film as a piece of Americana: California, Colorado, the Midwest? Locations? Characters?

3. The opening, the suicide and the story? Motivation, reasons?

4. Diana and her diary, memories, the present situation, her decision and motives?

5. Jeff: television commercial and its detail, the meeting, the three proposals, the spoon on the nose, the bar, meeting, separated, remeeting, the night together, the promise, gone; the search - detection, information, employer, husband, discovery, the puzzle, the daughter and the bonds? The ending and freedom?

6. Eric and dress, memory, revenge, tease, undress and the Strand? Songs and support?

7. Wayne and the encounter, nice, brother, mother, gentle? Diana and the mother, the help, the pullover, identity, damage, hospital? The mother's reaction?

8. The doctor and the interview with Diana? Its repercussions for her?

9. Diana and the effect of the journey, on herself, others, damage, the ending?

10. Love, memories, hatred, revenge? Growing older? Breakdown and coping? The relationships between men and women?