OUR MOTHER'S HOUSE

UK, 1967, 104 minutes, Colour.
Dirk Bogarde, Margaret Brooks, Pamela Franklin, Mark Lester, Yootha Joyce.
Directed by Jack Clayton.

Our Mother's House is an excellent example of the quietly macabre genre of art akin to Henry James' The Turn of the Screw. Seven children love their mother so much that they keep her death a secret, bury her in the garden and communicate with her for decisions about their day-to-day activity. Eventually Charlie, a cheap spiv who seems to be their father, arrives and changes their way of life until a horrifying climax.

Jack Clayton also directed the film version of The Turn of the Screw as The Innocents, with Deborah Kerr as the governess. The film relied on suggestions of horror, atmospheric photography in black and white on a wide screen. Here there is the same atmospheric oppression, but on the small screen and in subdued browns, reds and yellows and suggestions of autumn and dusk. Again, The Innocents began and ended with an eloquent close-up of the governess's hands. The early part of this film focuses on hands, eyes and profiles. The eerie atmosphere is essential to the film.

Acting is good, the children looking like brothers and sisters and some of them seeming slightly sinister, especially Dinah and Dunstan. Dirk Bogarde is excellent as a cheap Cockney lout.

Fairly grim, but excellent.

1. How was the eerie atmosphere of the house achieved? Comment on the subdued colours, light and shadows, autumn and dusk, the focussing on hands and eyes, the piano score.

2. First impressions of the children - 'mother time ' and of Mother herself? The hints that the cleaning lady gave against Mother?

3. How well did the children love Mother - note their awareness of and sorrow at her death.

4. What was the effect of the Bible reading (Song of Songs), the religious talk and the threats of judgment and Hell among the children?

5. How morbid was the atmosphere? Did it seem in keeping with the atmosphere that they should bury Mother themselves?

6. How well did they succeed with their plan - school, shopping, bank cheque?

7. Did they really believe in Mother's presence in their Tabernacle? What was the effect of the seance, in the dark, with Dinah 's incantations and prayers? Comment on the credulity of the younger children and an 'Dinah 's 'making up' a decision.

8. Why was Louis introduced into the film? How did their dressing up and acting show them as real children?

9. Why were the children s cruel to Gertie? What does this show about group influence and superstition?

10. What kind of a character was Charlie? What was he after? Why did the children like him? Why did Elsa dislike him? Did he bribe them to like him? Comment on his look of any moral sample.

11. Did he tell the truth about Mother?

12. Why did Dinah take his part and then turn on him? What was the final thing that horrified the children?

13. What did they decide to do at the end? Was their decision the best to make?