ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF IVAN DENISOVICH

UK, 1972, 105 minutes, Colour.
Tom Courtenay, James Maxwell.
Directed by Casper Wrede.

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is a successful screen version of the novel by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, which reflects some of the Russian Nobel prize winner's own experiences. It is a work which, whilst showing a particular day in the life of a particular person, nevertheless has universal application and Ivan Denisovich becomes an Everyman figure. He is an ordinary man, a prisoner, a survivor in a world of hardship. He suffers but experiences some joy in a hard and seemingly meaningless life. Solzhenitsyn's vision is somewhat optimistic and encouraging.

The film is very well made. Acting is good and Tom Courtenay, a fairly versatile actor (King and Country; Billy Liar; Doctor Zhivago) makes a convincing Ivan Denisovich. Courtenay had appeared in another of Casper Wrede's films, a religious parable set in the army - Private Potter. This film should be seen as a human document and as a visual reminder of conditions in Russia in the mid-twentieth century.

1. Comment on the title, the impact of showing just one day; credit sequence going into the concentration camp and leaving at the end. What was audience reaction?

2. With whom did the audience sympathise? Did you identify with Ivan Denisovich? What presuppositions about prison and humanity did the film make?

3. Was he an ordinary man, an Everyman figure? Were the nature of his crime and punishment in proportion? Ignorance of his crime? The framework of Stalinist Russia? Communism and Stalin's imprisonment of this ordinary man? The effect on him in relation to his involvement in the war, his work, his wife and children?

4. What questions about prisons and imprisonment did the film raise? Justification of prisons? what effect on men does prison life have?

5. Trace through the order of the day in order to discover an insight into the character of lvan? nature of imprisonment, sense of survival, share brotherhood, importance of the talk on religion showing what Ivan believed about God, himself, prayer.

6. What insight into the character of Alexander Solzhenitsyn did this film give? Insight into Russia, communism, Stalinism.

7. How great a sense of humanity was there in this film? Why?

8. Was it pessimistic or optimistic?

9. What was the final emotional impact for the audience?