THE SLEEPING DICTIONARY

UK, 2002, 109 minutes. Colour.
Hugh Dancy, Jessica Alba, Bob Hoskins, Brenda Blethyn, Emily Mortimer, Noah Taylor.
Directed by Guy Jenkin.

The Sleeping Dictionary is a film about Sarawak in the mid-1930s. The introduction to the film reminds audiences of the British Empire and its far reach. However, with the advent of World War Two and its aftermath, the British Empire was coming to an end.

The film, made in Malaysia, shows the village people of the period, the influence of the modern era, of the West, as well as of their own traditions.

However, the focus is on the young British diplomat who comes to Malaysia, full of British colonial presuppositions, faced with the reality of acculturation, of his rather tight emotional background, of falling in love for the first time. This leads to quite a crisis for him personally.

The title of the film refers to Eurasian women who are designated by the village to be the sexual companions of the British officers, and taking the opportunity to teach them the native language.

Hugh Dancy is very good as the young man. He was to do a similar kind of role in Shooting Dogs in 2005. After that, he moved to the United States to a successful career. Jessica Alba, after her television series Dark Angel, is the Eurasian sleeping dictionary. The excellent supporting cast includes Bob Hoskins as the local official, Brenda Blethyn as his controlling wife, Emily Mortimer as his daughter, and Noah Taylor as a bigoted official.

The film is quite emotional, raises issues of colonialism, the administration of justice, personal integrity, relationships, racism.

1. A tale of the British Empire, the 1930s, the traditions of England, the traditions of the Malay Peninsula, of the islands beyond the peninsula, of Sarawak? Change? The Empire soon to disappear?

2. The use of Malaysian locations, the remoteness, the village, the sea, the jungle? Sarawak and Borneo? The musical score?

3. Audience knowledge of the Malay Peninsula, of Sarawak? History, culture, the people, the colonial experience, exploitation? Soon to be rebels against the British?

4. The title, the explanation, the attitude of the characters towards this situation?

5. The introduction concerning young Britons, the colonies, their preparation, lack of preparation, the background of education, morality, class?

6. Hugh Dancy as John, his age, experience, the drama of his arrival, the way that he was dressed, hoping to be met, meeting the son of the chief, his appearance, tattoos, his way of travel? Going to the village? The irony of the car with the oxen pulling it? The tribes, his encounter? The duty officer, his welcome, advice, the accommodation, comment on his clothes? The invitation to the celebration, the drinking, the dancing, John required to sing, his doing so? His noticing the young woman? The first experience of inculturation? The jokey nature of the culture?

7. The duty official, the background of his life, his ethos, duty, his advice, his own experience of the sleeping dictionary, the later revelation that the girl was his daughter, his relationship with his wife, her presence in the colony, her knowledge of what was going on, her control?

8. The tribe, the chief, his son? The cook and his drinking? The young woman, accepting her role as a sleeping dictionary, past partners? Her attitude towards John?

9. John and his immediate reaction, unwilling to have the woman in his house, the compromises, his life, the cook? The young woman and her relationship with John, her expectations?

10. John and his reaction, his hurting the woman, her feelings, the difficulties, the differences? His finally accepting her, the effect on him, his first major emotions, sexual encounter? The effect on the woman? Her acceptance in the village, his acceptance?

11. The development of his character, his role in administration, the duty officer giving him the task about the Chinese heads, the tribal people playing jokes, the monkey skulls? His asserting himself, swimming? His getting the real heads? The issue with the illness, the epidemic, the deaths? The Dutch miners? The tribes, the tribe accepting him and the woman? Their care for the people? Discovery that the rice had been poisoned? His authorisation for the tribes to killing the miners? The consequences for him?

12. Cecil, the background of her life in England, coming to visit, photographing the woman, the encounter with Neville? His hoping to marry Cecil? Her mother, matchmaking, her strong talk?

13. The bargains, the woman marrying someone else? John returning to England? Otherwise his being blamed? His decision to give up the woman? The year in England, proposing to Cecil, the wedding, their life?

14. John and his relationship with Cecil, attempting to love her, the memories of his sleeping dictionary? His return? Their hoping to establish a new life?

15. Neville, as a character, brutal, vengeful, pursuing John and the woman, his death?

16. The duty officer, the bargains, the truth about his daughter and his own life? His change of heart? Allowing John to go?

17. His wife, her being with her husband, her story, controlling? Her plan failing? Her daughter acknowledging the woman as her half-sister?

18. Cecil, her character, trying to attract John? Her inexperience before the marriage? Her social status? In the colony? The meal, people dressing up? John and his searching for the woman? Cecil prepared to give John up? Her decision and her decency?

19. The sleeping dictionary, her child, John realising it was his? Her husband, the engineering of the meetings, the attempted killing of John? The trial, the young man and his admitting his intentions, John avoiding the decision, death?

20. The escape, going to the mountains, Neville’s pursuit, his death?

21. The consequences of this kind of colonialism? The exile of John and his wife – and a romantic ending to this story of Empire?