LOVE AND DEATH
US, 1975, 85 minutes, Colour.
Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Olga Georges- Picot, Harold Gould.
Directed by Woody Allen.
Woody Allen's comedies are, perhaps, an acquired taste. His fans should enjoy this film very much. It is his mini-treatment of Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky and their themes and he gets away with it. Picturesquely beautiful, recreating 19th century Russia (though punctuating it with black Sergeant-majors and a cheer squad at a battle), the film plays visually and verbally with the ultimate themes of love and death, the pretentiousness, the simplicity, the pre-suppositions about heroism and nobility, the realities of fear and selfishness. Diane Keaton once again supports Allen. Allen's is an intelligent humour of the little man, humour that successfully laughs at itself while taking itself very seriously.
1. The appeal of Woody Allen, the reasons for the cult of his films? The enjoyment value of this film?
2. Comment on the basics of the Woody Allen character: the small hero, glasses, a man who succeeds but who seems weak, strong? His relationship with women? His emphasis on the theme of what true masculinity is? Verbal wit, intelligence?
3. The main characteristics of Woody Allen's humour: verbal jokes, satire, humorous exaggerations and juxtapositions, an emphasis on philosophy and religion? The visual humour: tributes to other films, art forms, sight gags? How were these illustrated here, especially in films about Russia, Russian epics, medieval fables. especially about death?
4. How did Woody Allen treat the Russians in his screenplay? The names of characters, the incidents from Russian classics? what did he derive from Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Pasternak? How well were they put together? The explicit tribute? The parody of these classics, yet paying tribute to their essential themes?
5. Comment on the exploration of the themes of love and death: insight via parody and laughter? The discussions of the types of love, the inevitability and all-pervading atmosphere of death, death as the continual haunter of man? A visual presentation of this? The 20th century commentary in 19th century guise?
6. The framework of Boris's execution? The observations on death. the reminiscences about life? The execution, leading to the dance of death? The motif of death the reaper? The significance of Boris's dreams and their relationship to death for e.g. the waiters and the coffins?
7. The traditional conventions of this production: of the family,, the nature of the relationships of the family.. the various types? Via the portrait of a Russian family and the satire on this? The contrast with other family societies? Boris as a little boy. his precaution. his small stature beside his brothers? His relationship to his domineering mother. especially about the war? His father as being a fool with his piece of land for an inheritance? His brothers and their conventional strength and size? What insight into the character of Boxis were these comparisons? His role in the Russian household with its traditions?
8. Sonia as the heroine? The type that she was presented as, her verbal skill, her intellectualism as contrasting with her emotions? Her quoting of herself as Dostoyevsky's virgin and whore? The satire in the conversation between Sonia and Boris especially about philosophy, love and death? The satire in the various proposals and the old men dying? The parody of a marriage of convenience and its non-consummation? Her way of life? Her infidelity and the suitor playing the piano and violin? Her affairs. the quality of her marriage? Her proposal to Boris and her hoping he would die? Her surprise when he lived? Their marriage in the country? Her eagerness to participate in the assassination of Napoleon? How did we see her at the end of the film? Insight into the character of a woman?
9. The theme of war: the Russian setting and Napoleon's invasion and audience response to this? Its place in literature and music? The discussions about Boris going, the humour and visual satire in the training, the negro in charge, the war itself? The satire on the military and dying for causes? Russian history and its background? The lavish visuals of the Russian battles? The collage, Prokofiev’s music? The unwitting heroism on the part of Boris? The dead and his being venerated with medals?
10. Boris as ironic hero? Episodes in the city, the theatre and his infatuation with the Countess, the sexual innuendo? The affair with her and the satire on the great lover? The humour in the duel and the parodying of the traditional duel? The mock conversion of the count?
11. How did Boris settle into marriage and a rustic way of life and poetry like Dr. Zhivago?
12. The introduction of espionage, the Spaniards and the plot to assassinate Napoleon? The presentation of Napoleon and the French?
13. The humour of the assassination attempt? The inevitability of Boris's being caught? Prison?
14. How heroic was Boris's death? A fitting end to his life?
15. How was this a moral comedy in its serious and philosophical tones; the audience being caught up in the humour. yet understanding themes of love and death through the satire and verbal wit and the situations?
