LOOT

UK, 1970, 107 minutes, Colour.
Richard Attenborough, Lee Remick, Hywel Bennett, Milo O'Shea, Roy Holder.
Directed by Silvio Narrizzano.

Loot would certainly not be everyone's film at all. It is based on a Joe Orton play; (he also wrote Entertaining Mr. Sloane) and Orton's comedies are black indeed. While Loot is black comedy, it does not look black. In fact, the colour design is of garish reds, oranges and yellows, besides the blacks and pale greens and creams. Black comedies and satire are full of offence-potential, and Loot pokes fun at our attitudes towards death, parents, marriage, greed, authority in quite outrageous ways. The situations are quite farcical, dialogue is quick and irreverent, performances are done in caricature-style. Despite the risk of failing with this kind of enterprise, the film is surprisingly acceptable and interesting in its satire. The setting of a bank robbery also offers more normal humour and suspense. Richard Attenborough looks like Hitler; Lee Remick like a Jean Harlow doll (and gives an excellent performance); Milo O'Shea does a repetition of his television Mc Mammy role. Hywel Bennett is more normal in his acting. Direction is by Silvio Narrizzano, who achieved some fame with Georgy Girl.

1. The overtones of the meaning and slang use of the word "loot"?

2. This is black comedy (although in garish colours). What is the purpose of this kind of comedy? How healthy? How sick? How offensive?

3. What place has satire in art to highlight vices and hypocrisy?

4. All the characters are one-dimensional caricatures or "humours" rather than personalities. What do they represent and how successfully (by ham acting style, accents, make-up etc.)? Hal and Dennis, Fay, Truscott, Mr McLeavy?, the friends, hotel people, funeral attendants?

5. How were the targets of the film set up and attacked? Death, funerals, greed, religion. the Catholic Church, popular Irish piety, marriage, sex, feelings, robberies and crime, authority and corruption?

6. How distasteful was the comedy about death and the corpse? Did this matter in this film?

7. On what standards of morality did the film work ? within its own framework for the characters? And for audience reaction? How much conventional morality did it expect from its audience?

8. Comment on the stylised sets: hotel, funeral, bank.

9. Comment on the notable use of garish colours for the mood of the film.

10. Comment on the effectiveness and purpose of the narrative songs.

11. How ironic was the ending? what comment on human behaviour and events did this make?

12. For what audiences was this film made?