FIRST LOVE
Switzerland, 1970, 90 Minutes, Colour.
Maximilian Schell, John Moulder Brown, Dominique Sanda, John Osborne, Dandy Nichols.
Directed by Maximilian Schell.
First Love is Maximilian Schell's adaptation of a Turgenev play. Set and photographed elegantly in middle Europe, the film features a predominantly English cast. This gives a strange effect to the presentation of a Russian play and central European issues. The film is by way of an experiment and is certainly interesting for those who appreciate the adaptation of the classics to the screen.
1. The significance of the title? The impact of the film? Its lack of popularity in cinemas? Television popularity?
2. The Russian origins of the story, Turgenev's interests and style? The Austrian direction of the film by Maximilian Schell? The use of so many English actors? The European flavour of the whole film?
3. The importance of the dreamlike style, the use of colour and locations? The blending of reality and fantasy and memory? Could the audience respond well to this? Clearly?
4. The evocation of the world of summer, of youth, the countryside, the houses, holidays, society and status, manners and their importance? Could audiences identify with this or observe it? What atmosphere and mood were communicated? How did these influence the themes and response to them?
5. The focus on Alexander and his first love? Realism, fantasy, irony? The impact of the opening, the birds and their flight and freedom? Alexander shooting them? The exuberance of his youth, his role in the family, relationships, neighbours? The encounter with Sinaida, his infatuation and love? His being teased and his inability to understand it? Jealousy of her behaviour? The effect of Sinaida on him and his growing up?
6. The characters of his mother and father, their relationship with Alex, communication with him? The contrast with Sinaida's family? The background of suitors, soldiers, the poet? What kind of society was presented here? A society of the past, that was to be destroyed?
7. The film spent much time in showing the summer holiday occupations, the details of the games, the role of society and manners, visits and meals. Comment on the flirting, the genuineness of love?
8. How realistic a presentation of Sinaida? How was she a symbol of first love? The film seeing her through Alexander's idealistic eyes? As a girl, capricious, flirting and teasing, loving? Her needs and her moods? The sombre realism of her marriage and death? The irony of all the lightness leading to this sombre death?
9. The mother and father and their roles? The enigma of the father? The significance of his death? Its seeming meaninglessness for Alexander?
10. What did the soldiers contribute to plot and the themes? The character of the poet, his behaviour, attitudes, influence on people? The marriage and Alexander being informed of this?
11. The contrast with the ordinary people of the countryside; Zasekina and her relationship to Alexander, the typing etc.? Lushin and his observation of life?
12. The social impact of the film: the revolution, the burning of the house, the end of summer, the end of an ideal? What social comment was being nude?
13. How was the city a change from the countryside? Its effect on Alexander? Bringing him down to earth? His encounter with the poet? The news of Sinaida's birth and death?
14. How valuable is a poetic film of this kind? Its poetic exploration of themes of love and life and society?
