FIVE FINGER EXERCISE

US, 1962, 108 Minutes, Black and White.
Rosalind Russell, Jack Hawkins, Maximilian Schell, Richard Beymer.
Directed by Daniel Mann.

Five Finger Exercise is a film version of a Peter Shaffer drama. It has unusual casting in having Rosalind Russell, Jack Hawkins and Maximilian Schell. The stage origins of the film are rather evident, especially in the setting of scenes and in the dialogue. The characterisations are perhaps melodramatic, even shrill, for the cinema. Peter Shaffer has written such interesting plays as The Royal Hunt of the Sun and The Public Eye and the Private Ear filmed as The Pad and Follow Me. He has had more recent success with Equus. The film was directed by Daniel Mann who had directed a number of films throughout the 40s and 50s and is quite a successful director with female actresses e.g. Shirley Booth in Come Back Little Sheba, The Rose Tattoo with Anna Magnani and Elizabeth Taylor in Butterfield 8 all won Oscars for their performance.

1. The indication of theme via the title? Specific reference?

2. The quality of the black and white photography, its suitability for an American domestic film? The musical background?

3. The film was based on a stage play. Was this evident in the treatment of character, of situations?

4. How pessimistic was the film? It finished hopefully. What was the basis of this hope?

5. How brittle was the presentation of family clash? How did the film work on the level of superficial brittleness? Did it offer insight? Satisfying experience of bitterness and hurt?

6. How fair was the presentation of the family? How accurately observed their clashes? How much heightened for the sake of drama?

7. What insight into family life did the film offer? The presentation of the values of having a family? The possibility of relationships and love? The arguments against family? Cruelty, hatred, manipulation?

8. The portrayal of love-hate relationships? Amongst all of the characters? As symbolised in such sequences as the meals?

9. How was Louise a focus for the film? The American girl and mother? The horrible aspects of American mothers? The explanation of her background and her father? Her need to be married? The initial love and then the discovery of nothing in common? Her cultural snobbery, her despising her husband's work and taste? Her possessiveness of her son? Pampering and hurting him? Evoking hatred? The puzzle for Stanley? The ordinary relationship with Pamela?

10. How typical an American male was Stanley? The self-made migrant, his background, his roughness in manner, his reliance on golf and virility and manliness? His capacity for being hurt? His pride in his work, despite his lack of taste? His reactions to Louise? His puzzlement over his son? The ordinary relationship with Pamela?

11. How sympathetic a character was Philip? As introduced coming into the house? As bearing the brunt of the evil effects of his parents' marriage? His retreating with his hands over his ears? His capacity for being hurt, his revulsion at the family situation, his telling lies, his jealousy of his mother, his seeking something and his ambitions?

12. Pamela as fitting into this family? An adolescent not yet grown into the conflicts, her capacity for love of the family, her ordinariness with her friends, her beginning to be like the family in her showing off and pretending to drown?

13. The importance of Walter as the catalyst for changes in the family? As a sympathetic character in himself? The filling in of his background, his explanation of his family and its Nazi hatred to Philip, his yearning to become an American citizen, his timidity and obsequiousness? His ordinary wisdom? His wanting to be accepted and trying to be accepted? His attachment to the family? His capacity for being hurt, the victim, the attempted suicide? Was Walter a credible character?

14. How did he change each of the members of the family? Louise and her infatuation, her snobbery, making him play the piano, telling her story, evoking sympathy? His misjudging her and her wanting to be his mother? Her jealousy? His changing of Stanley? As being despised by him, as receiving the brunt of the blunt dismissal? The love-hate relationship with Philip? The homosexual overtones? The offer to go to the Grand Canyon? His wisdom in seeing what Philip needed? His wise advice? His joy in tutoring Pamela? His rescuing her? Her turning on him? What were the major effects on each of the characters? what change in Walter? To driving him to suicide?

15. How savage was the film and audience response to such savagery?

16. How plausible was the saving of Walter? The optimism of the final sequences? what future would each character have?

17. Much of the dialogue was in small detail. How effective was it in communicating themes?