THE FIFTH REACTION
Iran, 2002, 107 minutes, Colour.
Tahmine Milani.
Fifth Reaction is a very strong feminist film from Iran. It has echoes in American films such as The First Wives' Club and The Ya Ya Sisterhood. However, while there are some comic touches and satirical points, the style of the film is didactic through melodrama.
The film opens with five women teachers at a restaurant discussing their lives, their salaries, their marriages, all of them exaggerating. When the husband of one woman arrives for a meal with his secretary and sees his wife, there is an emotional eruption and the women start telling the truth about themselves. One of the women is a young woman, a widow with two young children.
The film focuses particularly on the woman whose husband discovered her in the restaurant, the clash, her walking out, the legal implications of a separation or a divorce and the woman being completely under the power of her husband. However, there is some apology and reconciliation even though the husband seems to be buying off his wife. The film then transfers practically all of its attention to the widow, dominated by her father-in-law who then rejects her, wants her to hand over her two sons so that he can bring them up. With the help of the victimised woman, the widow escapes from Teheran with the children, pursued by the father-in-law, using the help of truck-drivers in his company and accompanied by his younger son. The women are able to elude the pursuing father-in-law until they reach the coast where they are helped by a network of women. There is a final confrontation but the final image of the film, while it looks like a reconciliation, nevertheless has the father-in-law visiting his daughter-in-law in prison, she cowering while he welcomes her back but says there is one condition with his threatening finger silhouetted against the prison wall.
1. The impact of the film? Women's issues? In Iran? Universal? Women as victims in society?
2. The meaning of the title, reference to the women, to the competitive game played between the widow and her father-in-law?
3. The city setting, restaurants and homes? On the road, the varying landscapes of Iran? The mountains, the desert, the sunflower field, the coast and the fishing vessels? The musical score and its melodramatic impact?
4. The opening with the women talking, middle-class, their lesser salaries as teachers? Their women's talk amongst themselves, their marriages, boasting? The woman whose husband was the pilot in prison in Iraq and then released as a hero, but unable to communicate with his wife? The woman whose husband had taken another wife and was an addict? The unmarried woman who was the leader of the group? The widow and her silence? The woman boasting of her relationship with her husband, his coming in with his secretary, his seeing her, the eruption? The anger between the two? The women sitting down and telling the truth about their marriages?
5. At school, the discussions, the woman having left her husband, the school supervisor criticising her? The anger in the staffroom? The further meals together, discussions? The network of women and helping one another?
6. The woman and her husband, leaving the house, her children? The legal advice, her not having any possibility of independence? The consultation, the husband's apology, buying her off with a car? Her decision to help the widow, the phone calls, the car, driving her, the flat tyre, the driver's helping? At night, on the road, in the fields? Her finally having to turn back because of the rich man discovering where she was? Confronting her on the road?
7. The widow, her status, her love for her husband, her children? The discussions, the funeral, her being summoned by her father-in-law, his dismissal of her? Her decision to take the children, the help of her friends? The escape, driving through the city, eluding the father-in-law? The cat-and-mouse tactics, hiding? On the road with her friend, in the sunflower field, the flat tyre, the hospitality at night? In the desert and escaping the father-in-law? At the seaside, the strong woman, the drivers finding her, escaping with the boys over the roof, onto the wharf, the boat, in the restaurant and being discovered? Put into prison? The boys being taken? The confrontation with his son, defending the woman? The final scene of her being allowed to come back but the threatening finger over her?
8. The father-in-law, his wealth, domination, his sons? The funeral, his decision about his grandchildren? His marshalling the drivers, the photos? The cat-and-mouse game, keeping score? Demanding that his son drive him? Catching up, his being assaulted with the shovel, the stitches? The pursuit to the coast, with the strong-minded woman, in the restaurant? Dominating the daughter-in-law? His being confronted by his son, how he would treat his wife and children? The relenting - but the final image of the dominating finger?
9. The son, passively driving his father, the smouldering resentment, obeying all the decisions, made to do u-turns, standing by, his eventual confrontation of his father?
10. The network of people helping the widow, the friendly family, the assault on the father-in-law and their double-talk in helping her to escape? The strong woman at the coast, her confrontation with the father-in-law?
11. The portrayal of the characters, within Iranian society, the role of men, women, dominance, victims? The film as a melodramatic impassioned plea for women?
