IN THE FRENCH STYLE
US/France, 1963, 105 minutes, Black and white.
Jean Seberg, Stanley Baker, Claudine Auger, Jack Hedley, James Leo Herlihy, Addison Powell.
Directed by Robert Parrish.
In the French Style is based on a romantic and melodramatic novel by Irwin Shaw. The main focus is on Jean Seberg as a confused young woman. Jean Seberg had appeared for Preminger in St Joan and had received terrible reviews. She moved to France and appeared in Jean- Luc Godard’s Breathless with Jean- Paul Belmondo which became a cult hit. She made a number of films in France before returning to the United States. She also married Romain Gary and appeared in a film directed and written by him from his novel, Birds Come to Die in Peru.
Here she is matched with Stanley Baker, an older British man with whom she has an affair.
The film shows a confused young woman, unsure of her sexuality, capacity for relationships, an innocent from America experiencing the wiles and the greater sophistication and traditions of Europe.
The film’s cast is a mixture of French and British supporting actors as well as having James Leo Herlihy, the author of Midnight Cowboy and other novels appearing as a doctor.
The film was directed by Robert Parrish, Oscar-winning editor for Robert Rossen’s Body and Soul and nominated for Rossen’s All the King’s Men.
1. The French and American styles of the film as regards plot, film making? The ambiguities of the blend of Contintal styles and American Impact and response?
2. The importance of black and white photography? Paris locations and atmosphere? the South of France, Music? How well was the French atmosphere created, for its impact on an American girl, for a non French audience? The attention to detai1?
3. The structure of the film based on two short stories? Did the film fit into two parts? Continuity? Interest, Christina, contrasts? The passing of years? The screenplay as an opportunity to study Christina?
4. How did the film present Christina for audience response? study? The American glossy magazine background? Christina as an American, her father and home experience, her age at the beginning of the film? Her painting? American innocence in the experience of the continent? The contrasts between the American influence and French sophistication? Her emotional range, changes, growth, hurt, settling down?
5. Jean Seberg's charm and style as Christina? Did she convey enough of the personality? Her involvement in various incidents? The emotional range? Her reactions to the people around her, especially the men? Was enough given for understanding and sympathy? How necessary was her experience
for her? How avoidable?
6. Her opting to have an affair with Guy? What kind of young man was he himself? His presentation of his age, career? Their meeting, their falling in love, the nature of the bond between them and its quality? Their seeing each other so often? Christina thinking she was in love with an older man? The invitation to the social evening, Guy's reaction, her reaction, indication of possessiveness? His reaching her, Christina and her style at the gathering? Their decision to spend the night together, the impact of the telling of the truth for Guy, her reaction and her decision to stay? How credible was Guy, a 16 year old boy? Sexuality, experience? The effect on her?
7. How well was the transition of years made between the affair with Guy and with Walter? The gap of years and the effect on her? Her expectations of love, worldliness, cynicism, expectations that things will be temporary? Had she changed for better or worse?
8. The impact of her father's visit, the enjoyment, his character and tolerance? her differences in attitudes, stands? The nature of the clashes of opinion between them? The effect on him? On her?
9. How attractive a man was Walter, in relation to Christina? Divorce, the nature of his work, character, strength and tenderness, the quality of the bond between them, the expectations of a temporary liaison? His being away so
much of the time? The effect of the affair on him, her?
10. When was the end of the affair inevitable? What it all meant for him, for her? The reconsideration of her life?
11. The surprise of the ending? The magazine-style, happy, glossy ending? Credible? Her engagement and her return to America? The significance of leaving Europe for America?
12. How well delineated were the other characters, friends, artists, society, restaurant people?
13. Themes of adolescence, young adulthood, girls growing up, boys? What it is to be a man, woman? Society, moral stances, expectations of life, frivolity in love?
