THE DIVIDED HEART
UK, 1954, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Cornell Borchers, Yvonne Mitchell, Armin Dahlen, Alexander Knox, Geoffrey Keen, Liam Redmond, Eddie Byrne, Theodore Bikel, Ferdy Mayne, Michel Ray.
Directed by Charles Crichton.
The Divided Heart is a very moving film. It was made ten years after the end of World War Two and treated a subject which was very important at the time: the fate of refugee children.
In this film, a young boy (Michel Ray) is adopted by a German couple, Cornell Borchers and Armin Dahlen. After ten years it is revealed that he is really from Yugoslavia and his birth mother is still alive and wants him back. She is played by the very fine English actress Yvonne Mitchell (Sapphire).
The issue is heart-rending for the little boy, for the two mothers, and for the audience. Alexander Knox portrays the judge who has to make the decision as to who is to have custody of the little boy.
The film has a very strong supporting cast from character actors from the British film industry of the time.
The film was made by Ealing Studios, better known for producing comedies. In fact, the director Charles Crichton made some of the celebrated Ealing comedies of the period including Hue and Cry, The Lavender Hill Mob and The Titfield Thunderbolt. He was to make The Battle of the Sexes with Peter Sellers and was still co-directing with John Cleese in 1988 for A Fish Called Wanda.
(The little boy, Michel Ray, later was an Olympic ski champion under his actual name of Michel de Carvalho.)
1. The significance of the title and its meaning for the themes of the film?
2. What was the main impact of the film? What was the emotional impact of this film? How well did it reach the heart of its audience? The feelings of sympathy and of suffering? How thought provoking was the film? As regards human life and family, war and the impossibility of doing justice? What was the impact as regards human justice and human emotions? How valuable a film was it in these regards?
3. Comment on the British style of the film: the black and white photography, the European locations, the fact that the main protagonists were not big stars, the quality of the dialogue and the situations.
4. How effective was the structure of the film? The initial sympathy and interest in Inga and her family? Feelings against Sonya and her claims to the boy? The gradual revelation of Sonya’s life and the conflict of emotions? The impact of the flashbacks in understanding Sonya? The confrontation of these two sympathies in the court sequences?
5. What comment was the film making on war and its cruel impact on the lives of ordinary human beings? National ambitions and megalomania, their effect on people? Lies and propaganda and deceit and its effect on human emotions? The question of justice and trying to do the best in terms of justice? Is justice sufficient?
6. How sympathetically was Inga and her family presented? The German background, the history of the adoption, the lies that were told, the achievement of Inga in getting Sony to love her and his new father? The emotional fears at the beginning with the uniform? Inga’s patience and devotion? How truly could she be called Tony's mother?
7. How sympathetic was Tony? Audience sympathy for him in his plight? The film's presentation of his skill in skiing, his life in the town, his relationship with the children, with Inga and her husband? The fact that he had grown into this family and its effect on him?
8. How valuable was the portrayal of Sonya and her life? Initial lack of sympathy? The nature of the flashbacks and the suffering in Yugoslavia? The quality of the family life, the loss of her k husband and children? Nazi oppression? The fact that she was living in the past in Tony's regard? Yet how truly was she Tony's mother?
9. The importance of the court and its focus of justice? The initial interviews and the way the information was conveyed to Inga and her family? The hurt to them? The preparations for the court case? The sympathy for Sonya and her preparation for the case?
10. Was it right to leave the decision to Tony and his regard for both mothers. The drama of the sequence of Sonya’s meeting Tony? The fears and suspicions? His teaching her to ski? Her being persecuted by the children? Her suffering and her happiness? Her decision to leave Tony with Inga?
11. Inga’s fears and her not wanting to solve the question just by agreement? Was she right to appeal to the courts? How sympathetic were the judges? their adequacy in making a decision?
12. How valid were their arguments in assessing the case? On what principles did they decide? The dramatic impact of the court sequence and the one-by-one presentation of argument? Did you agree with their decision? Why or why not?
13. What comment on the world and its suffering did this film make? The detail of its presentation of the ordinariness of life and the overwhelming impact of the suffering and disaster?
14. How much insight was there in this film, how much value?
