THE DOVE

US, 1974, 105 minutes, Colour.
Joseph Bottoms, Deborah Raffin, John Mc Liam, Dabney Coleman, John Meillon.
Directed by Charles Jarrott.

The Dove is a film that will please all those who enjoy sailing. It is based on a true story. Sixteen-year-old Robin Lee Graham from the United States was the youngest person ever to sail around the world. The film follows his adventures at sea, enjoyment, calm, storms, crises. It also has a number of locations from all around the world where he put into port.

Deborah Raffin, an emerging young star at the time, plays his girlfriend. The role of Robin Lee Graham is played by Joseph Bottoms (brother of Timothy Bottoms and Sam Bottoms). He won a Golden Globe as most promising newcomer for 1974.

The film was directed by Charles Jarrott who made an impact in the late 60s and early 70s with historical films like Anne of the Thousand Days and Mary Queen of Scots. Later he directed some Disney films, as well as some soap operas like The Other Side of Midnight.

1. How enjoyable was this film? For younger audiences and family audiences? Was it designed adults and for sophisticated audiences?

2. What did the film say about human daring and the capacity of the human spirit for challenge? An important theme? Was it presented convincingly in action and in dialogue?

3. Did the film seen too much like a travel film? Did it utilise well the potential of its scenery and locations?

4. Was the film a good adventure story? Was there enough excitement in the sailing around the world? A good human and humane identification with the growth of a boy into man and his relationships.

5. Comment on the technical achievement of the colour photography, of the photography of the yacht, on the use of the musical themes and the songs. Were they appropriate?

6. What kind of a person me Robert Lee Graham? Did the film explain him as a person? Did it illustrate his character in the situations? Why did he leave America? was this indicated in the opening sequences of Los Angeles? of opting out of a situation and a world? to learn?

7. Did Robert Lee Graham really opt out of his world? Or was he involved in living more fully? What did he hope to achieve by his voyage? For himself? Was it artificial for most audience to see that Graham had his own finances etc.? Was this important for the impact of the film?

8. How attractive a person was Pat? Was the difference of age important? Why did they love each other? Why did they become involved in each other's lives?

9. What impression of the world itself did the film give? The beauty of Fiji at length? The Solomons? the contrast with the city and life and work of Darwin? the beauty of South Africa and Mozambique? The long sequences in Ecuador? The world of nature?

10. The sea as a character? Confrontation between Robert and the sea? That the sea could defeat him? That the sea offered a challenge for going on?

11. How important for the dramatic impact were the sequences in Darwin? Of Pat's arrival and his giving up his voyage for her?

12. The influence of his father? Was his father trying to live his life for him? Or did his father have a legitimate ambition? how important was this for his making decisions?

13. After Robert left Darwin how had he changed? What personal decisions had he made? How much had he grown up? How had his sense of achievement changed?

14. Comment on the dramatic filming of the storm sequences. How effective were they at the point they came at in the film? How important were they in themselves? How well did they contrast with the doldrums sequences? The contrast of action and inactivity? Of cold and heat? The impact of both on decisions to go on and sense of achievement?

15. How successfully did the film blend its bits of humour with the action? especially in terms of the cats? The surprise of the cat being destroyed by the shark?

16. How important were the decisions in Ecuador? There were long sequences of robins walking over the rocks and the birds of Ecuador. How were they symbolic of the decision he was making? Did he make the right decision in going on? That had he achieved as a young man in face of human challenge and the challenge of nature?

17. What was the value of this trip around the world? It had to be seen for it to have an effect. The importance of the arrival at Los Angles? Of the importance of what he had learnt of life, self-reliance, his parents, his love for Pat and his marriage to her and so on?

18. Is this merely an entertaining film for younger audiences, could it be an inspiring film? Why?