RAW DEAL

US, 1948, 79 minutes, Black and white.
Dennis O’ Keefe, Claire Trevor, Marsha Hunt, John Ireland, Raymond Burr.
Directed by Anthony Mann.

1. Interest in melodrama as a genre? The style of characters, details of the plot, taut plot and brief? Audience expectations and fulfilment?

2. This film as a film of the forties, black and white photography, locations, taut and tough acting style? How welL does it qualify?

3. The emphasis of the title, audience expectations, the focus on Joe?

4. Audience involvemenL and suspense in the structure, the escape and chase structure?

5. The importance of the narrative by Pat? What did this add to the ordinary development of the plot? Personal and emotional overtones?

6. Where did audience interest and sympathies lie? Response to a criminal, turning him into a hero, a victim being chased?

7. Joe as the focus of audience attention: disliking him, liking him, following him? The two women who loved him? His daring, capacity for quick thinking, victim of Rick? A man of feelings? Trying to do the right thing by each woman?

8. Pat her love for Joe? The details of her help, her becoming jealous, the clutcling at happiness, her relenting? Why did she do the right thing?

9. The contrast with Anne? Her love for Joe, her despising him, romanticizing him? Being involved in such violence? Reflecting on her motivations? Her consideration for the mountie and the danger, the impact of the shooting sequence on her, her being tortured? The impact of Joe’s death for her? How good a heroine for this kind of film?

10 The portrayal. of Rick and his henchmen as conventional villains, or more?

11. The sequences with Oscar and his help? A more human touch for the film?

12. The significance of the police pursuing the berserk killer? As a symbol for Joe’s life and escape? The nature of his wanting to be free and breathing?

13. The feel for the theme, the cars, the camping sequence etc.? How successful a film of its genre?