BACK STREET

US, 1941, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Margaret Sullavan, Charles Boyer, Richard Carlson, Frank Mc Hugh, Tim Holt, Esther Dale, Samuel S. Hinds.
Directed by Robert Stevenson.

Back Street is based on a celebrated romantic novel by Fannie Hurst (Imitation of Life). First filmed in the '30s by John M. Stahl with Irene Dunne and John Boles, this version has the strength of performances by Margaret Sullavan and Charles Boyer. (It was remade rather lavishly in the early 1960s by David Miller with Susan Hayward and John Gavin.) The film is the portrait of a woman who falls in love, still continues to love the man when he marries and stays in the background for many decades as his mistress. As played with 1940s style, the film is discreet as well as moving. This version was directed by Robert Stevenson (later to be a success with films for Disney including Mary Poppins). The musical score by Frank Skinner was Oscar-nominated.

1. The popularity of the stories of Fannie Hurst? Stylish soap opera? A '40s version?

2. A-budget Universal Studios production style? The stars? The musical score and the Oscar nomination?

3. The popular and perennial story? Audience sympathies? Moral perspectives and judgments?

4. The portrait of Ray: Margaret Sullavan's presence and style? At home, the shop, Mrs. Smith, verve, the salesmen and their reactions? Walter and the introduction? His staying, talking, the meal? His overstaying and their falling in love? His fiancee? Return? Ray and the phone, going to the boat? The salesman and his hurry? Her getting lost - and the memory at the end, what if ... ?

5. Her going to New York, the strength of her career? Meeting Walter again? Being together? Sharing? Becoming his mistress - discreetly? His family? Career and overseas? Her apartment and treatment? Was enough shown to indicate the relationship between the two? Leaving New York, the cars, marrying, not going?

6. After twenty years: career, age, gossip? Going to France? The ship, the children? Paris? The son and his visit, contempt? Illness? Phone call and death? The son and the death, what if ... ?

7. Walter and his career, going to town and Ray? Fiancee? Sharing? The plan and the boat? The passing of the five years? Meeting again, the liaison? Love, care? yet self-centred? The twenty years' relationship and his career? His work for the American government? The clash with his son? Death and the phone call? What if ... ?

8. Curt, bright, his proposal?

9. The salesman and his devotion to Ray, introductions, meetings and talk, the truth?

10. The salesman and his style, callous?

11. The sketch of Mrs Smith? Her relationship with Ray?

12. Walter's family: wife, children, the ship, the visit, death?

13. A piece of Americana: the 19th century into the 20th? perspectives on love, relationships, marriage?