THE WILD DUCK

Germany, 1976, 105 minutes, Colour.
Jean Seberg, Bruno Ganz, Peter Kern, Anne Bennent, Heinz Bennent.
Directed by Hans W. Geissendorfer.

The Wild Duck is a German adaptation of Henryk Ibsen's 19th century classic play. The film stays very closely to the play and its atmosphere. The casting is interesting, especially with Jean Seberg as Gina. Bruno Ganz, who was to emerge in the late '70s and '80s as a top German actor, is persuasive as the tormented Gregory.

The location of the play is adapted to Germany and fits well. The period setting is retained. The film also retains much of the dialogue as well as the locations of the play.

The play is an arresting experience - which seems rather intensified, even hot-house, for screen presentation. There is the picture of society with its affluence, class distinctions, background of fraud. There is the eccentric household with Harold and his living in a world of his own, trying his inventions. He is susceptible to the false idealism of the tormented Gregory who hates his father and appeals to truth and honesty - with repercussions for ruining people's lives. Gina, with her background of service, her mother's ambitions, exploitation by Wardle, nevertheless is the stable character. The focus is on Henrietta, the attractive daughter, who becomes victim of the curious set of circumstances as well as the passion for the truth. The wild lame duck that she tends becomes a symbol of herself - and as she sacrifices herself for love she kills, symbolically, the duck.

This version is an interesting and absorbing adaptation of the play. it can be compared with the Australian adaptation of the play (locations, change of period to 1913, change of names for an English-speaking audience) which was directed by Henri Saffron with Liv Ullmann and Jeremy Irons as Gina and Harold leading an Australian cast including Arthur Dignam as Gregory, John Meillon as the Major and Michael Pate as the father.