A DOLL'S HOUSE

UK, 1973, 106 minutes, Colour.
Jane Fonda, David Warner, Trevor Howard, Delphine Seyrig, Edward Fox.
Directed by Joseph Losey.

This certainly is a cinematic version of Ibsen's play, attractively filmed in Norway by Joseph Losey. The play has been pared of words (especially in the final confrontation, so strong in the Bloom version) and reliance given to shorter sequences, swifter cross-cutting and editing and non-verbal techniques. The result is an interesting film, and insight into Ibsen's presentation of a doll being forced into adulthood and decision as a woman. Jane Fonda (miscast or not) gives an impressive performance as Nora. The supporting cast of David Warner, Edward Fox, Trevor Howard and Delphine Seyrig is competent, although Anthony Hopkins in the other version was a better Torvald. Topical, interesting and enjoyable.

1. Considering that Ibsen wrote last century, how much ahead of its time was the play and its message? How valid and significant a drama on women is A Doll's House?

2. What impact does its theme have today (more or less than when it was written?) Although set in Norway, how universal is the plot and theme?

3. Although based on a stage play, this version is very cinematic. How successful is the transition from stage to screen? How?

4. Comment on the use of location filming in Norway. Comment on Michael Legrand's musical score.

5. The impact of the prologue? Nora and Kristine as friends, skating, eating the cakes? The intrusion of Krogstat?

6. What were your first impressions of Nora? Did the modern Jane Fonda embody the nineteenth century woman well?

7. What were your first impressions of Nora and Torvald? The quality of their marriage, their happiness, their relationship with their children?

8. Nora as a married woman, her shopping, her need to spend money. Torvald's calling her his squirrel, her seeming irresponsibility? How important was the fact that Nora had deceived Torvald about the source of her money loan? How ironical was this for the film? How destructive?

9. Did you like Torvald? He was absorbed in his work, health, his ambitions? was he too self-righteous? Why couldn't Nora reveal the truth to him? His loathing of Krogstat? His promotion of Kristine? How was the relationship of Torvald and Nora symbolised by his pressing her to practise the tarantella?

10. Doctor Rank - his role in the film, his relationship to Nora, the nature of her love for him. his friendship with Torvald? His support of them both? The fact that he was dying. the fact that he revealed this to them? The realities of life and death as focused in him?

11. The importance of Krogstat in the film? The initial sequences where he wanted Kristine to marry him. His rejection by Kristine for a rich husband? His bitterness. What had made him bitter and evil? Krogstat as seen with his family? Why did he persecute Nora? Why was he bitter that she escaped blame for the kind of thing he was blamed for? The question of differences of class? Why was he able to be persuaded by Kristine? How genuine was his hope that all would be well? Kristine - how sincere was she? How good a friend to Nora? Why did she try to do the right thing? How ironical was it that all backfired? Did she really love Krogstat?

13. How did the relationship between Krogstat and Kristine parallel and differ from the relationship between Nora and Torvald? How important was this for the dram of the film?

14. Nora's growing anguish. why did she become so anxious? why was it so important to conceal the truth from Torvald? Why could she not imagine that he could understand her? How was she justified in this belief?

15. How desperate was her plight as the arrival of the letter approached? The letter locked in the box? Her love for her children, and the way that this was shown? The desperate nature of the dancing of the tarantella?

16. The final confrontation between Nora and Torvald. How did you react to Torvald and his reaction to the letter? His thinking only of himself and his position? How shocking was his failure to realise Nora's feelings? Nora's response to him? The truth she told about their marriage, their life together, her change from girl to woman, what had she realised about herself, her right and duties to herself? Was this confrontation credible and dramatic enough for the film?

17. Were you surprised that she walked out of Torvald's life, leaving him and her children? What future would she have?

18. The implications of this film for women and their rights? The dignity of women? Was this an important comment on women in the 19th century? Is the film a contribution to an understanding of the relationship between men and women now?