THE SUN ALSO RISES

US, 1958, 130 minutes, Colour.
Tyrone Power, Ava Gardner, Mel Ferrer. Errol Flynn, Eddie Albert, Juliette Greco, Gregory Ratoff, Robert Evans.
Directed by Henry King.

The Sun Also Rises looks now like rather old-fashioned Hemingway. Many films have been made of his novels. The closest in style to this one would be the Jennifer Jones/Rock Hudson version of A Farewell to Arms made just before this film. It is long, somewhat drawn-out, a portrayal of rather affected or artificial 'types', not the people we are used to, but people that Hemingway assures us were children of their times. There is romance, colour and an air of unreality. This film seems to involve a lot of effort, to what purpose it is not always clear.

Tyrone Power is at home in this kind of sensitive-misunderstood role, Ava Gardner at home in hers. An ageing Errol Flynn portrays an ageing Errol Flynn who probably tried to live out the popular conception of Hemingway. Mel Ferrer is probably as irritating to the audience as he is to the characters in the film. Not a masterpiece by any means, but a popular kind of melodrama, somewhat pompous and dated.

1. The quotation for the title came from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1, verses 1 - 11. Does this passage throw light on what Hemingway intended by his novel?

2. This generation of the 20s was called "the lost generation". What does this mean? why were they lost? (What generation has not been "lost"?)

3. The picture of fashionable society (the pre-jet set)? Was their way of life interesting, enjoyable? Their values? What did they live for? Were they selfish? Self -centred? Any regard for others? why did they love Paris and Spain?

4. Does this film throw light on Hemingway's ideas about life and what it is to be human, a man?

5. Does the film offer insight into human nature, behaviour, society? Jake: war service, relationship with Brett during the war, the gentle American, the typical American in Paris - a reporter, his importance, capacity for relationships, relied on by Robert, Brett; his evening with Georgette - its purpose; his love for Brett - how selfless; his always responding to her needs? Was he an interesting character, a worthwhile character, an admirable character?
- Brett: as a beautiful socialite, in the war, her marriage and widowhood and effect on her, her vivaciousness at the restaurant, being feted by the Count and society, her self-centredness, love for Jake, her alcoholism - why? Her dependence on Jake? Did she lead Robert on - did she have real regard for him? Why was she to marry Mike - what did she see in him? Did she love him? Why the infatuation and affair with Romero - what was she after? Why did she let him go and walk out? The return to Jake? What future did she have? Robert: a 'romantic' figure? Were his motivations convincingly presented? Why was he obsessed with Brett - was his behaviour credible? His treatment by Mike Campbell? His final jealousy - his return to his wife?
- Bill: as a friend to Jake, to Mike, his function in the film?
- Mike Campbell: an interesting character, a credible character? His love for Brett - genuine? His enjoyment of bull-fighting, drinking? His loss of money, disgust for Robert? What future did he have?
- Romero: what a bullfighter represents, object of Brett's infatuation - why? His infatuation with her? Why did he leave her?

6. So much of the footage of the film went to the picturing of Spain in summer, the atmosphere, the romantic other-worldliness of the fiesta, the bullfighting. Did this fit into the film, to the Hemingway mystique, to the significance of the film's theme and the people it presented?

7. Bullfighting - the colour, pageantry, physical strength, grace and skill, the applause of the crowd, the clash with the bull, the physical and psychological elation - how important for this film and its themes?

8. Was the resolution of the film worthwhile? How tentative? In this kind of world was anything else possible?

9. How attractive was the world of this 'lost' generation? How worthwhile? How empty?

10. What did the film portray of human nature? Well?