SALON KITTY

Italy, 1976, 129 minutes, Colour.
Helmut Berger, Ingrid Thulin, Teresa Ann Savoy, Bekim Fehmieu, John Ireland.
Directed by Tinto Brass.

Nazi Germany has become a frequent and potent symbol for corrupt society. It is well explored, if very frankly, in this study of power and sexual exploitation. In the late 1960s, such films like The Damned, ended pessimistically. This one (with Ingrid Thulin and Helmut Berger again) begins pessimistically, reminds one of Watergate and "bugging", but moves towards romanticism and a hope that individuals can wake up, expose and overcome the corrupt system. Blending with some of the visual freedom the 70s permits, the film portrays a slice of history as a symbol of authority, corruption of power and its impact on individuals.

1. Was this a good film or a bad film? Its overall impact? The duality of its style, the strength of its themes? A film of the 70s? The war and its issues seen in the retrospect of thirty years? A valid use of the permissive styles of the 70s?

2. The reasons for the choice of plot, the issues in the 70s? The possibility of making this film in this way only in the 70s? How acceptable the treatment? Accusations of pornography and obscenity? The main objects of attack in terms of sexuality, violence, use of power?

3. How was the salon a symbol as well as a place? The credits and the presentation of the pre-war brothel, the decadence of Germany in the 30s, the ambiguity of sexuality, the loss of control? The songs and their lyrics, the bisexual presentation of Kitty during the credits? The people at the brothel and their visual presentation, decadence and decay? The significance of the other songs, e.g. "The Morning After", its decor and choreography? Kitty also as symbolic, working within this salon? As seen here, with her girls, the choice of the girls, e.g. racial prejudices and lack of prejudice? Audience response to the place, persons, atmosphere? What audience judgements were made at the beginning of the film?

4. The salon as a symbol shedding light on the Nazi decision about its closing, its being transferred to more elegant surroundings, its use for Nazi political purposes? The Nazi estimation of human nature and its weakness? The decadence being exploited for political and military purposes? A better looking decor, possibilities of refinement of love, an atmosphere of lust? But while more decorous, yet more innerly decadent? Audience response to the Nazi use of the Salon?

5. Berger and his role in the film and what he represented? The particular characteristics of his personality, his role in the Nazi hierarchy, attitudes to superiors, to subordinates? His relationship with Kitty, familiarity with the salon, his personal tastes, decadence, sexuality? His masterminding of the plan?

6. The film's presentation of his putting the plan into execution: his choice of the girls to be working there, the presentation of them at their various homes, occupations? The film's singling out of Margaret, her family, the world from which she came, its respectability, its devotion to Nazism, wealth, interior decadence? As a symbol of the kind of recruiting?

7. The impact of the long sequences of the testing of the girls, the audience asked to be voyeurs? Sharing with Berger his testing of the girls and their sacrificing of their own feelings, their dedication to Nazism and its beliefs, the effect on the sexual behaviour, the misfits and the malformed people that they were meant to copulate with? Audience judgement on this?

8. The quality of the relationship between Berger and Margaret? His motivation? His wife and her lesbian tastes? His using of people, and yet his need for expression, outlet, frustration?

9. How sympathetic a person was Kitty? The pros and cons of her character, her work as a madam, her relationship with the girls? As exemplified in her songs? Her relationship with her Italian friend, the American journalist?

10. How well did the salon function for espionage purposes? The German officers involved, their own personal involvement and curiosity, dedication to their work? The recording of conversations, checking the girls' own reports? The effect on the girls, e.g. the pregnant girl and her wanting to have her child? The girl who eventually suicided7 The transformation of the girls? From military types, copulating with the S.S. men, Kitty's designing them and making them up as prostitutes?

11. Margaret and the focus on her in the salon? Her relationship with the pilot as a client7 His love and his lust? Her response to him as a person? The growth in mutual love? The change of atmosphere of the whole film when they went out of the salon, their walk, the scene at the station, the farewell? The irony of the pilot's death by hanging? The way that it was reported to Margaret and the effect on her? Her murder of the informant? The repercussions for the salon, on Kitty, on Berger and his cover-up?

12. The change of atmosphere when Margaret returned home? The puzzle of her parents? Kitty's arrival and the reconsideration of the work? The growing awareness of what the salon was being used for?

13. The effect on Kitty of the awareness of the use of the salon? The challenge to her? Audience sympathy for her repulsion for the espionage and the use of the salon? The use of the American and the Italian to set the trap? The details of preparing the plan?

14. The effect on Margaret and the change in her character as she went to trick Berger? The significance of his long speech, the revelation of himself, the condemnation of National Socialism in the lack of belief in its hierarchy? The irony of her reporting to the subordinates, playing it and her malicious enjoyment of trapping Berger?

15. The significance of his death at the baths? The utter futility of his life? Lack of achievement? The achievement of Kitty and Margaret and their associates as able to bring down a corrupt and fascist system? The tone of optimism in this turn of events?

16. The achievement of the film in raising political issues in the 70s, connecting them with the historical past, human nature and its innate drives of lust, power, cruelty and violence, death? How valuable is a film like this?