THE GLASS CELL

Germany, 1978, 101 minutes, Colour.
Helmut Griem, Brigitte Fossey, Bernhard Wickhi.
Directed by Hans W. Geissendoefer.

The Glass Cell is a German psychological thriller. It was a nomination for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1978. It is based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith - whose novel The American Friend was made by avant-garde director Wim Wenders with Denis Hopper in the lead. The film portrays crime but it also shows the dilemmas for those put into circumstances which bring out their criminal activity. The identification of the audience with the hero is very strong, even in his rage and jealousy, even to murder. Helmut Griem is very effective in the central role. He has appeared in such American productions as Cabaret and The Voyage of the Damned. His wife is portrayed by French actress Brigitte Fossey. The film is reminiscent of the psychological crime melodramas written and directed by Claude Chabrol.

1. How entertaining the film as a thriller.. as a psychological drama? Its role as a fable about human nature, responsibility and guilt?

2. The thriller origins of the film? How well were these kept in terms of crime, investigation, blackmail, murder and cover-up? The psychological study of victims, mistaken identities, crimes of passion, guilt, transference of responsibility? The invitation to the audience to identify with the hero and share his experience of jealousy, rage, murder, concealment?

3. The significance of the title - the opening in prison and the overtones of people in cells? The later comments about the world being a glass cell and men being imprisoned by rules and regulations? The symbolic significance of the title for the film's action?

4. The impact of the German setting, the portrayal of Frankfurt as a modern city, the look and sounds of city life? The universal audience identifying with this setting?

5. The film's establishing Philip during the credits and the opening sequences: the cell and his anguish, the court case and the various personalities in the melodrama, the establishing of his innocence or guilt, the importance of highlighting Lasky? The build-up to Philip's release? Audience expectations of his remaking his life?

6. The transference to Lisa and Timmy? The mother and son relationship, the mention of Uncle David and the indications of tensions? The rush to meet Philip at the station? The welcome home, the tour of the new apartment? The hesitation? Philip and his trying to get used to his freedom? The awkwardness of the encounter with his wife, son? The gradual being at home, the intimacy of the bedroom sequence? The possibility of building up their life and marriage?

7. The contrast with Philip before his imprisonment and after? A growing hesitancy, the effect of five years imprisonment - especially in innocence? The audience seeing him more and more as victim? Identification and sympathy? His fears? The importance of the technique of his voice-over and the letters? His awareness of Lisa and remembering her visits? Tim and his growth, his music? David and his role as lawyer, his inability to get Philip freed during the five years? The possibility of suspicions? Suspicion festering? The encounter with Lasky and his saying that he ignored the innuendo, his following it up? David and his getting him the job? The satisfaction of the work after the interview? The continued interviews with Lasky and the evidence of the tape? Philip and his work and tension, suspicions of Lisa? The party and his breaking? Lisa's confession and his believing it, the further suspicion? Lasky's continuing influence? His feeling hurt, his inability to cope? The encounter with Lasky, the discussion with David, the irony of the breaking of the artwork by Lisa, Philip's breaking out and the brutal bashing, the irony of the incident being taped? The consequences for Lasky?

8. How well did the audience identify with Philip in his feeling, suspicions, the murdering of David?

9. The film's cumulative effect of detail - Phillip walking the city before getting his job, Lisa at the shop, his meeting with Lisa, their talks, the concert? Philip's hopes and their being dashed?

10. How well delineated was David - as character, as type? His friendship with the family, the truth about the liaison? Tim's attachment to David? David telling the truth about Lasky? The accidental encounters, the party and Philip's reaction, the telling of the truth after the meal? The visit to David and his becoming victim, both of Lasky and of Phillip?

11. How well drawn was the character of Lisa - as wife, her role in the court case, her support of her husband during the imprisonment, her ordinariness, her work? The party? The accidental differences, her not realising she was under suspicion? The tension and her quarrelling? The reaction to David's death? Her suspicions of Philip? His being arrested, his telling her to lie? Her presence in the prison and accepting him back?

12. The sketch of Timmy, Philip and Lisa in relationship to him? His music, the concert, David's presence? His own composition and playing it for his mother and father? His reaction to David's death? Philip's attempts at establishing himself as father?

13. Lasky and his presence in the court, his criminal ventures, an ugly character? The meetings, suspicions, the tape? The blackmailing of Philip? The encounters and clashes? The set-up to his death? The irony of his being murdered by Philip and his sureness especially after the line-ups?

14. Philip and the build-up to his desperation? His calm reaction to the killing of David, covering up the clues? The encounter with Lasky? Establishing alibis? The irony of the violent outbreak and his subsequent calm?

15. The line-ups and the attitude of the police inspector, his suspicions of Philip? The interrogations?

16. Philip and his building of the future - h-is denial to Timmy, Lisa and his asking her to lie? Her acceptance of him at the end? Did she know the truth? Did she accept his guilt?

17. The irony of his initial innocence, his being victimised by Lasky, Lasky providing occasions for the breaking up of several innocent lives? How important were the themes of guilt, responsibility, justice? The evil in the web of circumstances and human beings becoming victim?