THE CHALK GARDEN
UK/US, 1964, 105 minutes, Colour.
Deborah Kerr, Hayley Mills, John Mills, Edith Evans, Felix Aylmer, Elizabeth Sellars.
Directed by Ronald Neame.
In this film, Deborah Kerr continues her career as a governess (The King and I, The Innocents). She is perfect in that role – always expected to be like that although she played the prim and rather repressed character in Tennessee Williams’ The Night of the Iguana in the same year. She is matched by Hayley Mills, as a young girl who resists her governesses, gets rid of them by ridiculing them and exposing their past. She meets her match in Deborah Kerr. A disturbed young girl, she is being sought by her mother, played by Elizabeth Sellars. Hayley Mills had made a big impact at this time, playing with her father in the late 1950s in Tiger Bay and then in the Disney films such as Pollyanna and The Parent Trap.
John Mills is in support. Edith Evans (Oscar-nominated and winner of National Board of Review award) is also in support). The film was directed by Ronald Neame, a cinematographer for David Lean (In Which We Serve, This Happy Breed, Blithe Spirit) who began as a director in England with some standard films like The Card and The Million Pound Note, moved to bigger-budget films with Alec Guinness in The Horse’s Mouth and Tunes of Glory and then went to the United States. In the 1970s he directed The Poseidon Adventure and The Odessa File.
The film was based on a play by Enid Bagnold and was adapted for the screen by John Michael Hayes, writer of a number of screenplays for Alfred Hitchcock in the 1950s including The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Trouble With Harry, To Catch a Thief and Rear Window.
1. The significance of the title, its symbolism, to the house, to the family, to the individuals? Indication of themes?
2. The film as based on a play, its structure, themes, confined atmosphere, restriction to one location, the quality and strength of the dialogue? The contribution of colour, and music?
3. The film's focus of attention on Mrs St. Maugham and her garden, its chalkiness, its productivity with the help of Miss Madrigal? The focus of attention on Mrs St. Maugham and her dominance of the film, her character in herself, her attitude towards people and her talk, dominant. possessive and cruel? How did she use people? Her designing of her daughter Olivia and her treatment of her? Her attitude towards Laurel and her possessive protection? Mrs St. Maugham’s age, experience, reliance on Maitland, on Miss Madrigal? How insightful a study of an aging woman?
4. The presentation of Miss Madrigal, Deborah Kerr's style of performance, her sudden appearance in answer to an advertisement, the way that the atmosphere of mystery around her was created, her primness, the qualities of her personality? Her capacities for gardening and creating life, of creating a response in Mrs St Maugham? Her clashes with Maitland, his scorn and curiosity? Her relationship with Laurel, her lack of contact with her? Her concern, the understanding of Laurel in terms of herself? The understanding of Mrs St Maugham, in terms of herself? How well was her character and true personality revealed? Were the audience surprised to discover her criminal background and her explanation of her behaviour as a girl, in prison, towards the judge? Judging Miss Madrigal on externals, on her true character and personality?
5. How typical a sixteen year old was Laurel? The strength of Hayley Mills's performance? Her separation from her mother and the effect on her and the way this was manifested. her dependence on Maitland, her malicious streak? Her relationship with her grandmother and her grandmother's dominance and possession? The importance of her world of fantasy? The suffering in her life, the hurt, the having to grow through this experience? Her clashes with Miss Madrigal, her curiosity? How insightful a character study of a girl of this age?
6. The role of Maitland in the house, his type, his wisdom in assessing situations, his guidance of Laurel, his dependence on Mrs St. Maugham, attitude towards Miss Madrigal? How well did he help Laurel?
7. The build-up of Laurel's curiosity about Miss Madrigal, her taking means to discover the truth, her spying? Her understanding herself in terms of Miss Madrigal's experience? How did Miss Madrigal change through her experience of the house, her intensity e.g. at the tennis? The build-up to the judge's visit, the indications of the truth, the personality of the judge and his repeating the story about the condemned woman?
9. Miss Madrigal and her fears of Laurel becoming like her? The dilemma of what she was to do?
Rival, her clash with her mother?
10. The personality of Olivia, the contribution of Miss Madrigal, Laurel's behaviour? What future was there for Laurel, the re-establishing of relationship with her mother, her mother's influence? The future for Miss Madrigal? Mrs St. Maurice’s Things symbolised with the future and her contribution to the household’s garden? How interesting a study of human nature?
