THE CORN IS GREEN

US, 1979, 93 minutes, Colour.
Katharine Hepburn, Ian Saynor, Patricia Hayes, Anna Massey.
Directed by George Cukor.

A superior telemovie adaptation of Emlyn William’s popular play. The original film version starred Bette Davis and John Dall in 1943. They were directed by Irving Rapper.

This version in directed by George Cukor and he made it in his late seventies. Cukor was a celebrated film director for fifty years and won an Oscar for 'My Fair Lady'. Many stars won Oscars under his direction and he was noted as a woman's director for his sensitivity and courtesy in working with them. He made at least ten films with Katharine Hepburn including Sylvia Scarlett, The Philadelphia Story, several Tracy/Hepburn films as The Keeper of the Flame, Adam’s Rib, Pat and Mike and a telemovie with Laurence Olivier in 1974, Love Among the Ruins.

Cukor's treatment of this play is calm and sensitive and has a very fine re-creation of period with the use of Welsh locations. Katherine Hepburn is her late sixties, uses her familiar mannerisms as well as her imposing presence in the role of the forward-thinking teacher Miss Muffet. She receives very good support from a British cast. The film is both entertaining and interesting and shows the qualities possible for telemovies.

1. How good a telemovie adaptation of a popular play and film? How entertaining, interesting?

2. The film as a Katherine Hepburn vehicle? Katherine Hepburn's presence in her late sixties and her capacity for sustaining a film? The comparison with Bette Davis in the original film version? Audience expectations of Katherine Hepburn? George Cukor's sensitivity in direction and presentation of Katherine Hepburn?

3. The difference in a telemovie presentation of this play from a cinema version? For the home audience. sustaining interest and emotional response?

4. The Welsh setting, the 19th century atmosphere, beauty? The contrast with the ugliness of the mines and the harsh way of life? The look and the sounds of Wales? The contribution of the musical score. the traditional songs?

5. The audience entering with Miss Muffet, sharing her experience, her challenges, joys and sorrows?

6. Katherine Hepburn's presence as Miss Muffet, her interpretation of the role? Miss Muffet as a strong-minded woman, spinster and accepting this? Her forward-thinking views, her arrival, the clash with the Squire? Her intentions of starting a school. her success and coping? The boys and the men and their reaction - fear of being thought ill of but supporting her? Morgan and his skills, the essay on The Corn is Green? Her decision to promote him? Mr Jones and her various assistants? The way that she related to people and spurred them on?

7. Miss Muffet’s success with Morgan, the methods of study, his response, her strategies, even obsession? Her drive? The encounter with the Squire and persuading him to be the patron (in contrast with her early insulting him?)? This being too much for Morgan, his nightmares, his clash with Miss Muffet?

8. The importance of the scholarship, the examination? The clash with Miss Muffet, Bessie and her seduction of Morgan, his aggressive taking her? Her return and her pregnancy? Her getting money from Miss Muffet? Morgan’s having to cope with the prospect of uncertainty, the scholarship, marriage, the child? His meeting Miss Muffet as an equal after the scholarship result and taking her advice? Taking his opportunities and facing the future?

9. The repercussions on Miss Muffet? How attractive a character was she, how hard, how realistic?

10. Mr Jones and his changing jobs, questions about religion, devotion to Miss Muffet? Miss Ronberry and her primness. Mice Muffet’s advice about being a spinster. getting her help in the school? Her reaction to Bessie's child?

11. Mice Muffet’s companion, her attitude towards Bessie and not liking her, her story about her kleptomania? Her attitude towards the school and her help? Bessie as her daughter, her sullenness, her feeling restricted, work? The seduction of Morgan. her blackmail, her companion and the prospect of marriage, her easily giving up her child? The melodramatic coincidences of her return and the scholarship?

12. How attractive a character was Morgan? His background. Father, gifts, fearing to seem foolish to the miners, their mining way of life? His dreams, ambitions? The fulfilment? Nightmares and pressure? Coping with the examination? His conduct of himself at Oxford? Final decisions - was he right?

13. The portrait of the Squire and his 19th century attitudes towards the village, his bounty, views on women, education? Miss Muffet’s strategy in persuading him to patronise Morgan? His involvement and supervision of the exams etc.?

14. The background of realism of Welsh life, the mines? Accidents? The need for education?

15. The themes of education, opportunity, equality? The possibilities of education in transforming a person?