CYNARA

US, 1932, 75 minutes, Black and white.
Ronald Colman, Kay Francis.
Directed by King Vidor.

Now principally of interest as a film by noted director, King Vidor, who worked in the silent film industry, such as The Crowd through the thirties with Stella Dallas and into the forties with Northwest Passage and Duel in the Sun. It also has a very typical Ronald Colman performance. It is interesting in its presentation of the theme of marriage and fidelity, but the overall presentation and style is now very dated. Of historical interest.

1. An interesting film from the 30s? The work of the director King Vidor. Ronald Colman? Impact then, now?

2. The focus of the title, the introduction and praise of Ernest Dowson's lines? Themes of fidelity? The title of the original play, the themes indicated?

3. The British setting and its sobriety, British society, the background of law and legal practice, the contrast of classes and working girls? A comedy and melodrama of manners? The black and white photography, the score? Was it evident that the film was based on a play? The adaptation of the play to the screen?

4. The flashback framework and audience emotional response to the themes? Warlock's confession of infidelity and his wife's attitude? The return to this at the end in the light of his confession? Audience judgment on him, sympathy? His acknowledgement of guilt? The importance of his friend's arrival and commenting to Clemency? Clemency's judgment on her husband's confession, the audience's judgment? The justice of his going away? His asking for forgiveness, her eventual giving of it? Did the audience share her attitude?

5. Ronald Colman's style and performance an Jim Warlock? His legal work, his love for his wife and the way this was illustrated, her going away? His meeting with Tring as a man about town, the discussion with the girls and their talking about him, his expectations of behaviour, his wife's expectations? How high wore his standards? The beginnings of the infatuation with Doris, accompanying her home, the motivation for yielding? The judging of the beauty competition? The beginning of the affair, the holiday together, the necessity of leaving, his explanation of this to her, the letter?

6. The portrait of Doris and her friend, their chatter, their talk about Warlock? Her presence at the competition, her conditions about the affair and her confession about a previous affair? Her joy, disappointment? Knowledge of Jim's wife? Loss of her job, her suicide? The repercussions of the suicide? whose responsibility? Doris's friend accusing Warlock? The attitude of the Court, his concealing the truth about her reputation? His confession to his wife? Feelings of guilt and responsibility?

7. The portrait of Clemency as an ordinary wife, the tensions in the sequences on her return home, the opportunities for confession. the discussions about fidelity and their point? Her forgiveness?

8. Tring and his arrival at the end, blame, appeal for forgiveness?

9. The tone was comedy of manners but how much insight into marriage?