THAT FORSYTE WOMAN (THE FORSYTE SAGA)

US, 1949, 114 minutes, Colour.
Greer Garson, Errol Flynn, Robert Young, Janet Leigh, Walter Pidgeon, Harry Davenport, Aubrey Mather.
Directed by Compton Bennett.

That Forsyte Woman was one of M.G.M's elegant productions for its Silver Jubilee. It cast popular twosome Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon in central roles - although Walter Pidgeon, in portraying the artist Jolyon Forsyte, was playing very much against type. Also playing against type was the other star, Errol Flynn. He does a very creditable job as the stiff snobbish Soames. It is in marked contrast with his adventurous roles at Warner Bros. There is a very good supporting cast - although Robert Young seems somewhat bland as Philip Bosinney (although the character is of this nature). The film also offered an early role for Janet Leigh.

There are excellent sets and decor, re-creating the late 19th. century English atmosphere. The supporting cast - in appearance and manner - also makes social critique and comment on the newly-rich families in late Victorian England. There is a melodramatic score by Bronislau Kaper and the film was directed by English director Compton Burnett who had made a success of The Seventh Veil and was to make King Solomon's mines before returning to England and much more routine films. In the '60s there was a famous television series made by the B.B.C. starring Eric Porter as Soames and Nyree Dawn Porter as Irene. This film is based on the first volume of John Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga.

1. The popularity of John Galsworthy's novels, period. situations, characters? Social and humane themes? A film adaptation of the novel?

2. Production values: M.G.M. elegance and gloss, Hollywood version of England, the re-creation of period in sets, costumes and decor? The atmosphere of England in the 1880s? Colour photography? Melodramatic score? The cast and people playing against typecasting?

3. The adaptation of Galsworthy's first volume? The focus on Irene? The title and the expectations on Irene? The film as a Greer Garson vehicle?

4. Irene as a focus of sympathy, meaning, the critique of the Forsytes? A strong woman in Victorian England? The outsider and the established family? The family and the Forsyte men in comparison with Irene?

5. The flashback structure: the focus on the gaslight, the fog? Irene wandering. Soames and Jolyon pursuing her. Philippe's being in hospital. June's anger? The flashbacks and the ironies of the audience sympathising with what they saw and wondering about what had happened? The significance of the narrative by Jolyon - his description of events. personal involvement, personal exclusion. directing audience response to Irene? The finale and its relationship to Irene and Jolyon and their marriage? The effect of audience involvement in the plot, understanding of the characters, sympathies?

6. The initial impact of Irene - and seeing her through June's eyes? Through Jolyon's eyes? The courting by Soames and his defence of her to the family, the family's snobbery towards her, his continued proposals, her refusal and the motives? The story of her background and her father as a professor? The scene with the landlady arranging Soames' visit? The motives for Irene's succumbing to Soames' proposals? The description of their life over two years and the theatre sequence? Soames' explanation of the basis of the marriage - regard and fidelity? Irene's inability to love Soames? His showering her with gifts, clothes, the building of the country house? The tension of the anniversary sequence and his assuming Irene had forgotten? Her being hurt? June's visits and the friendship between the two women - with the irony of what was to happen? The Forsytes gradually accepting Irene? old Jolyon offering his friendship? The aunts and their observations and comments - and Irene's putting them down as regards Philippe? Soames' father and his observation of Soames' marriage and wanting to possess Irene? The encounter with Philippe, his charm and Irene's response? The encounter with June and Philippe in the park? The planning of the house? The visit to the countryside? Philippe's declaring his love for her and the confusion for Irene? Her begging Soames to go away? Her not wanting to see Philippe again? June's engagement and her presence, the dances, the discussion with Philippe? Her decision to go to his flat and her being seen by June? Her leaving Soames, going to Philippe? The impact of the accident? Her wanting to act honourably towards Soames, towards Jolyon, towards June? The irony of the parallels between the Forsytes' treatment of Irene and that of Philippe? The passing of time after the divorce from Soames? Her portrait in Paris? Soames wanting it? Her dread of seeing him? The happy marriage to Jolyon? The portrait of a strong Victorian heroine - a woman of honour, passion, freedom?

7. Soames and Errol Flynn's interpretation? The initial impact? The flashback and his dry manner, humourlessness. pursuit of Irene, attitude to wards property and possessions. the proposal without the basis of love, his expectations of his wife, his legal attitudes, punctuality, disappointment as regards the anniversary? The irony of his having destroyed Jolyon's picture for Irene? His wanting to please her with the house and the irony of throwing her together with Philippe? His insensitivity as regards the holiday? His wanting her to go to June's engagement party? Receiving the note from June and his reaction? The confrontation and his reaction to her leaving him? The confrontation with Philippe and witnessing his death? The divorce after hiring the private detective? His mean attitude? His watching the portrait of Irene in Paris? His demanding it and her sending it? His disappointment? The 19th. century new rich family. working origins. snobbery? And yet Soames' capacity to answer his family but his succumbing to snobbery?

8. The portrait of the family - especially in the tableaux at the parties and receptions? old Jolyon and his birthday. the portrait. his love for June? Disregard for Irene? Growing to like her? His harsh attitudes towards Philippe? The uncles and their eye to business, emphasis on money? Their not wanting to mention their origins? The aunts and their gossip? The hurt to Hester and her being a spinster? The younger generation and their seeming to be ineffectual? Their origins, comparisons with the aristocracy, emphasis on money, family pressures, the Forsyte clan and their seeing their family history as a saga? The reasons for excluding Jolyon and scandal and standards? The irony of his long voice-over on the Forsytes and their wealth and snobbery? The film's attention to detail about the family?

9. Jolyon and Walter Pidgeon's interpretation, the explanation of his exclusion from the family and his not seeing June, the gallery encounter with Irene and sending the painting, the clash with Soames? His being excluded from celebrations? His encounter with Irene with the book about architecture? His meeting her at the engagement party? Irene's urging June to see her father? June's turning to him in difficulty? The encounter with Irene and Philippe's death? His standing by Irene instead of June? Marriage, his success? The freer spirit of the 19th century reacting against staid Victorian ambition and snobbery?

10. June as an attractive yet spoilt girl. her friendship with Irene, infatuation with Philippe. promoting Philippe's career, the engagement party and her sensing something was wrong. her talking about suicide. her exhilaration about Philippe e.g. at the visiting of the country estate? Her seeing Irene at the apartment,, sending the notes, her bitterness? The mention of her having got over it and her marriage five years later?

11. Philippe and his carefree attitude. charm, giving the money to the children after telling the story. verbal sparring with Irene, the outings, the infatuation with Irene, the plans of the house, his visits to discuss the rooms and his proposal to her, kissing her, his refusing to be rejected? The disregard of the future? Not wanting to hurt June but wanting Irene? The engagement party? The visit of Irene and June's seeing him with the flowers? The confrontation with Soames? The irony of the accident and his death?

12. The minor characters and their contribution: Irene's landlady and Soames' visit, the shop assistant discussing Irene's beauty, the young cousin at the party getting Irene's prograrme, Soames' butler, the private detective?

13. The attention to detail of manners, good form? The contrast of good manners with moral attitudes?

14. The emphasis on property, and the social comment and critique of Galsworthy of such families as the Forsytes?

15. Themes of marriage - as an institution, the basis of contract and love, divorce and scandal?

16. Themes of business, law contrasting with art and creativity?

17. A successful adaptation of a novel to two hours running time - and urging viewers to go back to the novels?