GRIFFIN AND PHOENIX
US, 1976, 96 minutes, Colour.
Peter Falk, Jill Clayburgh, Dorothy Tristan, Sally Kirkland.
Directed by Daryl Duke.
Griffin and Phoenix is a contrived story, even to the character's names, but one which deals with a subject that defies contrivance - death. Made for U.S. television audiences, one senses a homely, "acceptable' tone, the film is able to involve a middle-aged audience and have it empathize with Sarah and Jeff, who both have only months to live. "What does it profit a man . . ."? What is living, happiness, love . . . ? Via a story of sentiment, we are asked to ask these questions. What gives the film its value and the strong performances of Peter Falk and Jill Clayburgh who can communicate both the fears and the laughter of a man and a woman who must die.
1. The overall impact of the film? Audience interest and involvement in the plot? The attractiveness of the stars? Response to the themes of life, love and death?
2. Was it evident the film was a telemovie? In its style, use of close-ups and focus on persons? In its exploration of issues for a how audience? Was it evident why the telemovie was so successful that it was shown in theatres?
3. The importance of colour, the New Mexico locations, Seattle locations, California and its atmosphere?
4. Contributions of the songs, especially the title song? The musical score? The symbolism of the kites? A contemporary story which most audiences could identify with? Characters that the audience could identify with and so experience the themes?
5. The importance of the title; the symbolic significance of the names in terns of fable, heraldry, immortality? The irony of these names for people who were to die?
6. How well did the film introduce us to Griffin? The background to his ordinary life, his family and his relationships with his sons, his wife? Their house, crashes? The nature of their holiday and its being revealed as an attempt to heal the marriage separation? Griffin's hopes in view of his physical condition? The obtuseness of his wife, his children? The satire on American holiday-makers wanting mod cons, T.V.? His wife's and children's treatment of him, and driving along the highway and putting up notices to walk the dog etc.? His decision to lose the caravan and the family? Could the audience sympathise with his wanting to go and leave them all alone? The comic aspects and the tragic aspects of leaving his family? The contribution of Peter Falk to the character of Griffin?
7. The film's giving us information about his physical condition, a listening sympathy and understanding for him? His getting a house in California and his living by himself? The pathos of the visit from his brother who understood the truth, giving him the money? Griffin's facing up to death, acceptance and non-acceptance of the reality of his own death? The repercussions of his life and behaviour? what was he to do with his life with only 12 months to live? Were his decisions and behaviour credible?
8. The device of the lectures as an introduction to Phoenix? The flashbacks to her tests, emotional reaction, the rebellious reaction to the news, going to so many doctors? The desperation, her phoning friends and wanting contact with them? Her death laugh and inability to accept? Her presence at the lectures? Her easily being distracted by Griffin?
9. How did the film show the growing bonds between the two, the sense of fun after the lecture, their meeting at the cafe and coming across the street? The party and joining in the fun? Doing things together, doing mischievous things together? The carnival and her sending the note? His not recognising her in the other wig? The humour of their going to the pictures and creeping in without paying, their running away? At what level did they know each other, how did this grow? The importance of not knowing the truth about each other's death? The audience knowing?
10. The growing emotional involvement, liking and loving? The importance of the confrontation when Phoenix discovered the books about illness? Her reaction? The revelation of the truth and the shared perspective of death? This as a means of evaluating what they did and what they were to do for the short time of their lives? The love affair and its value, morality, validity? Their bargaining with each other? The importance of Griffin visiting his home and seeing his children and his wife, their indifference? His final breaking with them and his return to Phoenix?
11. The importance of the lyrical and happy scenes in this framework; the painting on the Tank stand and being pursued by the police, the ironic use of the obliterating of the painting at the end? Hopping on the freight train? Gliding?
12. The gradual development of pain in each? Their notes to each other? Their hiding the truth from each other? Hope and hopelessness?
13. The introduction of the kites as high-flying symbols? Theme of play? The happiness of Griffin and his kite. The irony of his concealing of pain? Phoenix and her pain at night and waking up in terror? Their playing and being seen on the beach with children, with the old couple looking at them? The humour and the humanity of their being invited to the party, their dancing, the speeches and the irony of old age that they would never reach?
14. The growth in communication between the two, the effect of this bond and Phoenix's not wanting Griffin to see her in pain? Audience reaction at the moment of her disappearance?
15. Should Griffin have gone to the hospital and seen her in pain? The pathos and realism of this sequence? The effect on each?
16. The humour of the visit to the cemetery, how plausible was the message on her tomb-stone? Its leading to a reaction in Griffin and the picture of him breaking all the windows of the cars? The importance of visualising of this frustration? The film ending with this?
17. How valuable an exploration in ordinary characters of the vital thews of life and death, love, what is worthwhile in life, values? The irony of their names being painted over and their disappearing forever?
