GUMSHOE

UK, 1971, 84 minutes, Colour.
Albert Finney, Billie Whitelaw, Frank Finlay, Janice Rule,
Carolyn Seymour.
Directed by Stephen Frears.

Gumshoe was not a box-office success and yet it is a most entertaining film, well worth seeing. It is a parody of the stories and style of the private eye thrillers of the 40's, what we associate with Humphrey Bogart and The Big Sleep. But it is set in contemporary Liverpool which gives the film a mixture of reality and unreality. Dialogue, music, camera work are interesting to look at as a homage to the old Hollywood.

Albert Finney is very good as Eddie Ginley, The Gumshoe, who dreams of being Bogart and who gets involved in more than he can easily cope with. Billie Whitelaw is always excellent and Janice Rule makes a tellingly sinister villainess.

1. How successful a parody of the Hollywood gangster film was this? Comment on the style of the credits. Comment on the use of the musical score.

2. What did Eddie Ginley stand for? How ordinary a man was he? What were his ambitions? why? Did he think he could ever achieve them?

3. What was the point of his interview with the psychiatrist?

4. Why did he put the advertisement in the paper? Why did he like imitating Humphrey Bogart? (Did Albert Finney do this well?) How much of a dream world was the world he lived in? (e.g. the way he answered the phone)? How successful was he in his own world?

5. When did the film turn serious? Why didn't Eddie take the case seriously? when did he become involved?

6. How did he relate to each character - and why?
- to Ellen? Did he trust her?
- to William? Did he explain why he disliked him?
- to Alison?
- to his boss?
- to Mrs Blankerscoon? Why was he suspicious of her?

7. Was the film a good mystery? Did you suspect who was guilty?

8. Did Eddie handle the situations well?

9. Had he the right to use the fire brigade to trap the villains?

10. Did the murder of the fat diplomat change his attitude to them all? Why did he make his decision against them?

11. Did you expect John Straker to be the amateur he was?

12. What was the point of making this film? It did extremely poorly at the box-office despite excellent reviews - why?