MARIA'S LOVERS

US, 1984, 103 minutes, Colour.
Robert Mitchum, John Savage, Nastassji Kinski, Keith Carradine, Anita Morris, Bud Cort, John Goodman, Karen Young, Vincent Spano.
Directed by Andrei Konchalovsky.

Maria's Lovers was co-written and directed by celebrated Russian director (Siberiade) Andrei Konchalovsky. After some years in the United States making an Oscar-nominated documentary, writing scripts and lecturing, the Cannon Group (Golan and Globus, who tend to make package films or exploitive films or both) offered him the opportunity to make Maria's Lovers. The original screenplay was by Gerard Brach, a collaborator in many scripts, including Tess, with Roman Polanski. It was adapted by Pulitzer Prize winning writer Paul Zindel.

The film recreates the post World War Two period in Pennsylvania. The theme of the rehabilitation of returning soldiers and their difficulties in family and relationships was a theme of Coming Home. Coming Home was released in 1978, the same year as The Deer hunter which uses similar locations and the same star, John Savage. The themes of these films are intentionally interlinked. There is also a preface during the credits of Maria's Lovers where a documentary, Let There Be Light, made by John Huston, is shown, indicating the problems of the returning soldiers.

The film has a very interesting cast led by Nastassia Kinski. John Savage, an idiosyncratic actor, portrays the torment of the central character, Ivan. Robert Mitchum has a good role as his father. Keith Carradine has a showy role as a wandering singer. There is a blend of the serious and the comic, the tender and the exploitive. An offbeat and interesting film.

1. The impact of the film? Entertaining drama? A piece of Americana?

2. The work of the director? His Russian background, career, admiration of American films? American sensibilities and style, new eyes for American themes? (And the background of the French scriptwriter and American adaptors?)

3. The strong recreation of period, the mid '40s in the Pennsylvanian town, the town, the hills, the streets, houses, shops, the hospital etc.? The slaughter yards? Bars and cafes? An authentic feel for the period? The use of music and songs?

4. The credits quotation from John Huston's Let There Be Light? The work of a classic director? The visual impact of a documentary of the time highlighting problems for American returned soldiers? An interview with Ivan worked into the context of Let There Be Light? The war, tensions, coming home, reality and fantasy, coping and not coping?

5. Ivan in this context? His return to the town, going home, talking with his father and making him a meal, the reminiscences about being a prisoner of war, his father thinking he might be dead? The memories of Maria and his going to see her, discovering her with Al? The tensions in the first encounter with her on the verandah? His father's sending him off with Mrs. Wynic, the sexual encounter and its effect on Ivan? His courting Maria but wary of commitment? His riding his bike and exhilaration? The possibilities of settling home? Tension? John Savage's ability to convey this tension? Friends, work the hero's welcome? Al and his rivalry for Maria?

6. The focus on Maria? A balance to Ivan? Maria and her place in the town, pre-war memories? The Yugoslav background? The hometown girl? Going out with Al, the date, the friendship, intimacy? Her work at the hospital, her friends? Her old grandmother?

7. Ivan and Maria and their courting, the marriage ceremony, the religious background? A typical post-war couple? The first night and Ivan's impotence, the effect on him, the effect on Maria, her uncertainty? The repercussions on their marriage? Their continuing their life together and trying to cope with the problem? Maria coping? Ivan tormented? The arrival of Clarence in town, his remark about a good lay, giving Ivan his glasses, Ivan going to Mrs. Wynic, Maria seeing him through the window? Maria's upset, the clash at home? The sequences of her own sexual tension and release? Al's engagement, the dance, his dancing with Maria, the clash with Ivan, Ivan burning his hand? Al announcing the break off of the engagement? Ivan and Maria and their trying to cope - but the fact of the crisis?

8. Ivan leaving home, going on the train, finding work in the slaughter yards, making friends? Harvey and his support? A way of life, the time passing, enjoying the girls' company? Maria's arrival and her pregnancy, Ivan's rejection, Harvey's challenging of him? The arrival of Clarence, his singing, telling the story? Ivan's punching him? Ivan’s father coming to see him, their talk together, Ivan's return home? Maria in bed, the baby, his declaring his love for the baby? Their reconciliation, a hopeful future? The theme of impotence, Ivan's fantasy of Maria during the war helping him to survive, the return to reality, the clash between the two? Problems and their effects in the war and post war context?

9. Maria alone, Clarence's attentions to her, the cafe and his chasing her, his return, noting she was married, the seduction? The intimacy, his comments on her being a virgin? The clash after the liaison? Her abhorrence, sending him away? The irony of her pregnancy? The visit to Ivan and her matter of fact approach? Ivan's return and the reconciliation?

10. Clarence and his loud style, his bulldog. singing, smooth talking the bar proprietors. charm for the women. sex appeal? Chasing Maria? The song, Maria's Eyes and the lyrics? The encounter with Maria, his reaction, comments on her virginity? Leaving? The previous encounter with Ivan and giving him his sunglasses after the advice? The irony of their meeting again, his loud talk about his encounter, singing the song, Ivan's punching him? An effective character sketch?

11. Al and his Air Force background, dating of Maria, in love with her, his charm with the women, flirting at the dance, announcing his engagement, dancing with Maria and fondling her. Ivan's reaction, his response to Ivan's burning his hand. announcing the breaking of the engagement, his leaving town?

12. Robert Mitchum's character sketch of Ivan's father: the European background, age, work? His talking to his son? Expectations, welcoming his son home as hero? His relationship with Maria? With Mrs. Wynic? The wedding? His visiting his son and getting Ivan to return home?

13. Harvey and his friends. the help, work. nights out, challenging Ivan about Maria and the child?

14. A period film with relevance to later decades? The portrait of American migrants. the American Midwest, the ethnic communities? American families, traditions? Sexual problems, their causes repercussions, coping? The war as a catalyst for the United States?