MAHOGANY

US, 1975, 109 minutes, Colour.
Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Perkins, Jean- Pierre Aumont, Beah Richards.
Directed by Berry Gordy.

Of old, Bette Davis or Joan Crawford. Now Diana Ross. In fact, this lush soap opera with social overtones seems for the greater glory of Diana Ross - she stars, sings the pleasantly haunting theme, and gets the credit for costume design; and there is an enormous and lavish wardrobe to see. Diana Ross has a vitality that keeps this rags to evening gowns fashion film alive. Whether poking fun at her political friend (a genial Billy Dee Williams) or posing or clashing with an arty photographer in Rome (Anthony Perkins, yet again psychotic), she is the centre of everything. Artificial, unreal, escapist (despite the politics), yet enjoyable while there.

1. The appeal of this kind of soap opera? The critics reviewed it very poorly. It was popular with audiences. Why?

2. Why are audiences interested in the so-called Never Never Land of soap opera? The appeal of the characters, the glamour, the issues? How good an example of soap opera was this? The indication of the theme song for message?

3. How real is this world of glamour? How unreal? The significance of the flashback structure of the film and Mahogany's realization of what had happened to her?

4. How real was the presentation of the political world of Chicago? How unreal the characters in it. how credible and plausible?

5. The film was intended to be a Black soap opera. There was an emphasis on the negro point of view. Was this evident? Was it particularly noticeable, militant?

6. Audience response to Mahogany herself? At the opening fashion show, the flashbacks? Diana Ross and her style and personality, her acting, singing, wearing the clothes she herself designed? The characteristics of Mahogany, strengths and weaknesses of personality, values and stances?

7. Audience introduction to the Chicago world: Tracey and her secretarial work, her night school and dress designing. her ambitions? Her encounter with Brian and his world of politics? Brian and the real political and social issues of Chicago? An ordinary and credible world? A contrast with the future for them both?

8. Audience interest in the world of the big store, Miss Evans and her running the models. the photography., the recipe for success, etc.? How interesting was this world of fashion?

9. How credible were Tracey's ambitions and decisions? Her involvement with Sean, her standing-in for the photography. her dismissal and her work for Brian, the dilemma in her choices and ambitions?

10. The strengths and weaknesses of the character of Brian? The politician, the popular man, his appeal to his constituents, to the people working for him? His own ambitions and their clash with those of Tracey?

11. The abruptness of her decision to go to Rome? What motivated it? The contrast of the world of Rome with that of Chicago? The fashion world, the chic and empty high society? How well did she fit into it?

12. The character of Sean and his neuroses? His skill as a photographer and the way that this was visualized. audience antipathy towards him? His moulding of Mahogany's career? Her relish of this career that he created? The interaction between the two? Who was the stronger and who was the more dominant?

13. The response to the fashion shows and her being caught up in this world? Did the audience share her wish for success?

14. The people of the Roman world for example, Carlotta and her influence on Mahogany. the hold that various peoples had over her, the style of the parties. the world of advertising and the achievement of Mahogany's ambitions?

15. The contrast with Brian's arrival in Rome? His reaction to his losses in Chicago? His hopes for Mahogany? His sense of alienation from Roman society? The dramatic symbolism of the encounter with Sean and the empty gun? An indication of Brian's normality, Sean's madness?

16. The melodramatics of the accident and the way it was visualized? Was this inevitable for a character like Sean? The effect on Mahogany and her illness?

17. Rossetti and his background in Rome? His bid for Mahogany's dress when she had displayed her own design and had been humiliated by Sean? What hold did he have over Mahogany? His helping her to recuperate, the invitation to be his mistress, his financing of the show? How sympathetic a character, how credible?

18. Why was Mahogany disillusioned when her ambitions were fulfilled? She had clawed her way to the top. Why was she unsatisfied? What values appealed to her?

19. Comment on the themes of reality versus unreality, truth and appearances?

20. How authentic was the ending? Did Brian and Mahogany have a future together? The humorous repetition of the charade in the crowd and Mahogany's appeal to Brian, the irony of what had happened from the time that she had first done it? How true did this film ring? Was it phoney?