A TIME FOR LOVING
UK, 1971, 104 minutes, Colour.
Joanna Shimkus, Mel Ferrer, Britt Ekland, Philippe Noiret, Susan Hampshire, Mark Burns, Lila Kedrova.
Directed by Christopher Miles.
A Time for loving is based on a screenplay by celebrated French playwright Jean Anouilh. Anouilh was involved in French cinema from the 1930s, contributed to the screenplay of the classic Monsieur Vincent and to Duvivier’s version of Anna Karenina in 1948. he was celebrated for his plays on Joan of Arc, The Lark, and on Thomas a’Becket, Becket. Peter Sellers starred in a film version of his play Waltz of the Toreadors.
The film was directed by Christopher Miles, brother of Sarah Miles, who directed such films as The Virgin and the Gypsy from a D.H. Lawrence story.
The star of the film is Canadian actress Joanna Shimkus who starred in The Virgin and the Gypsy as well as Marriage of a Young Stockbroker. She had appeared with Sidney Poitier in The Lost Man in 1969. She retired from acting and married Sidney Poitier.
The film was also known as Paris Was Made For Lovers. The film is set in a hotel and has three separate stories of relationships, love, fidelity and infidelity.
1. The significance of the title, indications for meaning and theme?
2. The importance of the structure of the film? the hotel as a central place, the rooms? The portrayal of the men and the women and their parallels? The fact that the film was written by Anouilh, with his background of the stage? How theatrical was the film in its structure? The importance of the use of flashbacks? Bringing them together at the
end? How were audiences involved in each story, with comparisons?
3. The film's use of Paris for atmosphere and meaning? The city locations, the Parisian style of people, manners, housing, the streets, the shops, transport? The Parisian musical style? How would the film have been different if another city had been the location?
4. Here the stories merely love stories? Something more? Moralising?
5. The importance of the house, the studio, the details of the studio, for example the hat-peg, the rooms? The importance of the young couple trying to make love, detected, their explanation, Jeff and Patricia letting them be? The significance of the beauty and lightness of love?
6. Story One: The cynical meeting again of. two lovers, their memories of their first night, the parallel with the young couple? The elaborate detail of the preparations of Jeff, what he bought for the meeting? The romantic anticipation? The bittersweet encounter? Patricia and her presence? The transition from romance to cynicism? The fact that they were cheating on their spouses, the way that they had lived for fifteen
years, the hardness, their memories? What did the film say was the truth
about each of them? The insight into men, women, their loving relationships,
time and change?
7. Story Two: How attractive was Joan in herself? Her work at the hospital and her training? Her efficiency at her work? Her love with Dr. Harrison? The doctor himself, his background of marriage, promotion to the Academy? The quality of their relationship? How much love, how much dependence? Joan building up experience and the doctor understanding this? The
breaking and the effect on each? The realisation on the part of each of what the love affair meant? The doctor's lonely evening? Their final side-by-side presence? Then the doctor at the Academy? Joan with a new boyfriend? The insight into men, women, loving relationships, time and change?
8. Story Three: The contrast with the farcical style, the character of the henpecked man? Marcel as an engaging character? A bumbling man? His work at the office, what type was he? His mother and her hold over him, her tantrums? His wife and her haughtiness? Her elegant style? The presence of the friend at these meals etc.? The contrast then with Josette? Her superficiality and lightness? The way she had the house done up? Her relationship with the music teacher? The music teacher encouraging her? The role of the musician who came for lessons? The importance of the background of the war, Marcel’s involvement in espionage?
The build-up to the party? The humour of Marcel's having to eat the oysters with the three women? The importance of understanding men, women, loving relationships, depth and superficiality, time and change?
9. The film's moralising about the nature of love, its permanence and temporary aspects, bitterness and break-off, affairs and memory? The effect on the memories of men?
10. What comment did the film make on the main men in the film? Their weakness and their ability to be imposed on? The strength, even hardness of the women? Their resilience?
11. The return to the room at the end, the significance and atmosphere of the room and the hotel, its being bombed, the three men together? What had been achieved?
