TWO FOR THE SEESAW

US, 1962, 119 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Mitchum, Shirley Mac Laine.
Directed by Robert Wise.

Two for the Seesaw is based on a Broadway play by William Gibson (writer of the novel Cobweb, the plays The Miracle Worker and Monday After the Miracle). It was adapted for the screen, though retaining so much of the stage dialogue and mood, by Isabel Leonard who for twenty-five years had a very successful writing career at MGM in the 1940s with Anchors Aweigh, Lost Angel, East Side West Side as well as in the 1950s with Love Me Or Leave Me and This Could Be The Night. She also wrote the screenplay for The Inn of the Sixth Happiness and The Sundowners as well as the book for Funny Girl.

The film is about a man from Nebraska, a lawyer whose wife is asking for a divorce who visits New York and encounters an eccentric dancer. Robert Mitchum, in the part played by Henry Fonda on stage, is a good choice for the lawyer. Shirley Mac Laine, in the part played by Anne Bancroft on stage, does her familiar style as the dancer.

There is a lot of dialogue as these two characters interact, search for the meanings of their life, are attracted towards each other.

1. The interest and appeal of this film?

2. Its stage origins, were they evident? The stress on dialogue? How well ‘opened out' was the film? The appropriateness of the black and white photography and Panavision?

3. The quality and style of the music and its use to create a mood as regards the two characters and their plight?

4. The significance of the title and indication of themes? The visual presentation of the seesaw struggle between them? Especially at the end with the split screen?

5. The importance of the New York opening for atmosphere? The urban greatness of New York, the loneliness, New York as a home for people? The people of New York for example at the party, in the apartments, at work? What insight into New York as a place did the film offer?

6. How well did the film delineate the character of Jerry? His coming from Nebraska, his loneliness and isolation in New York, the lawyer, the background of his marriage and divorce, his career, leaving home and wife? His need for contact, his being out of place in the New York party life? His reliance on the phone and his plea for help? How well did Robert Mitchum portray this character?

7. What were the major strengths of character in Jerry? How were they presented? In his work, law, his being needed? His capacities for insight, help for Cathie? His compassion and sensitivity for Tess even though he wanted to break from her? How much capacity for love? His final saying 'I love you’ to Gittel?

8. What weaknesses of character did the film portray? How were they visualized and verbalized? His self-preoccupation, his incapacity for giving, his using others, his capacity for jealousy? His withdrawal and not contacting people? How were these weaknesses explored, overcome?

9. How well was the character of Gittel portrayed? Being seen at the party with fleeting and superficial contacts? Her apartment and her loneliness? The quality of her life, her marriages, work? How attractive a character was she? The skill in Shirley MacLaine's performance?

10. How did the film explore and portray her strengths? As a woman, as supportive, her insight and intuition? At work? How did she grow and change through the experience of the encounter with Jerry?

11. How did the film visualize and verbalize her weaknesses? Her physical illness and the reasons for it, her fear, her need for communication? Her need of help and her helping others?

12. What were the qualities of the encounter between the two? How realistic? How ideal? Trace the ups and downs and the growth in understanding each other? The truth games and the deceit? What effect did they have on each other? For the good?

13. The importance of the character of Tess? Even though she was only heard on the phone? Her presence and her influence?

14. The contribution of the minor characters as Gittel’s friends, the people at work, the people at the parties?

15. The importance of the phone as a means of communication in the city? The possibility of answering it: and not answering it? The fact that the resolution of the plot occurred over the phone? The significance and tone and mood of the final phone call? The truth of the words said and what they expressed? Gitel’s final ringing of the phone and Jerry's just looking at it?

16. How wise a film was this? How much insight and compassion into men and women, marriage, love, loneliness, truth and lies? The difficulties of living in a modern city?