THE BLISS OF MRS BLOSSOM

UK, 1968, 93 minutes, Colour.
Shirley Mac Laine, Richard Attenborough, James Booth, Freddie Jones, William Rushton, Bob Monkhouse, Patricia Routledge, John Bluthal, Sheila Steafel, Frank Thornton, Barry Humphries, John Cleese.
Directed by Joseph McGrath?.

The Bliss of Mrs Blossom is based on a play by Alec Coppel who was a prolific playwright and screenwriter contributing to a lot of British comedies of the 1950s as well as to Hitchcock’s Vertigo. This is a film with a very light touch – an amoral touch although based on a true story. It is also evocative of the rather psychedelic style and sensitivities of the late 1960s. Shirley Mac Laine portrays Mrs Blossom who has the benefit of both husband and lover. The film is satiric in style, often a spoof, relying on the talents of the rather gifted cast.

Shirley Mac Laine was at the peak of her career in the 1960s and was soon to be Sweet Charity. Richard Attenborough had made a number of strong British films and was soon to move into direction with Oh, What a Lovely War and Young Winston. It is interesting that there is a range of British comedians in the cast including Bob Monkhouse, Patricia Routledge as well as two Australians, John Bluthal and Barry Humphries, with a glimpse of John Cleese.

The film was directed by Joseph McGrath? who had a slight career. The next year he was to continue in this vein, only more so, with his version of Terry Southern’s The Magic Christian. He also made Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World as well as the Peter Sellers vehicle The Great McGonagall?.

1. Was this an enjoyable comedy? Why? What made it funny? How satirical was it? Why are satires enjoyable? What is the point of satire?

2. What attitude towards human nature did the film have? Optimistic or pessimistic? The picture of society in the film. for or against? Its use of conventions especially of romance? Its upsetting of conventions and poking fun of
convention - its presentations of its characters as types? Its poking fun at types? Its picture of love and romance? Its insight into its nature by reason of its jokes and its subtlety? the opening with the talk of Paris and the picture of London? How did this set a style for the rest of the film?

3. Comment on the use of the visuals for the message and the impressions? The use of lavish colour? The variety of shots, angles? The speed of the editing cuts? The whole wacky atmosphere of the film? The wit of the dialogue in the situations? How did this combine to make the film distinctive?

4. What were your impressions of the morals of the film? What notions of good and bad? Of society, legality, hypocrisy? Did the upsetting of morals become immoral? Or was the film very moral in what it presupposed in its audience?

5. How attractive a character was Mrs Blossom? As an ordinary housewife? Her relationship to her husband and her pandering to his whims? Her dreams? Why did Ambrose fulfil her dreams? Was she good or bad? her humour in coping with the situation? Her compromise with husband and lover?

6. Was Robert Blossom an interesting character? His being pictured at the factory and at work? The humour of his working at a brassiere factory? As the typical British husband at home? His relationship with his wife, especially during his conducting of the orchestra? The humour in this? His breakdown and what he suffered? Was it worth it? Were Mrs Blossom and Ambrose to blame? Was he any better when they began to help him with his work and he made so much money? His philanthropy? The irony of this kind of man as a philanthropist?

7. Was Ambrose Tuttle an interesting character? How ordinary was he? Did he intend to take up residence? Why did he stay? Did he really love Mrs Blossom? How humorous were his adventures upstairs? His satire in his teach yourself program?

8. What did the detective and his assistant add to the film? The humour of their idiotic style? Their slowness in detecting? Comedy of situation? As a threat to the situation in the attic (Why did they draw the wrong conclusions?)

9. How humorous were the sequences with the psychologist? What was being satirised here? In dialogue and in the style of filming?

10. The humour with the dog?

11. The sequence of the art exhibition aid the humour of the dealer? Barry Humphries style?

12. What had they achieved after several years?

13. How humorous was the resolution? inevitable? Why?

14. The irony of the divorce situation? The truth that was told during the court case?

15. How ironic was the ending of the film? Was this inevitable? What was the message?

16. How interesting a comedy of manners was this? Its insight into human behaviour and attitudes? On the nature of love and marriage? Of man and woman? Of truth and fantasy?