THE BRUTE
UK, 1977, 90 minutes, Colour.
Sarah Douglas, Julian Glover.
Directed by Gerry O’ Hara.
A mixture of social document and exploitation. When it was being made it was called The Brute Syndrome and purported to be a study of human relationships focussing on men who had psychological hang-ups and expressed them in brutal behaviour towards their wives. It also focused on bashed wives and their plight.
This comes through quite strongly although it is interspersed with themes more at home in a sexploitation film. It seems as if the film to aimed at the widest possible audience and as such is not too bad.
Sarah Douglas is an attractive heroine. Julian Glover, a good actor in so many films, is duly convincing as the brute. There is quite a lot of social observation - but it is generally of the popular magazine variety. The film asks to be judged at this level. It was directed by Gerry O' Hara who has made a number of low budget films over the years.
After this film he made the British- Canadian co-production, the romantic Leopard in the Snow.
1. The impact of the title? The original title was 'The Brute Syndrome'. Would this alter the impact - focussing on the psychology?
2. How well did the film portray the psychological elements of the problem? How much exploitive material was there? For what audience? What effect was the theme of brutality meant to have?
3. The significance of the preface, facts? Sympathies? The focus on Diane, on her husband?
4. Diane as the focus of the film, her suffering, brutality, the night in the garage, going to work, her covering up, the importance of the reconciliation, the further encounter with her husband, her bitterness? yet her love, leaving? The build-up to the reconciliation and the sudden switch with the attempt to brand her? Hatred, the build-up to the law
courts? Tim as a bond between the parents? Her regrets that the marriage did not succeed?
5. Diane as a person, strengths and weaknesses, work as a model, her relationship with the photographer, with Carrie, With Millie and her understanding of battered wives? Her response to him? Her work and her social interest? Sexuality and infidelities? The social aspect of her plight, the courts, decisions? The atmosphere of terror?
6. The importance of the interview with the psychologist? How credible? His analysis of the situation? His advice?
7. The character of her husband, an ordinary man, his behaviour as a brute? The importance of his mother and her hold over him? The short sequence with the mother and her minding Tim? His moods, inability to relate? His being charming and then the sudden transition? The initial
brutality, the appearance in the dress, slashing Diane's clothes, the branding sequence, his language? his change for public appearance?
8. Carrie and her boy friend and their helping Diane? Sexuality? The photographer's lust and parking his car and Carrie's reaction? Their help? Discussions of marriage and their decision not to marry because of the ugly models?
9. The sequences of Millie and Allan - how credible and authentic? Brutality, assault, drunkenness? Allan and his friends and his demand, ridicule of his wife? The home for the wives? The situation to help Millie escape with her baby?
10. The contrast of the scenes with Tim and their effect? South Africa and the husband going there?
11. The build-up to the car chase as a symbol of the mutual attack and fear?
12. The husband's attitude towards the court, the brand? The dredging of the river and finding it?
13. The recapitulation and its effectiveness at the end of the film?
14. The value of this kind of film an entertainment, for a wide audience? How much psychological insight, at what level, to what effect?
