MISS JULIE

UK, 1972, 100 minutes, Colour.
Helen Mirren, Donal Mc Cann, Heather Canning.
Directed by Robin Phillips, John Glenister.

Miss Julie is a filmed version of a stage production of August Strindberg's famous play. It is based on a Royal Shakespeare 1971 production which claimed to go back to Strindberg's minute stage directions. The film has amplified the play which usually lasts under an hour on stage. It is said that not all of Strindberg's directions have been followed and there is a 1970s tone to the presentation of sexuality, a more knowing approach and explicitness. Direction is by Robin Phillips who has been a successful actor and director. Helen Mirren, who has also achieved success on the stage with occasional films such as Age of Consent and Savage Messiah, is Miss Jule. She is supported by a stage cast. The film highlights Strindberg’s themes of class distinction, fascination of sexuality and the puritanical background which covered over explicit expression and talk of relationships. There was a Swedish version of the play in 1951 directed by Alf Sjoberg.

1. The reputation of Strindberg's play? Strindberg’s interest, character, themes, conflict, Sweden in the 19th century? His characters as symbols of clash situation, class, relationships, sexuality, despair, death?

2. The stage presentation and the transfer to cinema? The use of the text, the use of the stage directions, the confinement of sets? Did the film seem too theatrical? The amplification of the time? Qualities of colour photography, close-ups, angles, the long uninterrupted shots especially for speeches? Musical score?

3. The relevance of Miss Julie to the 20th. century? The change in society? The similarities? The same clashes and intensity? The adaptation of a 19th. century play to 20th. century interests, styles? Reflecting the 170s permissiveness. explicitness?

4. The focus on Julie? Her relationship to her weak father. domineering mother? The background of her attitude towards men? Her awareness of herself, sexuality, her engagement, the prospect of marriage? The situation of the servants' dance and the absence of her father? The attraction towards Jean? Her hearing his talk with Christine? The model of Jean and Christine and their relationship? Her confronting Jean, the insistence on the dance? Her tantalising of Jean? What drove her. compulsion? Her insisting on the lovemaking? Julie's decision to escape from her background? Her pressurising Jean? The decision to go to Switzerland? The stealing of the money, the preparations, her pet bird? Her readiness to leave and reaction to Jean refusing to take the bird? Christine and Julie's begging for help? Her reaction to Christine's refusal? Julie feeling further trapped? The return of her father and her fears? Julie thrown back into herself, her separation from her father.. from Jean? The motives for her killing herself? The portrait of a trapped girl in a specified situation as symbol for the human condition?

5. The relationship of Jean and Christine? servants in the household, manner, speech, traditions? The kitchen? The sexual arrangement? Jean and his response to Julie as mistress of the house? The dance. the seduction. the lovemaking. the decision to go? Jean's severe stances? His inability to leave? Christine and her harshness? Trapping Jean and Julie?

6. Christine and her place within the household, her love for Jean? Her work in the house? Her control of Julie? Forbidding the horses to leave?

7. Julie's father? his manner of bringing his daughter up, his relationship with his wife, her death? His strict instructions for Julie? His outing? His return and the confrontation?

8. The small stage and circumscribed events as symbolising the human condition? People trapped in their class. the class distinctions, barriers? Emotions and passion trying to break through? The strictures of society? Expectations?

9. Despair as the only way out, personal honour? Death? The reasons for the pessimism?

10. The design of the film to focus on the performances and to highlight the speeches, the imagery and insight in the speeches? The close-ups and the intensity of the characterisation? The impact of the cinema presentation of the play?