GIRLFRIENDS

US, 1978, 88 Minutes, Colour.
Melanie Mayron, Eli Wallach, Bob Balaban, Adam Cohen, Anita Skinner, Christopher Guest, Viveca Lindfors.
Directed by Claudia Weill.

Girlfriends is engaging short story, a group of vignettes about a talented but insecure girl, her hopes, loves, many mistakes and her capacity for friendship. Akin to wry Woody Allen situations (Jewish humour included; though some of the dialogue -admittedly people do say corny things -is the kind he cleverly parodies). Written and directed by Claudia Weill, the film offers a feminine sensibility and appreciation of problems as well as friendships, joy, selfishness and hurt, and her awkward heroine is observed well and empathetically portrayed with vigour by Melanie Mayron, who is in turn funny, exasperating, tender. Inconclusive, as all slices of life, but offering insightful angles on contemporary living.

1. An interesting, entertaining and attractive film? A great success in the United States and elsewhere in 1978? Why? Content, style, themes, a woman's film about women? Its humanity?

2. The feminine point of view in the screenplay, in the direction in the central performances? How particularly a feminine point of view, insight? Where did sympathies lie - as regards women, as regards the men?

3. The brevity of the film, its episodic nature and style? The episodes illustrating one another and put together movingly? The quality of the screenplay, the dialogue? The New York and United States atmosphere? The New York locations - houses and apartments, streets, galleries? Interiors and exteriors? The score and its mood?

4. The impact of the credits and the selection of photos of Susan and Ann? What did they suggest? The bonds of friendship, girlfriends? The introduction to the two characters by the discussion about the photos after Ann woke up. Ann presenting her poem for Susan's criticism? Busyness, irritation with one another, sharing? The prospect of Martin and Ann's marrying him? Susan's realisation this but it not striking her as real? Their particular jobs, success? The quality of the bond between the two? The way they complemented each other? Mutual hurt? Susan interpreting Ann's marriage as a betrayal? The presentation of the build-up to the wedding, the wedding itself and Susan's probing, her speech while painting the wall red and the implications of this? The various visits and the tensions between the two, the slide show, the gift, the later meal and the taking of photographs and Ann's bad mood? Ann's ringing and finding Cel? Her visit and the encounter with Cel? The argument between the two as regards their selfishness? Ann's decision not to be at the show? Their being together at the end and their joking and drinking - and the background to the abortion? Martin finally arriving again and the end with Susan's face? What had happened between the initial credit photos and the ending?

5. How credible a character was Susan? Melanie Mayron and her performance and style? The vitality of her presence? As a young girl, American background, Jewish background? Her skill and talent as a photographer, her feminine point of view? The photos of Ann, her professional photos and their acceptance and the discussion about these for the magazine, and their being clipped? Her work for the rabbi? Her friendship with Ann and her need for it? The quality of her love and the experience of betrayal? The way the wedding was filmed? A confused girl, her living alone? The party and her various manoeuvres to get away from people she didn't like, the encounter with Eric and spending the night with him and then leaving, the comments of the taxi driver? Why could she not cope?

6. Her career and its importance? The various jobs she had, the hopes? The encounter with her various friends, especially the people involved in photography and the galleries? The encounter with the bland editor and his comment on her pictures? Her return to the rabbi and her ability to discuss things with him? Her work in the gallery? The build-up to the interview with the specialist photographer and his allowing himself to be interviewed by her, his recommendation and comment that she had funny pictures? The success of the opening? The possibility of a successful career - how fulfilling?

7. The presence of the rabbi and his influence in her life? The taking of the photos and making the Jewish boy laugh with the jokes? The various helps? The discussions, the intimacy and the date? Her joyful reaction and Ann's comment? Her visit to him and his going to the football and her reaction? Disappointment? His presence at the exhibition and comments? What did she learn from him? By her experience and the disillusionment? A good character sketch of the rabbi eg. his warmth, support of her, friendship as regards jokes, pictures, the invitation of Marcel Marceau? His encounter with his son and wife and the football?

8. The character of Eric and his importance in the film? His presence at the party and the small talk, his spending the night with Susan? Her leaving and his reaction? His later call, arrival, casual telephoning with his loss of cards, eating? The bond between the two? The liaison, sexual relationship, living together and the quality of their relationship? The discussion about the mumps and his telephone call? Their outings together? Watching television, especially his love for football? The clash eg. the making of the potato salad? The discussion about the two apartments? The future? His presence at the opening of the exhibition? Susan's love for him, the possibility of a future together? How well did they relate, know each other, understand each other?

9. How attractive a character was Ann? How objectively did we see her, through Susan's eyes? Their sharing the flat together, sharing discussions about the poetry? Tensions? Ann's revelation that she would marry? The discussion of whether she loved Martin or not? The wedding and her joy? The honeymoon, the slides, the gift? Her writing, irritability? Having the. baby and her joy? Going back to school? Susan's visits and their tension, especially over the meal during the winter? Her visit to Susan's flat and the discussion about Cel? Their fights, the discussions about selfishness? The sharing of the truth about the abortion? Her decision to be by herself and not go to the opening? The being together and playing games? Martin's return? How well would Ann and Martin cope?

10. The character of Cel and her importance in the film? Her being picked up, Susan meeting her after the fight with Ann? Their discussions, dancing, Cel revealing her life, sharing the flat? The sexual encounter and Susan's rebuttal? Cells manners? Ann's visit? Susan's reaction to her disappointment with the rabbi and asking Cel to go? What happened? How credible a character was Cel?

11. Seeing Susan at her various jobs, the various discussions with friends and their joy, jealousy? Her enjoying her friends? Her loneliness and her telephone calls for going out etc.?

12. The build-up to the exhibition after the imposition she made on the photographer? The gallery director and her style and affectedness, her son? Their encouragement of Susan? The build-up to the layout of the exhibition? Her comments on Susan's irresponsibility? The discussion about being a professional? Her success?

13. Glimpses and a portrait of a person rather than a study? The inconclusive ending? Audience empathy and understanding for Susan and her life? The human values explored and portrayed?