THE MEN'S CLUB

US, 1986, 100 minutes, Colour.
Roy Scheider, Frank Langella, Harvey Keitel, Treat Williams, Richard Jordan, David Dukes, Craig Wasson, Stockard Channing, Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Directed by Peter Medak.

The Men's Club is an attempt at psycho-drama for entertainment. It focuses on a group of seven men in San Francisco, their backgrounds, their attitudes towards their spouses, towards their careers, and shows them getting together for interaction. The interaction degenerates into clashes, their reverting to childish behaviour, most of them eventually going to spend the night at a brothel.

The language is strong, there are many monologues revealing the psychological states of the speakers. The film has a very good cast - which tends to give some credibility to the speeches and to the behaviour. However, it is very hard for most audiences to identify with the men, in the camaraderie, in their crude talk and behaviour, in their antagonism towards their wives. The film is a very strong portrait of the battle of the sexes - and the exploitation of women by men: at home and in the brothels.

The film was directed by Peter Medak, a director whose career has varied over many decades with such interesting films as Negatives, The Ruling Class, The Krays, as well as many telemovies.

1.Impact of the film? Plot, characters, behaviour? The battle of the sexes? The look into the ugly side of male behaviour and sexuality?

2.The film based on a novel by Leonard Michaels and his scripting the film? The psychological background, dramatisation of behaviour? Exploitation, authenticity?

3.The Californian background, the worlds of the various men? Domestic, career? Ordinary men, workers, professionals? Seeing themselves as special or not? At home? The brothel? Audiences identifying with them, their situations?

4.The introductions with the monologues, the introduction of the cast, the strength of the cast? The idea of the club? The men getting together, motivations and expectations of the club?

5.The gathering at the home? The stories and the revelation about relationships, treatment of women? The bonds developing between the men? The range of clashes? Growth in understanding, buddies? The masculine emphases of the stories? Attitudes towards women? Sexuality? The behaviour degenerating - raiding the fridge, the darts, the yells? Repression? The creation of mess? The wife arriving home, her reaction, her disappearance from the scene - and the critique of the men?

6.Going to the brothel, the House of Affection? The madam and her running of the brothel, the contracts with the clientele? Expenses? The women in the brothel, their position, their acting, glamour, pandering to the men? The men's needs? The arrival, the reaction? Surveying the women, choices? The different attitudes? The women as offering company, companionship, listening? Sexual encounters? The men hurt, the women hurt? The kinky behaviour? Love? The revelation of truth about the men, the shame, the phone calls, the pretences? The build-up to the finale and the wedding?

7.The picturing of women: subservient, marriage relationships, family? Women servicing men? Sex, seduction? Dominance, co-operation? Tension, compliance? The women not understanding the men? The finale with the gun, the madam and her decisions? Money? The world of fantasy?

8.Cavanaugh, Roy Scheider's screen presence and style, the initial story, his sports background, getting older, promiscuity, his fans, relationship with Philip? Relationship with Sarah, the possibility of divorce? In the club, the yahoo behaviour? To the brothel, with the women, his defiance, the phone call, his fears? The finale and running on the bridge?
Philip, his relationship with Hannah, the domestic background and ordinariness? Psychology? Long friendship with Cavanaugh? Going to the club, professional attitude? Being caught up in the behaviour? Going to the brothel, his hesitation, with the women, the pretended phone call to his wife? The clash with Cavanaugh?
Solly, loud, his relationships, part of the club, stories? Friendly? To the brothel, meeting the girl, his needs, his trying to understand himself, his memories? With the girl, her not understanding, the proposal of marriage, the wedding ceremony?
Harold Canterbury, going home, his wife walking out on him, going professionally to the doctor, his tension? At the club, professional, proper, unbending? Joining in the unrepressed behaviour? At the brothel, with the prostitute, the painting and the colours? His breaking loose? Paul, the working man, the outsider and observer, friendship with Solly, trying to keep pace? The brothel, his wife, being hesitant, sitting with the women for companionship, again getting caught up in the behaviour?
Terry, the doctor, professional, easygoing, the club, his power of storytelling, the revelations about himself? At the brothel, the encounter with the prostitute? His not being affected so much by the behaviour of the club?
Kramer, host to the club, his relationship with the men, his becoming involved, the raiding of the fridge, allowing the mess in his home? His wife coming home, chastened, his not going out?

9.The glimpses of the women: Hannah and her relationship with Philip, at home? Her presence in his mind as he went to the club, the brothel? Sarah, unseen, and her relationship with Cavanaugh, the possibility of the divorce? Kramer's wife, her coming home, her work with the clubs, the destruction of the house, her anger, her demands that things be cleaned up?

10.How authentic this presentation of male behaviour? Male psychology? Male needs? And the critique of their chauvinist behaviour and attitudes?