MIRRORS

US, 1985, 99 minutes, Colour.
Marguerite Hickey, Timothy Daly, Keenan Wynn, Antony Hamilton.
Directed by Harry Winer.

Mirrors is a telemovie variation on the chorus line theme. A young ballerina from Detroit is portrayed in a newspaper article - which leads to advances for herself and a relationship with the journalist. Marguerite Hickey is effective as the dancer. Timothy Daly is the journalist. The supporting cast includes Keenan Wynn as the girl's clergyman grandfather.

The film shows the difficulties of ballet school, auditions, Broadway musicals, tryouts. There are also the usual tangled relationships - including one with Antony Hamilton, the Australian model (Samson and Delilah). There is nothing particularly new in the film - but it is presented quite entertainingly.

1.Entertaining telemovie? The world of dance? The world of journalism? Broadway ambitions?

2.Detroit, New York, Philadelphia - American cities? Homes, theatres, performances? The musical score?

3.The title, the focus on the characters, their reflections?

4.Karin, the dancer, at school, the subject of the article, her response to Chris? Dancing - yet the difficulty of diabetes? Her relationship with Chris? Her grandfather and his support, his death, the legacy? The decision to go to New York? Meeting Diane and Terry, flatting, ballet school? Going to the audition for Broadway, winning a place? Terry and his depression? Chris's arrival, his puzzle about the living arrangements? The performances, meeting Gino? Gino and the rivalry with Chris? The tryout in Philadelphia, her skills, the dance especially written for herself and Gino? Rehearsals, the diabetes, with Gino and the sexual encounter? Chris's coming, the tension, performance? Her decision to go on without him?

5.Chris, the journalist, with the ballet people, the article, the advances of Karin? His resistance? The affair, coming to New York, his disappointment, puzzle about relationships and living arrangements? His turning up, concern about her? His own career? Future?

6.Diane, her friendship, relationships, auditions? Performance? Her own problems? Terry, homosexual, homosexual friends? Flamboyant? Depression? Philadelphia, the bad news? Diane and the phone call, Terry's suicide, the funeral?

7.Gino, as a dancer, relationships? Rivalry with Chris? Attracted to Karin? Their special performance, her diabetes, taking her home, the relationship?

8.The family, Grandpa, his pride in Karin, his eccentric behaviour at home, his collapse in the theatre and death?

9.The popular story about the difficulties of dancing, training? Going to the big city for education? The lucky breaks, auditions? The difficulties of performance, rehearsal? The show must go on?