MESMERISED
New Zealand, 1986, 94 minutes, Colour.
John Lithgow, Jodie Foster, Michael Murphy, Dan Shor, Harry Andrews, Jonathan Hardy.
Directed by Michael Laughlin.
Mesmerised is an American/New Zealand/Australian co-production from Anthony I. Ginnane. It was written and directed by Michael Laughlin, who also made Dead Kids with Ginnane in New Zealand. He also directed Strange Invaders. The story is based on work by Polish director, Jerzy Skolimowski.
The film boasts turn of the century settings, attractive location photography, a musical score by Georges Delerue.
The film has a strong cast: co-produced by Jodie Foster, she gives a persuasive performance (accent and all). Also effective is John Lithgow in an unsympathetic role. Supporting cast includes Dan Shor (from Dead Kids) and Michael Murphy. Australian and New Zealand actors and actresses fill out the supporting roles.
The film is a period piece (in the tradition of the Victorian Gothic melodramatic stories and Jane Eyre). An Australian comparison could be made with Di Drew's The Right Hand Man.
1. Interesting and entertaining period drama? Psychological drama? New Zealand-American? co-production?
2. The co-production and its talent, Skolimowski's story, New Zealand locations, American and British cast?
3. The atmosphere of New Zealand, the period, the decor and costumes, locations and scenery? Interiors and exteriors? Light and darkness? The atmospheric score? Maori music?
4. The title and the background of Mesmer and hypnotism, the effect on each of the characters: on Oliver and his susceptibility, on Victoria and her interest and susceptibility, on Wilson introducing them to mesmerism? The responsibility for Oliver's death?
5. The prologue and the unfortunate Victorian mother, the child taken from her? Victoria growing up in the orphanage, its primness, hilarity with the other girls, in the bath...? No visitors? Oliver's arrival, the interview, the arranged marriage, the wedding, her going back to school?
6. The significance of the voice-over and audience confidence? Victoria's perspective? Yearnings for freedom? Hopes for marriage?
7. The marriage, her leaving school, the isolation, the household and the antipathy of the servants, Oliver away, his peephole, his approaching her and her dread of sexuality? Loneliness, reading, piano, the dogs? Oliver as voyeur? The friendship with George and the affection? Old Thompson and his arrival, his arrogant disdain of her? Her escape, going to the boat with George, the dream of freedom, being with George? The fight, her hitting George on the head by accident, Oliver and his father and their hold over her?
8. Her return, imprisonment, relationship, sexuality, pregnancy? Going to see the lawyer? The sermon and the introduction to James Wilson, sharing interests, meals, the holidays, mesmerism? Trying it out, getting Oliver to wound himself with the scissors? Wilson mesmerising her? The birth, the death of the baby and her sadness? Loneliness, discovering George's letter and the truth? Oliver and his illness, preparing the meals, mesmerism, the chloroform, his attempting to strangle her, his death? The visits to the doctor, the visits of the servants and their suspicions- leaving, Old Thompson and his hostility and vengeance, the trial and animosity, her seeming to be a victim? Not guilty, the applause? The theatre and the lawyer? The writing the letter to George? Her future - going to America? To that he had mesmerised her and asked her to kiss the man she loved?
Wilson - and the memory?
9. Oliver in himself, wealth, the arranged marriage, the wedding, his absence, the gift of the music box, voyeur, sexuality and dominance, his father and his imitation of him, the servants? Going to the ship and his hold over Victoria? Concealing the letter from George? The birth of the baby and its death? The holiday, mesmerism? The rats in the store, the clearing of the rats, his illness? The reading, his pain, the agony of having his teeth withdrawn? The chloroform? Death and attempting to strangle Victoria? His dying?
10. Old Thompson and his arrogance? Concealing the letter from George? Hostility towards Victoria and the trial? George, affection, his being injured, the letter, the finale?
12. Wilson and his religion, sermons, helping, Victoria with him at work, the mesmerism? Looking in the window at Victoria and Oliver? Disappearing before the trial? His return to America?
13. The servants, their attitudes towards Victoria, working with her, antagonism?
14. The sketch of the orphanage, life in the towns, the law courts?
15. A blend of thriller, horror and psychology? Relationships, arranged marriages, men and women, manipulation of others?
