THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING

US, 1952, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Ethel Waters, Julie Harris, Brandon De Wilde, Arthur Franz, Nancy Gates, James Edwards, Dickie Moore.
Directed by Fred Zinnemann.

The Member of the Wedding is based on a play and a novel by Carson Mc Cullers (The Heart is a Lonely Hunter). This film is a tour-de-force for Julie Harris who, at the age of twenty-seven, plays a twelve-year-old girl. She received an Oscar nomination for this performance. She plays Frankie, who spends a lot of time talking to the black cook in the household. The cook is played by Ethel Waters (who had appeared with Jeanne Crain in Pinky). Brandon De Wilde (who was to make Shane the following year) is her brother. Julie Harris had a long career on screen and stage and was soon to appear in East of Eden.

The character of Frankie is somewhat precocious, a rather more knowing twelve-year-old than would probably be found in real life. However, the theme is important as a clinging young girl, imagining that she will be able to go and live with her brother, has to face her growing up and come to terms with her immaturity.

The film was directed by Fred Zinnemann who at his stage of career was to direct High Noon and win an Oscar for From Here to Eternity. He won a second Oscar as best director in 1966 for A Man For All Seasons.

1. The meaning of the title as explained in the film? How apt for the film? The importance Frankie of being a member? The importance of belonging to a family?

2. The film was closely based on a play. Was this evident in the screenplay? The use of locations? The outside sequences? The use of close-ups? The dramatic use of heavy music? How successful were these devices?

3. How important was it for the film to focus on Frankie? Did the film explain her as a twelve year old girl well enough? ( Was Julie Harris convincing? She was in her mid-twenties at the time?) Did you understand Frankie within the framework of her family? Her relationship with her father? Especially her visit to his store? Her disgust at the town? As a girl typical of her age? As a romantic girl romanticising the wedding? Her rages about people? Her wanting to belong to the club and her rejection? Her desperate need to belong? Her love for Bernice and John-Henry? Her idealisation of Jarvis and Janice? Which were the best dramatic points where these feelings were best communicated?

4. How important was Bernice for the film? Her love for Frankie? Her capacity for listening to Frankie and making wise comments? Her trying to teach Frankie by her own experience of her husband? Bernice’s love for her brother, Henry? her wisdom and concern? How noble a person was Bernice? How important for the fact that she was black and the relationships between black and white?

5. How important was John- Henry in the film? As contrast with Frankie and a comment on her? His lines and the various gestures he had? How enjoyable a performance was this?

6. How well did Frankie relate to her father? How did he neglect her? His pride in Jarvis and Janice? His incapacity for listening to Frankie? How important was this at the time of the wedding and his reactions to her? Where did audience sympathise with her?

7. How delightful were the opening sequences with Jarvis and Janice? Of Frankie's delight in this? Of her repeating all about it afterwards? Of her wanting to go with them? Could you see why she wanted to go? Why? Why could she not heed Bernice’s advice and wisdom?

8. How poignant and hurting were the sequences of the wedding? Especially Frankie and the car? Of them trying to drag them out? Of Jarvis and Janice going on? How traumatic an experience was this for her? That she could not be a member of the wedding?

9. Were the sequences of her running away convincing? As regards motivation? As regards style? The frightening overtones of her running away and her loneliness?

10. The importance of the sequence of her encounter with the soldier? How real was this? The effect on her? As motivation for her returning home?

11. How convincing was John-Henry's death? he was a withdrawn child? the relationship with Frankie? The sequence of his fever? The emotional impact of his death? especially in connection with the long discussion of death and people who had died?

12. The complication of Honey and his escape from the police? Did this add to the film or was it a distraction? As revealing something about Bernice?

13. How important were the final sequences of Frankie grown up by some months? How had she changed? Her hair, appearance, dresses? Her friendship with Barney and Mary, Little John? The inconsistencies with what went before? How quickly children change? The change of romanticism? The fact that she was growing up?

14. The film ended with Bernice in close-up? how did this sum up the film? her face, expression, singing? How did we share this wondering about Frankie and youth and old age?

15. What were the major issues in this film? How well were they explored?