MAMA TURNS 100
Spain, 1979, 95 minutes, Colour.
Geraldine Chaplin, Amparo Munoz.
Directed by Carlos Saura.
This film belongs to a cycle of films written and directed by Carlos Saura and starring his then wife, Geraldine Chaplin. His Ana and the Wolves (1972) showed a young woman visiting a decaying household with symbolic figures representing the Franco regime. The structure is similar to that o6f this film. In the meantime Saura has explored family relationships, one generation to the next, with one another, guilt and responsibility, in such films as Raise Ravens and Elissa My Love (1976,1977).
This film has the light touch - it is suggested that Saura has mellowed in the year after Franco’s death. Geraldine Chaplin is the nanny who returns who returns on the eve of Mama’s 100th birthday. Mama’s children - representing the army, religion, frigidity, are all plotting her death. The girls of the next generation are also participants - and they all represent sensuality, business acumen and dishonesty, spontaneity. The film seems to be a comedy of manners, a comedy of the absurd - with echoes of Spain’s absurdist Luis Bunuel. He seems to be providing his ironies of the discreet charms of the Spanish Bourgeoisie.
The film is entertaining. It can stand on its own feet as a black comedy but has much more meaning when seen as an allegory of Spain.
1. The work of Carlos Saura? His film-making in Spain during Franco’s time, criticism? His reflections on the period of the regime and the aftermath? His use of dramatic style black comedy, comedy of the absurd? The effectiveness of this as allegory for Spain? The use of Geraldine Chaplin in his films ?
2. The setting, the Spanish countryside and its beauty, the old house, wealth? Interiors of the house and exteriors? The range of score – popular Spanish songs, classical music ?
3. The film as an absurd story - an absurd family, complicated relationships, the house, power struggles, the need for change ? Plausibility of the plot? at least for allegorical comedy?
4. The film as an allegory of Spain, the international references? Ana as an outsider, her place as nanny bringing up the young generation of Spaniards ? An old, decaying house, wealth arid debt? Elaborate and stately heritage? The lavish estate? Decay in a beautiful house? Mama and her memories, her being alert at 100, her erratic memory, her fits, her descent for her birthday party, her being plotted against, knowing she was to be killed, her capacity of knowing the minds of her children, her seeming to die but not dying? Fernando and his age, devotion to his mother, the significance of his attempts to fly and the farcical and ignominious failure? Juan and his women - Luci and her arrogance and frigidity? The girls and their beauty, sensuality, military style, dishonesty and forging? Callowness of youth? The memories of the dead soldier and his museum of army uniforms? The visitors and their effect on this household? The nanny and her happy memories, her being betrayed, her saving Mama? Her husband and his betrayal of seduction ? The blend of seriousness, laughter ? The antics of the characters?
5. The character of Ana: her joyful arrival, her memories, delight in the house, influence in the household, sharing memories, singing songs, explaining rooms? her being loved by her husband, the tenderness between them, the humorous symbolism of their night with Ana taking all the blankets? The husband wandering and his eventual seduction? Ana's relationship with Mama? Her hurt in the betrayal? symbolism of her being trapped? The reconciliation and her husband carrying her on his back? The clash with the daughters? Her place in saving Mama from death ?
6. Mama, her appearance, memories, eccentricity; capacities of knowing what was going on in the house? Her childish delight, her birthday, her precautions about being killed? her descent into the room - her fit? Rejoicing that she was dead? and her coming to life?
7. Luci and her anguished management of the house, desertion by Juan , their sexual relationship and her frigidity? Her severity with her daughters ?
8. The daughters and their beauty, self centeredness? Seduction, forging, youthful ignorance? Their squabbling amongst themselves ? Their relationship with their mother and father? In such sequences has the cemetery memorial of the dead brother, the dressing up in the room and discovering the costumes, the walk in the country, the birthday party ?
9. Fernando and his flying? his seeming niceness, his mother knowing what he thought? his decision to betray her?
10. The build-up to the party, the pomp and circumstance, the farcical detail, the, murder attempt and its failure?
11. The set pieces and their effect, their staging, the visit to the cemetery, meals, the flying, the group walking, the costume sequence, the party?
12. A satisfying light allegory of Spain? A satisfying comedy of black absurdity? The impact of the absurdist touches ? The qualities of Spanish film-making in the early 70s?
