THE SPINSTER (TWO LOVES)
US, 1961, 108 minutes, Colour.
Shirley Mac Laine, Laurence Harvey, Jack Hawkins.
Directed by Charles Walters.
The Spinster is a film version of Sylvia Ashton- Warner's novel. Miss Ashton- Warner has written several books on education. This novel concerns Anna Vorontosov, a somewhat unorthodox but enthusiastic teacher in New Zealand. A very nervous and temperamental teacher, Paul Lathrop, pleads for her help. The film tackles the theme of frigidity in Anna, contrasts her attitudes with those of the Maoris, and shows her growing friendship with an older school inspector.
One gets the impression that the film should be far better than it is. Perhaps Shirley Mac Laine is miscast, although she does her best. Perhaps the sequences to show her vitality as a teacher were anaemic. Perhaps Paul Lathrop is too melodramatic. Harvey and Hawkins act well but the film, though interesting, does not fulfil its potential.
1. The American title of this film was Two Loves. The original novel and the Australian version were called The Spinster. which name is more appropriate for this film?
2. Was the New Zealand setting important for the film or merely incidental?
3. What did the opening of the film show you about Anna Vorontosov? Her spinster way of life? why she lived so far from America?
4. Did the screenplay adequately present Anna Vorontosov's beliefs as a teacher. her style, her success as well as her unorthodoxy?
5. Was Shirley Mac Laine well cast as the spinster? Why?
6. Why did Paul Lathrop become a teacher in New Zealand? Did he have any chance of becoming a singer? Why was he so emotional. so unstable, so lonely?
7. Miss Vorontosov was popular with the children and kind; was she really kind or was she a firm believer in principles, one of which is being kind? Why did she not warm to Paul Lathrop in an ordinary. kindly way?
8. Was Jack Hawkins suited to the part of Bill Abercrombie? Why was Abercrombie an inspector in New Zealand? Had he come to terms with life? Was he good at his job and with people?
9. The sexual theme of The Spinster was that of frigidity. Was this handled well - with insight? Or was it treated rather sensationally? Was Anna Vorontosov puritanical? Was she afraid of men? Did she deserve the abuse that Paul threw at her? What should she have done?
10. Did Lathrop commit suicide or not? What of his previous behaviour on the bike, at the picnic. his drunkenness. desperation. fathering of the Maori girl's children. his fatalistic conversation?
11. How did Lathrop's death affect Anna?
12. How were the attitudes of the Maoris - chief and girl - about children and love, a contrast to Anna's? What did she learn from them?
13. Did she love Bill Abercrombie? Were they suited to each other?
14. How had Anna changed during the film? What future did she have before her?
