BLUME IN LOVE
US, 1973, 116 minutes, Colour.
George Segal, Susan Anspach, Kris Kristofferson, Marsha Mason, Shelley Winters, Paul Mazursky.
Directed by Paul Mazursky.
Blume In Love is adult comedy drama in treatment and interest. Paul Mazursky with Bob and Carol observed the psychological trends of the late 60s as they affected the average American couple. His comments were frequently sharp and telling. Less sharp here, but probably more telling, he shows marriage in a complicated, trendy, permissive Californian society. He offers an unheroic but likeable hero who loses his wife, is lost without her and who really learns what true loving is, mistakes along the way notwithstanding. George Segal portrays Stephen Blume as warm but desperate. Susan Anspach, Kris Kristofferson and Shelly Winters and an effective selection of light classical and modern music support this satisfyingly happy ending adult film.
1. What were the full implications of the title? How enjoyable a film was this? How well made and wise?
2. Venice as a focus for the film? Blume in Venice and its impact on him? Distance from his life and the ability to examine and look back? The atmosphere and background of Europe compared with America? The detail of life in the Piazza; the relationships? With reference to Blume and his relationship? The impact of Venice at the beginning, in the middle, the contrast at the end, with another Blume?
3. Comment on the use of music for the film? The range of music from classical to country and western. What did this add to the film?
4. Our interest in Stephen Blume? As an Everyman figure for the modern male? As a man of love? His relationship to monogamy and sexuality? The meaning of his marriage and courtship? How genuine? Was there any significance in his affairs? His attitudes towards love and sexuality? His belief in his work? His relationship to his lawyer friend? His capacity for giving advice to others? The obsession of his pursuit of Nina? His rape of her? His relationship to Elmo, like and dislike? What was happening to him after Nina's rejection of him? What self-knowledge did he achieve? Did he develop as a person? Did we identify with him in his learning process?
5. Did you find Nina an attractive character? Was sufficient background filled in for her? Her attitudes towards marriage and courting? The love for Stephen? The background of her social work? Should she have been more tolerant of his affair? Should she have left him? Was she too hard? Did she love Elmo? How did her relationship with Elmo change her? Her new clothes, hippy style, guitar playing? The impact of the rape on her and the pregnancy? Why did she return to Stephen? why did she return to Venice? What future would she have with Stephen? The impact of the birth of the child?
6. How attractive a character was Elmo? His easygoing code of behaviour, his music, hippy style? Did he love Nina? Did he like Stephen? Why did he pull out of the relationship with Nina? Is he typical of the casual relationships of today?
7. How well did the film construct the details of inter-relationships? The love and hate amongst the three principal characters? Life and its continual changes?
8. How ironical was the insertion of Mrs Cramer into the film? Was she a part of the film? The chatter, her husband's behaviour, her own sexuality, the social satire on snobbery etc.? How did this contrast with the behaviour of the others? As a comment on American social behaviour and love relationships?
9. The role of Helmen in the film and similar comment on relationships in American society? The role of the analyst in the film? These as typical American males?
10. What did Aileen and Cindy add to the film? As women? In relationship to Stephen? Their comments on values explored in the film?
11. How convincing in its observation and argument was the film? What basic attitudes did the film take towards love and marriage? Society and morals? It was satirical, but how gentle? How much wisdom was there in the film?
