THE BOSTONIANS
UK, 1984, 116 minutes, Colour.
Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Reeve, Jessica Tandy, Linda Hunt, Madeleine Potter, Nancy Marchand.
Directed by James Ivory.
The Bostonians is based on Henry James' 1886 novel. It has been adapted for the screen by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala who adapted James Ivory's version of James' The Europeans (1979).
The team of director James Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant and writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala has been responsible for a great number of fine films, many of them made in the '60s and '70s in India, culminating with Heat and Dust as well as a number of films with American settings. They have a fine tradition of discreet and artistic film-making.
The cast of The Bostonians is unusual: Vanessa Redgrave (Oscar nomination) is excellent as the 'intellectual puritan' feminist Olive Chancellor. Christopher Reeve dons moustache and Tennessee accent for the Southern lawyer Basil Ransome. The focus of the film is Madeleine Potter as the young Verena Tarrant, the hope of the feminist movement. There is an excellent supporting cast including Jessica Tandy, Nancy Marchand and Linda Hunt as Dr. Prance. Wesley Addy has a good role as Verena's father, a charlatan mesmerist, Mr. Tarrant (made up to look like Vincent Price from horror films!).
The Boston settings of the 1870s are beautifully captured by Walter Lassally's photography. There is an attractive musical score including some Wagner. Critics disagree on the quality of the adaptation to the screen of James' complex novel. But all agree that this is a piece of elegant film making.
1. The work of Henry James? Its place in classical English literature? In American literature? James reflecting the 19th. century, its manners, issues? The American east coast? The anticipation of the 20th century? James as a classic, with classic prose?
2. The quality of the adaptation of James for the screen: plot, characters, sense of place, elaboration of issues? Disputes about the filmic qualities and James' prose qualities?
3. James Ivory and his team ~ sensibility, elegant film making? American, Asian and European backgrounds? Their interest in James? Relevance for the '80s.
4. The colour photography: Boston and the 19th. century, 1776? A civilised and sophisticated society? Manners, behaviour? A progressive city, involved in causes? A situation for characters? Details of homes, decor, costumes, social gatherings? Theatre, salons? The contrast with holiday homes, the placid seaside? The background of the city buildings, Harvard University, the chapel? The contrast with New York, legal offices, Central Park? 1776 and the Centenary celebrations, the fireworks?
5. The focus on feminist issues? The impact for men, for women? The pros and cons of feminism in the 19th century? 20th? Olive and feminism as an ideology? Her dedicated devotion to the cause, self sacrifice? The emphasis on logic rather than feeling? Her making feminism almost an idol and an ideology? How convincing her stances? The contrast with Verena and her rhetorical skills, her being caught up in the movement, wanting to please, feelings rather than logic? The Boston group of feminists, their personalities, talks, devotion to causes? Real, inauthentic? Imaginative about the future ? e.g. the consequences and the vote? Basil taking the stance against the feminist issues? Dr. Prance and her sense of realism? The views of Henry James himself? Of the film makers? What was the audience ultimately left with?
6. The strong performances and audience expectations of the stars?
7. Verena as the centre of the Bostonians: as a person, age, youthfulness, an attractive young girl? Her involvement in the issues? Her being loved, controlled? Her awkwardness, unformed character, her charm, innocence, yet shrewd? Her desire to please people? Independence? Her father and his hold over her, her foolish mother? The quality of her performance and her talks? The 19th century style salon eloquence? Her ability to charm people, the gain a following? The Harvard students and their attraction? The young men paying her attention? Henry Burrage and his desire to marry her? Basil and the attraction? Olive and her love for her? olive and her vicarious success in the cause through Verena? As giving her affection, love? Verena's responses to Olive, at home, learning and studying, affection, the vow never to marry? Her motives for her stances? Her fame and its effect? Wider performances? Her meeting Basil, the tour of Harvard and not telling Olive? The letters? Inviting him to Mrs Burrage's salon? The walk in Central Park and her disillusionment with his anti-feminist stances? Yet her emotional struggle? The desire for honesty, to tell olive the truth? The holidays and the set times and limits for walking on the beach with Basil? The emotional experience contrasting with Olive's pressures? Miss Birdseye's death and her parents' visit? The break with Basil? Her disappearing, her fright before the performance in the theatre, her inability to go on, her trying to be faithful to Olive, her wanting to go with Basil? The final escape? The portrait of a complex young girl?
9. Vanessa Redgrave as Olive? Her presence, appearance? Her beliefs, her social status, financial status? The contrast with her sister, Mrs. Luna? The initial talk and Basil's presence, her immediate dislike of him, her ignoring him? The decision about Verena? Taking her home, training her? Her falling in love with her and delighting in her presence and success, yet platonic? The hints at lesbian affection? Her power over Verena? Their being inseparable? Her financial support of Mr. Tarrant? Vicarious success? Control and manipulation, yet advising Verena to make free decisions? The vow of not marrying? Asceticism and self-dedication to the cause? Her feminist beliefs? Their consequences? Her making the cause an idol? The encounter with Mrs. Burrage and the discussion about Henry's wanting to marry Verena? Her complying with Mrs. Burrage's patronage? The encounters with Basil, the discovery of Verena's contact with him? The friendship with Miss Birdseye, Dr. Prance? The holiday? Growing tension, anger, anguish? Her fearing Verena had disappeared, imagining her drowned? Her finally possessing Verena and putting her on the stage? Verena's failure of nerve? Her actually letting Verena go, considering the cause more important than personalities? Her beginning to speak to the audience, holding them, her success? The colour fading from this scene as the film ended? olive described as an intellectual puritan, frustrated old maid?
10. Christopher Reeve's performance as Basil Ransome? The South, his accent, presence? Imposing gentleman? His being amused at Verena's performance? Disagreeing with her feminist views? His infatuation with her, visiting her in Boston, the tour of Harvard, the explanation of his war background? His New York work, failing to find a publisher? His use of Miss Birdseye to contact Verena? The visit to Mrs. Burrage's salon? Talking of his views with Verena in Central Park? The possibility of losing her? Mrs. Luna and her flirting, wanting to marry Basil? Her spoilt son fighting with the son of the Irish servant? The holiday and his delight with Verena's presence, the limited meetings? The discussions with Dr. Prance and their friendship? His presence in the theatre, trying to contact Verena, enabling her to escape? Their going to be married? The traditional gentleman, conservative views ? shared by film makers, the audience?
11. Mrs Luna and the contrast with Olive? Her femininity, flirting, pampering her son, wanting to marry Basil, her shrewd assessment of his attachment to Verena?
12. Mrs Burrage and Henry? The Harvard men infatuated with Verena? Henry wanting to marry her? Mrs Burrage's interview with Olive? Bargaining for Verena’s hand? The salon evening and its success? Her presence at the failure in the theatre? A strong society women, determined?
13. Miss Birdseye as an attractive and genial old lady? Her devotion to the cause? Her delight in people? An attractive old maid? Her getting older, her death?
14. Dr. Prance and Linda Hunt's style and presence? An interesting character? A successful doctor? Successful in her profession. interested in feminism yet not fanatical? Her going fishing with Basil and their discussions about people. issues? Her point about feminists being excited if a man is converted rather than gaining another woman convert?
15. The Tarrants: the father as a charlatan, his mesmeric performances, inducing Verena to speak? His sessions of healing and giving his details to the newspaper reporter? Taking money? The cheques from Olive? The mother and her foolishness, wanting a holiday at the seaside?
16. The journalist and his cause, his excitement over Verena, covering her talks? The contrast with the young lady journalist at the end?
17. A satisfying version of a classic novel? Elegant, filmmaking? The dramatising of contemporary issues?
