10

US, 1979, 122 minutes, Colour.
Julie Andrews, Dudley Moore, Bo Derek, Robert Webber, Dee Wallace, Brian Dennehy.
Directed by Blake Edwards.

Writer-director Blake Edwards (Pink Panther) has made a broad sex comedy about the male roaring forties - fantasies, temptations and an attempt to face reality - although the Southern Californian setting, with its tendency to the permissive and the way-out, makes the treatment a glamorous fantasy fable for the middle-aged. Small, comic, vulnerable Dudley Moore suits the central role very well (and is given some hilarious Inspector Clouseau-type farcical accidents). Julie Andrews is still sweet and prim in her not-so-proper role and dialogue. Bo Derek heads a supporting cast which makes the most of effective cameo roles, enhancing a film which tends to indulge itself as it makes its point.

1. Significance and focus of the title? Its arresting nature, its reference and application?

2. The conventions of the comedy farce? Sex comedy? Contemporary setting, innuendo, explicit jokes? Audience expectations? The blend of the risque, the fantasy, the real? The permissiveness of Southern California - and the realities of temptation for the middle aged male?

3. The use of Panavision, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills affluent locations, Mexico? The suggestion of the way-out ? especially with George's telescope and his neighbours? The songs, the Henry Mancini score?

4. The blend of the stars and audience expectations of them? Julie Andrews and her prim style, her less proper role and more permissive dialogue? Her singing? Dudley Moore and his comic style, satire, playing the piano? Did they provide a credible duo - especially with Sam's explanation to Hugh of why she loved him?

5. The contribution of the songs and their lyrics, their placement within the screenplay to illustrate characters and themes and moods?

6. The age appeal of the film? Impact for the middle aged, for younger audiences? Masculine appeal, feminine appeal? Observing human nature and the quality of the observations made? Comic observation, serious observation?

7. The focus of the film on George? Dudley Moore and his small stature, English accent, his work as a composer, his cleverness and wit? His friends' assessment of him? The opening with the surprise party for his 42nd birthday and his regrets? His unwillingness to face his age? The bond with Sam? The significance of their long argument in the bedroom about the meaning of 'broad'? Their capacity for arguing instead of loving? Sam's walking out, the comedy of the clashing telephone calls? The irony of George falling down the hill, into the swimming pool to try to get phones? George and his middle-age hang-ups, the sexual urge and his voyeurism with the telescope? The build-up to a crisis so that he could settle down? Sam and her age and her antagonism towards George? Hugh with his homosexual background but offering consolation and wisdom and advice for George? A credible character - at least for the purposes of the sex farce fable?

8. The farcical aspects of the film and the comedy? George being locked out of his own home, stung by the bee, crashing into the police car, falling down the hill, grabbing the phone and going into the swimming pool, getting his teeth filled, drinking the coffee and spilling it, feeling seasick in the plane and at the hotel? The visit to the priest and the antique housekeeper? The effect of punctuating this farce with ordinary laughter?

9. George's vision of Jennifer in the car dressed for the wedding? The impact on him and his driving, the crash into the police car, his hurrying to the church, his going back to interview the priest, going to Jennifer's father and getting his teeth filled, pursuing her to Mexico, glimpsing her in the hotel, watching her on the beach, running over the hot sands, imagining From Here To Eternity-like love scenes with her, idealising her and building up to disappointment?

10. George and his loneliness after the fight with Sam, pursuing Jennifer? His continually ringing Sam and her rejection of him? How was this illustrated in his discussions with Don and his drinking? The woman from the party and his impotence? His building up and enhancing Jennifer, the opportunity of the rescuing of her husband and the TV coverage? The visit, her having a shower, the dinner, the going how, her provocation, the discussion about Ravel's Bolero? The build up to the fulfilment of the affair and the embarrassment of the phone call, the discussion about morals? The effect on her and her not understanding him? The effect on him and his walking out? A credible shattering of his idealism? Enough to make him settle down?

11. How was the change in him evident? his return, the encounter with Josh and the lack of apology, Sam's going out, his playing the piano and her return, the finale? Her refusal to marry him but her thinking it over? Would they have a future together?

12. Julie Andrews as Sam - the background of her marriage, divorce, her son? Her singing and her career? George listening to her as he drove around and the lyrics of her song? Seeing her in rehearsal? The phone calls, the visit to his house, the telescope and her hurt? Her rejection of him and his going to Mexico? Her reaction to his return, her date, the proposal? Her thinking about marriage, the ending?

13. The contrast with Jennifer and her glamour - as seen by George, in bridal white, in the church, becoming an ideal? Her glamour at the hotel? Seeing her through George's eyes then hearing her speak? Concern about her husband, the rescue? The picture of her husband at the wedding., stories about him, floating out to sea, the phone call - a comic view, perhaps, as George saw him? Jennifer on the beach, the visit to her house, the dinner? Her sex talk, 'Bolero', amoral attitudes? The phone call and then the clash with George? The film's stance on Jennifer's moral point of view compared with George's?

14. The significance of the sub-plot about Hugh - his work with George, friendship, homosexuality? His advice to George? The sadness of his own experience - the counterpoint to George and Sam's relationship?

15. The contribution of the cameos and their effect? the priest and his song, his housekeeper, the dentist and his talk, Don and his support of George, the woman in the hotel in Mexico?

16. How much insight via contemporary sex farce - the film indulging itself but making its point?