THREE

UK, 1969, 104 minutes, Colour.
Charlotte Rampling, Robbie Porter, Sam Waterston, Pascale Roberts.
Directed by James Salter.

Three is a youth-oriented film of the late '60s. It was written and directed by James Salter, who wrote the screenplay for the Robert Redford-Michael? Ritchie film Downhill Racer. The origin of the film is an Irwin Shaw story, And Then We Were Three. The film seems an ambling and almost directionless story - a presentation of three young people adrift in Europe during a holiday. They meet, work out a code for travelling around Europe together by car, they interact without much drama or even melodrama. They gradually change somewhat and one leaves possibly for maturity. The Europe backgrounds are beautiful. The film is slow moving and is not persuasive in its presentation of character. It is very much a mood piece representing moods in the late '60s.

1. An interesting and entertaining film? Reflecting the period of the late 1960s? Its impact later? For what audience was it made? A youth audience, adult audience?

2. The moodiness of the film - in its screenplay, presentation of character and interaction, in the colour photography, pace and editing? A slow and wandering film? The attention to detail? The cumulative effect? The point of the story as seen in the ending - the characters moving towards this point with direction or aimlessly?

3. The purpose of the film: mood, feel for character, issues of youth, lifestyle, relationships, fulfilment?

4. The European locations and their presentation - attractive scenery, cultural background, wealth? Europe as a setting for a meeting between American men and an English woman?

5. The significance and focus of the title, audience expectations - especially in terms of relationships and clashes, sexual overtones? Fulfilment of expectations or not? The low-key presentation of interaction?

6. The tradition of the road picture - the road itself. the vehicle, the young characters and their journey? A pleasant and well-mannered road picture?

7. The buying of the car at the start, the audience identifying with Bert and Taylor? The importance of the car and their use of it throughout the film, attachment to it? Their age., money background, professional possibilities in America, education? Their experiencing Europe? The attraction to girls and their awkwardness and shyness?

8. The visit to Florence and the encounter with Marty? Her being attracted towards them? The background of their previous attempts to get friendly with girls? Marty's decision to take them to visit her friends - the small talk, the wealthy mansion, the puzzle about relationships? Italian wealthy class? The proposal to Marty for her to go with them - Taylor's idea, Bert's proposal? Her acceptance? The code that they established, the rules for the journey, honesty between them? The freedom for Marty to do as she wished? Taylor living by this? Marty wavering. Bert going his own way?

10. The travelogue and television commercial style of their travel and enjoyment -the road, hotels, beaches - cavorting on the beaches, splashing each other etc.? The car ride, meals?

11. Marty's friends and her associations? Her taking them to familiar places to her? Their enjoyment of this?

12. Taylor and his background, sensitivity and shyness? The idea of the trip for the three? His flirting with girls, his refusal of Marty's seduction? His sensitivity to Bert's feelings? Qualities of friendship? The climax with his diving to rescue the people in the water? Its not being necessary? His staying in bed. the significance of his dream? His waking up, changing, leaving? Where did he go? To maturity? How did he change throughout the film?

13. Bert as the more conventional American? Relying on his good looks, manner, approachability? Friendship with Taylor? The car, his going behind Marty and Taylor's back - friendship especially with Claude? Taking her out? His growing away from the other two at times? The challenge for diving to rescue the people in the water? His refusal? His staying the night with Marty and remaining in Southern Europe with her? Unchanging?

14. Marty and her style? Sense of freedom? Pleasant, well educated, wealthy? Her background, her base in Paris., her friends in Florence? The attraction towards Taylor? Her going her own way? Wanting to spend the night with Taplor and his refusal? Spending the night with Bert and being left by Taylor? Her future?

15. How accurately did the film observe its three characters, their behaviour, speech, ideals, way of life? How well did the film reveal their characters? Or not?