THE TIGER MAKES OUT

US, 1967, 94 minutes, Colour.
Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Bob Dishy, David Burns, Charles Nelson Reilly, Dustin Hoffman.
Directed by Arthur Hiller.

The Tiger Makes Out is based on Murray Schisgal's one-act play, The Tiger. The playwright has written his own screenplay amplifying the play for the cinematic presentation of character and environment. It does not quite come off - and may have been more successful in the mood of the '60s than later years. There is mixture of realism and surrealism both in the performances, the dialogue and in the photography and editing. Husband and wife team Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson are very good in the central roles. There is also an interesting supporting cast of actors and actresses who were much successful later, including Dustin Hoffman in his first film role. Others are Frances Sternhagen, Elizabeth Wilson, David Doyle and John Ryan. Direction is by Arthur Hiller, who was to go on to make Love Story and a number of films throughout the '70s including Man of La Mancha, The Man In The Glass Both, Silver Streak. The film may be compared with another version of a Schisgal play, Luv, directed by Clive Donner, with Jack Lemmon, Peter Falk and Elaine May. Schisgal was trying to say something about the oppressive madness in American urban living in the '60s.

1. The impact of the film in the '60s, Later? The impact of black comedy and its style? The blend of realism and surrealism? Laughing with the characters and their situations, laughing at them? The relevance of satire and black humour?

2. How evident that the film was based on a play? A one act play with two characters? The quality of the opening out, amplification, use of cinematic techniques, editing, quick flashbacks? The use of interiors and exteriors? Placement of camera, especially for characterisation? For humour? The New York locations? musical score, song and lyrics?

3. The title and the lyrics of the song? The image of the tiger and its use throughout the film? Ben as Tiger? The symbol of the tiger, the reality?

4. Ben as the ordinary New Yorker? Waking up in the urban rush and noise, the hurried pace (and his walking slowly through the rushing crowds)? The farce of the wife stuck in the hole in the floor? Radio, word a day? Paying the rent? Work as a postman, lecturing the ladies about asking for letters? Encountering the lady in the bus with the balloons? The long farcical sequence about his wanting to make a complaint and having to wait for numbers? His continually being harassed? Bank draft? Techniques used to portray his character as well as his situation ? his slow walk in the rushing crowds, soliloquies? Insight into his character?

5. The plan and its humorous overtones, lack of reality? The focus on Toni? His coat to kidnap her? The use later in the film of the resume of his attempts at kidnapping? The purpose of the plan (the variation on John Fowles' The Collector, filmed by William Wyler ?

6. The contrast with Gloria, the housewife at home, husband and children, her firm-mindedness, her wanting to get her degree? The comedy with Jerry and his trousers? Leo and his wife as neighbours? Leo and his coveting Gloria? The talk about wife-swapping? Jerry and Leo and their talk, sleep in the car, the bar, the crash? The symbolic satire on the drabness of suburban life?

7. Gloria and Beverly and their talk? The feminist harangue? Beverly's suspicions about their being followed? Gloria and the visit to the university, the encounter with the mad registrar? Her failure to qualify? The housewife as victim of the academic world and standards?

8. The kidnapping of Gloria, by mistake? Her reaction? The confrontation with Ben ? the two types? Her telling the truth? Their talk and their silence? His aggressiveness? Her fear? Their gradually beginning to understand each other? Ben explaining his goals, opportunities? The discussion about increasing word power, French? How persuasive was the building up of friendship between the two?

9. The visit and the hiding of Gloria? The flood? The visit to the Kellys and the friendship? The new apartment and the Kellys thinking the couple were married? The bonds between the two?

10. Gloria’s train ride home, the irony of Jerry and Leo being on the train? Ben on the train? The farcical train ride and hiding? Ben's siege of the home? His attack and encounter with Jerry?

11. Ben's friendship with the Kellys, the paying of the rent, the discovery of the truth about their not owning the apartment? His returning to them and joining them in bed watching television? An opting out? The only answer for the frustration of the rat race?

12. The minor characters and their contribution to the film in vivid sketches: Toni and her escort, Hap the hippie and his discussion about guilt with the woman in the street, the housing clerk, the secretary at the university, the mad registrar. the lady with the balloons, the Kellys?

13. The psychedelic effect of flashbacks. colours, dancing and music? The trappings of the '60s?

14. How satisfying a black comedy? Audiences accepting the conventions and contrivances? Insight into reality?