THE STRANGER (L'ETRANGER)

France/Italy, 1967, 102 minutes, Colour.
Marcello Mastroianni, Anna Karina, Bernard Blier.
Directed by Lucchino Visconti.

The Stranger has many interesting features as a film. It is the screen version of one of Nobel Prizewinning philosopher-novelist, Albert Camus' most famous works. It was written and directed by noted Italian director Lucchino Visconti.

Visconti has made some notable films in the 60s, including Rocco and His Brothers (1961), The Leopard (1963), Sandra (1965), The Damned (1969) and Death in Venice (1971). Two of these are based on notable novels by Lampedusa and Thomas Mann. They have been praised for their excellent re-creation of place, time and atmosphere, their qualities of capturing the spirit of paintings on the screen. Here Visconti re-creates Algeria in the late 30s with the same success and gets an excellent performance from Italian romantic hero, Marcello Mastroianni,
Camus was a committed man. A French existentialist with an Algerian background, he knew the hard influences of dally life as well as the hostility in World War II, where he fought in the Resistance. (This is the basis of Camus’ equally famous novel ‘The Plague’.)

In ‘The Outsider’ (a better English translation of ‘L'Etranger’), Camus looks at the ordinary man, his truth and honesty, the victimising by circumstances, yet the strength that comes from relying on one's own integrity and not on superstition and fear. This calm resignation enables one, even in death, to be in harmony with the benign indifference of the universe. Camus' work is obviously a secular parable of man, and, in its relentless honesty, is a most impressive parable. For this reason the film is worth seeing. Visconti gives an excellent though sometimes static and faithful representation of Camus work and ideas.

1. What was the significance of the title? Why is ‘The Outsider’ more appropriate than ‘The Stranger’?

2. What kind of man was Merseault? Was he meant to be an ordinary type or was he meant, to be a special kind of man?

3. How did the episode of Madame Merseault 'e death and her son 'a reactions set the tone and atmosphere of the film?

4. What did you learn about Merseault from his reactions to his mother's death, his conversation with the concierge, the funeral and his reflections on it?

5. Was he too casual in going swimming, going to a film and beginning an affair the day after his mother died?

6. Why did Merseault feel that he had to endure a Sunday? How did Visconti re-create the Algerian atmosphere by showing us what Merseault looked at all that Sunday?

7. What was the significance of the old man and the old dog with their scabs and fighting?

8. What kind of man was Raymond? Why did Merseault help him? Why was Raymond, so brutal to the Arab girl?

9. Why was there a sense of menace on the day of the trip to the beach with the stalking Arabs? How did it oontraat with the enjoyment of their swim by Merseault and Marie?

10. Did Merseault love Marie despite what he said to her?

11. Comment on the role of heat and the aim in the film. Comment on the contrast of sweat and the sea water.

12. Why did Merseault shoot the Arab? How was he affected by the mm? Why did he fire the other three shots? How responsible was he? How responsible did he think he was?

13. What was the significance of the scene where he was put in prison with the others?

14. How was his sense of honesty awkward for those he answered - telling the Arabs that he was in prison for killing an Arab, telling the truth to his lawyer? The confrontation with the official who thrust the crucifix and forgiveness at him?

15. Was the trial too farcical, the lawyers playing to the gallery, everyone fanning themselves, the appearance of his being on trial for not weeping for his mother rather than for the killing of the Arab?

16. How did Mereeault appear at the trial - did he gain in stature as the trial was conducted around him? How did he contrast with those around him? How was he here the "outsider"?

17. How did the evidence of Marie, Raymond, Celeste and the man with the scabs throw light on Merseault? What of the evidence of the people from the home for the aged?

18. How did the speech of the Prosecutor compare with the truth? How was human justice being criticised?

19. How did prison affect Merseault (and the audience - the darkness, the gloom and cold cell, the continual screams or groans)? (The previous scene where Marie visited him and all the visitors had to shout.)

20. What was the function of the interview with the priest? How did Merseault affirm his faith in himself in this sequence? What did he mean that he was glad to fit in with the 'benign indifference of the universe'?

21. How was he calmed of his fear of death by this outburst and his refusal to reply on the props of superstition, self'-abasement or God? What was the significance of death for Merseault?

22. Was this final part of the film good cinema or was it too static? What was the effect of the final frame of Merseault's face?