BOBBY DEERFIELD

US, 1977, 123 minutes, Colour.
Al Pacino, Marthe Keller, Anny Duperey, Walter Mc Ginn.
Directed by Sidney Pollack.

Bobby Deerfield has all the ingredients for commercial success, the love story formula (the ages of the couple advanced to thirtyish), the world of car racing, the Continent (Paris, Switzerland, Largo Maggiore and especially Florence), an American alienated from home and family, wealth and fashion, Al Pacino, Marthe Keller, Sidney Pollack (The Way We Were, Condor) and Alvin Sargent (Love and Pain, Paper Moon). The ingredients mesh well and popularly for their purpose ? the widest appeal for male and female audiences together. What makes it better are contrived, but well acted and even moving sequences like those with the magician or Bobby and Lilian being photographed by the American tourists. Pleasing entertainment with a subtle performance by Al Pacino.

1. The appeal of this romantic story? For what audience? For men, for women? A 70s audience? The novel on which the story was based, by author Erich Maria Remarque and its title, Heaven Has No Favourites?

2. The film's style: colour, Panavision, European location photography, the world of motor racing, fashion, wealth? The stars and their glamour?

3. The racing car setting? Speed, power, the individual driver and his achievement, popularity and crowds? The preparations and skill, nerve? The speed, motion? The excitement of pit stops and competitiveness? The danger of accidents and the way these were visualised, stunt work? The introduction to Bobby Deerfield within this context, his concern for success, excellence? A masculine world of achievement? The modern hero and celebrity? Audience interest in racing cars, competitiveness, the rallies, style?

4. Bobby Deerfield as a personality, as a character? The skill in Al Pacino's performance, his obsessive nature, desire to win, stiffness in manner, his subservience to his image of himself and its being changed? The background of the circuit world? His being on the move, glamour, advertising, wealth? The fact that he was an American in Europe and the effect of Europe on him?

5. The dramatics of the accident, his attention to it, rerunning the film, examining the cars? The fact that the same thing could happen to him? The later accident and its effect on him?

6. His relationship with Lydia? Her presence at the rallies, her glamour, her love for Bobby, the exchange of gifts? A cool woman in this world? Her attitude to his deceiving her, her checking out Lillan? The fragility of their relationship? Lydia within the background of the racing car drivers' wives, their presence at the rallies etc.?

7. The character of Leonard, his visit to Bobby, the revelations about the family? How well did the film fill in the detail of the Deerfield family, Bobby's place in it, the absence of the father, love for the mother? Leonard's bitter words during the meal? The photos? The importance at the end with Lilian and the tourist's photograph and his giving his name as Robert Deerfield and his American address? How well did the film highlight thews of family and family relationships?

8. The importance of Bobby's going to visit the driver and the sanatorium? The long drive there and back and the contrast with his being by himself reflecting and the return with Lilian? The discussion with the driver ? the reasons for it, what was Bobby trying to find out? The friendship and yet the hostility of the driver? How well did this illustrate Bobby's character and his motives?

9. The introduction to Lilian and the audience knowing that she was in the sanatorium? Wondering about her illness? Her wilful nature, her joy in life and yet her knowledge of her illness? The meal and her communicating with Bobby, borrowing things from him? Beginning to talk, communicate? The importance of the sequence with the magician and its mood, music, the symbol of the magician and appearances and reality?

10. Bobby's talk with the magician in the cafe? The nature of tricks, illusions? The later return to the sanatorium and the presence of the magician?

11. Bobby's mood and attitude as he was leaving, Lillian’s decision to run away? The return journey down the mountain by car, train? The discussions, clashes? Bobby unable to understand her, her wanting to scream? The sequence at Lago Maggiore? The decisions about their relationship, sexuality? The falling asleep? Her hair falling out? Lillian’s impulsiveness and Bobby's inability to cope with this?

12. The significance of their conversations and their revelation of each other, or their hiding their characters? Lilian and her focus on moods, risks, enjoyment? Bobby and his being sober, living up to his image? The return to Florence and Bobby's continued fascination with Lillan?

13. Bobby's return to Paris, his deception of Lydia, his work with the advertising, his search for the faults in the car, his accident and the repercussions? His visits to Florence, his running and discussion with the friar at Florence? The picnic, the discussion with the owner of the property, the balloons and Lillian’s going in the balloon and his inability to do this, his anger? The discussions with Uncle Luigi, the card games? The walk in the street and Lillian’s daring him to be recognised and her shouting out who he was? The importance of her telling stories and making them up and his inability to do this? The breakthrough when they were on the river and he made up the story and she believed it? How did they affect each other? Bobby and his wanting to make commitment. Lillan and her inability to make commitment? The influence of her imminent death?

14. How sympathetic a character was Lilian, how well could the audience understand her, see her through her own eyes, through Bobby's? The importance of her illness and her wanting to enjoy life? Her times by herself and her facing herself? Her keeping the secret? Lydia's giving it away and the effect on Bobby?

15. Their meeting again, communication, friendship, love, sexuality? Her decision to return to die? The trip back, the photo with the tourists and the use of the photo at the end? Her telling the truth about herself?

16. How effective the death sequence? Romantic? Tearful? Authentic? The communication between the two, genuine feeling in both? The sadness of the terminating of the relationship?

17. The film as a romance of the 70s, the Love Story decade? A real world or a world of fantasy, glamour? The themes of love, human relationship, self-expression, freedom and liberation, the humanising of people by relationships, risks? The universal appeal of this kind of material?