A TOUCH OF LOVE (THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH)

UK, 1968, 109 minutes, Colour.
Sandy Dennis, Ian Mc Kellen, John Standing, Eleanor Bron.
Directed by Waris Hussein.

A Touch of Love 1s a woman's picture that men might find a bit hard to take but shouldn't. It is the story of the girl who keeps men sufficiently at bay during her studies and succumbs unexpectedly to a romantic television announcer and then becomes the familiar figure of the unmarried mother.

Unmarried mothers is the main theme of the film and we are made to share the emotions and decisions of such a mother, especially when she decides to bring up the child herself. The film succeeds more than others because, athough it is full of sentiment, it avoids mawkishness with down-to-earth English realism (especially a grim look at the British National Health Scheme) and humour. Eleanor Bron 1s a great asset here. Sandy Dennis tones down her mannerisms to acceptability in this and makes a success of the film. Not meant to be a masterpiece, but certainly above average.

1. Did this film tackle a real situation?

2. How real was the main character - her absent parents, her interests, playing off her two admirers against each other, mixing in the B,B,C. world?

3. Why did she consummate the brief affair with the T. V. announcer?

4. Were the abortion issues presented clearly? Did the heroine make the right choice?

5. Did she face up to the realities and responsibilities of pregnancy well?

6. Was Lydia a good adviser? Was she a good friend? How?

7. What impression of the British National Health Scheme did the film give? How accurate do you think this picture of off-hand doctors and cruel nurses was? The inspection by doctor and medical students?

8. Was the heroine right in not letting the father know about the baby?

9. Should she have kept the baby or should she have had it adopted?

10. Did the film show the joys and sacrifices of motherhood - the worry, the illness, the need for money, friendship, education of the baby?

11. Comment on the ironic sequence where the B.B.C, showed the programme on continental sex films and the commentary talked about love while the pregnant heroine looked and stretched awkwardly?

12. Was the film a satisfying study of a contemporary girl?