THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
US, 1970, 85 minutes, Colour.
George C. Scott, Joanne Woodward, Jack Gilford.
Directed by Anthony Harvey.
They Might Be Giants is a social fantasy that does not quite come off but has many good features and a certain charm about it. James Goldman and Anthony Harvey, who were writer and director for The Lion in Winter, performed the same tasks for this film.
George C. Scott plays a judge who suffers from paranoia and thinks he is Sherlock Holmes, Scott's impersonation of Holmes, hat, pipe and cap and, especially, the finding and following of clues, is delightful. Justin - Sherlock Holmes lives in a logical world of clues and the searching out of evil for combat, but it is an unreal world. In the real world, he is being pursued by his brother and by criminals;and his associates, the poor, the oppressed, the eccentric are hounded by society.
He is helped by a psychologist, Dr. Watson, (Mildred), played by Joanne Woodward as a more sophisticated and urbane Rachel, Rachel. Dr. Watson helps him in his troubles, is analysed accurately by Holmes and comes to some understanding of herself. But she has to decide about Justin-Holmes?. After a Madwoman of Chaillot-like procession of the slightly mad through the city, Dr. Watson goes on alone with Holmes and enters his world. Unfortunately, the film seems too often a juxtaposition of whimsical, but satirical, fantasy and social realism. The audience might find the plot confusing during the film. But it is worth reflecting on and sorting out afterwards. The two stars are excellent, carry the film, and generate a tenderness that is too good for this evil world.
1. What did the quotation at the opening of the film mean? Does everyone have some evil to seek out and destroy as Don Quixote had his windmills and Holmes his Moriarty?
2. What is the significance of the title for the film? Justin says that Don Quixote was mad because he was certain the windmills were giants. However, we should not be so sure, nevertheless, we should be open because they ‘might’ be giants.
3. How did the credits sequences give a mood to the film - the confined atmosphere of the bunsen flame and Justin's intense eyes?
4. The theme of the film was true and false madness, the nature of reality and unreality. Who was mad in the film and who was not? What was real and what was not?
5. Why did Justin unconsciously choose to be Sherlock Holmes? What attracted him about the character? Why would Holmes be an interesting person to be? Did you enjoy George C, Scott's impersonation of Holmes? Why?
6. As Holmes, Justin was investigating himself and passed many corments on himself. How symbolic was this search for identity and refusal to face and accept facts?
7. Justin-Holmes? soon established himself ae a doer of good. Were you moved by MB treatment of HP. Small's silence?
8. Did you find the fact that Joanne Woodaard played a Dr. Watson acceptable? What was the significance of this and how was it followed through in the film? What did Dr. Watson do in the stories? Did it make any difference to Justin that Dr. Watson was a woman?
9. What was the impact of the first visit scene to the laboratory? she was overjoyed at finding a classic paranoia; he followed the elves and analysed her.
10. There was logic and method in Justin'a madness, a perfect following of leads and clues within the terms of his reality. What was the point of the clues' sequence?
11. In their search, Holmes and Watson encounter needy ordinary people. They are presented as victims of society, forced into difficult situations and helped, even saved, by Holmes. This gives the film an opportunity for social satire and comment. Was this effective? What comment was made?
- the girl at the telephone exchange,
- the woman on the switchboard,
- Wilbur (he was a true friend, he yearned to be the Scarlet Pimpernel)
- the people at the cinema watching Westerns (why did Holmes praise the straight presentation of justice in Westerns?)
- Justin's sister-in-law,
- Mr. Small and the nurse,
- the city cleaners.
12. These ordinary people, the poor, the oppressed, the eccentric, had a triumphant Pied Piper procession through the city. What did this mean? Why were they not prepared to follow Holmes and Watson all the way to Moriarty?
13. Who were the villains
- Justin's brother and the gangsters,
- Dr. Strauss (with his institution and incongrous drawl),
- the telephone exchange rules,
- the police,
- the cinema managers.
14. How did Holmes transform Dr. Watson's life - the significance of the dinner scene?
15. Why did Dr. Watson hesitate at the end? What choice did she make? Why did she hear Moriarty 's horses 'steps? What was the significance of the ending? What was the point of this fantasy on madness?
