HEMINGWAY AND GELLHORN

US, 2012, 155 minutes, Colour.
Nicole Kidman, Clive Owen, Robert Duvall, Parker Posey, David Strathairn, Peter Coyote, Molly Parker, Jeffrey Jones, Connie Nielsen, Tony Shalhoub, Rodrigo Santoro, Joan Chen, Santiago Cabrera, Lars Ulrich.
Directed by Philip Kaufman.

Hemingway and Gellhorn is a Home Box Office movie, premiered on American television. It was also shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012. It was nominated for fifteen Emmys.

The film focuses on the relationship between writer and war correspondent, Martha Gellhorn, who became Hemingway’s third wife. Nicole Kidman is very good as Gellhorn, especially with the framing sequences where she is made up to look elderly and gives an interview for television. Clive Owen gives a strange performance as Ernest Hemingway, not quite as strong as one might have imagined, eccentric, self-centred, depressive. Macho, also, in his treatment of women. There is mention of his first marriage. There is a focus on his second marriage to Catholic Pauline (Molly Parker) and his own conversion. There is also the encounter with Mary Welsh who was to be his fourth wife and who cared for him during the 1950s up to the time of his suicide in 1961 (which is featured in the film).

However, the main focus is on his life in the United States, his outdoor activities, especially his fishing (for The Old Man and the Sea), with memories of his trips to Africa and his life in Paris. The principal focus of the film is the Spanish Civil War, the making of a film by Dutch director Joris Ivens (Lars Ulrich) and the contribution of novelist John Dos Passos (David Strathairn). There are some very vivid scenes of warfare – incorporating footage from the period, including from Ivens’ films. Celebrated photojournalist Robert Capa (Santiago Cabrera) also features and the film incorporates some of his photography.

There are also some sequences of World War Two, especially the Normandy landing.

Both characters are very strong, a strong attraction between them, Martha Gellhorn wanting some independence, especially in a visit to China where Hemingway rather unwillingly accompanies her and they have a meal with Chiang Kai Shek and his wife as well as meeting the Communist leader Chou En-lai.

The difficulty with the film is that both characters are not particularly attractive – but with the focus on Martha Gellhorn, there is more audience sympathy for her than with Hemingway.

The film was directed by Philip Kaufman, remembered well for his films like The Right Stuff and Rising Sun as well as his biography of Henry Miller and Anais Ninn, Henry and June.

1. The acclaim for the film? Yet the strong critique?

2. The emphasis, the title emphasis on Hemingway as well as on Gellhorn? Though the centre of the film is Gellhorn?

3. The scope of the screenplay, the 1930s and 40s, in the United States, in Spain during the civil war, Europe and D-Day?, the visit to China, American domestic sequences? Cuba? Portraits? Insight?

4. The style of the photography, sepia and white, black and white, colour, the intermingling? Historical footage? Joris Ivens’ film? Robert Capa’s photography?

5. The musical score, the Spanish music, American atmosphere?

6. The framework with the aged Martha Gellhorn, Nicole Kidman and the makeup? The narrative, recurring throughout the film, the final interview and her going to war?

7. Martha and her mother, going into the diner, her encounter with Hemingway, her behaviour, her status as a writer, the clip in her bag, her independence, the challenge to Hemingway, the drinking?

8. The introduction to Hemingway, Clive Owens’ appearance, performance, Hemingway in his thirties, the nickname Papa? The image of the fishing and the blood? His friends, talk, the drinking, the fascination with Martha Gellhorn? At his home, the encounter with Pauline? Ivens and his film?

9. The American involvement in the Spanish Civil War? John Dos Passos and his reputation as a novelist, his passion, the group around him, going to Spain, their activity and involvement?

10. Going to Spain, the republican perspective, the footage, the condemnation of fascism, the scenes with Franco, Mussolini, Hitler? Hemingway and his writing, reporting? His arguments? In the field? Ivens and the nature of his filming, the people, the war action, the agriculture, the bringing in of water? Paco as a hero, the action sequences? The deaths, the woman in the street? The prostitutes in the corridors? The presence of the Russians? The various alliances?

11. Koltsov, the Russian presence in Spain, reporting to Stalin, the general and his drinking, the challenge to Hemingway, the build-up to the duel, Koltsov and his allaying the enmity, vodka, the laughter? The arrest of Paco in the field, the explanations later, his brother being an ally of Franco? Suspicions that he was a traitor? The basis for the character in For Whom the Bell Tolls?

12. Martha Gellhorn and her decision to go to Spain, the Hemingway effect, with Dos Passos? In the train, with the soldiers, the goat – and its later being served up for the Russian general? The soldier with the rabbit’s foot – and his later injuries and Martha meeting him?

13. Martha Gellhorn in Spain, observing, friendship with Capa, talking about talent and photography, the personal touch? Her rationale for stories, for Collier’s magazine? The deaths, her going into the street, rescuing the child whose mother was dead? The blood on her hands? Hemingway’s reaction?

14. The relationship with Hemingway, not wanting marriage, her independence, the attraction, the passion? The background of Hemingway’s first wife? Pauline and her Catholicism, the children? Her not being willing to give Hemingway a divorce?

15. The bombings, the hotel, Hemingway and his rescuing of Martha? The passion, the sexual response, his needs, her love?

16. Hemingway and his reputation, World War One, A Farewell to Arms, the comments about the movie, the posters? His time in Africa, the accidents, the wounds? His manner of writing, standing, the pages falling beside his desk?

17. The experience of Spain, the war, Gellhorn and her Collier’s articles? The defeat of the republican cause? Franco and his regime?

18. New York City, the 1940s, the writers meeting, Hemingway’s speech, calling Martha Gellhorn to the microphone, the applause? The showing of Joris Ivens’ film? The editors present, Collier’s and Scribner’s? The drinks, the offer to Martha Gellhorn for the novel? The reviewer, the quotes about Hemingway’s masculinity, his macho response, the brawl and the headlines?

19. Joris Ivens’ film, the portrait of Spain, his Dutch background, going into action, the variety of shots – and their incorporation into this film? Back in the United States, the commentary by Orson Welles and his being ousted by Hemingway? Martha Gellhorn and the sound effects? Dos Passos and his upset about Paco, his being removed from the film? Dos Passos and his infatuation with Paco? The accusations of cowardice, Dos Passos moving to the political right?

20. Pauline, uptight, holding on to Hemingway, the initial sequences, her meeting with Gellhorn? Her verbal fight with Hemingway, his silence, the children, the granting of the divorce?

21. Hemingway and Gellhorn marrying? Their life together, their friends, in Cuba, the Caribbean, Hemingway involved with his friends and protection from U boats? His macho attitudes? Martha and her going to China, his agreeing to accompany her?

22. The scenes in China, Hemingway and his unwillingness, finding the culture alien? Martha and her bluntness with Madam Chiang Kai Shek? Chiang Kai Shek and his teeth, the chocolates? Their guide? Their being taken to Chou En lai, the discussion, her finding him charismatic? His concern about the Chinese, poverty? The Communists? The return to America, their discussions with the Roosevelts – and the Zelig effect of incorporating them into the sequences? Their being considered Communist sympathisers?

23. Martha wanting to go to Europe, asking Collier’s to send her, the irony that they were sending Hemingway? The refusal to allow women journalists? The confrontation between the two, the clash, her being hurt? Leaving Hemingway, going to Europe as a nurse, at Normandy, D-Day? Hemingway and his stories? His meeting Mary, the bond between the two, his being injured, the hospital, Martha going to see him, seeing Mary, her anger, asking for a divorce? Hemingway pleading?

24. Hemingway and his marriage to Mary, his being white and bearded (like his final photographs)? The electric shock treatment, at home, Mary trying to cheer him, his depression, his gun cabinet, shooting himself?

25. Martha Gellhorn and her international career, the interview in the 90s? Feisty? Going to war again?

26. The characters, interest and appeal? The background of American literature, journalism? The times, the wars, correspondents? Personal stories, passion?