THE QUIET


US, 2005, 95 minutes, Colour.
Camille Bell, Elisha Cuthbert, Martin Donovan, Eddie Falco, Shawn Ashmore.
Directed by Jamie Babbit.

The Quiet is a small film, disturbing in its plot and its probing of incest and sexual abuse.

Camille Bell portrays Dot, a deaf-mute teenager, taken in by a family, the mother being a friend of her own mother. She settles into the house, despite the hostility of the daughter, Nina. She is ignored at school or mocked. However, she is partnered with Connor, Shawn Ashmore, in a science project which leads to a sexual encounter but, surprisingly, an ultimate antagonism and disillusionment on the part of Connor when he realises the truth and spoken frankly about himself to her, thinking she was deaf.

The other main focus is the relationship between Paul, Nina’s father (Martin Donovan) who seems a pillar of society and welcoming but is in a sexual relations with his daughter, exploiting her, changing moods, giving her gifts, insulting her. His wife is played by Eddie Falco, preoccupied at home with interior decorating, being contradicted publicly by her husband.

Eventually it is revealed that Dot can both speak and hear, makes friends with Nina and her anger and her desire to kill her father. The film is disturbing in its subject of incest and the abuse of a teenage daughter, in the violence in killing the father, in the two girls leaving town at the end and the mother taking the blame for the killing.

Camille Bell is effective as Dot. Elisha Cuthbert is Nina.

1. The title and expectations? A horror film? A different kind of horror?

2. The locations at home, at school? Similarities to high school dramas? Differences?

3. The atmosphere, the Mean Girls at school? The dining area, ignoring Dot? The dance? The musical score?

4. The introduction to Dot, deaf mute, a story, her father’s death in the accident, his not hearing the vehicle? Olivia friends with her mother, Olivia and Paul taking her in? The welcome? At school, being ignored, ridiculed, Nina and her mockery, her words, with the lipstick? Meals at home? Talk at the table? Dot being helped at school with the sign? With Connor as partner in the lab experiment? Playing the piano?

5. The family, her settling in, ordinary life, Nina and her rudeness, not wanting Dot in the house? Her going out, defying her parents? Paul and his seeming kindness, welcome? Olivia and her decorating, being tired, Paul contradicting her? The tensions, between husband and wife, Olivia and her sexual approach and being ignored by Paul?

6. Audience suspicions, Paul with Nina, Dot glimpsing? Paul and his power, domination, his relationship with his daughter, love, erotic, bringing the gifts? His double-standards and comments about morality? His language? His going into Dot’s room, the temptation, his leaving?

7. Nina, her life, unhappiness, the chat with her friends, the preoccupation about sex? The meals, going out? Gossip with her friends? With her father, the different reactions, being abused, wanting to kill him? Plans, telling her father she was pregnant, demanding the money? Talking with Dot, the sexual encounter, Dot and the piano and string, killing Paul? The upset? Calm? the dress for the dance, going to the dance, the aftermath, at the river? Leaving with Dot?

8. Dot, her character, the motivation for her behaviour, not saving her father, impassive in manner, observing people? Audiences suspecting she could hear and speak? Playing the piano? At school, with Connor? At home, the meals?, Arriving, pleasant, going out with him, the discussions, the sexual encounter, Connor frank about his sexual prowess? His inviting her to the dance, dancing, realising she could speak and hear, his anger with her, the humiliation in his talking with her?

9. The characters of the girls, their meanness, sexual preoccupations?

10. The death, Olivia and the police, her taking the blame, explaining what had happened, apologising to Nina?

11. The horror of sexual abuse, incest, a parent victimising his daughter? A disturbing film?