50 SHADES OF GREY

US, 2015, 119 minutes, Colour.
Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dorman, Jennifer Ehle, Eloise Mumford, Victor Rasuk, Hayward, Marcia Gay Harden.
Directed by Sam Taylor- Johnson.

Notoriety and big box-office.

By 2005, readers the world over were indulging in Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, millions of them. And then came the movie version with everybody going to see it. 10 years later, everybody seems to be reading or have read 50 Shades of Grey (but not this reviewer). More than a ready market for the movie version. And here it is.

Different groups have had some negative reactions. Those concerned about sexual morality question the behaviour of the characters, especially with the issues of dominance and submissiveness in sexual interactions. Many concerned about sexual violence, especially towards women, consider that this is a story about a male exploiting a woman for his own gratification – and, to a large extent, it is.

But, in many ways, it is not a film to get to het up about. It is not as if we have not seen this kind of behaviour on screen before – there was Nine and ½ Weeks almost 30 years ago, quite explicit and contentious for its time. Themes of bondage and dominance have been present in many films, perhaps not so much in American films but, certainly, in those from continental Europe.

The film is a variation on adult men and women, sexual attraction and behaviour, dominance and freedom.

Christian Grey (Jamie Dorman) does not seem exactly like your ordinary citizen. Not only is he good-looking, he is a billionaire, controlling a company, shown to be effective in business, from a respectable family, and dreamworld character rather than a character who seems real. Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) does seem a little more real. She has a loving father who turns up to her graduation. She has a loving mother, although she is on her fourth husband and cannot make it to the graduation, but keeps contact by phone and a visit from Anastasia. Anastasia is studying literature at the University, has a roommate who gossips, and has been holding herself back in terms of relationships. Awkwardly stepping in to do an interview for her roommate with Christian, she is smitten, infatuated, flattered by his attentions (which include helicopter rides, new clothes, an expensive car, a trip in a glider…). And falls in love.

Christian, in Jung’s psychological terms, is the epitome of the introverted decisive type who is focused completely on the detail of the present and seems in no way subjective in his approach to decision making – and his conversations with Anastasia are straightforward, even blunt, certainly not good at humour or jokes. And, of all things, he hands Anastasia a multi-page contract about the relationship, his dominance, her submission, the rules and possible punishment (but she does reject some clauses). Some of these scenes are serious, seriously ludicrous.

There is a revelation that as a 15-year-old boy, Christian was seduced by a friend of his mother and involved in this kind of dominant-submissive sexual relationship, He the submissive, finding it liberating, so he says.

Many of the scenes in the film are quite ordinary, Anastasia and her work, her graduation, her visit to her mother, a meal with Christian’s parents… However, whether out of interest from reading the book or whether from touches of prurient curiosity, it is the sex scenes (rather restrained in comparison with many other films) that draw in the audiences.

It might be difficult to let go of 50 Shades of Grey because there are another two novels in the trilogy.

1. The popularity and notoriety of the novels? Sales? Audience?

2. Motivations for seeing the film, curiosity, prurience, sexual, dominant/submissive? A satisfying film experience?

3. The comparisons, how graphic paragraph the nudity, sexual activity, less or more than many films? Bondage film?

4. The issues of the role of women, in relationship to the Grey type, handsome, the billionaire, success in business, exercising power and control, his prestige and that of his family, his bearing? Attraction, infatuation, love? The revelation of the dominance – with the touch of the ludicrous in the punishments?

5. The role of men, self-assurance, family background, wealth, business, control? “It’s who I am… What I want.” Respectful to women or not? Choosing women, as objects, for pleasure? Dominance and the issues of a contract, of what is allowable or not, the rules, punishment, gratification?

6. The screenplay and the novel being accused of promoting an abusive attitude and abuse of women? Issues of power over women? The women’s response, freedom and consent?

7. Anastasia, the irony of her name being Steel? Her father and his love, coming to her graduation, contact with her? The contrast with her mother, four husbands? The phone calls to her mother, visiting her mother, her mother not coming to the graduation? An ordinary young woman, the study of literature, her roommate, going to the interview in her stead, reaction to Grey, attracted to Christian? His interest, their talk, the invitations, sending the answers for the interview? The gift of the first editions of Hardy? Her reaction? The questions from her roommate, careful about the answers? The ride in the helicopter, the clothes, the gift of the new car?

8. Christian? his age, the revelation of his being seduced as a boy, the dominance by the family friend, still in contact with her, meals, advice?

9. Inviting Anastasia to his home, the Playroom and her reaction? His coming to the shop, buying the goods, her working in the shop? Sending his driver? Sharing with her, the meals? His graduation speech, his words to her, the photos? Anastasia and her drinking, staying the night?

10. The visit from Christian’s mother, meeting Anastasia, invitation to dinner, their hopes that their son would settle down with the woman, his father? The party, Elliot, his being with the roommate, going back, the sexual encounter? At the dinner?

11. Issues of pressure, freedom, sexual activity, variations, the effect on Anastasia? Her room, sleeping in the room, Christian not used to sleeping in the same bed as his partner? The pressure of the contract?

12. The meetings, the discussions of the clauses, Anastasia excluding some issues, not giving her consent?

13. Christian and his dominant behaviour, Anastasia and the rules, the possibilities for punishment? denouncing her visit to Savannah, his following her, in the air and the gliding?

14. His timetable, sexual encounters, the room, punishing Anastasia, the beatings, making her count? Her decision, never again?

15. The end, her refusal, yet her falling in love, his changing her, his saying that she had changed him? The final encounter in the elevator?

16. Three novels – what future do Christian and Anastasia have?