FIFTY SHADES DARKER
US, 2017, 118 minutes, Colour.
Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eric Johnson, Bella Heathcote, Rita Ora, Luke Grimes, Victor Rasuk, Bruce Altman, Kim Basinger, Marcia Gay Harden.
Directed by James Foley.
In 2016, for St Valentine’s Day, the world was bequeathed the first film version of an E. L. James novel, Fifty Shades of Grey. Two words were important for that release: curiosity and notoriety. While the story was billed as a love story, it had overtones of sadomasochism which excited a certain prurience. Dakota Johnson portrayed Anastasia steel and Jamie Dornan the millionaire Christian Gray. Marcia Gay Harden appeared as Christian’s mother.
In comparison, the sequel is rather quieter on all fronts.
At the end of the first film, Anastasia was alienated by Christian and his dominance and her experience of submission (seen in an extraordinarily detailed and obsessive contract), her walking out on him, he and his pleading with the possibility of his becoming more humane and loving. At the beginning of this film, she is still feeling alienated though he is sending huge bouquets of flowers to encourage her in her new job at a publishing firm in Seattle.
It is not long before they do meet, the audience realising as she does that she is still attracted to Christian, even in love with him. Despite his stern manner and stubbled look, he declares his love for her.
In fact, it is really all the film is about, the different encounters between Anastasia and Christian, the lovemaking, the suggestions of the sadomasochism (which do increase, rather more slightly than expected, throughout the film, especially with his SM mechanisms and his special room and equipment). The two spend a lot of time together, they go to a very lavish masked ball and charity auction, he flies his private plane and crashes, though the suspense is short lived and he returns rather more quickly than expected as his family are in the middle of watching television reports, he has a birthday, a party and a proposal.
One of the main features of the film is its affluence, money is no object or difficulty for the Grey family, Christian has everything he wants and can afford everything he wants – it may be a real world for those who live it but it is a fantasy land for most of the audience.
One of the main difficulties for Christian is his character, the background of his mother’s death, his sadomasochism, and Elena explaining that without her he would either be dead or in jail.
There are two main sources of tension apart from the growing relationship between the two. First of all there is Elena who had initiated the young Christian into sexuality, remains a friend of his mother, but is still infatuated with him and sees Anastasia as a threat. She threatens in return, leading to an ultimate confrontation and a clear indication of who is going to be one of the villains in the forthcoming Fifty Shades Freed (Valentine’s Day 2018). She is played by Kim Basinger.
The other source of tension is Anastasia’s work, which she enjoys, is good at, is promoted – especially after a groping attack from her boss, Jack (Eric Johnson). And, of course, it is signalled at the end that he will be around for the sequel, not smiling but scowling.
Anastasia has family and friends, Christian has family, so there is a touch more humanity in this one than there was in the first film. Nevertheless, this is the world of the bestseller, of bestseller affluence and bestseller sexuality with the touches of darkness.
1. The notoriety of the original novel? This sequel? Adaptations for cinema? Popularity?
2. The setting in Seattle, the business world, the world of the affluent? Book publishing and offices? Christian Grey, his companies, executive meetings? The world of his parents? Socials and parties, auctions? Affluence, fashion, apartments, executive planes…?
3. The musical score, the theme songs – and the songs throughout the action with the lyrics commenting on the characters and behaviour?
4. Audiences, knowledge of Christian and Anastasia, their initial relationship, her submissiveness, his dominance, sadomasochism, his contract, Anastasia and her response, walking out on him? The possibility for Christian to change?
5. The opening, Anastasia and her alienation from Christian, his sending the flowers, her new job, her skill at her work, her wanting to work, her relationship with Jack and his trusting her, the other members of the staff? Christian and his gift of flowers?
6. The social, the portrait exhibition, Anastasia’s photos – and Christian buying them all? Christian’s presence, the discussion, his saying he was willing to change? Anastasia and her hesitation? Yet her attraction to him, his attraction to her? The background of his sadomasochism?
7. The film as a love story, Anastasia and her work, the clash with Jack and his being fired? Her being promoted, her interventions at meetings, her ability with publications? Christian, the familiarity of his life and work? Gradually revealing his life to Anastasia – and the significance of the initial prologue and its brutality, the death of his mother, her being an addict, his being cared for by Grace, Grace as his real mother?
8. The significance of Elena, her introducing him to sex, her continued infatuation with him – and her encounters with Anastasia, explaining that without her Christian would be dead or in jail? Her re-appearances, her warning Anastasia off Christian, at the engagement announcement, her intervention, Anastasia’s attack on her, Grace and her friendship, ousting her from the house?
9. The portrait of the younger people, Christians siblings, Anastacia is, the young friends?
10. The genuineness of the love between the two, Christian and the touches of sadomasochism, the particular examples, machinery, Anastasia submitting? Finding his room, masks and devices?
11. Christian and his invitation for Anastasia to move in, the masked party and then leaving for the sexual encounter, his flight, the crash, the anxiety of the family watching the television, his return, his birthday, the party, his announcement, in the greenery and on his knees with the ring proposing?
12. Christian and his manner, control, always issuing commands rather than requests? The issue of Anastasia going to New York and his forbidding her, her reaction, his wanting to be with her?
13. The romantic touches, in many ways the plot being more conventional than the first film – and, as in the final credits, the anticipation of the wedding, but also the introduction of Elena’s hostility and Jack and his obviously wanting revenge?
