MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA

US, 1947, 160 minutes, Black-and-white.
Rosalind Russell, Michael Redgrave, Katina Paxinou, Raymond Massey, Leo Genn, Kirk Douglas, Nancy Coleman, Henry Hull.
Directed by Dudley Nichols.

Mourning Becomes Electra is a powerful played by Eugene O’ Neill, a key playwright in the first half of the 20th century, a huge reputation in American theatre. (He is portrayed vividly in Warren Beatty’s Reds, played by Jack Nicholson.) Many of his plays were filmed, from Anna Christie and strange Strange Interlude in the 1930s. It was an award-winning version of Long Day’s Journey into Night, with Katherine Hepburn, and an American Theatre version of his the Iceman Cometh.

This is an ambitious film of 1947, written and directed by Dudley Nichols. While admired, it was not successful at the box office. It has a very strong cast, a star vehicle for Rosalind Russell, and Oscar nomination, at the time she also portrayed Sister Kenny. Oscar winning Greek actress, Katina Paxiinou (For Whom the Bell Tolls) is the betraying mother. Michael Redgrave came from the UK to portray the brother. Raymond Massey is the father. Leo Genn is the mother’s lover and this is an early role for Kirk Douglas. Henry Hull portrays the caretaker and narrator.

Aeschylus’ Agamemnon play is transferred to the American South, immediately after the Civil War. The father is the Agamemnon character, Ezra, Raymond Massey. Clytemnestra is the wife, Christine, Katina packs into. The focus of the film is on the daughter, Lavinia, the Electra character, betrayed, mistrustful of her mother, of her father, trying to support her brother, Orin.

The American South after the Civil War and its lifestyle (with visits to New York) is a sufficiently melodramatic setting for O’ Neill to explore the Aeschylus themes for an American audience.

In some ways the film is a museum piece – but worth looking at as an attempt to do creative filmmaking in the mid 1940s.

1. The title? The plays of Aeschylus? Adapted to the United States, the 1860s, the post-Civil War period? How effective the parallels?

2. The work of Eugene O’ Neill, his career, Pulitzer and Nobel prizes? The theatre, film adaptations, television adaptations? His status?

3. Classical tragedy transferred to the United States? The impact?

4. The film in 1947, not a commercial success? Yet Oscar nominations? The strong cast? The adaptation to the screen, 160 minutes? The style of the film, theatre scenes, long speeches, no swift editing, the emphasis on dialogue and the power of the interactions by dialogue?

5. The musical score, the use of Shenandoah throughout the film, John Brown’s Body…?

6. The introduction, the information, the music and the sea, the title, Homecoming? The port, the ship, Captain Brant? The mansion, Seth and his work, the visitors, tour, the women gossiping, the portraits, communicating the characters and background to the audience? The family secrets?

7. Rosalind Russell as Lavinia, her prim manner, puritanical, somewhat starchy like a schoolmistress? Dressed in black? The visit to New York, lying to her mother, following her mother, seeing her with Captain Brandt, the kiss, the memories of her walk, kissing the captain? Anger, return, locking herself in her room, headache, antagonism towards her mother? Peter, his visit, her rejection? The discussions with Seth, the revelation of Brad’s identity, his disgraced father, his mother? Confronting Christine, formally, threats, the memories of the mother and the mother’s love for Brant? Loving Orin? Lavinia and father – the touch of the incestuous? Seth and his keeping silent of the issues?

8. Christine, Katina Paxinou and her presence, performance, look? Her age, marrying Ezra, loving him, falling out of love with him, no response to Christine? Ezra going to the war, the birth of Orin, close to Orin? The encounter with Adam, the discussion with Lavinia and her threats, promising Lavinia to reject him? Yet her note, the meeting and talking, the plot and the poison from the doctor, murder and Adam’s reaction?

9. The end of the Civil War, the cannons and firing, going to the station, Lavinia and Christine, Orin wounded, Ezra saying that he made a man of his son? The civic welcome, Ezra and the past, the doctor and his checking on health? Ezra and his very strong stances, visualising Lincoln’s assassination and the future? John Brown’s body…?

10. Ezra, his background, long days, his father and grandfather, the company, his brother and the maid, sent away? The family? Ezra giving up the maritime business, taking on the law, become judge, enlisting, his experience of war, the past and in Mexico in war? The explanations to Lavinia and Christine, his having seen too much debt? The doctor’s advice, Christine’s insinuations, the discussions about adding? Lavinia and her insinuations, the promising to look after her father always?

11. Christine and Ezra, Ezra probing, Christine and her sweet-talking husband, Ezra flirting, the kiss, the sexual tension, Ezra’s talk about death, it being so common in war that he thought it likely? His comments about church and puritanical ideas, and birth, death was being born? Criticisms of Orin, his declaration of, Washington life?

12. Lavinia, the erotic fears, shouting to expose Christine but not able to? In the bedroom, the tension, the light and Christine not wanting it, Ezra’s confession about his illness, talk about death, his disappointments, Christine and her blindness, telling the truth about Adam? His tone, administering the medicine, his words to Lavinia “she’s guilty. The medication�. Lavinia’s reaction, and vindictive Lavinia standing alone after her mother fainted and she finds the medication?

13. The Hunted, the second act? The funeral, saying that she wanted it to be private, waiting for Orin, Christine anxious and genteel and, the women gossiping?

14. Orin arriving, Peter welcoming him, Orin and his reflections on the war and murdering, his reaction against Lavinia, greeting Christine, the erotic tones and incestuous suggestions? The confrontation about the medication? Orin saying he was not talking to the taste of murder? Asking about Adam? The background of the family feuds? Christine pressuring Orin, saying Lavinia was poisoning minds, Christine explaining Adam? Christine’s lies? Lavinia taunting Orin, against Brant, that Orin was a mummy’s boy?

15. The war between Christine and Lavinia, the tactics?

16. Orin’s speech over Ezra’s body, feeling his father’s distain, the name of his father is stick in the mud, Orin telling the story about the attack on the rebel, killing the second rebel, Orin as crazy and his daring, Lavinia persuading Orin, manipulating him?

17. Adam, the ship, Lavinia, the gun, Christine warning Adam, his regret that there was no dual, an honourable fight to the death? The plan for going to China? Orin and Lavinia plotting, on the ship, listening to the plans, the shooting of Adam? Lavinia over his body looking like Christine? Making the death look like robbery, the newspaper item? Orin saying that Adam lookrd like Ezra, like Orin himself, like a suicide?

18. Christine, her model, the overtones of hate, Ezra’s portrait and hatred, her being afraid, her children returning, the confession, her moaning, Orin and his disdain of the son of the servant, Christine and her love for her son, Lavinia saying he was a cry baby? Lavinia in control, saying the shooting was justice? The drama of Christine shooting herself? Orin wanting Christine to turn to him, weeping, grief, Lavinia and her commands for Seth?

19. The Wanted, the third act? Brother and sister being away, the return home, Orin and his beard, Lavinia wearing white? Her saying that all the past was finished? Back in the house, the interiors, Shenandoah? Lavinia’s monologue at the portrait? Orin momentarily seeing his model will? Lavinia talking but forgetting, the right to love, Lavinia almost becoming Christine? The memories of the South Sea Island, having to face ghosts, getting rid of guilt?

20. Peter and Lavinia, Orin and Peter and their friendship? Orin speaking badly of Lavinia, her being bossy, teasing and taunts? Lavinia talking to Peter, the islands and being free, able to forget death, natives innocent and free, not?

21. Orin writing down the whole truth? Locking it in the drawer? Orin looking bad? His regard for Hazel, the purity, his stating that confession was important, the only way out? Writing the history of the crimes, sealing the envelope, giving it to Hazel and his warnings about the revelation? His telling Lavinia the truth?

22. The relationship between brother and sister, overtones on incestuous love, incestuous hate? Orin’s life, becoming paranoid concerning Peter? The drama in the house, Lavinia with the portraits, how to save Orin, Hazel and Peter writing? Orin to visit Hazel, his confession?

23. Lavinia taunting Orin, to madness, Peter’s arrival, the pistol, his death? Lavinia locking the documents?

24. Lavinia returned to black, setting the flowers in the house, her sitting on the steps like Christine? Hazel confronting the, the envelope and its contents? Lavinia not marrying Peter, his confrontation, concern about the contents of the envelope? Her burning the script?

25. Peter and Lavinia? Lavinia’s despair? The kiss, Peter naive, Lavinia calling him Adam? Returning into the house, Peter asked her about the island and the experiences? The grief, his leaving, Lavinia alone? Seth, Shannon door?

26. Her final speech, going into morning, reading house of flowers, the shutters? Mourning Becomes Electra?