SLIDING DOORS

UK, 1998, 99 minutes, Colour.
Gwyneth Paltrow, John Hannah, John Lynch, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Virginia Mc Kenna.
Directed by Peter Howitt.

If you would like a pleasant romantic comedy fantasy with some realistic edge, then Sliding Doors might fit the bill. It is a small-budget British comedy with American backing and an American star who does an excellent English accent (as she also proved in Emma), Gwynneth Paltrow. Writer-director, Peter Howitt, cleverly sets up the situation where Helen (Paltrow) gets sacked, races for an Underground train and misses it - or what if she didn't miss it? We follow the two lives that Helen might lead as they are neatly intercut throughout the film. Can Helen be assertive and make a career? Can she build a relationship with her boyfriend (who is, in fact, deceiving her, full of self-pity)? What about the talkative Scot she meets on the train? All these answers and more are offered in this pleasantly light movie - and an opportunity to be beguiled by Paltrow.

1. The popularity of the film? Romantic? What if …? A British perspective?

2. The authentic London settings, flats, offices, workplaces, bridges, rivers, the underground?

3. The songs and the musical score?

4. The entertaining premise: what if? Oneself, one’s other self? A better self? Dreams/reality? Truth versus lies?

5. The title, the underground train, Helen’s life?

6. Gwyneth Paltrow and her screen presence, charm? John Hannah versus John Lynch? Versus John Lynch and Jeanne Tripplehorn?

7. Helen’s world, the flats, the workplace, her flatmates, Anna? Clive? Russell? The restaurants, the pubs?

8. Helen, in herself, at home, her relationship with Gerry? Her work, getting the sack? The feminist stance? At the station?

9. The sliding doors moment? Time, alternate time? The possibility of developing each of her characters? Intercutting each of the Helens? The plaster, her hair, the parallels, fainting, pregnancy, accidents, the hospital? The resolution?

10. The portrait of James? Helen seeing him on the train, talking, the pub and grief, the drink? With Anna, Clive and company? The dinner, the kiss, moving? The launch? His mother? Claudia? Not telling anyone? Going away? Neil, love, sexual relationship? The truth? Helen and the bridge, the accident?

11. The contrast with Gerry, Gerry asleep? The discovery of his relationship with Lydia? Gerry being the same in both worlds? His lies? The relationship with Helen? The visit? His being followed, the library? The weekend? The phone, the interview? Russell, the phone and the revelation? His relationship with Lydia, his shame, this haunting him, the phone call and the denial of the affair?

12. Lydia, as a personality, the affair, her relationship with Gerry? The past, the phone call, the window? The weekend and the outburst? The final set-up? Her pregnancy?

13. The two Helens, finding Lydia, the relationship with Anna, the drinks, James and the train, love, job, the waitressing, the meals, the row? The sexual relationship in each story? Talk? Betrayal? Pregnancy? Death?

14. The real Helen, coping, her job, waitressing, listening, the flowers etc? Lydia, the abuse? The worry, the end? The accident and the lucky escape?

15. The supporting characters – personalities, sketching in of characters? James’s mother? Claudia? Anna? Clive? Russell?

16. The mystery of the events, synchronicity – and the possibility of finding true love?