SEBASTIAN

UK, 1967, 90 minutes, Colour.
Dirk Bogarde, Susannah York, Lilli Palmer, John Gielgud. Nigel Davenport, Margaret Johnston, Janet Munro, Ronald Fraser, Donald Sutherland.
Directed by David Greene.

Sebastian is rather lightweight on the whole. It was made in the period of disillusion with spies and spying and uses that theme, one always worth discussing for the rest it is pleasant-comedy drama, the clash between mechanical man of habit and unpredictable, emotional girl, A very good cast takes supporting roles. David Greene's films include The Shuttered Room. The Strange Affair, Godspell.

1. Was this just a bright entertainment piece with a contemporary setting or did it have something to say?

2. How much did the film rely on breezing style and the personal charm of Dirk Bogarde and Susannah York?

3. What was the contribution to mood and tone of the computer-card credits and the bright musical score?

4. What was the significance of Sebastian's long Oxford run and his being called to work? What kind of man was Sebastian? Why did he do his job? Why did he live codes and puzzles? Was he a computer did he have any feelings, even in his programmed visits to Carol? the film take a stance critical of this aspect of Sebastian's life? How? How did Rebecca Howard contrast with Sebastian? How full of vitality was she, unconventional and unpredictable? Was her personality a rebuke to Sebastian - dancing, clothes, colours, her determination to catch Sebastian, re-decorating his rooms, her being put off by his impersonal way and his cracking her code?

7. Did they really fall in love with each other? What did Rebecca teach Sebastian? How did it alter his life?

8. What comment was made by the film about war and spying? the code room, the girls, their work (and method of hiring them), Miss Eliot and efficiency, Jamison and supervision, security and reporting the Director and his manoeuvring of people and knowing all their secrets, manipulating them, Elsa and her socialist loyalties, crises of conscience and leaking information?

9. Why did Sebastian resign over Elsa? Why did they let him go? Why did he blame Rebecca for manoeuvring this and running his life and career?

10. What kind of woman was Carol? (Sebastian's formal breaking of the liaison)? Her being used by spies?

11. How had Sebastian changed after his year at Oxford? How did he go back, allow himself to be persuaded? Why did the work intrigue him?

12. How serious did the film become when Sebastian's life was threatened? What comment did this make on spying? on the use of such means as LSD?

13. How interesting was the final job of decoding for the audience? Were you surprised to find the baby? Had it changed Rebecca? What was the effect on Sebastian?

15. How did the end - family and work - show what their future would be? What future would they have?