THE SPANISH GARDENER

UK, 1957, 90 minutes, Colour.
Dirk Bogarde, Jon Whitely, Michael Hordern, Cyril Cusack, Maureen Swanson, Bernard Lee, Geoffrey Keen.
Directed by Philip Leacock.

The Spanish Gardener is from a popular novel by A. J. Cronin. It has Cronin's usual charm as well as his presentation of human conflicts. Instead of the usual possessive mother theme, we have here a possessive father, most convincingly played by Michael Hordern. The father is a petty, jealous, punctilious man whose narrowness of outlook and clinging, in compensation to his son, stifles the son (Jon Whitely who was so effective in Leacock's. The Kidnappers). The situation comes to a head in the open air and sunlight of Spain and in the person of the gardener (Dirk Bogarde in an undemanding role).

For those interested in parent-child conflict, this film is absorbing and Michael Hordern's portrayal of Hamilton Brand is worth seeing.

1. What impressed you most about the film?

2. How much of the film was from a boy's point of view? How clearly were his feelings communicated to the audience?

3. Was Hamilton Brand likeable? Why had he not been promoted? Why had his wife left him?

4. Why was Brand so attached to his son? Did he like him? Why did he treat Nicholas as delicate? As a fellow adult, sharing his interests?

5. Did the screenplay suggest that Nicholas was strong and longed for the company of children his own age? Should he have been sent to school? What kind of education did his father offer him?

6. Jose - how did the screenplay make him attractive to the audience? Comment on Dirk Bogarde's performance, working in the garden etc?

7. Why did Brand clash with Jose - was he jealous? How did Brand pressurise and manipulate Nicholas' affection? Why did he not permit Jose to talk to Nico?

8. Was Nicholas right to go fishing when his father was away, to begin talking to Jose again? How did Nico enjoy the day and the visit to Jose's family? What needs did this satisfy?

9. How much of a blow was this disobedience to Brand?

10. How important was Garcia for the plot? Threatening Nicholas with the knife, stealing the watch?

11. Did Jose's imprisonment change Nicholas' love into hatred for his father? Why?

12. What was the effect of Jose's escape on Brand?

13. Why was Nicholas disappointed in Jose's explanations and siding with his father?

14. Was the film an authentic presentation of a possessive father? Did it give real insight into this kind of man and the reasons for possessiveness? (The symbolism of Nicholas going through the storm for Jose; Brand going through the storm for his son and the consequent change in him.)