OLIVER'S STORY

US, 1978, 91 minutes, Colour.
Ryan O ’Neal, Candace Bergen, Nicola Pagett, Ed Binns, Benson Fong, Charles Haid, Kenneth Mc Millan, Ray Milland, Joseph Sommer, Swoozie Kurtz.
Directed by John Korty.

Oliver’s Story is the sequel to Love Story, again written by novelist Erich Segal. The fans were not impressed by Oliver’s Story – because Love Story had made such an impact in1970. Everyone remembers “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”.

With Ali Mac Graw dead, Ryan O’ Neal, eight years later, has become something of a yuppie, rather self-complacent. He encounters Candice Bergen and a romance ensues. Ray Milland appears as Oliver’s father. There is a strong supporting cast – but the film is a soap opera set in an affluent family and does not have the dramatic impact and sentiment of the original film. This film was directed by John Korty, better known as a television director with such fine films as Go Ask Alice and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman during the 1970s.

1. The value of a sequel to Love Story? Audience interest in the plot, the continuation of the characters' story? The spirit of the original? The relationship of this film to the original? How well does it stand up in itself?

2. 'Love Story' came out in 1970. The difference in eight years in filmmaking, the atmosphere of the seventies, changes in attitude towards films, towards love stories? The influence of 'Love Story' in the seventies? How striking are the differences, the similarities?

3. The impact of 'Love Story'? soap opera, tears, human interest? The education background, the wealthy white Anglo -Saxon Protestant atmosphere - with the Italian Catholic tradition? Colour, gloss, the musical score and the famous theme? Themes of love and death? The appeal of the original? How much of this continued in the sequel?

4. The impact of the funeral at the opening? The amount of time given to the funeral? The communication of the grief of 'Love Story'? The focus on Oliver and the impact of his wife's death and her funeral? The presence of his parents and their support? Jenny's father and his friendship? The presentation of the funeral? The waiting for the burial? Oliver's presence and watching the burial from afar? His attitudes towards Jenny's being dead and not being dead?

5. The transition to his life as a widower? The photo of Jenny on his table? The collage of his life at home and his loneliness? The presentation of him at work? Moving into a new apartment? Friendship with Phil over the passing of time, the visit to his new apartment? Phil's attempt at cheering him up at the night club and the presentation of a father-in-law and son-in-law out and the girl's question about his wife? Why could Oliver not enjoy himself. why did he keep remembering Jenny? Was this a healthy kind of thing to do?

6. The presentation of the counselling sessions? The manner of the counsellor. his listening, asking appropriate questions? Oliver's revealing of himself, moods, puzzles? His feelings, death. Jennie’s presence? His discussion of his affair with Marcie? The important question of whether Jenny was alive or dead? The way he confronted it. Marcie’s being confronted by it?

7. The importance of the meeting with Joanna? The arrangement of the meals by his friends after the discussion at the sauna, socialising, the incessant chatter of his friends pushing Joanna and himself together? The journey home, the discussion about the furniture? Polite friendship? The possibilities of meeting Joanna again? Her wanting to stay the night - did he or did he not? The impact of this socializing on him?

8. The presence of Oliver's parents? Their status and age, home, wealth, style of living? Their pressures on him? The importance of the mill and his father's wanting him to be involved? Their not understanding Oliver's work and their patronising attitude towards urban reform? His mother's refinement and isolation from an ugly world? Oliver's presence at the presentation of his father, listening to the hands at the mill speaking about his father and what the
Family had done? His staying at home. the discussion with his father in the kitchen, his remembering the past and his father's absence, his pride in his father, the reconciliation? Leaving Oliver at this point and the questions of his future? The strength of the portrayal of Oliver's father?

9. The suddenness of the encounter with Marcie in the park - he with his skates, she running? His decision to pursue her? The humorous and brisk conversation? The tennis match and her beating him and his suddenly beating her? The enjoyment of the meals together and their discussions? Her proposition that she stay the night at the motel and his going? Their beginning to share interests, their decision to live together? The quality of love? The fights? And their love together? Oliver and his saying that he did not remember Jenny when they made love? The significance of their fights and his going away? His energy in searching her out? Seeing her at work? The significance of the Hong Kong holiday with its tourism, his being in the background during the photography sessions? His attitude towards Marcie, her wealth, career? The presupposition about Hong Kong factories and the importance of the visit? Was it inevitable that they should break up? Why? The effect of the encounter with Marcie on Oliver? A love story or not?

10. Marcie in herself? A white Anglo -Saxon Protestant in that background, her comments about guilt, about style? Her observations about Oliver's Story sharing poverty? Her work career, failed marriage? Her reflections on her husband? Her enjoyment of her work. skills, skill in Hong Kong with the photography sessions, the factory? The sequences of their being together? The effect of this experience on her?

11. The themes of urban renewal, his explanation of the tax situation and the pulling down of buildings, the status of the lay? His working with the blacks for painting the building? The official and his playing up to the television? The reason for Oliver's involvement in this social work?

12. The sketching of his friends, Stove and his wife and their chatter, Phil and his interest in his son-in-law?

13. The impact of the Hong Kong interlude with its romantic background, work, fashion and wealth? As bringing their relationship to a head?

14. His return home, the reconciliation with his father? How well did the plot resolve itself? His looking out to the future? How good a portrait of an American man, widower, lawyer, concerned man, white Anglo -Saxon Protestant in the wealthy New England tradition?

15. Audience response to soap operas – enjoyment, the authenticity of the themes and treatment?