EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Canada, 1999, 90 minutes, Colour.
Victor Garber, Louise Marleau, Henry Czerny, Kenneth Welch, Domini Blythe, Kate Greenhouse, Richard Mc Millan.
Directed by Peter Moss.

External Affairs as a play on words, focusing on ambassadors to different countries as well as liaisons overseas.

The film is based on a play, The Stillborn Lover, by Timothy Findley. It is a star vehicle for American actor Victor Garber (pictured) who portrays the Canadian ambassador to the Canadian Soviet Union in 1965. Louise Marleau is his wife who has suffered from a nervous breakdown and is in recuperation. Kenneth Welch plays the ambitious Foreign Affairs minister and Henry Czerny the head of the police.

The film is set in 1965, in Moscow. A Russian has taken refuge in the embassy and is asking for asylum. Canada is hesitant. The ambassador wants the matter cleared and the defector sent to Canada. He also has to deal with the erratic behaviour of his wife. When a murder is reported and his wife implicated, he and his wife are sent back to Canada.

It emerges that the Russians have blackmailing photos of the liaison between the ambassador and a young man who has been murdered. The drama then ends with decisions having to be made in Canada with the ambassador’s wife and daughter opting to support him.

An interesting drama, issues of politics and external affairs as well as personal dramas and a focus on a homosexual relationship in the context of the 60s in international politics.

1.An interesting drama? Political? International? Personal? Sexual?

2.The Moscow settings, the streets, the embassy? The contrast with Canada, Ottawa, government buildings, the holiday resort and the gardens? The musical score?

3.The title of the original play? The title of the film? Meanings?

4.The 1965 setting, the cold war, Canada’s relationship with the Soviet Union? Life in the Soviet Union, surveillance? Blackmail? Defectors, taking refuge in embassies, the hesitancies of the embassies? Not wanting to complicate international relationships?

5.The focus on the ambassador, his status, his skills in his work? His dealings with Ilya, talking with him, promising refuge? His staking his reputation on the proper solution of the problem? His concern about his wife, her return from the opera, her going for a walk and being lost for an hour? The bonds between the two, his tenderness with her and care for her? The discussions with Michael Riordan? The news of the photos? The return to Canada, Harry and Marianne and their not being sure what was happening? Michael and his wife taking them to the resort? The revelation with the photos? Michael and his hard stance? Harry and his response? His being interrogated by Danny Jackman? His heartfelt response to the questions? His support from his wife? Their daughter arriving, the discussions, his attempt to explain himself, his love for his daughter, her decision and support?

6.The issue of the relationship, Harry and his orientation, his explanation of his life before he met Marianne, his facing life and not flinching, Marianne and her love, the marriage, the birth of Diana? Their life together, Cairo, Nagasaki and their visit to see what had happened, life in Russia?

7.Marianne, her illness, her love for her husband, support for him, going for the walk, the meeting with Mischa? The revelation of the holiday, the flashbacks, Marianne calling Mischa, sending him to her husband? Her explaining to her daughter that this was her love for her husband? Her life with him, her love for Diana, discussions with her? Her breakdown, her illness, memory lapses?

8.Michael Riordan, the tough politician, friends with Harry, the recall, the murder, the blackmail, the issue of asylum, his taking the hard line with Harry, wanting an apology? His wife, his relationship with his wife, public, private? Her saving his reputation when he didn’t turn up to meetings? His proposal that Diana spy on her parents? Diana’s rejection of the job?

9.Danny Jackman, severe, calling Marianne Ma’am, her response? Severe, interrogating Harry? Relationship with Diana?

10.Ilya, the defector, the atmosphere of 1965, uncertainties in the embassy, his fears, Harry’s reassurance? The finale and his being sent back to the Russians and his fate?

11.A memory of the cold war? The potential for collapse because of personal life and stories?