PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN

Ireland, 1977, 91 minutes, Colour.
Maurice Roeves, T.P. Mc Kenna, John Gielgud.
Directed by Joseph Strick.

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a striking presentation of James Joyce’s novel. It was written and directed by Joseph Strick, an American who had a great interest in Joyce’s work, making a film of Ulysses in 1967. He also made films from Jean Genet’s The Balcony in 1963 and Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer in 1970.

The film is a faithful adaptation of the novel. It also features Bosco Hogan in a good performance as Stephen Daedalus, the young man who is educated by the Jesuits, pursues a literary career – and loses his Catholic tradition and faith. T.P. Mc Kenna portrays his father.

There is a significant cameo from John Gielgud as the preacher, giving voice to James Joyce’s very powerful sermon, the focus on hell and damnation.

The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is an autobiographical portrait of the author himself. It gives insight into the Ireland of the early 20th century, the role of Catholic education and Jesuit education, it also highlights the nature of the church and its domination of people with the consequent rebellion. Joyce was an articulate critic of the Catholic upbringing he received.

One of the criticisms of the film is that it remained too faithful to the book, relying on the power of Joyce’s literary touch and words rather than on striking images. It also was criticised for draining some of the sensuality from Joyce’s work. However, it is an impressive film introduction to Joyce’s work.

1. The reputation of James Joyce? His classic literature? His insights into Ireland? His exile and seeing Ireland from Switzerland? His skill in novel-writing? His use of words, imaginative language and creation of words? The brevity of the original novel? The quality of this adaptation - a screen version of a novel?

2. The qualities of the screenplay: its capturing the essence of the novel, its structure, characters, themes? The visual communication of characters and situations? The attention to detail? The voice tones? The information given about Ireland, the characters? Names and dates? The reality of Ireland? The reality of Joyce's background and adolescence? His growing up? The perspective on the artist as a young man ? as seen from the vantage point of experience?

3. The visual presentation of Ireland, its beauty, colours? Its harshness? Cities? Politics, the English, religion and the Catholic Church? The quality of the musical score and its atmosphere?

4. The highlighting of the characters for communicating the novel? The basic situations in which they were presented, close-ups,, dialogue? The importance of tableaux? The set pieces e.g. the walks, the meals, Confession, the hellfire sermon? The interspersing of the film with Irish songs and music?

5. The significance of the title, a portrait as a sketch, giving the outlines, as some attention to detail, not a strict photo or accurate reproduction? The value of interpretation in a portrait? The film as a cinematic portrait? How much of the portrait is of Joyce himself? How much of Joyce is in Stephen Dedalus?

6. Dedalus as a boy and young man? The experience of family, school, university? Joyce's retrospect on these experiences? His portrait, reproducing the situations and feelings, interpretation of hindsight and from exile?

7. The situation of Ireland in 1891? Parnell and his alleged betrayal? The attitude of Simon Dedalus and the argument at the Christmas dinner? The leadership of Ireland, politics? The relationship with Britain? The role of Catholicism and its pressure? Kitty, the talk of John, Mrs. Riordan, the Jesuits, the sermon as illustrating the type of Catholicism, the attitude towards war and Patriotism? Joyce's glimpses of Ireland, his understanding. interpretation? His rejection of Ireland?

8. Stephen as a young boy, the portrait of the family, mother and father, children? The family picture? The mother and her love and devotion? The litanies? The prayers and their intentions? The portrait of Mrs. Dedalus and her love, for her family: her singing, the meals, moving, the washing, her attitude towards Stephen at the university, her disappointment in him as regards Communion? A portrait of an Irish mother of the 19th. century? The contrast with his father: his advice to Stephen never to tell tales, the wink, the talk between the two, his singing, drinking, Stephen's description of him, his politics, many jobs, politics and argumentation, taking Stephen and the family from Clongowes Wood College, Dublin, Belvedere College, the auctioning of the furniture? His attitude towards his son as he grew up? Farewell? The portrait of an Irish 19th. century father?

10. The picture of education in Ireland in the 19th. century: the attitude of the Dedalus' towards an education, the attitudes towards the Jesuits and their colleges, the leadership of the Jesuits in education, the contents of their courses and curricula, their disciplinary style, the importance of Catholicism and its tone for education? The sequence of Stephen refusing to swap the snuff box? His being pushed into a stream? His "inflammation of the brain"? The testing of his principles? His growing up in this atmosphere, boarding school? The attitudes of the other teachers, the apology? Stephen in class, the incident with his glasses, Father Dolan and the incident with the strap, the teacher? Stephen as he developed through the school? What he learnt, experience of Irish culture, literature, history? Latin? His finally becoming a prefect? A type of hero in the school? What were his attitudes towards his education as he left the school?

11. The importance of the Christmas dinner: the meal itself, Grace, the discussion about politics, Mrs. Riordan's speeches and the discussion about priests, John's story? Her leaving? The Rosary and prayer?

12. The films portrait of priests in Ireland in the 19th. century, especially the Jesuits? Their being exalted, their needing to be brought down? Their role in politics and the influence on Irish Catholics? The importance of the Vocation Director's long speech? The role of Mary? The tearing up of the prayer?

13. The importance of the influence of religion on Stephen himself? What kind of little boy was he? At Clongowes Wood? The transference to Belvedere and his questioning his religion, the effect on his conscience? The possibility of vocation?

14. The effect on Stephen of moving to Dublin, the auction, his father's stories, drinking?

15. The essay and Stephen's winning of prizes? The pictures and Stephen's torment? What motivated him to go to the brothel, the interaction with the girl? His guilt, fascination, the interaction with the girl? His guilt, fascination? His return?

16. The importance of confession - its style, the content of what he confessed, the attitude of the confessor, the discussion about vocation? F17hat did this sequence symbolise for the whole of Stephen's religious development, rejection of Catholicism?

17. The famous sermon - as delivered by John Gielgud, his verbal style, presence? His restrained tone? The realism of the delivery and the presentation of the sermon in the chapel? The audience focusing on priest and Stephen? The importance of the visuals evoked in the sermon and the effect on the imagination? How was the realism a distraction from the content of the speech? The attitude towards religion, conscience and guilt? Hell and judgment? An image of God? The effect on Stephen? His dreams?

18. Stephen and his going to the university, his changing? His giving up his religion? His giving up his love for Ireland? The encounter with Emma? His liking for her, the possibility of love? The later view and the poem?

19. The importance of his three friends at university and their lifestyle, the contrast with his? The discussions he had with them - their verbal content and the dramatic way in which they were presented? How successful such an emphasis on verbalising, philosophical and religious reflection, aesthetic discussion for the screen?
i) Sexuality, confession, Stephen's long story?
ii) Art - drinking, catharsis, art, terror and pity. beauty. splendour, radiance, the artist's call?
iii) Religion, sacrilege, image of God, fear, preoccupations of Catholicism, eternity?
iv) Ireland and exile, Stephen's loneliness and aloneness, the risk in moving out to an unknown future? These long speeches as Joyce's literary genius, to be read and heard, the difficulty in their being presented in a film, their seeming to be lectures?

20. The final changes in Stephen: his relationship with Emma, his parents, the seashore and his walk, his solitude? The significance of his farewell and leaving Ireland?

21. James Joyce's comments through Stephen on the nature of a true Irishman and his ability to leave Ireland or not? To let it alone or not?

22. A portrait of Ireland as well as of the artist as a young man, Ireland as a place, atmosphere, its people, motivations, longings, sense of destiny?

23. The film as a portrait of human nature - of the ordinariness of life, of extraordinariness and genius? The title as summing up the film?