THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

US, US, 85 minutes, colour.
Michael Sarrazin, Barbara Hershey, Arthur Hill, Ruth White, E, G, Marshall, Robert Klein.
Directed by Robert Mulligan.

The Pursuit of Happiness 1s a good little drama of the contemporary values and generation gap. It is set on a U.S. campus and reflects the discussions and activities of the young in the late 1960's. The hero, a typical young Michael Sarrazin performance (as his Robert in They Shoot Horses, Don't They?}, is engaging and shown as a victim of chance, background and upbringing, of stupidity and conscience. Reaction to his behaviour will vary from audience to audience, but what happens to him and what he does will be of interest. The generation gap is not slanted against parents, but rather the film is critical of bureaucracy and the letter of the law.

Robert Mulligan treats of harsh topics in his films but with a rather gentle touch - for instance, To Kill a Mockingbird, Love With the Proper Stranger, Up the Down Staircase, The Stalking Moon, Summer of 42.

1. How did the title apply to the film?

2. How symbolic was William's sailing the yacht during the credits?

3. Was William's life prior to the opening of the film, sketched in well enough? He had been a campus activist previously. Why had he stopped? He said, towards the end, that he had been heading towards dropping out for some years. Did the film make this clear?

4. Were William and Jane typical U.S. students or were they too clean and conventional?

5. Did you like William? Why?

6. Did you like Jane? Why was she such an enthusiast? Did she love William?

7. What were William's attitudes towards his father and grandmother? Was he rebellious, superficial, loving? Was he irresponsible?

8. Were you shocked at the accident? Did William do the right thing after the accident? How responsible was he for the old lady's death?

9. Did he conduct himself well during the police interrogation? Was he too off-hand, blunt or honest?

10. Was William's uncle's legal advice sound? What was it based on? Were you impressed by his methods - in the interview after William went to the Conroys and Daniel Laurence explained attitudes, discussed the suit and the outcome of the judge's opinion on the case?

11. Should William have gone to see the Conroys? Was the daughter's hostility predictable? Why was the 'atheism' to the 'nest of Irish Catholics' included?

12. What did you think of William's father? Was he a good man? What was his relationship to his son?

13. What did you think of William's grandmother? What kind of America did she represent - White, Anglo-Saxon?, Protestant? How arrogant was he, how bigoted? Why?

14. Were you surprised at the outcome of the trial?

15. What impression did the prison make - the Senator cell-mate, his behaviour and attitudes, the friendship with George Wilson, the hard labour, the letter, the homosexuality, the prejudices, the fight?

16. Was William right in his decision to try to say exactly what happened and to speak his 'conjecture' ? Was he right in what he said in the court - Was the interrogation fair?

17. Should, he have escaped? Once he escaped and talked things over with Jane and Melvin, should he have gone back, especially since he would be out in a week? Why did he think he had to stay out? Why did he make so much of 'accidents' and chance?

18. Was his getting money from his grandmother too easy? What did you learn about the beliefs, attitudes and differences of both during the interview?

19. What comment would you make on his father's and-his uncle's attitudes to his flight? What was the significance of William's promising his father he would write?

20. Was Jane given a fair choice? Why did she decide to go? Why did Melvin stay?

21. What was the effect of the car breaking dawn in the city? What did it contribute to the feeling of the film?

22. What did you think of their being exploited in the flight to Mexico?

23. William said he wanted to get away to think things out for himself. Do you think he would stay away always?

24. Was the final symbolism (and the song) effective - the small plane, huge New York and the angles on the Statue of Liberty?