PARTIZAN

US, 1974, 100 minutes, Colour.
Rod Taylor, Adam West, Peter Carsten.
Directed by Stole Jankovic.

Partisan is a conventional war drama featuring a heavy Rod Taylor. Set in Yugoslavia and made there, the film boasts attractive location photography. The plot itself is conventional war material focussing on the Resistance. A comparison could be made with Martin Ritt’s Five Branded Women.

1. The emphasis of the title and its illustration in the film? A war entertainment film, a morale-boosting film, as presented by Yugoslavia for Yugoslavia and the world? The memory of warfare, tribute and healing, National patriotism and heroism?

2. The quality of this film as a war film, as a war resistance film? Presentation of partisans conventionally, warfare and raids, the presentation of the Germans? Was this film better than average or average?

3. The Yugoslav location photography, the river and the terrain, the towns and the factories, the warfare? The patriotic groups? special effects for the warfare?

4. The fact that the film was based on true stories? The credibility of the plot, the American partisan and his leadership, the wandering Jews and the massacres, the Germans and their cruelty, the partisans and their work?

5. Comment on Marco as the hero of the film, his American background. his relationship with family and brother, his decision to fight, his motivation, the quality of his leadership, his relationship with the man in charge? His skill in war, his decisions for caution? His hostility towards
Anna, towards Kurt? His gradually loving Anna and allowing her to participate? The sequences of his heroics and the loyalty of the partisans towards him? Rod Taylor's suitability for the role?

6. The character of Anna as heroine, Jewish background, Austrian, relationship with Kurt at the beginning, throughout the film, devotion to Marco? A conventional heroine? Kurt as a conventional villain? On the ship, his hostility towards Anna, his participation in the massacres? His personal
vendetta and the death?

7. The presentation of the other characters, the leader of the partisans, Marco's brother, the German leader and his harsh vengeance, the German officials?

8. The initial impact of the siege of the boat and the rescue of the Jews? The presentation of the siege of the town and the German tanks foiling the ambush, the escape in the snow and the battles in the snow? The massacre of the hostages?

9. A satisfying exploration of war, resistance, harshness and cruelty, good and evil, heroism and survival in human nature?