EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE

US, 1948, 107 minutes, Black and white.
Barbara Stanwyck, James Mason, Van Heflin, Ava Gardner, Cyd Charisse, Nancy Davis, Gale Sondegaard.
Directed by Mervyn Leroy.

East Side, West Side is a big-budget MGM film of the late 40s, done in style black and white photography, with veteran director Mervyn Leroy (I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang and other gangster films for Warners in the 30s, Blossoms in the Dust and other melodramas at MGM in the 40s). He has a top cast with Barbara Stanwyck always an imposing presence, James Mason early in his Hollywood career as her husband and a cad, Oscar winner Van Heflin (Johnny Eager) as someone returning from the war and Ava Gardner as a femme fatale. Cyd Charisse is in the supporting cast as is Gale Sondergaard as Stanwyck’s mother.

The film was based on a popular novel by Marcia Davenport (whose novel, The Valley of Decision, was adapted as a film with Gregory Peck and Greer Garson).

It is a popular bestseller, the type of novel that was made into miniseries in the 70s and 80s. It is set in the publishing industry, shows brittle marriages, affairs, and the difficulties of personal relationship in this context. It is the kind of film that always seems a touch melodramatic – but is always popular.

1. The strength of the film as a romantic melodrama? Its portrayal and use of conventional values? Popular audience response, the film's touching on basic human drives and interests?

2. The significance of the title and its explanation? The atmosphere of New York, 1950, black and white photography?

3. The significance of the opening, the presentation of New York, its ordinariness, Jessie's comment? The fact that Jessie's comments were not followed up?

4. The importance of the film's picture of New York society, wealth, standards, styles of behaviour? Marriage and love, brittle relationships? Wealth, jealousy, murder, violence? The contrast of the easier and simpler East Side life with the wealth and complications of the West Side? New York and its society as a microcosm?

5. The importance visually of New York, its atmosphere, streets, homes, restaurants, police stations etc.? How authentic did this make the melodrama?

6. The relationship between Jessie and Brandon? The reasons for their marriage, its fragility, the quality of Jessie's love, Brandon's dependence, his good intentions but weak will? The ordinariness of the couple? Yet their affluence? The role of Jessie's mother? Jessie's hope? The particular weakness of Brandon? His susceptibility? How doomed was the marriage from the start?

7. The importance of the early sequences in establishing mood and theme, the visit to Jessie's mother, her comments, Brandon's work and staying at the bar, his encounter and conversation with Rosa, the intrusion of Isobel, the fight and the photo? Where did these particular incidents lead?

8. Isobel and her type? How attractive, cold and calculating, ruthless? Her intrusion at the bar, her intrusion at the office? Her taunting and teasing of Brandon? Playing on his weakness? Making him late for the party? The harshness of her phone call to Jessie? Was it inevitable that such a type of woman would be murdered? Was she a credible character in this kind of society? Was Brandon's attraction to her credible?

9. The contrast of Rosa and her world? Her happiness, devotion to Dwyer, liking for Jessie? Her helping Brandon and taking him home? The world of fashion, her accepting Dwyer's not being in love with her? Her future?

10. How sympathetic the character of Dwyer? His personality, type, Job in Europe? His devotion to Rosa? The way in which he broke the relationship and his gentleness with Rosa? devotion to Jessie? His ability in solving the murder? His not pressurising Jessie? His waiting for her? Would they make a happy marriage?

11. The murder as a complication to the melodrama? Was It well integrated into the film? The quick and seemingly easy solution? Dwyer's enquiries, his encounter with the blonde, his trapping her?

12. The insights into marriage? Nora and her advice to Brandon? The significance of the final encounters between Jessie and Brandon? His pleas and promises? Her not caring? Was the final break inevitable?

13. How accurate was the observation of people in this film? To that extent, how valuable?