ENDLESS NIGHT
UK, 1971, Colour.
Hayley Mills, Hywel Bennett, Britt Ekland, George Sanders, Patience Collier.
Directed by Sidney Gilliat.
Endless Night and Agatha Christie rides again! This murder-drama will probably satisfy most of her fans, except in its vague, “over-to-you-to-work-out-what-really-happened".
There are a few tricks but if you are alert, you might work out who is good and who is bad. Hywel Bennett is at home with this kind of role and Hayley Mills is an attractive heroine. A very good supporting cast includes Per Oscarsson, George Sanders and Britt Ekland. The title comes from a William Blake poem that Hayley sings and gives a clue about those "doomed to endless night". Rather old fashioned in many ways it has nevertheless proved quite popular.
1. Was this a good murder mystery? A good Agatha Christie murder mystery?
2. The implications of the title: the words of the song: "Some are born to sweet delight, Some are born to endless night". (William Blake)
3. The structure of the film: the overtones of a thriller, a romance, and the irony at the end when the audience realises what has actually happened? The addition of the flashbacks - how interesting and effective were they?
4. Michael Rogers was the central character. In piecing together his life, do you understand him? The Shakespeare scene when he was a boy - he is Iago? The drowning of his friend? The picture, "Thou God See'est Me", and the drowning of the picture? His memory of his mother and father quarrelling? His mother, her rebukes and ambitions for him?
5. What kind of character was he - cars, bidding at auctions, desire for power and owning something important? Work in Italy, Rembrandt's painting, the sack over refusing to take the American to the red light area?
6. His relationship with Santonix - dreams, ambitions, romanticism as illustrated by talking to and feeling with Santonix?
7. Ellie - as a person, as a character in this film - rich, needing love, escaping from her family? were, you happy that she and Michael married?
8. Gypsy's Acre and the house - Michael's ambitions, Ellie's happiness, Santonix’s climax to his life's work.
9. Santonix's insight into and warnings to Michael? His love for Ellie? What kind of man was Santonix?
10. The relationship between Ellie and Greta? Did you like Greta? why? Why did the two girls get on so well?
11. Why did Greta and Michael not get on so well: fights, friction, scene at the garden party? Why did Greta stay on and Michael allow it?
12. Ellie's family - how were they being satirised? The family: how likeable were they as individuals? How sinister? Did Wu suspect them of being involved in Ellie's death?
13. Uncle Andrew - as a person, cynical or worldly-wise? His love for Ellie and his understanding of Michael? His producing the evidence against Michael at the end?
14. The Philpots - as neighbours, as friends? Doctor Philpot's helping Michael at the end?
15. The effect of the death of Santonix on Michael and his warning to Michael?
16. Mrs. Townsend as a mysterious character, as egged on by Michael?
17. Ellie's death - what really happened? Were you really sorry that she died?
18. The effect on Michael of Ellie's death? The impact of the American experience -the sequence where the funeral and the stock exchange information were interchanged.
19. The revelation of the truth - what impact did it have? How did it make so much of what went on before ironical? The true Michael? The true Greta?
20. What happened to Michael in the asylum? why did he have various versions of what happened? Why would he want to make the doctors believe what he wanted. to happen?
21. The themes of love, relationship, family, the influence of the past, power, madness etc.?
22. Was this effective and interesting entertainment?
