EDITH'S DIARY

Germany, 1984, 102 minutes, Colour.
Angela Winkler.
Directed by Hans W. Geissendoerfer

Edith's Diary is a striking film about withdrawing and madness. It is based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith (Strangers on a Train) whose novels have been popular in Europe with several film versions including Wim Wenders' The American Friend, Claude Miller's Tell Her That 1 Love Her.

This film was written and directed by Hans Geissendoefer (The Glass Cell, The Magic Mountain). Angela Winkler as Edith portrays a woman who has an idealist view of life, great hopes in her husband and son - but who is unable to face reality. A promoter of moderately Left-Wing? causes, she is more at home in general protest than the reality of her life. She more and more-withdraws to her diary where she creates a fictional life for her son. All the characters are well-drawn - and the film, despite its moments of melodrama, especially the ending, is quite credible.

1. The title and the focus of the film, the diary? The focus on Edith herself? As a person, as a creator in her diary, as degenerating into madness?

2. German production values: authentic atmosphere of the 1970s and 1980s? Memories of the '60s and change and revolution? TV images of protest? The middle-age generation with their memories trying to cope with the present? The younger generation being stifled? Theories of freedom? Colour photography, authentic atmosphere? The stylised fantasies from Edith's diary? The score with its variety of themes
and styles to indicate characters and moods?

3. The portrait of Edith - first impressions, writing in the diary, gentle, relationship with Paul, problems with Chris? The diary given her by Paul in 1961 at Chris's birth? Her retreat and its decor, her music, ferns, desk, diary, secrecy, privacy? A tender and sensitive sensibility? The clash with her behaviour, relationships? Her reaction to the dead cat and Chris's irresponsible activity? yet her idealising him, wanting him to meet girls etc? Her jottings and the voiceover and the gradual importance of the diary voice? Edith as an idealist - unreal? The memories of the past, her freedom, social concern? Her love for Christian - and the disputes with Paul about who was responsibf.r6 for him? The household and its peace-and fragility? Her going to pick up Uncle Georg? His cantankerous nature, bringing everything with him, the van? Her having to take care of him? Her going to Paul's office and his being inside, his deceiving her? The neighbours and their discussions about social issues, the production of the 'Signal'? The dinner with Chris shooting the goose with Uncle Georg's shotgun? The explanations of Edith's attitude and social beliefs, freedoms? Chris and his poor work at study, cheating at exams? Her fantasy about his graduation and gazing at her? His rough appearance - yet his appearing better in her fantasies? The growing tension around her? The split with Paul? Her telling her the truth? her reaction and covering up (as she did when Chris shot the goose)? Her inviting Katharina to the house, the blow-up, Chris's behaviour, her shielding Katharina? Her becoming less capable? Chris becoming more irresponsible - his fight with his father? Her creating the Anne-Marie? story? Intruding more and more into her life? Her resenting having to look after Georg? Chris's going out with Helga - and her telling Helga lies about him so that she left? Her isolating him? Georg's death? Her visit to Paul and Katharina, her resentment of Katharina's pregnancy? The birth and the dinner and her withdrawing? The sculptures? Sabine and her concern about Edith, calling Paul and the doctors? The visit of the doctors and her closing the house? Tearing up the cheque? Thinking Paul dead? Chris and his white suit, devoting himself entirely to her and leaving Azine-Marie? Her withdrawing into her interior world and prepared to go off with Chris? The credibility of her accidental death? The portrait of an idealist, a workaholic woman, possessive and obsessive - whose only option was withdrawing and madness?

4. Chris - his appearance, his manic laughter, irresponsible behaviour at home, trying to kill the cat, resenting his mother (even hating her), the fights with his father? Isolated? Concern about his sexual relationships, his father thinking him queer? His resentment of Georg and taunting him, upsetting his military games? Shooting the goose, diving into the river? Drinking, sexuality, masturbation? Cheating at the exams? Unable to get a job? His being sick in bars, wandering, taking the drug prescriptions and dealing? His fight with his father? Seeing him in the restaurant with Katharine and the scene that he caused, his abuse of Katharina? After his father leaving his settling down, appearing more normal? The outing with Helga and his mother sending her away? His killing Georg? His reading of the diary - and becoming the fantasy character, divorcing Anne-Marie? and going off with his mother? Possessed by his mother? His future after her death?

5. Paul and his past relationship with Edith, middle age, devoted to his wife, giving freedom to Chris, difficult to take responsibility for his son, fighting him but declaring he loved him, expectations and failures? Deceiving Edith with Katharina? Caught in the restaurant by Chris? Edith's ignoring the truth? His being exposed, the clash, leaving? The now household, leaving Georg with Edith, Katharina's pregnancy? His knowing that Chris killed Georg? His concern with Edith and calling the doctor?

6. Georg as a cantankerous old man, bringing his things, demanding care, selfish? Excuses for not doing anything, playing his war games, the visits of the doctor? Chris overturning his, game? His becoming a greater burden, further demands? The pathos of his death and calling for Edith? His money and the inheritance?

7. Katharina as young, ambitious, having her affair with Paul? Sedate in the visit to Edith? Exposed - literally? The pregnancy, more and more possessive, not wanting to take Georg?

8. The sketch of the neighbours, pleasant, aware of the truth about the household, helping with the 'Signal'? Sabine and her final concern?

9. The doctors and their attendance to Georg, Chris and Edith?

10. Chris and the sleazy world of bars, drugs, sexuality,?

11. The contrast with the bourgeois world and the world of protest?

12. Images of German society, sanity and madness in the 1980s?