CHE? (WHAT?)
Italy, 1972, 112 minutes, Colour.
Marcello Mastroianni, Sydne Rome, Hugh Griffith.
Directed by Roman Polanski.
What? is a little known, non-box office, 1972 Italian-made oddity by Roman Polanski. Designed as a diary-dream-fantasy, it is more offbeat than funny. The Alice in Wonderland analogy is obvious and the characters and incidents updated asylum-like parallels; the setting, emphasis on the sexual, if fluffy parody of Victorian prurience. Sydne Rome is the astonished heroine, Marcello Mastroianni preens insanely out of typecasting, Hugh Griffiths leers and Polanski himself puffs under a handlebar moustache. It all seems generally inconsequential with its mad logic and associations, but on reflection (if one feels inclined to it) it is a film more interesting to puzzle over that to sit through. It was made after Polanski's Macbeth and prior to Chinatown. His collaborator was writer Gerard Brach, who worked on such films as The Tenant and Tess.
1. The work of Polanski? In Poland? In England? In the United States? His achievement by the time of making this film? Repulsion, Cul- de- Sac, Macbeth? The experiences in his life – especially the death of his wife, Sharon Tate?
2. The film as a movie within a movie? Fantasy? The effect on the audience? Following the ins and outs?
3. The Alice in Wonderland kind of story? Nancy, her wandering the villa, her diary? Being attacked and escaping? The encounter with Alex? The young men? Her managing, the staff? The baths and the activities there? Being robbed? Relating to people? Bewilderment? The sexuality? Help, leaving? The bizarre parallels with Alice in Wonderland?
4. The villa, the palazzo, its look, its style? As a setting for this kind of fantasy?
5. Marcello Mastroianni as Alex, an odd character, pimp, his behaviour, sexuality? The two men, help, relating to people?
6. The boss, sexuality, his death?
7. The two men, their behaviour, the meals, sport?
8. The presence of the priest, as a priest, as a character, his interactions with the characters?
9. The women, the tourists, their place in the film?
10. The villa as a madhouse? The audience wandering through the villa with the characters? Wondering what will happen?
