MAXWELL
UK, 2007, 90 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Patricia Hodge, Dan Stevens, Ben Caplan.
Directed by Colin Barr.
Maxwell is a portrait of the entrepreneur and tycoon, Robert Maxwell, who died accidentally falling overboard from his yacht in 1991. This film focuses on his final years. However, in the middle of the film, enough information is given about his background in Czechoslovakia, his war record, his changing his Czech name, his buying companies, becoming a millionaire as well as the rivalry with Rupert Murdoch. This is the subject of Jeffrey Archer’s The Fourth Estate with the two central characters more than resembling Maxwell and Murdoch.
David Suchet (best known as television’s Poirot) is the embodiment of Maxwell. There is charm, he is sinister, he is ruthless. Patricia Hodge is his wife. Dan Stevens (In the Line of Beauty) is Basil Brookes, a financial adviser, and Ben Caplan is Kevin Maxwell, the son whom Maxwell himself humiliated and did not promote (and who was to go into court after Maxwell’s death for charges of fraud).
The film was written by Craig Warner who also wrote a telemovie about Princess Margaret. The film was directed by Colin Barr, director of Get Carman: The Trials of George Carman QC (with David Suchet also) as well as The Lavender List, about Harold Wilson.
The film is an interesting look at British finance, risk-taking, huge amounts of money between banks, company fraud.
1.Audience knowledge of Robert Maxwell and interest in him? Maxwell as a person, tycoon, criminal activities? The film telling the truth – as well as being something of an expose?
2.The style of the film as a television movie, for the BBC? The quality of the writing, performance? Fifteen years after Maxwell’s death?
3.The scope of the film: the mid-film giving information on his early years, relationship with his mother, the war experience, the Czech background, journalist work, buying companies, building up his empire? Changing his name? His long marriage to Betty, the nine children, talking to Kevin about the deaths of some of his children, inability to show grief, weeping? His wanting to divorce Betty? Andrea as the young woman giving him possibilities for his final years of life? The last years of his work, Maxwell as a person, oozing confidence, treating other people, living the high life, favouring employees with gifts, yet humiliating Kevin, the issue of his successor? Hiring Brookes, the deals, relationship with his board, the difficulties with cash flow, the various loans, losses, the banks demanding repayment, his downfall? Followed by his death?
4.David Suchet as Maxwell, his impersonation, creating a character, Maxwell’s skills, shrewdness, use of time, reading, quick decision-making? The scenes with Betty, their going to formal gatherings together, their life in private? Kevin and his humiliation, not promoting him? His other children? His friendship with Brookes? His hiring and firing, Andrea as his secretary, the letter to Betty for the divorce, Andrea as his last chance? His spying on his employees, bugging the phones? The confrontation with Andrea? The meeting with the board?
5.Brookes, his age and experience, the introduction to Maxwell, phone call to his family, the gifts, hard work, the discussions with Kevin, raising questions, researching accounts, seeing the differences in the accounts, the secret meeting with the board, Maxwell overhearing them, the plan, Maxwell’s signature about the loans, his letter of resignation?
6.Kevin, one of nine children, relationship with his father, working with him, in his shadow, his pretending that he had spent hours negotiating a deal, Maxwell and his humiliating his son by the phone calls in the board meeting, finding that he had lied? The private companies, Maxwell heading them up, giving authority over to Kevin, taking it back?
7.Andrea, competent, flirtatious, Maxwell’s success, looking after him, the relationship between them? His misunderstanding? Her boyfriend, the phone conversation, his overhearing it? The end?
8.Betty, at home, locking the fridge, his overeating, dictating the letter, writing the letter for the divorce, her reaction, talking to Kevin and her weeping?
9.The financiers, the bankers, calling Maxwell Bob or not? His handling situations and people, borrowing from banks and repaying the banks, the succession of banks?
10.As a newspaper proprietor, the rivalry with Rupert Murdoch, acquiring papers, writing and reading editorials, checking the references to himself? Trying to have the manners and taste of a paper baron?
11.A portrait of 20th century tycoons, post-World War Two, life and styles, motivations, achievement and loss?
