AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE

Norway, 2005, 91 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Erik Skjoldbjaerg.

An Enemy of the People is significant in that it is a Norwegian adaptation of Ibsen’s play and, secondly, that it relocates Ibsen’s drama to the beginning of the 21st century. The transition works particularly well. Ibsen’s concern about the contamination of the environment as well as his insight into manipulation and corrupt politicising is just as relevant, even more so, at the beginning of the new century.

The film uses Ibsen’s framework, structure, characters and their psychology, their interpretation of events.

The film comments on the majority and the majority being wrong – and this is especially clear in the context of television in the 20th and 21st century with the central character having a TV career, putting it on the line, his relationship with his wife and son and the issue of contaminated water and the need for the public to take action.

The hero then becomes the enemy of the people – standing by what he believes in, despite everything.

The film’s themes are reminiscent of a number of films about the environment including A Civil Action with John Travolta and Lois Gibbs and the Love Canal with Marsha Mason. An Australian variation of the theme was Three Dollars with David Wenham.

An American version of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People was filmed in 1979 with Steve McQueen?, a serious role and one of his last film appearances.

1. The impact of the film as a contemporary drama? Contemporary issues of pollution? Of big business and cover-ups? Of personal integrity and sacrifice?

2. The Norwegian locations, the summer countryside, the beauty of the mountains and lakes, the caves? The town? The musical score?

3. The adaptation of Ibsen’s play, from 1882, to 2005? How appropriate the update? The character as a television nutritionist expert instead of a doctor? The same issue of making water available? People and human nature? The use of television – especially for majority decisions, democratic voting by audiences?

4. The issue, the prosperity of the village, the pure mountain water, the contamination, the factory, investment, jobs for workers, the town supporting the project? The background information of the infertility of the people – the contamination of the water? The truth, the expose, the fear of the media, the pressure of industrialists? The rejection of the majority?

5. Ibsen’s comment on the majority, the majority being wrong? Tomas and his statement that the majority are stupid? People’s reaction to these comments?

6. The establishing of the situation, the characters, Tomas and his TV career? The programs? His relationship with his wife and son? At the restaurant? The bringing up of the issue of water?

7. The family going to the town, the return to their home town, Katrine and her dread? Eilif and his age, his relationship with his parents? Independent and dependent? Katrine and her not wanting to see her father? The drive, the arrival, her father meeting them, her apprehension? Their going to the rally, Tomas’s speech, on stage with Peter, the prospect of prosperity?

8. The establishing of the factory, Petra and her PR work? The staff? Tomas and his not getting the letter? Peter and his getting it, underestimating it? The phone call, Tomas’s alarm, going to the office, reading the letter, going to test the water? Taking his son, the inner pool? The moral dilemma about the contamination in the water? His own stances, his discussions with Katrine, with Peter?

9. Tomas as a character, his strength of character, a celebrity? The hopes of prosperity, the family name, his face on the advertising? The background of his clashes with his brother, fraternal rivalry? How important was this in the discussions about the documents, the cover-up, the offer of promotion to Tomas? The board? The fights?

10. Katrine’s father, his past disgrace, the people against him? His drinking? The hiding of the toxic cans? Digging them up? His being responsible for the contamination? His heart attack, his not wanting to be blamed? In the hospital, Katrine opting for her father against Tomas? Her owning the farm, the mortgage, wanting it for her son, the grandfather and his going through humiliation again?

11. Katrine, her relationship with Tomas, going back home, settling in? The massage for Peter and the discussion? The moral decisions, her fears, digging up the barrels, her father’s collapse, the vigils in hospital? Her turning against Tomas, the mortgaging of the farm, the investment in the shares? Her denying knowledge of the barrels? Her driving away, not answering the phone? The finale, Tomas’s flashbacks of the happy times? Katrine and Eilif coming out into the rain to be with Tomas?

12. Eilif, his age, going with his father, in the cave, the torch? His driving and recklessness? His devotion to his father, mother, grandfather? Fear of his mother moving out? His saying he didn’t want the money, to be responsible for poisoning? His walking out of the studio when his father attacked people for being stupid? Coming out into the rain?

13. Peter, running of the firm, clashes with Tomas? Denying the report, fabricating an alternate report? Shredding? The public clash, the cover-up, the offer of the job? His own ambitions? Using another member of the board against Tomas? Tomas barricading himself in the office? Peter going to the show, his plausible explanations, contradicting Tomas, the crowd on his side, the public vote for him?

14. Petra, the PR work, at the cave? The journalist, his doing the interview in the cave, asking the direct questions? Peter putting pressure on him, his not being independent, giving up? Peter taking the copy of the interview? Petra and her being sacked? Bringing the researcher?

15. The people in the town, the mayor and her urging Tomas to advertise the water? Her clash with him at the end, his smashing her car? The board members, the workers? The townspeople and their turning against him?

16. The TV show, the host, the questions, public opinion dictated by TV audiences, TV audience votes? The comments on democracy?

17. Tomas, alone, not wanting to harm Eilif’s inheritance, Eilif urging him to go to the program, his leaving and following his son? The hostility in the bar? Their smashing his car, kicking him, the police taking him to the station, helping him, urging him to leave?

18. His going to the house, watching through the window, sitting in the rain – and saying he did not want to be alone? His future?

19. Issues of truth, integrity, self-sacrifice? Honour? The pressures of family, public opinion?