LEO THE LAST

UK, 1969, 104 minutes, Colour.
Marcello Mastroianni, Billie Whitelaw, Calvin Lockhart, Glenna Forster Jones, Graham Crowden, Gwen Ffrangcon- Davies, Vladek Sheybal.
Directed by John Boorman.

Leo the Last is a pre- Deliverance John Boorman film. It comes after Hell in the Pacific. It is excellent in its visual portrayal of suburban London, its creation of atmosphere and mood, its stylised performances, but it is nevertheless a very difficult film to follow and tends to drive audiences away from it. Its commercial release was long delayed. It is a parable about mental breakdown in modern society: the settings, the editing and the sound effects reflect this. It is about saving the poor and oppressed (London's poor and black population) and overthrowing establishment society. The hero, Leo (Marcello Mastroianni) is an unwelcome redeemer figure, the last mad saviour who might save a street full of people. It is an interestingly difficult film, needing several viewings. Boorman then went on to make Deliverance, Zardoz, The Heretic.

1. The meaning of the title? Its regal tone? Its application to the themes of the film? Its indication of the film's themes?

2. Comment on the style of the film and its success: the strains of realism, the styles of fantasy, the stylized presentation of acting, behaviour, fantasy, songs? The relationship between realism and fantasy? The creation of London atmosphere and its authenticity? The focus on the house and the street? The location photography? The use of colour and its quality? The use of music and songs and their irony? The contribution of the songs?

3. What was the overall impact of the film? Could it be easily described? Could the themes be easily identified? How enjoyable was the film? How difficult and how much hard work in response?

4. How well could the film be seen as an allegory of the modern world and revolution, all happening in a London street? Was the allegory successfully worked out, communicated?

5. How interesting a character was Leo? The fact that he was played by Marcello Mastroianni? The 'everyman' figure, Leo as the last everyman saviour, the will to be a redeemer? Leo as a leader, interfering, a do-gooder, a sign of contradiction to people? How much a saviour, even a Christ-figure, was Leo? Did the film intend this?

6. Leo's background and our initial seeing him, his heritage and inheritance, his illness, the nature of his madness, his visionary nature, the people that he related to, the telescope with which he looked at life and finally got rid of, his relationship to his butler, doctor, lawyer, nanny, fiancee? What impact did each of them have on Leo? For good or ill? Realistically and in fantasy?

7. How important was his home for Leo? Feeling at home, the shelter of home, going out from his home, being barricaded from his home, destroying it? The significance of this theme?

8. The significance of Leo observing life from a distance? The observer gradually becoming involved? The cinema techniques of distancing Leo from the people across the street, the techniques for involving him? His enjoyment of helping people, his being moved by others,, the quality of his help?

9. The relationship of Leo and Salamba? Salamba as the heroine? Downtrodden, led astray, rescued, loving? How significant that Salamba was a negress?

10. How important was the Revolutionary theme in this film? Upper and lower classes, working classes, black versus white, the overthrow of the aristocracy and establishment, the burning of the old house? What attitude towards revolution and its necessity did the filmmakers take?

11. Revolution and the theme of class warfare? The difference between the people in Leo's house and those across the street? Wealth and poverty? The quality of life within the working classes? Leo's observation of people's lives across the street? In describing these, what do you understand by the quality of their life?

12. How important was the 'race' theme? Leo as white and those he helped principally black? The black/white oppression across the street? The black and the white oppressors, money-grabbers, pimps?

13. Comment on the role of Margaret in the film? As a bitch? Her eating, her lust, her wanting to marry Leo? Her inability to stay with him? Her wish to control him? What aspect of the dominating woman was being criticized and explored in the character of Margaret?

14. what was being explored in the presentation of the lawyer, his quick talk, his 'establishment' hold over Leo, his place in the fantasies, his inability to help Leo?

15. The same kind of exploration with the doctor? The fantasy of his therapy? The criticism of the establishment doctors?

16. Was the same kind of criticism made of the nanny?

17. How central to the film was Lazlo? The middle-European heritage, the background of conspiracy, of Fascism, the nature of the meetings, the fantasy and reality, the farce and irony, the role of weapons, the morale and comradeship, the violence? The fact that these men were 'the establishment' and barricading Leo against his house? Lazlo and his destruction? Lazlo as walking out of the house safely? What kind of figure was Lazlo? The symbolism?

18. How did Lazlo contrast with Roscoe and what he stood for? The details of the robbing of the chicken in terms of realism, symbolism? Roscoe as the black leader standing side by side with Leo? The significance of this?

19. The contrast of Jasper and the black exploitation? Roscoe as good, Jasper as bad?

20. What contribution did the minor characters across the street make in the film, the Pole, the women, the blonde, the old woman singing?

21. Salamba and her family in the middle of this atmosphere? The details of the sequences on prostitution and the effect on Leo?

22. What insight into mankind did the film give, man and woman?

23. The significance of the fantasies, the horror of the rich eating at the party, the rich in themselves and their small-talk and hypocrisy, the sexual overtones, the therapy in the waters and the significance of this?

24. Why did the film end with the siege, the fireworks, the surrender, the ambulance and the collapse? What had been achieved by this stage?

25. Leo had said that he had saved his street? Did the people wish to be saved? What kind of salvation had he achieved? The view of the old lady singing?

26. What views on man and mankind did the filmmakers have? Optimistic or pessimistic? was this a valuable film?