THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN

US, 1972, 124 minutes, Colour.
Paul Newman, Jacqueline Bisset, Ava Gardner, Victoria Principal, Tab Hunter, Anthony Perkins, Stacy Keach, John
Huston, Roddy Mc Dowell (Photo of Michael Sarrazin).
Directed by John Huston.

The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean is a mixture of harsh cruelty and ironic humour, dealing with a West that had not heard of glorious myths and had mixed feelings towards law and order. Paul Newman portrays Roy Bean, a self-appointed hanging judge who transformed Texas, west of the Pecos, but who was outwitted by the new lawlessness, the big business exploiter. Several guest stars, especially Anthony Perkins, Stacy Keach, Roddy Mc Dowell and an amiable bear, enliven this entertaining film - which owes too much to Butch Cassidy success: Newman himself, humour and sentimental song interlude. Too episodic and sometimes too trite to be great, it will probably be quite popular.

1. What was the principal audience response to this film? As a Western, to its episodic nature, to serious overtones, to its comic delight? How suitable was the structure of the film for this legend? was the episodic style an advantage or disadvantage? The comments of the episodic characters and their observing of Roy Bean? Uncle Tector's narrative and the enjoyable nature of the wisecracking dialogue?

2. Did the film come across as a legend? The West as it should have been, not necessarily as it was? How did the legend genre manifest itself? The portrayal of the hero, his actions, the way that he was visualised? The picture of the times and the changing times, and the linking of the past with the American present? What value has this for modern audiences? For modern American audiences?

3. How important was the portrayal of Roy Bean for this film? Did we understand the man in himself? Was this necessary? Was he an attractive character? why? Was he a repellent character? why? How heroic was he? A valuable hero? How did he create his legend - his notice above his house and the law? What were his main characteristics? The visual portrayal of Roy Bean ? Paul Newman's style, his place in the West, his dealing with people, his eccentric behaviour, his comments? Did he seem a real person? Did he seem a figure of fantasy? How really heroic was he? Comment on the importance of his mystique of Lily. Did it seem appropriate for the film? Exaggerated? What appealed to him in Miss Lily, in her beauty, in her femininity, as an ideal goddess he never saw? His letters to her, the secretary's answers, his pilgrimage to see her? His shooting of the man who shot her, his comment on the bear and its pawing of Miss Lily?

4. What picture of the West did the film give? How much did the film applaud the West and its styles, justice, traditions? How much did the film move against the West - wisely and tellingly? Comment on its portrayal of the foundations of the West, the foundations of modern American society, the visionary sequences with Roy Bean forecasting the future to Maria Elena? And the contrast of what happened and his disillusion? How much nostalgia was there in the film?

5. What attitude did the film take to justice and law? Rog Bean's use and abuse of law? His insight that the West needed law? Why did the West need law? His ethics of expediency and suiting himself? The expediency of justice as foundation of the American West?

6. The impact of the initial slaughter as justice for what had been done? The parson justifying Bean's attitudes and behaviour? The significance of the arrival of the parson, his comments on Bean, his religious justification of Bean's attitudes, his helping him? The pervading influence of the parson's attitude and Bean's requoting him?

7. The purpose of some of the episodes - the hanging of Sam Dodd and its comic overtones, Dodd's explanation of why he was hanged, racism etc.? The satire in the presentation of Bad Bob, the satire on the gunfight, Bean's shooting him in the back, the laments over Bad Bob's body? The establishing of the outlaws as marshals and his swearing them in, their settling down? The arrival of Grizzly Adams and his wanting to bury himself? The taking over of the whores from the merchant?

8. Was Maria Elena an attractive heroine? Her initial helping him, Mexican, living at the back of the house, her love for him, the romantic interlude with the bear and the song (too sentimental? Very American?), the dress, the jealousy, the baby and her death?

9. Comment on the general picture of frontier life, Bean's establishing the town and its trade, his use of money, the happiness in the town, especially at the Jersey Lily?

10. How did the film change with the introduction of Frank Gass? Did you feel that he was the victim of Bean, especially at the card game, and being put in with the bear? was Gass's revenge credible? His use of the citizens and the reformed wives? His role as mayor, his humiliating the former marshal? His greed? How repellent a character was he? As a profiteer? Why?

11. Your response to Bean's leaving of the town and the end of the legendary period? Why did he stay away for twenty years? Did this seem credible?

12. How well did the film show the transition from old world to new world? Style of photography, use of stills, commentary? The impact of oil, the grandeur of Gass, the humiliation of the past? What was the driving force of Gass's ambitions? Our response to this? As an image of modern America?

13. Comment on the impact of the climax ? appropriate for this film, the matter of legend? Why did Roy Bean reappear as a legend? The way he was photographed? Dying in fire on a horse, apocalyptic? The basis for the legend? The response of Rose as his daughter? A Western last stand? A reliving of the West, the old gunfighters and stance against injustice? The fire and the destruction of this world? The significance of this world returning to the desert?

14. Was it appropriate that the film should end in a more modern period and with nostalgia? The emotional impact of the arrival of Miss Lily, her visiting the museum, the commentary on the past, the importance of Roy Bean's letter as summing up of the film?

15. Why was this film made? Comic relief of the West? The picture of a hero? An exalting of the virtues and vices of the West? The portrayal of courage in the West and the heroes being victims of the world they created?