CHROMOPHOBIA
UK, 2005, 133 minutes, Colour.
Kristen Scott Thomas, Damien Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Rhys Ifans, Ben Chaplin, Ralph Fiennes, Ian Holm, Harriet Walter.
Directed by Martha Fiennes.
Chromophobia is not a word that falls trippingly from the tongue. It actually refers to an art work, a plasma screen piece that reflects colours according to different stimuli. But, maybe that is a red herring.
The film is really a contemporary drama where we are introduced to a range of characters who, we know, will eventually all be connected. This works quite well and offers the audience plenty to think about.
Performances are very strong and each cast member is given a substantial amount of screen time. The general setting is the affluent business world with political and newspaper connections. There is a sub-plot which concerns a Spanish migrant, her young daughter and a social worker.
Whether it is the screenplay or whether it is the strong presence of Kristin Scott Thomas, the centre of attention is most frequently on Iona, a modern neurotic wife and mother, who is into every fad and movement that one could think of. It is she who buys the Chromophobia piece – which seems more important to her than her emotionally neglected and clever son). Her husband is a hotshot business adviser (Damian Lewis) who is promoted by his boss (Anthony Higgins) and asked to look after the extensive portfolio of a wealthy Labor party peer and minister, a blind trust which covers financial and political corruption.
His father is a High Court Judge (Ian Holm) who has his own secrets. His university days’ friend (Ben Chaplin) is an ecological journalist who is invited to a deer hunt but has his own ambitious pursuit of double dealings going on.
The sub-plot stars Penelope Cruz as the terminally ill prostitute mother and a very sympathetic Rhys Ifans is a social worker.
Rounding out the central characters is the young boy’s godfather (Ralph Fiennes), an art auctioneer who has his own sexual problems and is the victim of violence.
Put that all together in a very British way, sometimes laconic (even when characters are desperate), sometimes frenetic (especially when the press scents blood) but generally very civilised by both the pretentious and unpretentious alike.
Martha Fiennes had previously directed Onegin. She has taken on quite a task here – and has made it both interesting and entertaining.
1. The title of the film, the art piece, its colours, its changing according to fears and reactions? Symbol for the people in the film?
2. The film as an ensemble story, interwoven stories, interconnectedness, the cast?
3. The focus on London and the countryside, the house, Gloria’s apartment? The contrast with the capital city, offices, art galleries? The world of therapies? The musical score?
4. The focus, character-driven piece, plot-driven, subplots? The effect of their combination?
5. The opening, Orlando and his looking at the magazine, the breasts, giving a tone to the film? The later picture of Orlando, his age, his relationship with his parents, his being neglected, his being smothered at times by his mother, meals and occupation, study and reading, his being looked after by Janet? The family asking Janet about him? His friendship with Stephen, outings with him, dancing, removing his shirt, being videoed? The effect on him – or not? His being interrogated by Iona and her severe attitude, apologies? The reaction of his father? Going to the hospital, his love for Stephen, kissing him? His future with this kind of background?
6. Iona, wealthy, the brittleness of her marriage? Her attitude towards sexuality, her breasts, wanting to get implants – and the film’s filling in in great detail the background for this kind of implantation, its effect, procedures? Her wanting different kinds of therapies, her feeling that she had residual bulimia, her parenting skills, autogenic self-hypnosis, post-menstrual stress, her work, her preoccupation about low self-esteem, listening to tapes, addictive behaviour? Her wanting to find herself? The range of her activities, self-preoccupation? Phone calls to her husband, the discussions with Sarita, her clashes with her and dislike of her? The visits? Her compulsive buying? Meals? The friendship with Stephen? The breast tests and her looking at herself? The video and her interrogation of Orlando? The news of Stephen being assaulted? The visits to the in-laws, their attitude towards her, her being at home there? The tensions with her husband, his preoccupation with his work? Hearing the news, hugging Orlando? Going to the station to meet her husband, her strong stance, having a cause to support him, love for him?
7. Marcus, at work, his dependence on Sarita, lazy, listening to the music, going to the meal with the boss, his being offered a partnership? His being asked to look after the Kilally account? At home, reading Andy McNab? action novel, his offhand attitude towards sex, vague in the house? The meeting with Trent, the meal, the memories? Going to visit his father, his relationship with his father, mother? The squash game, its effect, his drinking, indiscreet talking, Trent taping him? His going to the country, the issue of the deer and the shooting (as a symbol for what was happening to him)? His realisation of the truth, his desperate phone calls, wanting to cover the truth? The expose, the reporters, television – and Iona meeting him at the station?
8. Trent, his work as a journalist, his life, Bushy and the heads of departments, editing his work, his presumptions about his talent? His being rude to the girl on the telephone – and the later repercussions in her ignoring him? Life, ecology? Not so much interested in the arts? The meeting with Marcus, the memories, the visits, hearing the news after the squash game, feeling it was a scoop, the details of his research, Fat Boy? The article, Bushy and the editors? The phone call after the deer-shooting incident, his change of mind, the girl on the phone and her ignoring him? His becoming the hunter, his apologising to Marcus? His drinking, the screen – his future?
9. Sir Edward and his wife, prominent in the past, the judge, the country home, the estate, hunting? Pleasant, the separate rooms, separate lives? His wife and her being at home in the garden? His going to London, the irony of his relationship with Gloria and its revelation? The irony that he was the father of the child? Financial support? Marcus and his phone call in desperation, his father’s deliberations, hesitance, not being able to give any help? The truth about his having the daughter? Colin’s visit? His setting up the trust for the girl? His wife continuing to work in the garden, the encounter with Colin? Sir Edward and his re-reading War and Peace, his wife and her looking after the little girl?
10. Colin, his job, formerly in the police, the different cases, social work? The interviews, Gloria’s case, going to the suburb, the dingy street, going to the house, helping Gloria, attracted to her? Her reactions against him? Her calling him Superman? His grief, his attempts to help, cooking, the tablets and getting rid of them? Her illness, the truth, being too late? His getting the room, helping Maria? The pathos of Gloria’s death – after the dance? The aftermath, his knowing that he could not get custody, visiting Sir Edward, the setting up of the trust, Sir Edward’s trust in him? A portrait of a good man, struggling, not being able to fulfil all his hopes? His capacity for care and love?
11. Gloria, the migrant in London, her being a prostitute? Her clothes, the colour red? Seeing her in church, lighting candles? Her daughter, love for her daughter and care for her? Colin’s first visit, her angers? Her illness, not wanting to be hospitalised? Depending on Colin yet taunting him? His getting the room and her being comfortable? The revelation of her relationship with Sir Edward? The photo? The final dance with Colin? Her being supported in her death?
12. The background world of modern life, the wealthy, therapies, instructors – and Iona with her coach?
13. The world of newspapers, reporters, editors, decision-making?
14. The political background, the boss of the firm, Wharton? Kilally, the Labour Party, the financial interests, the House of Lords, the list, doing business and selling shares – though not officially? The unmasking of corruption?
15. The background story of Stephen, his work with Rembrandt, his being Orlando’s godfather, with Iona? The visits? His class, the kids, the boys outside and their drinking, his befriending them, taking them home, explaining the art? The pathos of their coming back and bashing him, robbing him? His relationship with Orlando, the video, Orlando taking off his shirt? Having the film on his computer? The effect on Iona and Marcus? His being in a coma? Iona and Orlando visiting him, his coming to consciousness, the kiss?
16. Issues of finance, truth, justice, compassion?
17. The theme of colours, the presentation of different colours for different characters? The role of music, the classics? The combination of all these thematic and visual and aural elements?
