VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED

UK, 1974, 176 minutes, Colour.
Faye Dunaway, Max von Sydow, Oskar Werner, Malcolm Mc Dowell, James Mason, Orson Welles, Katharine Ross, Ben Gazzara, Lee Grant, Sam Wanamaker, Julie Harris, Lynne Frederick, Victor Spinetti.
Directed by Stuart Rosenberg.

Filmed quite straightforwardly (or unimaginatively, if the film is disliked),this is the ship of fools, a Nazi propaganda ship with 937 Jews wandering from Hamburg to Havana, experiencing the hostility and timidity of international powers in 1939. An enormous star cast generally does get a chance to get dramatic grips with character, especially Max von Sydow as the captain. However, expected sequences of shipboard life and routine abound. The sombre theme, memories of the war and many moving sequences, a song at a ball listened to with desperate nostalgia, Victor Spinetti outstanding as a refugee in Cuba pleading for visas, make for a cumulative impact.

1 . An interesting and entertaining film? Critics were not kind to the film - why? Its popular appeal?

2. The contribution of so many stars - presence, style, personalities? Ease of identification of the characters with brief performances? The film in the trend of disasters in the '70s? The interest in the '70s in Nazi Germany, persecution of the Jews? How well did the screenplay incorporate these themes?

3. The structure of the voyage and its cumulative effect and the need for somewhere to land? The build-up to the Jews being allowed to go on the ship, the arrival and farewell, the details of the voyage? The significance of the Cuba interlude? The interplay of Morris Troper's attempts to get permission for the passengers to land? The build-up to the rejection by so many countries? The title? The impact of the final statements in the aftermath of the deaths of so many of the passengers in concentration camps?

4. The effect of the opening with the elaboration of the Gestapo plans, the ship and propaganda? The ploy to tackle the conscience of the world and gain support for Nazi Germany with anti-Semitism? The passengers being duped? The Captain and Gestapo suspicions of him and his not being in on the plot?

5. The Captain and his stances, a just man, his courtesy to his passengers? His assistant and loyalty? Schiendick and his being planted by the Gestapo? The Captain's criticism of him, putting him in his place? The Captain and the issues of the Jews and public opinion? Dr. Kreisler and the confrontation? His plans for getting his passengers ashore? His behaviour at Cuba and his being tied by officialdom? The pleas to the various countries, especially the United States? His final plan to wreck the ship? The final cheering of he passengers in support of him? How well delineated a character, audience sympathy with him and his stances?

6. The elaborate presentation of the boarding of the ship, the atmosphere of Hamburg? The cross-section of people, classes? The crew and staff of the ship? The wharf, loading, farewells?

7. Schiendick and his behaviour on the ship? His attitude towards his superiors, taunting people, his being put in his place? The films and the songs and the Jewish reaction? Anger against him? His contacts in Cuba, his not being allowed ashore? The various Gestapo agents especially those operating in Cuba, and their attempts to contact Schiendick? The Cuban police and their ineffectiveness?

8. The focus on the Kreislers? Their background, wealth, Dr. Kreisler as surgeon, his relationship with his wife? Denise and her aristocratic attitudes? Their personal relationship, clashes, arguments? The doctor and his weakness, his stances in support of the passengers, gaining strength?

9. The focus on the Rosens - Rosen as a lawyer, his being disbarred, suffering in Germany? The intensity of his personality? His violent outbreaks? The suicide attempt, his ultimate success? The support of his wife, her grief? His daughter and her relationship with Max? Their love, suicide pact? Mrs. Rosen and her grief, her shaving of her hair? Facing a future without her family?

10. The focus on the Hausers? Steerage, the bond between husband and wife, the lower class, the sense of family? Sentiment? The irony of their daughter Mira and her prostitute life in Havana, her contacts with officialdom, her helping the doctor to regain his children? Her boarding the ship, offering the wealth to her parents. their rejection of her? The pain of the family and the rejection?

11. The portrait of Professor Weiler, his illness, dignity, the support of his wife and her presence at his death? The doctor's attendance?

12. Cuba in the 1930s - a haven. corruption? The agent of the line and his actions. the Gestapo agents and their taking over? The Ministry of Propaganda and the liaisons with Germany? The Ministry of Immigration? The Cuban mentality, corruption, sexual intrigue? The President and the decisions he had to make, expediency? The Minister of State and his influence over the Minister of Immigration and pressurising him? The portrait of the various Cabinet Ministers? The influence of the merchant? Jose Estedes, his way of life? Morris Troper and his attempts to land the Jews in Havana?

13. Audience emotional involvement with Dr. Strauss? His farewell of his wife at Hamburg, his concern about his children, his own personal sadness? His going ashore in Cuba. the documents and their seeming worthlessness. the discussion with the industrialist, the reference to Mira and his pleading with her, the interview with the minister and his pressurising the Minister of Immigration? The joy of having his children with him?

14. The glimpses of so many other characters - in the first class, in the steerage -e.g. Alice Feinchild?

15. Aaron and Joseph. as teachers, in prison, their heads shaven, persecution? Their behaviour and suspicions, their anger, leading the revolution against the Captain? Their being pacified? The initial glimpse of their being brutalised in Hamburg and audience sympathy?

16. How well did the film build up an atmosphere of the doomed voyage with the details of ship life - the meals, games, films, the elaborate dance, the singing of the song about Vienna, insults, joy?

17. The background of Troper and his attempts to get permission for the Jews to land, Cuba, Belgium, his ultimate success?

18. The title of the film coming to fulfilment in Cuba - rejection, the wandering Jews, tension, the continual building of hopes and their being dashed? The final success?

19. The film as reminding audiences of grim aspects of the 20th century, of anti-Semitism, of Germany between the wars, of Nazism and its prejudices, cruelty? The world and its responsibility? The repercussions of this kind of tension and persecution?