VOYAGER

US, 1991, 117 minutes, Colour.
Sam Shepard, Julie Delpy, Barbara Sukowa, Debora Lee- Furness.
Directed by Volker Schloendorff.

Voyager is an Everyman story, based on a novel by Max Frisch, Homo Faber, it has been adapted' for the screen by historian screen writer Rudi Wurlitzer (Pat Garret and Billy the Kid, Two Land Blacktop, Candy Mountain) and director Volker Schlondorff (Circle of Deceit, Death of a Salesman, A Handmaid’s Tale).

The story is set in the mid the 50s, an engineer looking back at events in his own life, relationships in Zurich of the 1930s, his decision to go to work in Baghdad rather than marrying his pregnant girlfriend, her marriage and alleged abortion. By a series of coincidences - the screen play exploring luck, chance, providence - he encounters his own daughter and falls in love with her. The secret is evident to the audience. The audience is waiting to see what will happen to the Everyman figure as he explores more of the meaning of his life and fate and chance. He is serious -minded, sometimes ponderous. Playwright-actor Sam Shepherd is the Everyman character. Barbara Sukowa is Hannah. There is a range of settings from Mexico to France, Italy and Greece - Europe's beauty as well as it ruins. The film is a serious blend of psychological drama as well as eternal themes.

1. Impact of the drama? Characters? Dilemmas? Psychological drama? The Everyman figure? The title?

2. The title of the original novel: Homo Faber? Voyager? The making of the central character, American rather than Swiss?

3. The range of settings: Venezuela and Mexico? New York? France and Paris, Italy and Orvieto, Rome, Athens and the Greek countryside? The flashbacks to Zurich? The musical score? The colours for the various periods?

4. The structure: The monochrome scene in flashbacks to Venezuela and the voyager’s journey? The muted colour flashbacks within the story to Zurich? The different shades of Walter’s mind?

5. Athens and the farewell to Hannah, Waters comments, as a character, his style and manner, voice over? His anguish?

6. The memories of Venezuela, at the airport, his nervousness, Hank and his reminding him of someone? Not wanting to talk, hiding in the toilet, his eyes and the collapse? The airport staff searching for him, hurried to the plane? On the plane, flirting with the hostess? The flight, talking with Hencke? The engines blowing out? The preparation for the crash, his calculation where they would land? Nonchalant - unconscious? The crash landing, out in the desert, sleeping, the personnel and their treatment of the people? Discussions with Hencke? Rousing memories of the past?

7. Themes of chance and providence, fate? Joachim’s brother? Their discussions, the memories – Hannah, the relationship, the friendship with Joakim? The child, marriage, his wanting to go to Baghdad to work, the question of the abortion, the wedding? His relationships, decisions, opportunities? His decision to go to New York, sudden decision to stay, the drive through the countryside and the village, finding Joakim hanged? Its effect?

8. Walter and his memories? The beginning of a new voyage? Writing the letter to Ivy, wanting to break off with her, arrival back, her being present, the relationship, Ivy not believing in the break, his trying to explain it to her? His wandering the streets?

9. The decision to go to France by boat, the voyage, people, the routines of life on the boat? His meeting with Elizabeth and calling her Sabeth? Kurt? The dance, dancing with her, talking? The growing infatuation? Her serious response? His talk of proposal? Museums and art? The fascination - and the separation on arrival?

10. Walter and his lecture in Paris, the scope? People’s response? At the meetings, the plans? His sudden decision to go the Louvre, looking for Sabeth? Looking, at the art and being reminded of her? Her hiding and watching him, the comparisons with the art and the beauty? Their meeting, the rneal? Declaration of love? His concern about her hitchhiking? His return, the hiring of the car? The drive, the intensity - and his eyes? Going to the hotel, her coming to his room? The affair? The next day, breakfast and leaving the hotel? His not being able to share with her enthusiasm for Europe and its beauty? Her love of art and antiquities? The visit to Orvieto, Rome and the picnic in the ruins? The deepening of the relationship? Going to Greece and the natural beauty of Greece?

11. The postcard and his realisation of the truth? His probing of his memories? Hannah and her presence, his puzzle about the child and the abortion? His reaction and Sabeth noticing it? Kurt? His trying to cope, the puzzle? In the countryside, the snake and her being bitten, her fall? His desperate rescue, carrying her, the cart, the truck, searching for the hospital in Athens?

12. Walter coming to consciousness, Hannah's presence? The tension, concern about Sabeth? Talking with Hannah, going home, skirting the truth, awkward questions, lies? His trying to cope? Hannah, and her severity, the interrogation? Weeping during the night? Not talking,, her visiting the hospital? Her being forbidding to speak to Sabeth? His rushing to the hospital? Seeing Sabeth only at a distance? The effect on
Sabeth of the accident, tk-ie recovery frox the snake bite, walking in the garden?
Hannah protecting her daughter? The death and the head injury?

13. Hannah as a character, the past, her relationships, decisions, the marriage? The news of the divorce, her remarriage? Her successes in archaeologist? Her keeping the secret of the child? A strong woman, protective, her grief? The news of Joakim’'s death and her anger?

14. Walter and his going to the airport, the anger with Hannah, the reconciliation? Leaving her, left with his story sitting at the airport? His future?

15. The human dimensions? Psychological dimensions? Existential meanings in life? Chance and providence? The focus on the Everyman, mid-life crisis, search for meaning?