THE VISIT
US/Germany, 1964, 100 minutes, Black and white.
Ingrid Bergroan, Anthony Quinn, Valentina Cortese, Paolo Stoppa, Irina Demick.
Directed by Bernhard Wickhi.
The Visit is based on a play by Friedrich Durrenmatt. Commentators say that the film has a softer effect than the play. If this is true, then the play must have been very devastating, because the impact of the film is fairly strong.
The film is obviously an allegory and should not be viewed too realistically. It is a story of love and hate, betrayal, fear and vengeance. The world's richest woman returns to the village that ousted her as a girl, and which is economically depressed. She plays havoc with their lives, their image of selves. Worse is her persecution of the lover who abandoned her. Her urging of the townspeople to murder him for money and her final cruelty in changing her plans are quite frightening.
Ingrid Bergman perhaps appears too glamorous or regal for such a harsh role. Anthony Quinn is convincing as the lover.
1. How effective is the structure of the film with the train coming in, the train going out?
2. Discuss the overall impact of the film?
3. Was the film too moralising? How pessimistic was it, how cynical?
4. How was the atmosphere created?
5. How was the town of Guellen a microcosm of the world? Comment on its citizens, its types.
6. Comment on Karla Zachanasian - first impression, eloquence and wealth, the town's reaction to her. Acting like the devil in punishment, the strength of her hatred, the gradual revealing of her plan. What right had she to do this?
7. Serge Miller - was he unjustly treated by Karla? Did you feel sorry for him? Were you glad that he was allowed to live?
8. Your impressions of Matilda and her relationship with Serge?
9. Comment on the people of Guellen Were they typical of ordinary human behaviour in their cruelty, callousness, greed, dishonesty etc?
10. Discuss the themes of money, greed; death as frightening and serious; fear, guilt and revenge and the embittering of life?
11. How valuable as a parable of human evils was this film?
12. The people of Guellen - how typical of ordinary human behaviour? Are people so cruel, callous, greedy, dishonest? How was this illustrated by the major captain of police, the teacher, the taunting councillors? The seemingly sympathetic councillor, e.g. the council meeting's changing the law, the rifle hunt for the panther, crowding Serge at the railway station, the final court scene?
13. Anya: as a character, her work, her ambitions, reaction to Karla, advice from Karla, affair with the police captain, his promises? Anya as a visual parallel to the young Karla.
