Welcome to Stuart Fernie’s Blog
Penny Forum
Reflections on a variety of films and topics - Seven Samurai, It's a Wonderful Life, Don Quixote, We're no angels, War for the planet of the apes, Dunkirk, The African Queen, Babette's Feast, Dances with Wolves, The Prisoner (1967), Inherit the wind, humour in drama, nature of regret, the influence of multimedia, memoirs of a teacher of French.
Wednesday, 2 July 2025
Introduction
Proportion and self-respect through insignificance and equality
Rough thoughts on proportion and self-respect through recognition of
insignificance and equality
Pressure to do everything
perfectly and appease others may begin as external but will quickly become
internal. This striving for perfection in order to please or satisfy others may
create anxiety, overthinking, overplanning and may lead to self-inflicted
imperfections and perceived inadequacies, occasioning disappointment in how one
is perceived by others and confirming a sense of failure in oneself. Seeking
and focusing on minor defects and self-doubt rather than positive outcomes can
engender feelings of personal incompetence, inevitability and catastrophising.
All of this is predicated
upon the concept of the significance of one’s actions to others, a significance
that is often out of all proportion with reality. Most interaction with others
is transitory, often transactional, and rarely of any lasting significance.
The desire or need to
please or impress everyone you meet is nonsense - people generally use one
another to simply get by in life. Most people you meet will be unimportant to
you, just as you will be inconsequential to most people you meet – the
impression you make will not be retained by most, and even if it is, so what? Why
should their thoughts be important to you? Will you remember these people in
the future? You need to get people and their actions and reactions in
proportion so that you do not allow a fundamentally insignificant interaction
and a desire to please to take on a value and significance they do not warrant.
This exaggeration may lead to an unmerited attribution of superiority to others
and an equally undeserved sense of personal inferiority. Treat others with
respect and be polite but there is no need for anxiety – nature’s rules apply
to us all equally and you have no reason to assume others’ superiority or your
own inferiority. You may not know them, they are unlikely to mean anything to
you and, in any case, based on fleeting and relatively unimportant encounters, they
are unlikely to remember you, just as you need not remember them.
Significance and worth
should be weighed up and not be assigned automatically – do not be swayed by
position or reputation, but rather consider what others say and do and, using
balanced and reasonable judgement, attach the value you think appropriate. Wisdom
may come from even the lowest echelons of life, just as ineptness and ignorance
may spring forth from those in authority and power.
Nor should you allow
yourself to be swayed by the confidence of others. Confidence does not
necessarily imply ability or validity, indeed overconfident and highly assured
people may lack the intelligence or will to recognise their own weaknesses,
failings or poor judgement, so do not assume inferiority to someone who merely
projects confidence. Bear in mind also that this confidence may even be a
façade to obscure their own feelings of inadequacy.
Be yourself. If others
take something positive from your presence or contribution, that is good but it
is up to them, not you. You are not obliged to seek their approval. If you get
on well with someone and the relationship is natural and unforced, then this is
a solid basis for future development. If a relationship is forced and
unnatural, ultimately this is likely to cause friction and it will fail. There
is no need for anxiety as you don’t need to set out to appease others. Be
respectful, give praise where it is due but be willing to recognise what you
consider to be failings in others as well.
Do not try to adapt to
others’ company beyond the norms of politeness and respect. In so doing, you
may be debasing yourself. It is essential to maintain self-respect if a
relationship is to have any lasting value. Bear in mind that we are all in the
same position. We all share fleeting interactions, moments and memories, and we
should treat one another with proportionate respect, and that includes
ourselves.
You do things on your own
terms. You can only be yourself, not a puppet to please others, and it is only
by being yourself that your contribution will have value and you will gain
self-respect. There is no need for anxiety as you are expressing and pleasing
yourself. Do not be unnecessarily hard on yourself and recognise your own worth,
just as you are willing to recognise the worth of others.
My thanks for taking the
time to read these notes. I hope you found them of some value.
Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk)
Thursday, 26 June 2025
Characters and themes in "The Offence" (1973)
Reflections
on characters and themes in “The Offence” (1973)
Directed
by Sidney Lumet
Script
by John Hopkins (also the original play)
Starring Sean Connery, Ian Bannen, Vivien Merchant and Trevor Howard
Following sexual assaults
on a number of young girls, a man named Kenneth Baxter is detained for
questioning as a suspect and is treated brutally by Detective Sergeant Johnson.
“The Offence” presents a vivid picture of a police officer driven to depression
and excessive reaction by accumulated experience of death, violence, despair
and misery. The film depicts the potential, if extreme, consequences on the
human psyche of constant emotional bombardment and frustration.
However, I would say that
much more lurks beneath the surface as existential angst and lack of personal
fulfilment play their parts in the psychological deterioration of Detective
Sergeant Johnson. Johnson is, as are we all, the product of his character, his encounters
and his environment. Although ultimately we must accept responsibility for our
own actions, we all impact or influence one another and as social creatures we seek
to make connections and build sympathetic relationships with others while
trying to achieve balance and keep a sense of proportion in our lives and
outlooks. However, if that balance is skewed by experience and social
dissatisfaction, the consequences can be catastrophic…
In the original play the
action revolves around three dialogues, one between Johnson and his wife
Maureen which offers insight into Johnson’s personal life and his social
environment, one with Johnson’s superior in which we gain understanding of his
professional position and tensions, and then there is the key exchange between
Johnson and suspect Baxter in which we discern vital indications as to
Johnson’s declining state of mind and his resultant actions.
There are several nods to
existentialism as we are offered regular insights into Johnson’s personal
issues and we witness reminders of his solitude and his insular nature. He
doesn’t share his thoughts and feelings with his wife of some 16 years, which might
have afforded him some degree of catharsis. Indeed, a barrier has formed
between them, leading to resentment on both sides, a lack of emotional
fulfilment and even a sense of mutual rejection.
Thinking he may have
killed Baxter, and desperate to be listened to (a theme that will be revisited
several times), Johnson tries to open up to Maureen. Almost by way of
rationalisation of his treatment of Baxter, he sets out to express his thoughts
and experiences in an attempt to gain a sympathetic understanding of the
personal torment he is undergoing, yet he is hesitant to discuss such matters
with Maureen, emphasising the emotional distance between them.
On hearing some of the
gruesome detail he shares with her, Maureen is physically sick and Johnson,
feeling rejected, withdraws emotionally from the discussion, saying he won’t
open up again. This provokes an impassioned and bitter response from his wife which
encapsulates their relationally barren marriage and highlights his sense of
personal isolation and his perceived lack of sympathetic understanding
regarding the torment he is experiencing.
Even worse, however, he
is deliberately hurtful toward his wife, passing vicious comments on her
appearance and his disappointment with her in their marriage. He appears to
recognise this moment as a turning point in his life and is taking stock of how
he arrived at this point, apparently blaming Maureen for his lack of emotional
and, importantly, sexual fulfilment.
He has repressed so much
horror, pain, bitterness and anger that now, some twenty years later, his
feelings are starting to overflow and affect his professional conduct. He has
allowed his feelings, including, we learn, personal disappointment and sexual
frustration, to overwhelm his judgement and conduct.
In his interview with
Detective Superintendent Cartwright, Johnson seeks reassurance and
understanding from his superior. Again, Johnson asks repeatedly to be listened
to as he tries to fathom what is going on inside his head, but Cartwright is
concerned only with regulation, convention and legality, none of which is
useful to Johnson who is effectively having a breakdown. In the end, Johnson is
once again left feeling rejected and not understood so he becomes
confrontational, a reaction that leads only to further isolation.
Johnson comes closest to
achieving understanding and empathy in his conversation with suspect Baxter.
Assuming Baxter’s guilt,
Johnson tries to provoke or goad Baxter into a confession by discussing his
feelings and motivations for the attacks, but it becomes reasonably clear that
in so doing, Johnson may be revealing some of his own dark thoughts and desires…
When searching for
missing girl and probable latest victim of sexual assault, Janey, Johnson
breaks with convention and heads off alone. When he finds her, he doesn’t call
out or seek support. He tries, somewhat awkwardly, to comfort her and there is
a vague suggestion of attraction. He also appears surprised and slightly
disappointed at the arrival of his colleagues.
The matter of Baxter’s
guilt or innocence is not resolved. The fact is, however, that Baxter is used
to being bullied and he considers himself something of a manipulator of those
who set out to bully him. He plays Johnson at his own game, eventually leading
Johnson to recognise his own desires and motivations.
Stunned and almost
grateful for this breakthrough in communication and understanding, Johnson
actually asks for Baxter’s help, but in so doing, and reflecting the immense
pain and desperation he feels, Johnson unwittingly causes pain to Baxter and
Baxter breaks the spell of complicity and understanding by breaking free from
Johnson’s grip and turning on him.
Baxter feels he has
broken Johnson and prepares to leave but this act provokes a number of
responses within Johnson – deep hurt at having finally found understanding only
to be rejected by the only person who appears to have any degree of
comprehension of what he is suffering, loss of pride and position, and a sense
of defeat in that this suspect has turned the tables on him and is taking
control as he prepares to leave.
He may also have
recognised that he is essentially no better than this suspect for whom he has nothing
but contempt.
As a result, Johnson
loses control and lashes out at this embodiment of all the perversions and
social ills he has encountered over the years, but he may also be lashing out
at himself as he furiously seeks to destroy that dubious part of himself that
he has just been forced to acknowledge.
Shortly after mortally punching
Baxter, Johnson returns to his senses, sees what he has done and declares, “Oh
God, oh my God…” Whether this is solely in recognition of what he has done or
is also an acknowledgement of what he has become is left to the audience to
decide.
I found “The Offence”
intense, powerful and thought-provoking, but also relentlessly bleak and dense.
If I’m being honest, I’d have to say I found some of the dialogue clunky and unconvincing
but this was offset by excellent performances all round, especially from Sean
Connery and Ian Bannen who complemented and enhanced one another perfectly.
My thanks for taking the
time to read this article. I hope you found it of some value.
Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk)
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Reflections on Danny Boyle’s “Trainspotting”
Reflections
on “Trainspotting”
Directed
by Danny Boyle
Screenplay
by John Hodge (from the novel by Irvine Welsh)
Starring
Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller
and
Ewen Bremner
On a personal note, this article marks 25 years of posting
material online.
It is very difficult to
accurately characterise or adequately describe “Trainspotting”. It is a gritty,
dynamic, entertaining, insightful and thought-provoking mix that is part social
commentary and part fantasy with, quite unbelievably, given the setting and
subject matter of the film, an enormous dose of humour and fun woven into its
various elements. As well as touching on perceived negative aspects of society,
why people turn to drugs and the potential consequences of addiction, the film
explores the nature of relationships and the impact relationships can have on
one’s life.
That said, it does not
present its characters’ stories as relentlessly miserable or tragic – lighter moments
are emphasised as characters make their choices and we explore reasons for and
consequences of their actions, making the characters all the more engaging,
relatable and human. It is perhaps because of this quality that many dismissed
the film at the time of its release as glorifying drug use but I would suggest
these people may not have actually seen the film or confused sympathy and
accessibility with approval.
The way scenes are filmed
undoubtedly creates a sense of collusion or complicity with audiences. We
virtually share the sensations of the characters as they fall 90 degrees to the
floor, crawl into a toilet, sink uncontrollably into a bed or pass through a
tunnel at speed while under the influence of drugs, but we also share the
impact and emotion of other very touching scenes. These highly sensorial, personal
and intimate scenes, combined with unpredictable sharp dialogue and excellent
performances, serve to engage the senses and the minds of the audience,
provoking a range of reactions from profound sympathy to repulsion.
So, why do Renton, Sick
Boy and Spud turn to drugs?
They appear to be either
unable or unwilling to comply with or conform to social conventions and
expectations. In good part, it seems they are driven by a desire to avoid or
seek an alternative to what they perceive as a banal social contrivance that
involves making a dull, repetitive and soulless contribution to their
community. They do not experience fulfilment in social reality so they seek it,
in terms of sheer pleasure and indulgence, within their own minds.
Of course, we are invited
to judge whether or not this dream world or escape from perceived drudgery is
worth the shabby, grim reality and its consequences, and we are left in no
doubt as to the horrific results of addiction as Renton’s life literally goes
down the worst toilet in Scotland, a metaphor that is brilliantly conceived and
realised through a mixture of horror and humour, making the whole all the more
arresting, engaging and provocative.
The film explores a
number of relationships and friendships.
Renton’s parents treat
him with love, affection and sympathy despite his failure to resolve his
problems and Renton clearly depends on them for support. Ultimately, their son
must follow his own nature, make his own choices and make his own way but as
his parents, they wish to be there for him, no matter what.
The friendship shared by
the main characters appears to be based largely on common experience and
sharing childhood development, casting doubt on the importance of values in
their relationships and emphasising the influence friends have on one another,
especially the loyalty expected of a friend. These pals bolster and validate
one another to the point of impeding personal and social growth and as such
they fail to grow out of self-indulgence or accept the challenges of adulthood,
maturity and responsibility.
Begbie, Sick Boy and Spud
are well drawn and are of interest in themselves as they develop to some extent
and contribute to the storyline and Renton’s evolution, but they remain largely
as they are when we first meet them;
Begbie remains a
narcissistic psychopath throughout, though his mental state seems to
deteriorate and his actions are ever more unhinged (though highly entertaining
at the same time!), while Sick Boy is self-indulgent but seems to lose his
moral compass after the death of his baby in a drug den. Spud is a harmless
loon lacking in self-esteem and purpose who follows his pals and seeks merely
to please and accommodate his friends.
Renton, however, evolves.
He is intelligent and articulate but he does not see fulfilment in society as
he perceives it though he makes some effort to conform as he gets clean and
finds work in London. However, he is drawn back to the shadowy world of drugs
and minor crime through attachment and loyalty to his friends but also, more
importantly, because that is the life he chose and he is attracted to it.
Indeed, it might even be suggested that the film is the story of Renton’s
coming to terms with and accepting his own nature.
He is no master criminal
or drug lord but, having been part of a minor drug deal, he yields to
temptation and steals the £16,000 proceeds from his friends who have used and
abused him but who were willing to exploit their bond of friendship. A pang of
conscience ensures he leaves Spud his share as Spud never did anyone any harm
but otherwise Renton seems genuinely happy as he leaves London. Having recognised
the insubstantial nature of his friendship with the others, he turns his back
on his childhood friends and perhaps any remaining delusions he had of loyalty
and conformity. He has, perhaps, finally given in to his nature and seems
relieved as he saunters off with his ill-gotten gains. He has grown up, become
independent, and has turned his friends’ standard of morality on them, leaving them
to face the consequences of their actions. It would be nice to think that
Renton learned a life lesson and started afresh but his history and implied
nature suggest otherwise…
It seems to me that “Trainspotting”
is that rare thing in cinema – an at times entertaining and amusing film noir
or existential drama. The film casts doubt on the existence of morality or
providence as, in bleak circumstances, the characters do what they must do to
survive while following their natures and display few signs of control over
their destinies. Of course, our film represents a major variation on film noir
in its enormous energy and the sheer fun to be had while viewing it.
Danny Boyle’s focused direction
offers eye-catching and stunning moments that serve the storyline and ensure audience
engagement without slipping into self-indulgent or vainglorious strategies and
techniques, while John Hodge’s screenplay (from Irvine Welsh’s original novel)
captures the humanity, vulnerability and above all the relative innocence
(despite the circumstances) of the characters.
As for the performances,
I thought all were quite stunning. Ewan McGregor was, of course, quite superb
as the tortured Renton and special mention needs to be made of Robert Carlyle’s
sheer heartfelt energy, Ewen Bremner’s comic but poignant performance and Jonny
Lee Miller’s almost perfect Scottish accent...
My thanks for taking the
time to read this article. I hope you found it of some value.
Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk)
Sunday, 6 April 2025
Brief reflections on Sidney Pollack’s “Three Days of the Condor”
Brief
reflections on themes and characters in “Three Days of the Condor”
Directed
by Sidney Pollack
Written
by Lorenzo Semple Jr and David Rayfiel
Based
on a novel by James Grady
Starring
Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson and Max von Sydow
Entertaining,
thought-provoking and occasionally humorous, “Three Days of the Condor” is a
spy story that reflects the disbelief, disillusion and moral morass that
existed in the wake of the Watergate revelations, as the film focuses on the
enforced rapid moral maturation and loss of trusting innocence of principal
character Joe Turner.
Among other themes, the
film explores the relationship between the individual and the State, and the
lengths to which the State will go in the name of preserving and protecting its
interests, even showing willing to sacrifice a few individuals for the
perceived overall benefit of the State. Beneath a façade of co-operation,
humanity and diplomacy, the powers that be are ready to protect their interests
using whatever unscrupulous and vicious methods are necessary.
Of course, when exposed
to such underhand and potentially brutal tactics, innocent people may be
transformed or mutated by the situation they face as they fight for survival.
Joe Turner is relatively
innocent and happy-go-lucky. He is content to work for the C.I.A. in the
American Literary and Historical Society where he indulges his imagination and
plays a game of seeking plots, messages, strategies, codes or intrigues in
modern literature that might reflect government policies or inspire them. He
does not take his work too seriously and is happy and willing to pander to the
C.I.A.’s almost whimsical search, as he sees it, for information and
intelligence, and his attitude may well reflect the trusting faith of the
American people in its political and security organisations prior to Watergate.
The sole survivor, by
pure luck and circumstance, of a merciless and brutal attack on his workplace,
Joe soon learns to suspend trust and question everything and everyone. His loss
of confidence in colleagues and surroundings combined with his determination to
survive in the face of extreme danger transform or perhaps even corrupt him to
some degree, causing him to abduct and abuse another innocent, Kathy, whose
relatively humdrum life is suddenly modified by danger and excitement.
The lives and outlooks of
these two “innocents” are changed forever by these challenging events. As they
fight for their lives, a contagious amorality and questioning of dull social
convention add purpose, excitement and a savouring of life to their existence.
The façade of civilisation has slipped and they have been exposed to an
underlying reality of amorality where people in positions of authority act as
they see fit to advance or protect whatever position they adhere to, and where
people like them do what they must to outwit their pursuers and survive.
There is a suggestion
that there are secretive and discrete layers of government and security, and
responsibility and accountability seem to take second place to the exercise of
power, authority and personal perception. It appears that one may lose perspective
and abuse authority if actions are not overseen or restricted by legality or
morality, often at the expense of others’ possessions, freedom or even their
lives.
Joubert is perhaps the
ultimate example of adaptability to this morally fluid situation. He takes
pride in the standard of his work as an assassin but has learned not to
question or doubt the motives of those who pay him. He recognises no moral
hierarchy and he simply does what he must do to survive and be paid. He even
suggests that Joe could do worse than follow his example since, having seen the
reality behind the façade, he can never return to “normality”.
In the end, however, Joe
puts his trust in humanity, common decency and the press. He does not believe
the people or the government would sanction possible military intervention in
another nation to ensure access to precious resources (a situation that may
resonate with observers of modern political reality), and he threatens to
expose the plan he has uncovered inadvertently and cause huge embarrassment by
having his account of events printed in a newspaper.
However, this stand for
principle in what is essentially a modern film noir is challenged as Joe is
faced with two questions; will the press show the independence of spirit and
integrity necessary to print his story, and will a relatively apathetic and
self-centred public put legality and morality above its own comfort and interests?
Interesting questions that cast doubt on the tenets of our civilisation and
which underline the film noir roots of our film and it is left largely to the
audience to consider which direction events would take…
In interviews, Sidney Pollack
and Robert Redford claimed they only wanted to make a spy thriller and they
objected to various readings of their work but the storyline and
characterisations invite thought-provoking interpretation and I have to say I
think they were being somewhat disingenuous in their protests.
My thanks for taking the
time to read this article. I hope you found it of some value.
Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk)
Brief reflections on themes and characters in “Spotlight”
Brief
reflections on themes and characters in “Spotlight” (2015)
Directed
by Tom McCarthy
Written
by Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy
Starring
Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams,
Liv
Schreiber, Stanley Tucci et al.
Our film takes the form of
a journalistic procedural and the story itself is the star. Characters are well
defined and are broadened in the course of the film but they always serve the
development of the story. We witness the painstaking research and investigation
required to uncover the truth behind sexual offences committed by priests in
the Boston area in the early 2000s, but also the systematic efforts to ignore
the roots of these crimes and to protect priests and the Catholic Church from
full disclosure.
The film is constructed in
much the same way as a good newspaper article, offering various points of view
which are balanced to some degree though we are never in any doubt as to which
standpoint will win out.
The extent of the abuse
is gradually revealed to both the journalists and the audience, growing from an
apparently isolated case to a virtual pandemic involving some 87 priests in
Boston alone, with the suggestion that this is a recognised global phenomenon
affecting some 6% of the priesthood.
It becomes clear that the
Catholic Church is aware of the problem but has failed to take definitive or
preventative action, opting to transfer those priests involved rather than
dismiss them, enabling them to continue their practices in other dioceses. Each
case is handled discreetly in order to protect the priests involved and to
protect the reputation and standing of the Church in the community, with
minimal compensation offered and use of emotional blackmail and false
assurances to ensure families’ silence.
Thus, further victims are
sacrificed on the altar of Church protection and social “responsibility”, but
this seems to be a price devotees of the Church are willing to allow others to
pay for the sake of social position and standing as they turn what is
effectively a blind but knowing eye on these wretched goings-on, even
attempting to gently pressure our journalists to abandon the piece for the
greater good of the community.
We are privy to emotional
and harrowing accounts of how innocent youths are inveigled into situations
that left them open to abuse, both physical and emotional, and which left
psychological scars and long-term effects on self-respect, relationships and
general outlooks as they felt shame, embarrassment and guilt.
We even gain some insight
into the minds of the abusers through a brief interview with one of the abusive
priests, a seemingly harmless and forthright old man who appears to recognise
no accountability for his actions, vaguely dissociating himself from guilt and
responsibility while claiming his abuse of innocents gave him no pleasure. This
is not developed but perhaps he and the others rationalised their position
while failing to perceive their victims as feeling human beings who would be
traumatised by their violation of them.
The journalists are
methodical, painstaking and professional but they are also emotionally affected
by the facts and deeds they uncover. They are all too aware of the potential
consequences for the Church and community as pressure is brought to bear in the
form of emotional blackmail, haughty refusal to co-operate, probable family
conflicts and vague threats concerning social standing and job security, but
all are determined to seek justice for those abused in the past and also in the
present since ineffective official action has resulted in continued abuse that
is going unchecked.
Systems of checks and
balances in society exist to ensure standards and to protect against abuse of
any kind. However, if individuals, groups and society at large are willing to
ignore or turn a blind eye to abuse, amounting to the betrayal of those abused,
we require an external or objective source of investigation interested in truth
and if ever there was a film that justified the existence of quality journalism
as a tool to ensure accountability in society, this is it.
We assume a level of
decorum and propriety in society, so we are shocked and dismayed as, through
the eyes of our high-minded and principled journalists, we discover the nature
and extent of essentially unchecked abuse as it is gradually and cleverly
unveiled. The strength of the film is certainly in the performances but also,
and more importantly, in the measured divulgence of the facts and magnitude of
the case which ensure audience engagement and emotional investment.
My thanks for taking the
time to read this article. I hope you found it of some value.
Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk
)
Brief reflections on “Good Night and Good Luck”
Brief
reflections on themes and characters in
“Good
Night, and Good Luck” (2005)
Directed
by George Clooney
Written
by Grant Heslov and George Clooney
Starring
David Strathairn, George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr.,
Patricia Clarkson, Frank Langella et al.
Our film touches on themes
such as friendship, relationships in the 1950s workplace, pressures (financial
and political) involved in operating a television channel, the potential
effects of maintained criticism based on vindictive character assassination
rather than reasoned disagreement, and the place of television as a tool for
informing the watching public and even inspiring it to think, rather than
simply produce bland entertainment. However, at its core, this is the story of
the discord between respected TV journalist and presenter Ed Murrow and Senator
Joseph McCarthy who led the infamous House Un-American Activities Committee in
the 1950s.
Ed Murrow and his small
team of journalists present fact-based, coherent programmes of compassionate
integrity that investigate and challenge topics of social and political
interest.
In one broadcast, they
challenge the precision, veracity and methods of Senator McCarthy who responds
by levelling various defamatory accusations at Murrow rather than respond to
the points made in the offending programme. Murrow is able to refute each point
made by McCarthy and in so doing reveals and highlights McCarthy’s tactic of
using lies, insinuation and baseless accusations, offering no proof or evidence
to support his assertions, as he depends on the creation of anxiety and fear,
and appeals to a sense of national pride in order to gain political influence.
With heartfelt,
convincing performances and carefully constructed script and direction, George
Clooney delivers an intelligent plea for integrity, principle and standards in
public life and politics. As I write this, I hear Mr Clooney has adapted his
film for a theatrical run on Broadway. Perhaps he feels the themes and purpose
of his film remain as relevant now as they were in the 1950s…
My thanks for taking the
time to read this article. I hope you found it of some value.
Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk)