WEEK FOURTEEN
1956
Terms:
Eternal triangle: Two men and one woman or less frequently two women and a man (see Johnny Guitar)
Woman as Madonna: The idea that women as “sacred” "pure" and "sexually unapporachable"
Woman as fantasy of the bedroom: the idea that women are the object of sexual desire for men. Together they imply two aspects of women seen from a make perspective,
Catcher: The person in the trapeze act who catches the “flyer”
Flyer (Flier): The person in the trapeze act who “flies” from one trapeze to the other.
Triple: A trapeze stunt which involves the flier make three complete rotations before being caught by the catcher. At one time thought it was the most possible.
Grail: Historically appears in the middle ages in the romances. Possibly has its origin in Celtic mythology as a plate which produces limitless quantities of food. Appears in Percival (Parsifal) story with the Fisher King where it is carried into the room by a woman (along with 2 other women bearing other objects). This may imply its lack of religious significance since women in those days would not have been allowed to touch religious relics. Later it is related to the philosopher’s stone (used in alchemy to change base metals into gold) and also to the cup from the last supper (also associated with transformation of wine into blood). The pursuit of the grail is often associated with a kind of story that deals with a pursuit of something with religious-like zeal. Often a quest for self understanding.
Before the Film
Burt Lancaster, a circus performer in his early days, along with Nick Cravat with whom her frequently made films, was an athletic performer who had long wanted to make a film about the Circus. Unfortunately just as he was about to do so, C.B. deMille released The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), a major circus film. This film is director by the famous British director Sir Carol Reed., famous for such films as Our Man in Havana, A Kid for Two Farthings and The Agony and the Ecstasy. He also has credit as director for The Third Man.
The Eternal triangle is a common theme in films, and is borderline, for example in Shane. However another aspect of the triangle is the disruption caused by the appearance of the woman to the relationship between the two men. In some forms of this variation, men attempt to reach some form of perfection and a woman appears who disrupts not only their relationship, but also the “perfection” they hope to achieve. Classic example are in the bible (see also the movie The Bible) God and Adam and the perfection of Eden and Eve as the woman who comes between and causes the expulsion from paradise; another is in Camelot, Arthur and Lancelot who are to make a perfect place called Camelot and the disruption of the friendship and the perfect place by Guinevere. The theme is rather old and has persisted for some time. In this film the triangle involves Burt Lancaster (Mike Ripple), Tony Curtis (Tino Orsini)and Gina Lollobrigida (Lola)
In this film, what is the perfection to be achieved?
In several film types – like disaster films of performance films, the visual focus of the film reflects some aspect of the events going on in the film. Perhaps we can establish a “genre” of performance films. What purpose is there in having performances in film?
What is the role of “performance” in the film?
How is gender handled in the film?
How do you regard Lola (Gino Lollobrigida? Would the same description of the person hold if the part was male? Ignoring the sexual aspect of the triangle or the links with the biblical story of Eve, would a man who was as “aggressive” as Lola be seen negatively?
In addition to this theme, there are some more “universal” themes under consideration: the pursuit of the grail (the attempt to find perfection in this case).
Oedipal conflict/coming of age. Ripple is a father figure or father substitute for Tino. Ultimately, Tino has to break from him.
After the film
Many films about performers and performances – films about movies, operas, etc. This is a “circus” film – is it really a genre or is “performance film” a genre? There are many circus films in addition to this one and Greatest Show on Earth mentioned above (e.g. The Circus,. Circus of Horrors, Circus of Fear Circus World, Billy Rose’s Jumbo , Under the Big Top etc,)
The film in fact, falls into several genres or plot types. In part, the film is Oedipal with Tino and Ripple being surrogate father and son to one another.
The film is also a “coming of age film” which in fact is true of many films with Oedipal themes.
Why performance?
Does performance become a “character” in the film? (compare also with disasters – what role do they play. In historical plays a historical event takes on the characteristics of a character e.g. the Civil War (War of Northern Aggression) in Gone with the Wind?
What role does performance play in the film?
What is the purpose of introducing John Ringling North into the film? A sense of reality.
Why Trapeze?
Is the trapeze a “metaphor” for something in the film – that is the relationship between the people on and off the trapeze.Dangerous act in which people move or are thrown to others. The film is basically a “trapeze act” in which Lola (Gina Lollobrigida) is “moved” from Ripple (Burt Lancaster) to (Tony Curtis).
Mutual dependency between catcher and flyer
The “team” of the men is crucial “Ripple and Orsini”, “Orsini and Ripple”, says Mike – “it’s the same person.”
What problem motivates Burt Lancaster’s actions in the film – his accident
How does this impact on his life (loss of career, need to achieve it through another person)
Purity of art vs. commercialism
Compare
Purity is tied to both art, the triple, the two act, and the circus.
Visually the circus is clean, the outside world is dirty, darker, peeling paint and so on.
Film techniques
How is the fall filmed.?
Where is the camera?: The camera often above the performers. When Mike falls we see the fall from above, his catcher still swinging.
Height in the film is often associated with position. When Tino arrives, Ripple is high above the arena. Tino looks up to him both figuratively and realistically. The ladder along the side of the frame accentuates the height.
How does it fit into the sequences in the film.
How are the shots of the trapeze work filmed? What effect does this have on the spectator?
Lola is generally placed between the camera and the act she is in thereby being foregrounded and made more important. Emphasis on spangles costuming.
The moment when it becomes clear that Lola is moving in on Tino and he is responding, the camera moves up and we see the empty trapeze. Lola has moved from Mike to Tino in her attempt to get into the act.
Animals
Snakes recall the Garden of Eden story in Genesis.
The lion being freed occurs when the real emotions of the pair are unleashed
Music:
Blue Danube Waltz is the music being played during the trapeze routine when Mike Ripple falls. Later it reoccurs electronically, reminding the viewing audience of the fall. Similarly, the swinging lamps looking like a trapeze is the object of Mike’s gave and his desire to stop the swing/
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Course Outline
Films (Tentative)