Assessment discussion of Three Men and a Cradle:

The first half of class is a discussion about the characters in Three Men and a Cradle. These questions may help prompt students:

What were your observations about the characters in Three Men and a Cradle?

What traits did different characters possess? Which characters were deep and which were shallow?

What was the overall meaning conveyed through the characters of the film? How were different meanings conveyed by the different characters?

What did the characterizations reveal about gender? What did this reveal about the society that influenced these characters?

Since their responses should already be turned in, it will be helpful to review the students' responses. From these responses, choose particular interesting/competent portions of responses and have those students comment on what they have written.

Anticipatory set:

Transition from the discussion of characters by asking the students to comment on what the characters revealed about the history that influenced the film. The use of characterization in Three Men and a Cradle reveals that perceptions of gender were changing in France in the 1980s, while the characters utilized in The Scent of Green Papaya also reveal significant things about the history of Vietnam—such as different social classes, French occupation of Vietnam, and traditional views of gender. The comparison of these films should lead to a discussion about the different historical contexts that influence the films. France and Vietnam have very different histories (especially when comparing 1985 to 1951/1961. Questions such as these may help prompt discussion:

How do the histories in these films differ? What do you learn about the histories of these countries from these films?

Considering what you have already thought about these films, what additional support or lack thereof is given by the historical backgrounds that influence these films? How is this accomplished?

How does your historical context—country of origin, country of residence, events of your life, etc.—influence your life? What do your opinions, actions, decisions, etc. reveal about your own history?

Present this fictional scenario to the students:

Remember the hypothetical short script you were asked to create last week. You were asked to write a situation in which you had to portray yourself as a character. Now, think about how the historical context of that story and that characterization of yourself would influence what you wrote. What historical events does the script capture? Are they real or imagined? What historical events are background to the script? In what ways does this history influence your script? Why?

This should lead into a discussion about the significance of historical context—the meaning and connotation inherent in the history that influences the film—both the history that it captures and the history that provides background influence.

Teaching presentation:

Lecture:

History influences the films that are produced within a country. In particular, the history that filmmakers have experienced provide background to their own lives and the films that they create. Their histories influence—whether consciously or unconsciously—what they present in films and how they present it.

“By contrast with documentary, we assume that a fictional film presents imaginary beings, places, or events. We take it for granted that Don Vito Corleone and his family never existed, and that their activities, as depicted in The Godfather, never took place . . . .

“If a film is fictional, that does not mean that it is completely unrelated to actuality. For one thing, not everything shown or implied by a fiction film need be imaginary. The Godfather alludes to World War II and the building of Las Vegas, both historical events; it takes place in New York City and in Sicily, both real locales. Nonetheless, the characters and their activities remain fictional, with history and geography providing a context for the made-up elements” (Bordwell and Thompson 130).

“Fictional films are tied to actuality in another way: They often comment on the real world. Dave, about an imaginary U.S. President and his corrupt administration, criticizes contemporary political conduct. In 1943 some viewers took Carl Dreyer's Day of Wrath, a film about witch-hunts and prejudice in 17th-century Denmark, as a covert protest against the Nazis currently occupying the country. Through theme, subject, characterization, and other means, a fictional film can directly or obliquely present ideas about the world outside the film” (Bordwell and Thompson 130-1).

It is important to be informed about the history that informs the films that you watch, particularly when watching international films from countries that you may not know much about. It may be necessary to do some investigation into the historical contexts that influence filmmakers and their stories, characters, situations, etc.

Discussion:

After these remarks on historical context and how it influences films in many ways, prompt discussion about historical context in film by asking questions such as:

What other films have you seen that are notably influenced by history—the history of a country or the history of a filmmaker? How did the history influence the film? How was the history significant?

How would either knowing or not knowing the history change the way the film is conceived, perceived, received, etc.?

Just like your own history influences your characters and stories, the histories of filmmakers and countries influence films.

Classroom practice:

This discussion should prepare the class for the next segment of the lecture, in which the class will watch a clip from Three Men and a Cradle. The clip from Three Men and a Cradle (which could be the same as the clip shown in the last class) should help to reinforce character as well as introducing the influence of history on the film. To prepare the students, inform them that you will be watching a clip from Three Men and a Cradle to build on their initial approach to the film by looking for something new. This time they will be specifically looking for the influence of history on the film. It may also be revealing to show a clip from The Scent of Green Papaya and to compare the two.

Check for understanding:

After showing the clip, have students share their observations about historical context and the meanings/messages conveyed through them.

These questions may help to prompt discussion:

What significant events in the history of France influence this film? How are the characters' attitudes influenced by French history?

How is the film influenced by the history of the director Coline Serreau herself?

If you show a clip from The Scent of Green Papaya, ask these questions in reference to Vietnam and Tran Anh Hung.

How do the histories of the different countries create very different films? How do the different histories affect the films differently?

Why is it important to understand the historical context of these films?

Introduction of The Lives of Others:

The practice with Three Men and a Cradle and The Scent of Green Papaya should prepare the students to observe the influence of historical context in The Lives of Others, the film that they will watch during the week.

Background information:

The Lives of Others was made in 2006.

It was written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, who grew up in Germany during the time that the country was divided.

The film is about Georg Dreyman, a German playwright living in the GDR (German Democratic Republic), commonly known as East Germany. He is placed under observation by the Stasi, the East German secret police that kept many citizens, particularly artists, musicians, playwrights, etc., under government surveillance because the East German government was suspicious of them because, as they claimed, their works posed a threat to the government.

Although providing some historical context may be helpful, most likely, there will not be adequate time in class to do so. It is important for the students to investigate on their own and find out for themselves about the political situation of East Germany in 1984. This will part of their own applied practice outside of class.

In the optional article, von Donnersmarck remarks about the influence of history on making this film. “I would say I had more psychological intentions [in making The Lives of Others] than political ones. I really don't believe there is such a thing as politics. It's all about individuals. Take the collapse of the Soviet Union. No one anticipated that, but in 1985 Gorbachev, who saw things differently, came to power. He didn't want things to continue as they were. You can't really analyze politics on a systems level. It's always about individuals that make the difference. So I tried to focus on individual psychology in the film. Rather than tell a political story, I show how people make the politics and how that affects people” (40).

“We should give any government only a bare minimum of power. I am very much for the smallest government humanly possible; and I am very much for empowering the individual in every possible way, even if that means making sacrifices. Freedom comes at a price. Even in the U.S., people have the power to wiretap you phone. Of course, that's going to make it easier to find out about any possible terrorist attacks. But for me that is too high of a price on liberty to gain that kind of security. In Germany the use of force is a complete monopoly for the government. Now, have we had great experiences with that in Germany—by trusting the government completely? Would we want to repeat that again? Americans are armed and there are accidental deaths but that may be a price you pay for freedom. Freedom always comes at a price but freedom is the highest good” (41-2).

“I don't want to present someone with two hours of communist drabness. I wanted to present it as beautifully a I honestly could. I tried to analyze what the visual tendencies were in East Germany. One thing I discovered is that they had different types of colors. I once talked to a chemist why that was and apparently in the Western world there are certain patented color chemicals that allow you to go for those bright, saturated colors that they didn't have in the East” (42).

These statements from the director, reveal how history—his own and that of Germany and the world in general—influences his thinking, which in turn, influences his film.

Film clip:

After setting up the film, show a clip from the film itself. After his friend Jerska dies, Dreyman is in his apartment with Christa-Maria playing the piano piece that Jerska gave him—“Sonata for a Good Man.” During this scene, images of Dreyman and Christa-Maria are crosscut with images of Wiesler listening. After playing, Drayman states, “If anyone has heard this music. I mean, really heard it, can they really be a bad person?” This is clearly a significant turning point for Wiesler. However, this scene also demonstates many of the influences of the film's historical context, some of which are mentioned above in the director's words.

Follow up the clip by asking students to share their observations about the history that influenced the clip—both the country's history and the filmmaker's history to whatever extent is possible. This should help them be prepared to do their own investigation of the historical context and to look for the influence of that history as they watch the film on their own.

Closure:

This discussion should lead into a wrap-up about historical context—the history that influence a country, a filmmaker, and the films that they produce. Re-emphasize the importance of how historical context creates meaning in addition to the other elements of the film. Encourage them to do their own limited personal research before watching the film. Introduce the assessment assignment.

Each student will write a 1-2 page response paper to their out-of-class screening of The Lives of Others, focusing their remarks on the histories that influence the film. The response papers should be turned in before the next class.

Also, the first half of the next class will be a discussion about The Lives of Others for which they should be prepared.

Written by Brett Stifflemire.