Screenplay VS Big Screen: American Pi

            The screenplay American Piewas originally written by Adam Herz and later picked up and produced by Paul Weitz to be made into a film.  I will have to say, the screenplay was a lot weaker than the actual film.  The plotline was basically all the same though. The screenplay tells a story of four high school boys that make a pact to lose their virginity before they graduate and go off to college.  We have the normal stock characters, like the jock, the nerd, the man whore, and the average kid.  We follow each of them on their paths to try and succeed their goals, each seemingly going for different things.  One thinks he is in love, one goes for the older ladies, and another just wants to do the sexy foreign exchange chick.  There are many elements of genre that this story could fall into though. We could categorize this as a teen comedy, a romantic comedy, or even a gross out comedy.  Either way, it was to be directed towards younger men who inevitably have felt this way before.  

            The plotlines in the film and the screenplay American Pieare very similar.  The screenwriter even described the montage sequences very well, they were short written and to the point and gave the reader a clear image of what the scene was going to look like.  For example, right after Kevin gives his big speech on why they all need to get laid, the montage sequence, “preparing for sex” that follows is almost word for word put into the film.  The major scenes were all in order, and nothing threw me off in terms of plot when I watched the film.

            The characters were definitely stronger in the film than they were in the screenplay.  There were just so many characters to keep track of and it is easier to relate to a character when you can see what they look like, and how they act around others. In the screenplay, the characters were just briefly described, but not much about what they were wearing or what they were thinking or feeling.  I was surprised though that all the names stayed the same; there were just too many people.  The character for Jim’s dad in my mind after reading the screenplay was this skinny, lanky, elderly man who is embarrassed by his son.  However, Weitz chose Eugene Levy to play the part, which is even better because he seems like the dad who wants to still be cool and able to relate to his son.  One other character that was a great match was Sean William Scott as Stifler.  Sean does the hot, popular, jokey guy character really well.  

            The setting for the story was one element of the screenplay that I thought was a little lacking.  Herz did not describe the school or the lake house very much, but I guess that just gives the director more freedom to film what he envisions.  In my mind, Stifler’s party house was more of a log cabin right on the lake.  It was a pretty big house though and people were everywhere.  The high school could have been anywhere in America, but the students were not described either in the screenplay.  In the movie, they were typical, judgmental 90s kids.  

            One scene that was a little different when I watched it was Kevin and Vicky’s first time together.  In the screenplay, it describes the moment as being really awkward between the two, and ultimately a mistake.  In the movie, Tara Reid plays Vicky, and let’s face it, no one is going to believe she is a virgin.  If I were the casting director, I probably would have gone with someone who looked a little bit more innocent than her.  

            All in all though, I preferred the film to the screenplay because it was easier to relate to the characters.  The Kevin character was a lot more personable and that love story seemed to be played up more in the movie.  The screenplay was good, but it could have been longer to add character and more setting descriptions. 

The Weimar Period was a very turbulent time in the context of German history. The people of Germany were facing a vast array of sickening hardships that took a heavy toll on every person within the societies moral. Some of the issues that were affecting every citizen in Germany during the Weimar Period were the vast amount of debt that Germany was facing, the ever looming racial prejudices being propagated against the Jewish population, the horrifying memories and reminders of what the German people had to experience during the devastation caused by World War I, and secrecy. All of these factors that contributed to the bleak side of the German Weimar Period manifested themselves in many forms including art, photography, and popular culture. However, one of the most influential ways in which these issues were addressed was through the new medium the people just began to have available for them, film. While many films that were created throughout the Weimar period reflected the feelings and concerns of the German people, one of the best examples of these films can be illustrated within a comedic silent movie The Finances of the Grand Duke. In the film The Finances of the Grand Duke, all of the overarching issues that were facing the German People are manifested and critiqued. In this paper, we will illustrate how many of the issues facing the German people during the Weimar Period manifested themselves within the film The Finances of the Grand Duke, and explain how these illustrations would have affected German audiences during the film’s release in 1924.  In our paper, we will be arguing that a film from the comedy genre can just as well relate these issues to the Weimar Republic audience just as well as a serious expressionist film.  

            The first issue that the German people were forced to face during the Weimar period, which was also illustrated within the film The Finances of the Grand Duke, was the thick blanket of debt covering every man, woman, and child throughout German Society. This debt that was felt by everyone was mostly caused by the intense period of hyperinflation that swept over Germany during the early 1920’s. However, the worst part of hyperinflation took place during 1923; one year before The Finances of the Grand Duke was released, but at the same time when it was being filmed.  So the resonance is extremely relevant to a German audience.  

Hyperinflation is basically, “a situation where the price increases are so out of control that the concept of inflation is meaningless” (Hyperinflation, 2012). This economic phenomenon basically meant that the currency being used in Germany during the Weimar period was virtually useless due to the vast amount of money that was being printed off by the German Government. During this period of hyperinflation people throughout Germany, who were normally dependent on a steady stream of income to sustain their everyday lives, were forced to take drastic measures in order to provide the necessary means for their families, “they sold furniture, clothing, jewelry and works of art to buy food” (Scientific Market Analysis, 1970). By having the German people scrounge for things to sell in order to feed their loved ones, not only made many people during the Weimar period fear for their future, but also created a lack of trust that they had in their Government.

Since Germany had borrowed so much money to pay off their war debts, they needed to start printing more money for circulation in Germany. However, this led to an inevitable inflation.  There was no limit set on how much money the government could print, so they just kept printing more and more.  The value of money then depreciated immensely, and there was no way to back it up in gold. The prices of goods were doubling in just a few hours, and items like a loaf of bread were being sold for 200 billions marks.  One major issue is that the money in Germany was not holding up against other foreign currency.  Their paper money was worthless.  

It is interesting to note that the government set up foreign exchange controls.  This led to a flourishing black market of transactions as you can imagine.  We can definitely relate this to our film, The Finances of the Grand Duke, when Bekker, a foreigner is attempting to buy Hermosa Point from the Grand Duke.  This Bekker character is a shifty fellow, and clearly only in the business to exploit this sulfur rich land and its people.  

Another way we can relate our film to this phenomenon is by comparing the price of bonds and mortgages at the time.  During 1923, the price of bonds fell more than cash. The inflation caused a wipe out of all mortgage debt.  In The Finances of the Grand Duke, there is a scene in which most of the Abacco bonds are bought up from London, Paris, and Rome.  Also, according to scholar Michael Kosares, “those who held real estate throughout managed to save the capital thus invested.”  Since the Duke does not see his land, and sticks it out, he eventually comes out fine in the end.  

            This hyperinflation also affected the economy because wages were dropped. Initially, unions did get increases, but they could not keep up with how fast money was being printed.  Some people were getting paid three times a day, and still did not have enough money to live on comfortably.  When people did not go out and buy goods, then this caused business to close down, which led to a collapse in the German economy.  The government reissued a new form of marks in an attempt to save the economy.  It did work, but it took awhile for everyone to get back on his or her feet.

The debt felt by the German people manifested itself within the context of The Finances of the Grand Dukeby having the main character in the film, The Grand Duke of Abbaco, being threatened with mountains of debt that could make him loose his beautiful island. Furthermore, by portraying the main character in the film as being a high class member of society who, like many of the regular citizens in the German Republic, holds the fear of losing what he has due to economic circumstances, the viewers of the film can relate to him more easily. However, the film is able to maintain a sense of humor by having the main character act carefree towards the impending threat of him losing his precious land. 

Another example from the film is all the times that small debts are repaid to people.  Even if it were on a small scale, it still rings true to a German audience.  When Philip Collins is sitting outside at the café with Olga, he buys her a cognac.  He also gets her a train ticket.  Later on in the film, she feels it necessary, to “settle her debt,” with him.  The specific use of this wording on this intertitle was no mistake; it was a direct link to the mass amount of debt that the country was in at the time this movie was being filmed.

We mentioned earlier that hyperinflation created a lack of trust in the German government.  Film critic David Kalat says that The Finances of the Grand Dukereflects this.  All of the references to Dukes and Princesses calls for an oligarchy based government. Could this be the type of mentality that would eventually led to Hitler’s rise in power?  There was a need for a father figure for the country.  

The second theme in The Finances of the Grand Dukethat was very prevalent throughout the Germany during the Weimar Period was the anti-Semitic propaganda being fueled towards the Jewish population. In Germany during the 1920’s the Jewish people were being messily persecuted against. This can be seen throughout many of the expressionist films during this time period, such as Nosferatu, where the villain in the movie is given many Jewish stereotypes in order to fuel the hatred towards the race. However the main reason for the hatred of the Jews during the Weimar period was due to the economic crisis that the people were forced to go through, “in times of economic scarcity and decline, anti-Semitism has been more prevalent both in Germany and other Western nation” (Legge, 1996).  Meaning that the stage set by hyperinflation as well as the debt many people were becoming buried in lead the people of Germany to label the Jewish population as the scapegoat for all of their country’s problems. Furthermore, it also enabled for the Jews to be labeled as the exact opposite of the values that the German people held sacred.

We need to point out here that The Finances of the Grand Dukewas not written by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, but simply directed by him.  So, we cannot be relating any of these issues solely towards him, but the collective staff. This film is based off of a series of detective novels written by Frank Heller, or Gunnar Sener, which was his pen name.  The main character of his books was in fact named Philip Collins, a character also in our film.  He was what we would call an anti-hero.  He was a criminal that did dastardly deeds for the greater good, not unlike a modern day Robin Hood.  We can see this character in our Philip Collins as well, especially when he disguises himself as a chimney sweep in order to forge a letter to help out the Duke of Abacco.  

These novels written by Frank Heller though were extremely laden with anti-Semitic undertones.  According to Lotti Eisner, F.W. Murnau took out a lot of those criticism when he adapted the novel, “The Grand Duke’s Finances,” into his film. However, there are definitely still some instances where the Jew can still be picked out of the crowd.  For instance, when the Marcowitz character comes into frame, the musical motifs instantly change to that of Jewish sounding tunes.  It sticks with the comedic themes, while still holding all symbolism.  

In the film, The Finances of the Grand Duke, the Jews are further morphed into the villains of German society by the way in which the villains in the movie are represented. The first way the Jews are seen in the film, is through the actions and motivations of the main villain. One key factor of this portrayal of the antagonist that amplifies the racial stereotypes towards the Jews is that he is an international businessman motivated by greed at the expense of the innocent. The internationalism of the villain in this film is significant because of the German idea of the international Jew. Although the original idea of the International Jew was from Henry Ford, the German people utilized it in order to make the Jewish people an easier scapegoat for their problems. The International Jew basically turned the Jews in to the villains by implying that they are taking over the world through global economic means that are all based on their own desire to make more money (Ford, 1922).  Needless to say, this anti-Semitic depiction of the Jewish people is easily propelled through the actions and the motivations of the villain in the film, in that he want to strip mine a part of Abacco at the expense of the people living there so he is able to make a lot of money.

The second way that the Jewish population is illustrated as evil within the context of The Finances of the Grand Dukeis through the physical characteristics of the main villain’s three henchmen. The henchmen in this film are significant because they are a true manifestation of not only how the German people envisioned the Jewish people, but also because they act as a complete juxtaposition in what the German people wanted within their race. In order to comprehend the similarities between the henchman in this film, and the propagated racial stereotypes following the Jews, I thought it would be very beneficial to compare the similarities between the two images. 

            The image on the left is a Nazi propaganda poster that implies that the Jew’s number one priority, or god, is making money. This propaganda poster clearly enforces the stereotypes associated with the Jewish people as well as enforces the racial prejudices that the German people felt towards the Jews in order for them to make them into the scapegoats for their problems. The image on the right is a still shot taken from a scene towards the end of The Finances of the Grand Duke,where the evil henchmen are accosting the Grand Duke’s faithful assistant. Both of the images seen have very similar physical characteristics. Traditionally the German view of the Jew, “included stereotypical views of Jewish physical attributes (such as a big nose and general grotesqueness) and personal characteristics” (Legge 1998). The stereotypical idea of the Jewish nose can be seen in both pictures, as well as a lack in athleticism seen in all the subjects in each portrayal. Furthermore, the characteristics of the henchmen are all exaggerated by the use of makeup around their eyes. Making them appear more villainous and evil. The use of makeup in order to create the illusion of evil provides a key argument as to how the film aligns the Jews with the villains in order for the general public to further allow racial stereotypes. 

            The third theme that is created within the movie The Finances of the Grand Dukeis the subtle reminders of what the German people had to go through during the horrors of World War I. The first way that this reminder is illustrated within the film is when the villain, Bekker, first offers to buy the land from the Grand Duke in order for him to strip the land for sulfur. After he makes his offer, The Grand Duke reflects on the offer with a vision that depicts a once beautiful area of the island torn apart with the people of the area dying of disease that has been brought upon them.  This scene is especially close to Murnau because at first, it depicts an idyllic pastoral setting with its countrymen enjoying the land.  Murnau was brought up in a pastoral setting such as this and has a high value for its beauty.  If you are familiar with other Murnau films this should be of no surprise, he often has very beautiful cinematic shots of land, like the opening of this film for example.  In Nosferatu, the jagged countryside where the vampire lives is gorgeous, but has some frightening undertones nonetheless.  The dreamlike sequence in this film is definitely beautiful at first, until a huge smoke cloud comes billowing overhead, causing the countrymen to fall down in to a coughing fit.  The scene looks very much like a battlefield that has just been struck by a cannon, or possibly chemical warfare.  

            The shot in the sequence is actually a replication of the baroque paintings done by Spanish artist Bartolome Esteban Murillo.  In the painting below, we can pick out some similarities.  First of all, the country setting is almost exactly the same as in the film.  The clothes that the people are wearing are very pastoral and utilitarian.  Also, they have produce in a basket.  In Murnau’s film, a woman is also putting grapes into a woven basket.  Murnau was a very well educated artist and art historian himself at the Heidelberg University, so you can see why he would include such things.  

This scene is significant in two ways. The first is the depiction of the scene itself. By showing imagery that loosely illustrates some of the horrors that the veterans from World War I have seen, the audience is able to make a direct tie to the war.  This is not unlike the film Nerves that we watched. Veterans from the war constantly have flashbacks of the horrible events from the war, and these dramatic depictions help to emphasize that point of psychological damage that was inflicted on the German people.  

The second way in which the villain’s request can be tied to the events of World War I is because of the significance of the material that he actually wants to mine and profit from, sulfur. Sulfur is significant because, “sulfur mustard was used as a chemical weapon in World War I”(North Dakota Department of Health, 2012). Having the main villain in the film align with an ingredient that was once used to try to kill World War I veterans is significant in two ways. The first is that it allows the viewer to draw ties to the horrors they witnessed during the war. The second is that it allows for the villain in the film to create a subtle tie as one of the reasons for World War I. Meaning that the German people can blame the war on the Jewish people as well, making them a scapegoat for yet another problem that the German people were facing.

Another way in which the film The Finances of The Grand Dukereminded people of the war was from one of the final scenes in the film when the island of Abacco is left in unfathomable and utter chaos. The imagery from this scene is very similar to the events that occurred towards the end of World War I during the Kiel Mutiny. Bekker has convinced a group of three criminals that if they kill the Duke, he would give them a reward.  So when the Duke makes it back to the island, all these criminals attack him.  We see him tied up to a chair, and all hell breaks lose when we see people climbing on top of one another and men swinging from wall fixtures.  Philip Collins again steps up to the plate and saves the Duke with one gunshot. This scene is most definitely reminiscent of a revolution and uprising.  

The Kiel Mutiny is significant because it began the German Revolution, which eventually ended World War I and started the Weimar Republic (Duffy, 2009). The chaos of the mutiny itself as well as the political events following it, are subliminally represented within the context of this scene in the film because with the disappearance of the Grand Duke, the leader of the island, the people are flown into a chaotic frenzy that mimics the lack of leadership during the Kiel Mutiny. This is just another example of that new emotion that was emerging for a need in new leadership and government. 

The last theme that we wanted to bring up is the idea of secrecy and deceit.  During this time in history, Germany was operating under the laws established in Paragraph 175.  This was a law basically against homosexual activity.  People in Germany could be thrown in jail, and even in some case, put to death for admitting their sexual preferences.  F.W. Murnau was facing some issues himself because he was a closeted homosexual.  He lived his life trying to keep this a secret for safety reasons.  This emotion of deceit can be pulled from a number of Murnau films.  One that comes to mind that we screened was the The Last Laugh.  The doorman is ashamed of his demotion and tries to hide the fact that he is now a lowly matron.  Like most of his character, Murnau too is living a secret life.  

In The Finances of the Grand Duke, there are a number of instances of mistake in identity and secrecy in general.  The scene where Philip Collins is attempting to forge a note is interesting, because he disguises himself as a chimney sweep in order to not be recognized.  His character on the whole is very suspicious though because he has a number of aliases.  We are introduced to him as being a professor, then as a writer.  He can so seamlessly slide in and out of a number of social groups, without being pegged as irregular.   

Another character, Olga, is also lying about her identity up until the end of the film.  We know her as Olga, Mrs. Pelotard, and as the Russian Princess. Olga also has to disguise herself a number of times to get away from descendants of Ivan the Terrible. Collins dresses her up very masculine by giving her a beard and glasses with a hat.  This reminded us a lot of the movie, I Don’t Want to Be a Man, where Ossi dresses up like a gentleman and fools all of the socialites.

By making this film a comedy, Murnau helped to make it an escapist feature for the German audience.  Although, he later disowned the film entirely, we think that at the time, people enjoyed a little get away.  His reasoning for not liking this film probably comes from the fact that he had to cut more than half of it.  What we have now is a series of 6 chapters.  On the audio commentary, David Kalat compares it to the serial adventure novels at the time.  This is definitely applicable because the inter titles set up all of the scenes before hand, and all of the chapters leave you with a cliffhanger.  It is for sure not a traditional narrative like Murnau is known for creating.

Either way, it is entertaining for the audience, and we think just as well plays up on the themes that can be seen in all of the serious expressionist films.  They may not be as blatant and obvious as say a film like Nosferatu, but we think that if you look closely you can pick out some similarities between the Weimar Republic and The Finances of the Grand Duke.  Themes such as debt, Jewish prejudices, effects of the war, and deceit, all can be seen throughout this silent comedy. 

Works Cited

Duffy, Michael. "Firstworldwar.com." The Kiel Mutiny. 22 Aug. 2009. Web. 09 May 2012. <http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/kielmutiny.htm>.

Ford, Henry. The International Jew- The World's Foremost Problem. Dearborn Intdependent, 1922. Web.

"Hyperinflation." Investopedia. Web. 09 May 2012. <http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/hyperinflation.asp>.

"Hyperinflation of the Weimar Republic in 1923 Germany." Hyperinflation of the Weimar Republic in 1923 Germany. Scientific Market Analysis, 1970. Web. 09 May 2012. <http://www.usagold.com/germannightmare.html>.

Legge, Jerome. "Exploring the Symbolic Racism Thesis: The German Sense of Responsibility for the Jews."Polity 30.3 (1998): 531-45. Print.

Legge, Jerome S. "An Economic Theory of Antisemitism? Exploring Attitudes in the New German State."Political Research Quarterly 49.3 (1996): 617. Print.

"Sulfur Mustard (Mustard Gas)." North Dakota Department of Health. Web. 9 May 2012. <www.ndhan.gov>.

Harlan County, USA

By Barbara Kopple

In the 1970s, documentaries were not on the top of the film world.  This was the age of the blockbuster films, so only a handful of documentaries were released theatrically.  This film was lucky enough to be seen by a wide audience, largely in part thanks to its distributor, Cinema 5.  They got the movie out to more people, and it was actually quite a successful film.  

In 1972, the Brookside Miners of Eastern Kentucky went on strike to protest against low wages and miner safety.  They wanted to form a Union, which would be known as the United Mine Workers of America, but the Duke Power Company would not sign the standard contract.  Barbara Kopple decided to document this momentus event and spent 18 months in Harlan County, Kentucky filming over 200 mining families.  Her chronology is a little unorthodox for documentaries at this time.  The film starts in 1973 when the strike started, but then Kopple backtracks in the film and goes into a scene about the 1968 incident in which a mine collapsed and 72 men were trapped.  The major focus of the film though is the picketing that occurred in 1972.  These events led to one death, many shootings, and violent bitterness toward authority figures.  It is a powerful film that documents the lives of these miners as well as their family members who are equally as pivotal in changing their circumstances.  In this way, the film is an example of a social documentary.  

The director, Barbara Kopple, worked as an apprentice in American cinema verite with Albert and David Maysles, which you can find traces of in her later films.  This film however is a deviation from that, with her rejection of the fly on the wall impartiality.  During the late 70s, this new paradigm of documentaries was breaking through.  This format was a mixture of direct interviews and archival footage.  This was intended to bring history “to life.”  

This film has been criticized though as being highly impartial. One of the miner’s wives is quoted as saying, “They Say in Harlan County, there are no neutrals.”  I think that this statement is also true of Kopple as a filmmaker.  She is clearly one sided, and only showing the miner’s point of view.  All of the scenes involving the government or Duke Power Company negotiations have been editing in such a way to make they out as the bad guys.  She used juxtaposition editing styles to counterpoint everything that they are saying. Also, when she interviews people, she does not disguise her subjectivity at all because you can hear her talking in some of the dialogue scenes.  Do you think that this is an example of self-reflexivity?  She is not using a typical first person voice-over narration, but she is clearly involved in all the events that are unfolding onscreen. Which tactic do you think is better when making a one-sided subjective documentary?    

The wives of this film play a major role in the strikes.  Feminism was a growing movement during the mid 1970s, and one of the goals of feminism at this time was to document the lives of ordinary women.  The women portrayed in HC USA are very strong and passionate, and that is definitely shown here.  They take on domestic roles while all this is going on, as well as leadership roles. They organize picket lines, form support committees, and confront the violent nature of the “scabs.”  There is one scene in particular that stands out to me. 

Deviation from verite in sound design- working class muscial anthems had a highly emotional impact.  

As for the aftermath, three months after the contract was signed at Brookside, the national coal contract expired.  So, after the Bituminous Coal Operators Association (BCOA) and the UMW failed to reach an agreement and on November 12, 1974, the 120,000 Union Miners went back on strike.  After 3 weeks they reached a tentative agreement, but during July and August of 1975, 100,000 protested against company abuse of grievance procedures. The next year, 1976 in July, they protested the courts interference with labor management relations.  Since the film ends in this bittersweet way, it almost is asking for a call to arms from the citizens of Kentucky.  Their fight is not over, there is still a lot of progress that needs to happen. 

After she finished filming, Kopple claims that fragments of the film were used as organizing and fundraising tools throughout the coal mining community.  The film contains very pro-union arguments as well as basically a how to manual on how to strike against your employer.  

This film has been held with critical acclaim.  It won Best Feature Documentary in 1976 at the Academy Awards.  This is one of two Academy Awards for Barbara Kopple, the other being for American Dream.  The Library of Congress also inducted this documentary into the National Film Registry in 1990.  Then, in 2005, Sundance Film Festival honoredHarlan County, USAon its 30^thanniversary by introducing it into the Sundance collection.  At the event, there was a panel discussion with Kopple and Hart Perry, as well as the director and Hazel Dickens.  Film critic Roger Ebert moderated the panel.  Kopple also brought current Utah miners with her to discuss current working conditions and hardships.