Cinema Canada (May 1980)

The match of both motions seems to fling the actor forward by the craft and timing of his maker. It’s an exciting moment that promises more to come. A first film must be a shout across a canyon, so wide and deep are those first technical and logistical problems. Wisely, Moore has kept his shout simple. David Sharpe For Elizabeth p.c. York eek and Richard Zywotkiewicz (1979) d./sc. Richard Zywotkiewicz p.man. Aaron Lo ph. Robin Campbell light. Tony Sloan sd. Richard Irvine sd. ed. Richard Zywotkiewicz ed. Clint Young Lp. Maureen Brown, George Belsky, Ron Wolosyn, Ron Hughes acknowl. Theatre Ontario (STEP), Ontario Multicultural Theatre col. 16mm run. time 22 min. dist. Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre. Good intentions don’t count for much in art. However well-meaning and earnest the filmmaker, the final product may be just plain bad: For Elizabeth, a 1979, York University, student production, written and directed by Richard Zywotkiewicz, is a case in point. Despite the feeling and commitment behind this film, the end result is still corny and pretentious. Zywotkiewicz described it as “the haunting story of an immigrant widower and his daughter, in a sensitive portrayal of two lonely people, isolated, longing for the past when the family was whole. Although ambiguous and impressionistic, the film explores the breakdown of family relationships within a threatening society.” Sympathy is a tiresome justification for interest in a film character; but it is the only one in this film — and it doesn’t work. Elizabeth and her father are presented only as victims, so the drama comes too easily, and is inauthentic. Elizabeth is shy, seemingly friendless, and treated as a sex object by inconsiderate males. Even the ‘nice’ boy she meets suddenly abandons her to go overseas. Her adolescent, or post-adolescent pangs, are real enough, but they are certainly not tragic; hence, they should have been treated in this film (if at all) with much understatement. The dialogue is less at fault than are the situations. Elizabeth is shown running wildly along a frozen beach. She falls, and lies there until a young man (Prince Charming ?) comes to her aid. After an argument with her fater, she falls asleep in her room, and is awakened by a ringing phone, probably her new male friend. Instead of answering it, Elizabeth stands in front of the mirror and combs her hair. Not only is the scene unrealistic, but one JAAORT FILM REVIEWS later concludes that it is a script device, used so that the girl might receive bad news in person instead of over the telephone. Since there is no evidence to suggest that Elizabeth is actually mentally disturbed in a clinical sense, her catatonic Feature Films presently in production: ‘‘The Lucky Star”’ ‘Kings and Desperate Men” ‘‘Babe”’ e ‘‘Suzanne”’ e ‘*Your Ticket is no longer valid”’ “Yesterday” TELEX 05 267329 1500 PAPINEAU ST., MONTREAL, QUE. CANADA H2K 4L9514-527-8671 Cinema Canada/39