Viewing Journal 1: The Lady Vanishes

On Monday, January 3, you will view The Lady Vanishes.  On Tuesday, January 4, you will submit—via email—a two- to three-page typed response to the film that answers the following questions.  You may answer the questions in the order specified or write an analysis that incorporates your answers to the questions.

To submit your response, type the journal into a word processing program.  Once you’ve saved your document, copy the text, open your email program, and paste the text into a new email message.  Send your journal to kgb@u.washington.edu by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 4.

For this journal entry, you will analyze the plot of The Lady Vanishes.  In general, you should consider how various elements (characters, setting, time) contribute toward the plot and how the plot begins, progresses, and ends.  You should also think about what effect the plot elements and the unfolding of the plot have on the viewer  The following questions should help you to examine the plot of the film:

1. Who are the key characters?  What traits do they possess (behavior, personality, physical attributes, beliefs, etc.)?  How do their traits play a specific role in the plot?

2. How does the film open?  What is the setting and situation?  Which characters are introduced?  How does the film’s opening set up the plot?

3. How does the plot progress?  What new characters, settings, and situations are introduced?  Does the plot unfold around a change in knowledge?  The obtaining of a goal?  Something else?  What effect does the unfolding of the plot, the introduction of new characters, and the change in setting have on the viewer?

4. What is the climax and resolution of the plot?  Why does the plot climax and close in this way?

5. Does the viewer learn things as the characters learn them?  Before the characters gain knowledge?  After?  Why do viewers receive information when they do?

6. How often do we see something from a particular character’s point of view (see what he or she is looking at)?  Why do we see through a particular character’s eyes at specific moments in the plot?