1. What do you think is the meaning of the film's title? Evaluate the role of music in this film. What role does music play in Brenda's relationship to her mother? Why does Brenda choose music as a primary means of trying to communicate with her mother? How does the use of music throughout the film stimulate your emotional response to the subject matter?
2. How would you characterize the relationship between Brenda and her mother? Are you surprised at all by any part of their relationship?
3. The two primary locations for scenes in the film are the nursing home and the studio. In the nursing home scenes natural lighting is used to film Brenda and her mother. How would you characterize the mood evoked by the use of that natural lighting? Compare that mood to the one evoked by the use of bright lights in the scenes with Brenda in the studio. What do you think the filmmaker intends to convey by the contrasting use of lighting in these two types of scenes?
4. Often Brenda appears to be acting in some of the studio scenes. She appears sad, frustrated, anxious, depressed. We know that she is not really feeling those emotions at that moment. Then why does she intend to convey by means of this "acting"?
5. Often we see reaction shots of Brenda's mother juxtaposed with images of Brenda telling her story. Often her mother reacts as if she is responding to Brenda's words. What do you think the juxtaposition of Brenda's mother with images of Brenda sharing her story are meant to convey?
6. Why does the director use closeups of the two women's hands and close shots of the two women sitting close together in the nursing home scenes?
7. What do you think the director was trying to convey by having Brenda speak directly into the camera?
8. Can you recall the ending scene of the film? Why does the director change from the scene showing Brenda kneeling in front of her mother in the nursing home to the photograph of Brenda as a child looking up at her mother?
9. What are Brenda's strengths as caregiver? Can you recall specific examples that illustrate those strengths?
10. Can you recall any examples of nonverbal communication that help you understand the mother-daughter relationship?
11. What information about Alzheimer's Disease do you learn from this film? What insights do you gain about the effects of the disease on family members? How could this film be useful to family members involved in Alzheimer's support groups?
12. Which of the scenes has the greatest emotional impact on you? Why?
13. In what ways does the film capture the essence of Ellamae's character?
14. In scene 12 Brenda asserts that she believes her mother still recognizes her. How do you respond to that statement?

Sample Worksheet

The filmmaker incorporates several interesting visual techniques in the film as Brenda shares her relationship with her mother. Consider the following questions as they relate to the visual techniques noted below:

• Can you recall specific examples of this technique from the film? What effect did that technique have on your response to Brenda and her relationship to her mother?

• What do you think the director intends to convey by using this visual technique?

• In what ways does this technique provide some perspective on the effects of Alzheimer's Disease on the individual or on the relationship between the caregiver and the person with Alzheimer's Disease?

1. Black and white photographs of Brenda's family are juxtaposed with shots of Brenda's mother in the nursing home.
2. Clips from home movies (some in color, some in black and white) of Brenda's parents and/or the children are juxtaposed with scenes filmed in the nursing home and in the studio.
3. Clips from home movies showing Brenda's parents cavorting on the lawn are juxtaposed with scenes filmed in the nursing home and in the studio.
4. Several times parts of these black and white photographs were altered before the shot ended. Part of the picture suddenly turned to color.
5. Brenda speaks directly to the camera.
6. The screen goes white at the end of some scenes.

The Great Circle of Life--Home Page

Text of The Great Circle of Life: A Resource Guide to Films and Videos on Aging, copyright © 1987, 1999, 2005, Robert E. Yahnke. All photographs copyrighted by Robert E. Yahnke.  All rights reserved.  Contact author for permission to copy photographs or reprint portions of text.

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