University of Virginia Library

Melodramatic Ending

Mr. Pollack builds the human
drama carefully and then lets it
explode in the melodramatic ending,
which unfortunately does not
come off quite as convincingly as it
should. We also must take critical
issue with his awkward employment
of "flash-forwards." But both
of these points are secondary to the
director's arrest of our mind and
emotions, which is achieved through
the fine delineation of the characters.

Gloria and her baby-faced partner,
Robert, are the couple in
whom we are most interested
because they are the ones who
ultimately reach an epiphany concerning
the futility of the dancers'
efforts. Gloria enters the contest an
independent, conservatively attractive
girl with much determination.
As the marathon wears on and as
her appearance becomes increasingly
bedraggled, she closely examines
the moral fiber of her counterparts
and herself. Concurrently, she develops
a caustic awareness of the
impossibility of anyone's real victory.
During one of the ten minute
rest periods which the dancers are
awarded every two hours, a matron
tells her she should be sleeping, and
Gloria states in a detached manner,
"I'd just wake up."

Robert's realization of the facts
is slower and more subtly depicted,
for he is somewhat of an innocent.
Nonetheless, by the time Gloria is
ready to attempt her escape, he
understands and sympathizes with
her outlook, and when his no
longer independent partner asks for
assistance, he rationalizes the situation
and willingly obliges.