Submission, written and directed by Richard Levine based on the novel by Francine Prose

Submission, written and directed by Richard Levine based on the novel by Francine Prose

Submission is a very good film, although so far public and critic have not been thrilled, coming in the middle of the storm created by the MeToo movement, following a myriad allegations and proved harassment, abuse cases, the overwhelming majority inflicted by powerful men on women in a disadvantaged position.

To state from the start, professor Ted Swenson is wrong, culpable as one of those men who benefited from their privileged stature, gaining advantage and benefits over a woman is much younger, unexperienced and a student.

The hero is portrayed by the remarkable, wondrous Stanley Tucci, while the very talented Addison Timlin is the student of creative writing Angela Argo, a woman who is obstinate, brave, determinate, somewhat cunning – perhaps more than somewhat – creative, assertive.

Ted Swenson is an acclaimed author who has had a book published, which enjoyed critical and popular acclaim, but since that first success, he struggles to follow up with another worthy book, in spite of the urging of his editor.

Angela Argo studies in his class, where she is very vocal and critical of the creations of fellow student, only she has not yet read her compositions, up to the point where the others complain and she has to submit to open fire and demolition.

However, she does have a work in progress, she brings the first chapter to the hero, and asking him nicely if he can read, express an opinion, if this would be amenable and he does look it over, with increasing interest and stupefaction.

Because this is so god the protagonist is mesmerized, not just impressed, but overwhelmed, stating his astonishment, lauding the young girl, asking for more chapters, that are up to the same high standard.

The novel is called Eggs, a name that is so burned in the mind of the professor that when he attends a party with other teachers, he responds that the name of his next book, the one he works on is…Eggs.

At the same shindig, the professors discuss the issue of harassment, new codes and standards – and it is not just here and now, this is one of the main themes if not the one of the paramount importance.

Ted Swenson has an outburst, when the others mention that they keep the door open when they discuss with students, the question of Dickens and the new interpretations, the new forbidden acts, expressions, mannerisms, which overwhelm the hero.

The professor of creative writing says that this is all going too far – it certainly feels like that, probably mostly for us, male retrograde individuals used with passé standards- and he opines that some of these reactionaries should be locked in a room and made to face the real world.

One approves the idea that young men and women of the world today are too pampered, protected from any vision, point of view they could feel uneasy with, all the effort is to avoid a perspective that can be challenged, but this is the recipe for disaster.

Angela Argo meanwhile keeps asking various favors – which she would later turn into “false truths”- from the kind, affable professor who is impressed by her rather heavily erotic writing and provides services.

There are quite a few controversial aspects about this attractive student, some of which are highlighted by Magda Moynahan aka Janeane Garofalo, another teacher who thinks little of the compositions, some poems that the girl had presented and Ms. Moynahan thinks are lurid, even obscene.

The climax or nadir, depending on how you see it, might be reached when Angela is asking help from her professor, because she has a hard disk problem with her laptop, she had tried to get things online, but had trouble returning defective machinery…

If he could help her buy a new laptop, it would be wonderful, maybe drive her to the store, which he first declines, then accepts, taking the woman not just to the laptop venue, but also upon her request, getting to her place upstairs.

It must be highlighted that the man stood back in the first instance when all the propositions were uttered, refusing to help with the installation, confessing that he knows nothing about it and giving in only when pressed.

In her room, she stays in an alluring position, then takes the first steps that lead to some sex, up to the moment when the hero breaks a tooth, they stop, with her becoming increasingly demanding of favors, in consequent meetings.

This is not to say that the teacher is absolved of guilt, on the contrary, it could be argued that he is much more responsible than the younger, less privileged woman who thinks of a way to get ahead, to have an established author promote her upcoming book with his editor.

The conclusion of the under signed is that she bears some responsibility and is not altogether the saintly, blameless victim, which makes the motion picture more complex, interesting, intriguing…it provokes audiences in debates, perhaps with female members of the public arguing with their male friends on who has to take more of the blame, the older teacher or the younger, tempting female…

Ultimately, a question mark hangs over the title – Submission would make many in Europe, especially in France, think of Michel Houellebecq, who envisages a radically different type of Soumission – who submits?

Is it the trapped professor or the aspiring, hopeful debutante?