Share
Clip description
The senior clerk Mr Farrell (Francis Flannigan) brings pencils to Mara, the senior typist (Kate Fitzpatrick) for sharpening. The younger men in the office leer, as we hear rude comments on the soundtrack. Clyde (John Wood) makes the sexual innuendo obvious, with an off-colour remark about the older man.
Curator’s notes
A lot of tension within this office is sexual, the rest generational. Both of these are obvious in this scene, in which the sound is somewhat separated from the image. We’re not sure who’s making the loud noises, but they may be the combination of what several people are thinking. There is often a slight tone of surrealism throughout the film, a suggestion of more going on than we see.
