Suitcase of Love and Shame

This unusual documentary sheds light on a relationship through audio recordings—left behind by a couple—that director Jane Gillooly came across through an eBay auction. In the mid-1960s, Tom and Jeannie, whose accents suggest a Midwestern provenance, recorded over 60 hours of material, which was all stored in a suitcase. Tom, a veterinarian, starts by talking about seeing patients, while Jeannie, a veterinary assistant, makes comments about watching television (they don't work together). He calls her darling, she calls him daddy. As they speak, images of cassettes, non-figurative photos, and approximations of locations they mention appear on the screen. Tom also records songs, like “In the Still of the Night,” when he isn't whistling or singing into the microphone. At first, the pair appear to be husband and wife, but it soon becomes clear that they're having an affair. Both mention their robust sex life—including their rendezvous at his office after hours (Tom keeps nude photos of Jeannie as mementos, and makes references to hugging, kissing, and more risqué activities—with the sound of those activities sometimes included). The explicit passages make it seem likely that the couple didn't intend these tapes for anyone other than themselves, so it's hard not to feel like a voyeur while listening. Towards the end, Tom reveals that his wife, Lucille, has found out about the affair, after which events take an interesting and unexpected turn. A strange love story that touches on a number of topics ranging from interpersonal relationships to privacy, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)