KING OF THE HILL

US, 1993, 109 minutes, Colour.
Jesse Bradford, Jeroen Krabbe, Lisa Eichhorn, Karen Allen, Spalding Grey, Elizabeth Mc Govern.
Directed by Steven Sodebergh.

King of the Hill is a fine memoir of American writer, A.E.Hotchner (friend and companion of Ernest Hemingway). This film is based on his writings (and was released in the same period as other memoirs: A River Runs Through It and This Boy's Life).

The setting of St Louis in the Depression is vividly realised, life in a hotel reminiscent of that in Barton Fink, as well as on the streets and in schools and in mansions in the period.

The film was written and directed by Steven Soderbergh, who created such an impact with his first film, Sex, Lies and Videotape (winner at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival). His second film, Kafka, was unreleased up to the period of King of the Hill. He went on to make The Underneath and Out of Sight.

King of the Hill is a more conventional choice for a successful movie. However, Soderbergh treats it in a blend of realistic and surrealistic style. The characters are well defined - with a touch of the weird and inexplicable about them.

The casting is striking. Jesse Bradford is excellent as the young boy. Jeroen Krabbe and Lisa Eichhorn are his parents, Karen Allen his teacher. Spalding Gray is his neighbour and Elizabeth Mc Govern is a callgirl.

While the film is a rites of passage story, the young boy having to cope on his own in the hotel, his absent parents, his brother sent to San Francisco, resisting the hotel assistant who wants to lock out residents who do not pay, a friend who is a thief, clashing with the police, inflating stories of his own background - the film is also a portrait of America during the Depression.

1. An interesting and entertaining memoir? Re-creation of the period? Symbol of the United States?

2. 1933 and its atmosphere, the city of St Louis, the district of the hotel, the hotel itself, the school, the streets, the mansions of the wealthy? The score and its period?

3. The title and expectations, Aaron and his later perspective? The work of Steven Soderbergh and his perspective?

4. The writer A.E. Hotchner, his books, memoirs? The significance of the voice-over and its realistic and ironic tone? Avoiding sentimentality?

5. Aaron as the focus of the film, his age and experience? The American boy? A rites of passage story? Family relationships? Poverty, oppression during the Depression? The hard life, travelling, the work of the salesman, the ill mother? Aaron and his imagination and lies? The boy who was able to survive and make good?

6. The portrait of the Kurlanders, the genial father and his background, style, the travelling salesman, on the road, the firm and the car, managing with the petrol, hanging onto sales - with people who didn't want his goods? The loving mother, her nerves, her illness, having to go away to the sanatorium? Sullivan and his being younger than Aaron? The bonds between the brothers? The letters and having to send him away to California? Life in the hotel, the world of the hotel room? The world of the Depression?

7. The portrait of the father, his lively extroverted style, continued travels, his love for Sullivan but sending him away, care for his wife and her going to the sanatorium, the responsibility of leaving Aaron by himself, his lack of contact, his return, his job, the money, Aaron coming to terms with the money, the question of the car and getting it from the sight of the police? His participation in the family's escape and moving to a new city?

8. The portrait of the mother, her illness, her love, at the sanatorium, Aaron's visit to her and her having to be quarantined, her dreams, the reunion at the end?

9. Sullivan and his being part of the family, going away, Aaron's grief, writing the letter, his unexpected return, helping with the escape from the hotel?

10. Aaron and his having to cope by himself, the effect on his character? The interactions with Ben, Ben and his locking out the non-paying residents, the antagonism towards Ben? The stealing of the residents' goods and locking them in the room? His friendship with Lester, Lester and his thieving, Lester's entanglements with the police? Stealing the key, stealing the clothes for graduation? Lester's arrest and giving Aaron his knife? Aaron at school, his skills, ability in writing, reading out the story? His imagination? Miss Mathy and her care for Aaron, supporting him in the school? His special award? The graduation and its atmosphere, getting the prize? His friendship with Christine, being taken to her home, the rich children, the adults, the wealthy atmosphere? His stories? The humiliation and his escape? His friendship with Ella and her mother, living in the hotel, Ella's disability, communication with Aaron and helping him, the music and the dance, their departure? Mr Mungo and his lifestyle, Lydia and her always being there? Aaron and the discussions, interactions? The impact of finding Mr Mungo dead, the blood? The police and the interactions? His father's car? The young boy coping with more than might be expected of him?

11. The sketch of Lester, his age, experience, in the hotel, thieving, the management, the interactions with the police, friendship with Aaron, giving him his knife?

12. Ben and his self-righteousness, antagonism towards the residents, the techniques of the lockout, taking the goods? Aaron and one-upping him?

13. School, the school staff, atmosphere, students, detail of classes? Miss Mathy, care for Aaron, listening to the story, encouraging him? Discussions with the staff, Aaron's prize?

14. Christine, her friendship, the family? Aaron finding himself out of place? Interactions with the other students? The stories about his family - disbelief?

15. Mr Mungo, opting out of life, his eloquence, relationship with Lydia? Lydia as the callgirl, her nonchalance, manner with Mungo, with Aaron? His suicide and its impact on Aaron? The management, the hotel and the guests? Trying to survive in the Depression?

16. Ella and Mrs Mc Shane, illness, friendship, music? Having to find doctors for Ella?

17. A portrait of an American childhood, a particular period, growing up, the impact of this childhood experience on the life of an imaginative writer?