ONCE AROUND
US, 1991, 115 minutes, Colour.
Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, Danny Aiello, Laura San Giacomo, Gena Rowlands, Roxanne Hart, Griffin Dunne.
Directed by Lasse Hallstrom.
Once Around was directed by Lasse Hallstrom who had made My Life as a Dog in Sweden (as well as the ABBA concert film in the 1970s in Sweden and Australia. This began a several decades career in the United States with such high points as The Cider House Rules, Chocolat, The Shipping News.
The film is about an Italian family with Danny Aiello and Gena Rowlands as the parent generation, with Holly Hunter, Laura San Giacomo and Roxanne Hart as the daughters in the family. Holly Hunter is the youngest daughter, lacking in self-confidence, but who at a seminar meets a much older, rather flamboyant salesman and falls in love with him. She has her struggles to understand herself. He has a mysterious past. He is certainly not welcomed by the family.
The film, well written, has strong characterisations and also highlights the conflicts and difficulties in a family accepting an outsider. Richard Dreyfuss portrays the outsider.
The film has a humanity in it – a mark of most of Lasse Hallstrom’s films.
1. The American family? Romantic drama? Romantic comedy? the genial style?
2. The Massachusetts settings, the Boston families, Boston society? Txw the Caribbean?
3. The songs, the mood, traditional? The musical score? The national feel?
4. Family rituals, Jan’s wedding, anniversaries, baptisms, deaths?
5. Jan’s wedding, the affair, Renata and her role in the family, Joe and his drive, Marilyn and her work, Tony and Gail? Jan and Peter? Ceremonies? ‘That’s the glory of love…’? Happiness?
6. Renata, Rob, the relationship, social, love or not? No commitment? Home, the bed and the child, the airport and Jan going?
7. The Caribbean, the job, the tour, the beach, the encounter with Sam, the awkwardness and the accident, dinner? Singing? The whirlwind atmosphere? ‘Fly Me to the Moon’, the building, the return? Sam seeing the family and his response?
8. Renata and Sam, the weekend, the noise at 2.00am, the bridge and the changing business, the evacuation? The push, the meals? Jim’s role? The wedding and the repeating of the vows? Renata’s announcement, the happy marriage?
9. Renata as a type, her personality, awkwardness, youngest unhappy, yet special? Joe and his reaction? Jim and his reaction? Her parents? The skating, the pregnancy?
10. Sam, his Lithuanian background, coming to America with his mother, his style, exuberance? Over the top? Renata’s family and their reaction to his verve?
11. The parents, work, trade, retirement, pottery as a hobby, sentiment? Their finding Sam hard to take? Jan and the night talk? Jan and Peter and the contrast?
12. Tony and Gail, their life – ‘terrorist’?
13. The anniversary, no song? The birth, the title song?
14. The argument about the baptism, Renata and the ousting from home?
15. The baptism – everyone coming together? The collapse?
16. The dinner, the caution, Renata and the cigarettes?
17. The skating, the death?
18. Renata, the relationship with Sam, change? The once around?
19. American joy, happiness – and the resolution of conflict, especially in families?
