NOBODY'S FOOL

US, 1994, 110 minutes, Colour.
Paul Newman, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith, Jessica Tandy, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Philip Bosco, Dylan Walsh, Gene Saks.
Directed by Robert Benton.

Nobody's Fool brought Paul Newman another best actor nomination and he won the Berlin Festival best actor award. Newman, by the '90s, is an American icon and never more so than in this film. It is both serious and funny.

The film has a small town setting, so familiar from the movies. It is fall and winter. The audience is invited into the life of the town and meets its quite wide range of eccentric characters. Newman is relied on by a lot of people. He is a construction worker, sixtyish, separated long since from his wife and rarely seeing his son and his family. But, at last, he has a chance to relate to his grandson - after being a failure as a father, he now delights in being a grandfather.

The film is one of Jessica Tandy's last films and she gives yet another wonderful portrait of a dignified ageing woman. Bruce Willis is very good as the callow construction boss and Melanie Griffith his unsettled wife. The film was written and directed by Robert Benton (Bonnie and Clyde, Superman, Places in the Heart, Kramer vs Kramer).

1. A Paul Newman film, tribute to him and his abilities? An American male icon? A portrait of America, the small town: Our Town?

2. The New York State locations, winter, the snow, the homes, the diner and the bar? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score and songs?

3. The title, the focus on Don Sullivan? Nobody's fool - but, perhaps, his own?

4. The town of North Bath as a character and an environment? The Tip Top Construction Company, the old dilapidated buildings, the roads, the projected theme park and the banner? The snow, the houses, diner, inn, jail, the court? The contrast with the country club? The author's perception of the town, affection, its dying, hopes? The small American town of the '90s?

5. Paul Newman's screen presence and performance as Sully? The Irish background, stubborn, his age, experience? The injury and his bad knee, arthritis? His friendship with Rub? Rub and his simplicity, their working together, friendship? Sully taking care of him? Going to court, the lawyer and his inept defence, searching for the papers? The lawyer as his good friend? The judge and his exasperation? Sully wanting to get the money from Carl, the clashes with Carl? Yet taking jobs from him, playing poker with him and with Ruby? The visit to Toby, liking her, feeling sorry for her with Carl? His advice? Boarding with Miss Beryl, her teaching him at school, the friendship, fixing the railing on the porch? Their talking together? Referring to her son as the Bank? His jobs, the pick-up, flat tyre - often down on his luck? The mini bets (even on Family Court) and his generally losing - except for the lawyer?

6. Hitching the ride, seeing Peter and the kids, the three years' absence? The lift, the boy hitting him? The invitation to Thanksgiving Dinner? Stealing Carl's snow plough? Going to the diner, the friends, the bar, the meals? Thanksgiving morning and his getting a ticket, the clash with the police officer? His finally visiting Vera, the background of their marriage, his walking out after a year? The family fight, the kids? Will in the back of the truck? Giving him an ice cream, phoning his father? The discovery of being a grandfather, his affection? Peter's comment that the affection skipped a generation?

7. Peter and Sully's past, the absent father, the clash with Vera, friendship with Ralph, even to giving him the snow plough and hiding it? Five blocks away? The affection for Peter, meeting him in the bar, getting him to steal the snow plough, climbing the fence, giving the dog pills? Peter and his working with his father, Sully telling his son stories about the hardness of his own father, the sad memories in the house and its dilapidation? Carl and the discussion about the house, giving him the floorboards? Leaving Will outside, the boy wanting to go to his father, Sully giving him the watch and explaining about timing his being unafraid? Rub, Rub's anger with Peter, throwing the beer can, not liking the nickname Sancho? Going away, Sully following in the pick-up, on the sidewalk, confronted by the policeman, the shot, punching him in the eye? The talk in the bar before going to jail? Being let out for the funeral - and discovering what was going on in the town and missing out on the lottery? Going before the judge, the judge being on his side and his comments on the policeman and his ineptitude?

8. The importance of Sully in the town, going to get Miss Hattie when she walked out in the snow, and taking her back home? His clashes with Miss Beryl's son? The scene in the diner? Friendship with Beryl, taking her to hospital when she had a stroke? The friendship with Rub and his being hurt? Toby and giving her advice, her inviting him to go to Hawaii with her? The affectionate farewell?

9. Sully's life coming together, getting sense, luck with Peter buying the lottery ticket, his becoming a grandfather and getting some meaning in his life?

10. The portrait of Beryl, teacher in the past, talking with her dead husband, her wariness about her banking son, not giving him the money, not selling the house, wanting Sully to stay? Her age, the stroke, not wanting to tell her son? Paying the back taxes and the gift of the house for Sully?

11. The Bank, his hopes for the town, the country club friends, the scene in the diner and his being humiliated - the phone call about the deal and his skipping town?

12. Carl, his heart condition, work, with Sully, their clashes, not paying? His neglecting Toby, her pregnancy? His affair with Ruby? His changing heart - only for a short time? Stealing the snow plough, the dog - and giving it to Sully? Miss Beryl allowing it in the house? The final with them playing strip poker - and Toby's leaving him?

13. Toby, her love for Carl, pregnancy, exasperation, throwing him out, the affectionate talking with Sully, the dream of Hawaii, the decision to leave, the scene in the club? The affectionate farewell?

14. Rub, simplicity, working with Sully, their friendship, his being hurt by Peter, walking off, wanting to be friends, tearful? Playing poker?

15. The lawyer, Jewish, his leg, not good in court, friendship with Sully, playing cards? Will and his giving him the leg after the poker game?

16. The police officer, clash with Sully, the fight, the shooting? The police chief and his exasperation? The opinion of the judge?

17. Miss Hattie's diner, her daughter? Sully helping out? The iron horse, the proprietor, the friendships, the sad reminiscences? At home at the bar?

18. Peter, his life, his mother and father, wanting affection? Meeting Sully, the kids playing up? His wife leaving him? Vera and her wanting things just so, her exasperation? Ralph as kindly and being a good father to Peter? Peter and the absence, with Will, the importance of the unemployment, wanting a job, hard work, putting himself through college? Sully getting him to ring his wife - and the possibility of reconciliation?

19. A realistic/affectionate portrait of ordinary American people in an ordinary American town of the '90s?