GOIN' SOUTH

US, 1978, 108 minutes, Colour.
Jack Nicholson, Mary Steenburgen, Christopher Lloyd, John Belushi.
Directed by Jack Nicholson.

Goin’ South is one of the three films directed by Jack Nicholson (the other two were his previous Drive, He Said and the later Two Jakes, the sequel to Chinatown).

The film is a rather droll comedy set in the west. Jack Nicholson portrays a man who is not the cleverest and who is about to be hanged on the gallows. However, after the civil war, there is legislation that if somebody marries a condemned man then he can be saved – although he has to live with his wife and not leave her. Mary Steenburgen portrays a young woman trying to work a mine, who marries the man on the gallows. Mary Steenburgen was introduced in this film and was nominated for a Golden Globe for best debut performance.

There are some familiar faces in the supporting cast who were to emerge during the 1980s including Christopher Lloyd, John Belushi and Danny de Vito.

The film is an entertainment – and one wonders why it was particularly dear to Jack Nicholson and his wanting to direct it. However, he does it with his usual droll panache.

1. An entertaining western comedy? A blend of the expected western ingredients, comic variations, an ironic romance - a variation on The Taming Of The Shrew? How well did they blend together for satisfying entertainment?

2. The film as a Jack Nicholson vehicle? His acting style, his presence, his direction - and his putting the other actors and actresses into prominence? An enjoyable film made enjoyably?

3. The re-creation of the atmosphere of Texas in the 19th. century? Serious and with the light touch? The Rio Grande as the boundary and outlaws trying to get to Mexico, issues of law and order, the administration of the growing towns, life on the ranches, the mining for gold, the building of the railroad, the incidental discovery of oil? The use of colour especially for the exterior locations? The strong emphasis on interiors and their lighting? The use of light and shadow, especially with the profiles e.g. in the mines? How personal did this make the western and its drama?

4. The significance and tone of the long opening? The focus on Henry, his horse, the riding, the vistas of Texas, of the desert, the pursuit? The long distance shots and their static tone compared with the dynamism of the chase, Henry and his getting across the Rio Grande - and the humour of his horse fainting? His defying his pursuers and their defying the law and arresting him? The prison scenes, and the dingy hole in which he found himself, the emphasis on the people gaping at him, especially the ladies who came to look? The ironic visit of the gang and their attitudes? words about her lovers and the blow to his pride? Towfild and his unconcealed laughter and hostility? The parson and the praying of the prayers in a parsonic way? The effect of the arrest and imprisonment on Henry - remembering his life, being an outlaw, facing death? The build-up to the revelation of the ordinance and Towfild's hiding this? The eagerness for Henry? The old lady who volunteered, Henry's eagerness - and her dying? The town and their all looking on, the ladies from the brothel and their comments? Julia's decision to speak up, the relief for Henry - and its later irony? The speed of their marriage? Henry Moon's attitude towards the marriage and getting away? Wanting to go south - and humorously and ironically achieving this at the end?

5. The attention to detail of the atmosphere of the town, the close-ups of the various people there, the attitudes in the post-Civil War towns? The memory of Quantrell's raiders, the younger gangs, the outlaws and the bank robberies, the need for the establishment of law and order, the people administering this? The reformed criminals who had been saved from the gallows because of their marriages? Religion taking over, respectability, the banks? The atmosphere of the saloons? Familiar western material but presented in more detail?

6. Audience initial impression of Julia? Did it coincide with Henry's impression? Julia as a match for Henry especially as revealed at the wedding, the ride home, making him wipe his shoes, giving him the work clothes? Her home as manifesting her character in its neatness and functionalism? Her busyness? Putting him to work in the mine? Her background, her father and his dreams, the narrow spinster? The hurried meal and giving him the boiled chicken - and the way he ate it and his reaction? Hanging up the chairs etc.? His innuendo and his remarks about sex and her reaction? Keeping her distance? The audience knowing that it was a matter of time before this shrew was tamed? The effect on her of marrying Henry? Treating him as a workhorse? Her fears? Being alone? Her prudish attitudes and yet her curiosity about his remarks? The importance of the visit of the wives and their innuendo, hints? The husbands and their comments? Henry entertaining the visitors to tea etc.?

7. Henry and his roughness, the night in the barn, the night and the pig with him in the morning? His language, work? His tying her up and practically raping her and her reaction? - a sexual variation on The Taming Of The Shrew? The effect on each? The mellowing of his attitudes, her becoming more fond of him?

8. The film spent a lot of time in the mine - with attention to the mining -the purpose of this, the hard work? His philosophy of dreams and then the sudden find? The shrewdness in putting the gold in the bank? Hiding the significance of the find? The drama of the collapse of the mine, the bringing of them together especially in his finding the outlet and rescuing her, her gratitude?

9. Henry in the town, the discussions and drinks with Towfild, the horse and the urine? The arrest? The town and its attitudes towards the final shoot-out?

10. The visit of the gang, their making merry and Henry keeping UP appearances,' Julia and her trying to keep up appearances, playing the piano, getting drunk? The effect of her loosening up? Their discovery of the gold, the plans for the robbery? The siege and the shoot-out and Henry moving away from them?

11. Julia's misunderstanding when she saw Henry go, talking to Hermione? Her decision to sell out? The irony of selling out - and the surveyor and his visit and his spying on Julia when she was washing and Henry's spirited defence of her and the fight? Henry's discovery of what had happened and his wanting to save the marriage? His chasing the coach? (The irony of the people with the oil and thinking they had nothing?) Her decision to join him and their both going south - would they have a happy life together?


12. The comic western - the small scope of the incidents, the comic presentation of the ordinary? How authentic? Insight into characters and humanity?

13. The film as a romantic presentation of human nature and a variation of The Taming of the Shrew?