NORTH

US, 1994, 88 minutes, Colour.
Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Jon Lovitz, Alan Arkin, Abe Vigoda, Kathy Bates, Jason Alexander, Dan Aykroyd, Alexander Gudonov, Kelly Mc Gillis.
Directed by Rob Reiner.

North is a brief whimsical story written by Alan Zweibel (from his novel) and Andrew Scheinman (who wrote the other fantasy for an 11-year-old child, Little Big League). The film has Elijah Wood as North, being alienated from his busy and quarrelling parents (Jason Alexander and Julia Louis- Dreyfus from Seinfeld) and being allowed by a judge (Alan Arkin) to travel the world to find new parents - with some funny results as he goes to Texas (Dan Aykroyd and Reba Mc Intyre), Hawaii and Alaska (Graham Greene and Kathy Bates) and assorted locations (including the Amish with Kelly Mc Gillis and Alexander Gudonov and their brood of children, turning up from Witness).

Bruce Willis is the narrator and appears in a range of different and humorous `guardian angel' roles. It's a film that will depend on lightness of mood and audience willingness to suspend disbelief. At the end, North wakes up and finds that it has all been a dream. Direction is by Rob Reiner, better known for such films as The Sure Thing, Stand By Me, Princess Bride, Misery, A Few Good Men.

1. A film for children? What age? For adults?

2. A piece of Americana? The ordinary American boy? Texas and the family? The ordinary Texas settings, school, the mall? The background of Hawaii, Alaska? The range of international settings (and the brief parody of The Last Emperor in China)? New York City? The range of American backgrounds, atmosphere? Songs and score?

3. The film as a movie buff's entertainment with homages to films like The Last Emperor, Witness? The range of stars in supporting and cameo roles?

4. The title, the boy's name - and a sense of direction?

5. The structure of the film, North's experiences, Bruce Willis's voice-over narration? Waking up and finding it was a dream?

6. Elijah Wood as North? His age, experience? His story as a fable with heart? At home and his exasperation with his parents and their quarrelling? Their going into a coma? At school, his friends? At play, failing in sport? Sitting in his favourite chair? The opening highlighting the antagonism between parents and children?

7. The portrait of the parents? Their talking, busyness, bickering? The trousers at the shop, the fight? Their fainting, going into a coma, going to the Smithsonian as exhibits? The videotape, their saying they were sorry and wanting North back? The editing of the tape? The deadline for North coming back - and their love? The happy ending and their change of heart?

8. Bruce Willis as the pink rabbit? A guardian angel figure? His friendship with North, his wisdom? His appearing at the ranch in Texas as a hand, in Alaska, walking along the beach as a bum in Hawaii, the comedian in the club? The express? The narrator with the ideas, shooting the dollar, the proverbs and sayings to help North on his journey?

9. Winchell and his friendship, his talk, the running of the paper? His plans to be a journalist, ringing the parents, becoming an agent, getting Belt, the shady lawyer? Belt and Winchell building up an empire, politics, the campaign, using the law, the media? Using violence and the plan to assassinate North? Kidnapping the parents, making the tape, the confrontation with the parents and with North?

10. North, going to court, children and parents, the law, children as a minority, the meeting with Belt, his acting as agent? North and the sentence by the judge, the possibility of divorcing his parents and finding new parents?

11. North in the chair, the place of dreams? The plan, its going awry with Belt and Winchell? The judge and his verdict - and his verdict at the end?

12. North and his travels, to Texas, the biggest state, the biggest car, house, food, dancing - and the chorus coming in for Reba McIntyre? The background of the movie Giant? The dead son? His not wanting to stay with Ma and Pa Tex?

13. Hawaii, the governor, nice parents, aloha, the advertisement to draw tourists and the reference to his behind?

14. Alaska, the skids, the mod cons in the igloo, the genial parents, old grandfather - and his being sent out to die?

15. The visit to Paris, Jerry Lewis on every television set? The Africa of old-fashioned books? China and The Last Emperor and North's haircut?

16. Finally finding the Nelsons, New York State, the niceness of the family straight out of television series? Their warmth, family? The pretty pastel life that they led? North not wanting to stay?

17. New York, the tape, the chase, the stage and the video, express?

18. The portrait of a boy, his needs, psychology, dreams, response to parents? The advice he received? The need for love? A happy fable?