NO WAY OUT
US, 1987, 116 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, Sean Young, Will Patton, George Dzundza, Howard Duff.
Directed by Roger Donaldson.
No Way Out is an excellent thriller. It is a reworking of the screenplay for the 1947 film, The Big Clock, with Charles Laughton and Ray Milland. This time it has been shifted from a newspaper office to the Pentagon and the Secretary for Defence.
Kevin Costner has a very good role as the naval officer who finds himself at the centre of an investigation which he himself has been deputed to lead. It is a cover-up for an accidental killing by the Secretary of Defence. The investigation is also for an alleged Russian undercover agent, disguised as an American, Yuri. Gene Hackman is very good as the Secretary of Defence. Sean Young is very attractive as his mistress who is accidentally killed. Will Patten gives a superb performance as the zealously dedicated assistant to the Secretary of Defence.
The film has a twist at the end which amazed audiences on its first release. It is a twist which is completely unexpected - and reminds audiences of the skills of film-makers in directing the audience's attention where they want.
The film was directed by Roger Donaldson, the Australian-born director of the New Zealand films Sleeping Dogs and Smash Palace, as well as of The Bounty, Marie, Cocktail.
1. Effective thriller? Murder, cover-up? Espionage? American politics? The twist at the end?
2. Based on The Big Clock? The update? The tight screenplay, sense of atmosphere? The work of Roger Donaldson?
3. The title and the focus, on Tom Farrell, the mood, the ironies?
4. The importance of the film-makers in getting audience attention, expectations and presuppositions, judging? The twist at the end?
5. The opening sequence with the flight over Washington? The city, the hotels, the Pentagon? The locations for the film inside and outside Washington? The political world? Its atmosphere? The pounding musical score? Use of songs?
6. The interrogation framing of the film: Tom Farrell and the questions, his memories, observations? The audience awaiting the return to the interrogation? The irony of the subtitles and the speaking in Russian? The realisation about the interrogation?
6. Tom under interrogation, the memories of six months before? Kevin Costner as hero, a pleasant and credible hero? His ambition, the Navy, going to the party, with Scott Pritchard, being introduced to the Secretary, Bryce's snub? The attractiveness of Susan, picking her up? Leaving the party, the sexual encounter in the limousine? The relationship, the irony of her relationship with Bryce? Tom away, in the Navy, his heroism, the reports? Ringing from the overseas club and its noise? Talking with Susan? His return?
8. The relationship between the two: friendship, sexual passion, friendship? The weekend together, the hotel, the boat - and the ironies of the personnel later being used for the investigation?
9. Susan and Bryce, their relationship? Bryce's admiration for Susan and dependence on her? Seeing Tom outside the apartment without recognising him? His anger with Susan, slapping her, causing her death?
10. Bryce and his work, the phantom submarine, Senator Duval and his criticisms, the interest of Marshall and the CIA? His style, social world and manner? His collapse after the killing, ringing Pritchard, agreeing to his hypothesis, his continued anxiety, work, in his office? The realisation of the truth and the confrontation with Scott? Trying to persuade Tom? The melodrama of Scott's killing himself? Proof of his relationship with Susan? Tom sending it to the CIA? His ultimate defeat?
11. Scott, devoted, saying he was prepared to lay down his life for Bryce? His philosophy of power, skill in advice, the breakfast sequence, Senator Duval? His having to escort Susan and his distaste for this? Urging Tom's promotion, admiring Tom's diplomacy at the beginning of his work? His framing of the theory about Yuri? The detailed cover-up, the removal of Susan's corpse, planting the evidence, controlling the investigation? His interviewing Nina and his vicious style? The interview with his men and the pursuit of Nina? His anger with Tom, the threats? Wanting to know the CIA view? His manner, his being confided in by Sam and killing him? The truth, his argument about Yuri and identifying Tom? His extreme disappointment with Bryce? The background of his homosexuality and devotion to Bryce? His melodramatic and violent shooting of himself?
12. Tom and his pursuit of the investigation, his diplomacy in his work for Bryce, the discovery about Susan's death, the irony of his being in charge? His relationship to Bryce, to Scott? His friendship with Sam and telling him the truth? The information, the police officers? Assisting with the questioning of Nina? The irony and his readiness for violence, his thanking her for concealing his identity?
13. The desperate car drive, racing through the shopping mall to protect Nina? The police officials, the men from the hotel and the wharf ready to identify him? Sam telling Scott the truth, the showdown in Bryce's office? The effect of Scott's killing himself, Bryce accusing the dead Scott of being the killer?
14. His background in Washington, his agent and control, giving him the letters on his return from overseas service? His drive away from the Pentagon, being found by the Russians, the interrogation? His being let go? His life in Washington? Yet having achieved all that had been planned in his identity as Yuri?
15. The friendship with Sam, paraplegic, his skills, the framing of the photograph, his hearing the truth, his anxiety, the decision to tell Scott, his death?
16. Senator Duval, his power, confrontations with Bryce? Links with the CIA, the CIA following Susan, knowing of her link with Scott and Bryce? The irony of Marshall's comment about Bryce's dilemma? Finally receiving the evidence? The skills of the computer and Sam's getting the evidence of the gift to Bryce and linking him with Susan?
17. How well did the plot work? The focus of audience attention and sympathy? The end?
