WE'RE NO ANGELS
US, 1989, 106 minutes, Colour.
Robert De Niro, Sean Penn, Demi Moore, Hoyt Axton, Bruno Kirby, James Russo, Wallace Shawn, Ray Mc Annally, John C.Reilley.
Directed by Neil Jordan.
We're No Angels has promising credentials. It is based on a popular play, The Kitchen of Angels by the Bella and Sam Spewak. It was filmed in 1955 with Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, Aldo Ray, Joan Bennett and Basil Rathbone with the title, We're No Angels. This screenplay is based rather loosely on the originals.
It was written by David Mamet, the noted and prize-winning playwright whose film screenplays include The Verdict, The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Untouchables, House of Games and Things Change. The film was directed by Irishman Neil Jordan whose credits include Angel, The Company of Wolves, Mona Lisa and the rather weak comedy High spirits.
As the convicts the film has Robert de Niro (who, unfortunately, is in his mugging vein) and Sean Penn who gives a very good performance as the slightly dumb convict. The supporting cast includes Demi Moore as a widow, James Remar as a loathsome convict, Hoyt Axton as a genial abbot, Wallace Shawn as a monk and Ray Mc Anally in one of his last films as the prison governor.
Unfortunately, the film does not come together too well. Promising situations are not played for what they are worth, the satire on prisons, prison escape films, the church and shrines is not particularly striking. In fact, the film is quite a disappointment considering the talent that put it together.
1. The impact of the comedy? The blend of the comic and the serious? The sentimental?
2. The 1935 settings, the winter on the American/Canadian border? The colour photography, the use of blues, bleached colour to suggest atmosphere, the season and the period of the depression? The musical score, the background of religious and choral music?
3. The origins of the film in play and previous film version? The plausibility 6f the plot? Comic style, farce?
4. The opening in the prison, the sombre look of the prison, hard labour? Yards, the tough atmosphere? The severity of the superintendent, his speech? Bob and the build up to the execution, the haircut? Ned and Jim as two ordinary convicts, watching? The superintendent’s verdict, beating Jim? The sudden takeover, the drama of the escape, the rough house, the shooting, the disguises, the chute, and their getting out?
5. Bob as a vicious criminal, leaving them in the cold? The deer? Thinking they would die? Meeting the lady in the street, her mistaking them for the priests, giving them a ride? Their plans? The shop and the cigarettes? The lady identifying them? Getting them clothes? The possibilities for escape or going back? The lady introducing them to the Abbot? The priests they were supposed to be, their reputations? The importance o the Abbey, the shrine, the weeping virgin? The community, the earnest young monk (the peg and his shoes)?
7. Ned as the tough convict, Robert de Niro and his mugging style, his friendship with Jim? Sean Penn and the clever presentation of the dumb convict? Their characters, encounters together, the bonds between the two, helping each other, the effect of the escape, the clothes, becoming monks? Their awkwardness in the religious house? The meals, the rituals, saying grace? the Bishop and his translator, the interfering monk? The confessions and Ned's advice to the adulterous man? The need to break the chains? The discussions with the young monk? The encounter with Molly, her child? Her charging $5, confession? The policeman? Molly's anger? The plea for the procession and the role of the Bishop? The build-up to the lottery, giving the sermon? The statue, the shoes, the escape, the weeping statue?
8. Bob and his escape, being wounded, Ned letting him out, the statue, the shooting, taking the hostage, the fall into the river, the dive, the statue saving the girl? The waterfall? The talk and the explanations?
9. The final decisions, the role of the Abbot, Molly changing her attitude, Ned staying, Jim deciding to go back into the monastery?
10. The police, the confession, helping resolve the situation?
11. The portrait of the superintendent, his vicious approach, the relentless pursuit, death?
12. The picture of the people in the town, ordinary citizens, the shrine town, the processions and their religious fervour? The climax with the rescue of the child?
13. The background of the shrine, its meaning, the weeping virgin, the leaking roof, the comments of the Abbot, peoples devotion - and superstition?
14. The play on the mistaken identity, the background of the religious house and its lifestyle, the comic variations? Genial convicts in a monastery?
