FREEBIE AND THE BEAN

US, 1974, 113 minutes, Colour.
Alan Arkin, James Caan, Loretta Swit, Jack Kruschen, Mike Kellin.
Directed by Richard Rush.

Freebie And The Bean could well sum up many cinema trends of the early 70s. It is certainly one of the most violent - an orgy of violence on the American streets, with people shoved indiscriminately out of the relentless path of criminal and police alike.
The tone of the film is black comedy (most disconcerting to find oneself laughing at what is objectively repellent) pushing, MASH-like, the dedication of the law enforcers to limits beyond the law. Thus, this violent film looks like a comedy of anarchy. But it presupposes some sense of order in the audience so that the film will effectively shock.

1. What kind of film was this? How could it be described? Comedy, drama, police action?

2. What kind of response was it asking of the audience? How complex? Could audiences cope with the response?

3. How well made was the film? Its technical achievement? How important was it as a film of the violent 70s.

4. Comment on the use of Panavision and colour, the San Franciscan locations, the use of cars and bikes, the music and the background that it provided?

5. How good was the film as a police action film? The details of the police work, the cars, responsibility to authority, surveillance, the dangers, the interaction of the police amongst themselves? The questions of police integrity or not? Police work as a job, career? Ambitions and money? Efficiency or not? The values behind law enforcing? The image of the police?

6. How ironic was the film as a police action film? The black comedy about the police, the bickering of Freebie and Bean amongst themselves, the violence of their methods, their mistakes, the man with the bar bashing him, the innocent victim, the use and abuse of cars, their unorthodox methods, their moral stands etc.? How seriously was this meant to be taken?

7. The theme of anarchy and law: what is anarchy and what is law, what is law for, what are standards, what are the values of the police? What was the impact on the audience in this presentation of anarchy and law?

8. How effective is black comedy? Audience laughing at an excess of violence, laughing at horrifying examples of inhumanity, car crashes, knocking over art shows, bashing people in restaurants.? Why was this funny in this film? How did audiences feel at laughing?

9. What was being explored in the character of Freebie? The American male, the white man and his arrogance, racism, use of cars, pride in himself, slinging off at everyone else, acting on hunches, rushing into shoot outs? His quality as a policeman? As a man? As a friend to Bean? The revelation of his personality in Ms meal with his girlfriend? The discussion about The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, about heroes and heroism? How human was he? How suspicious a person was he? e.g. as regards Mrs. Bean? Was Freebie a likeable character? Why? How real was he?

10. How did Bean contrast with him? The same values as Freebie as a policeman? As a man? His following of Freebie's lead? or did he lead Freebie? His participation in violence, his fear of Freebie's driving, Ms being shot? The revelation of his life at home, his suspicions of his wife, treatment of his children, cross-examining his wife? His reassuring that all was well? The Mexican background? Was Bean a likeable character?

11. How well did the film use the city environment to make the film relevant? The roads and streets, the use of the buildings, the detail, the scene on crane, the shoot out with the elegant descending lifts, the dentist's area, parks, the sports arena, the apartments, the streets and the arcades of the art shows etc.? How important for the atmosphere and meaning of the film was this attention to environmental detail?

12. Comment on the portrayal of anarchic violence: the fights, the interrogation of Whitey, bashing the mistaken man in the car, the shooting at the dentist's, the thug and his being bashed with the bar, the chases and the trucks colliding, the cars, the one way streets, the marching girls, the bike and bashing the art show, the Dominos, the restaurant? The violence of the big game and the shooting and knocking people out of the way? The culmination of the fight in the toilet? What was the meaning of this violence and audience response to it?

13. The portrayals of criminals: as corrupt, the visit to Meyers, his walking the dog, his relationship with his wife, picking up the girl, his final heart attack?

14. What was revealed in the final sequence with Whitey at home? Whitey's fear, the abuse of the girl friend?

15. The transvestite: the interview in the bath, Ids role in the car with Meyers, the bank and the money, the fight and the details of the fight, his looking in the mirror and yet his violent kicking, the ugliness of his death?

16. The portrayal of the police: the District Attorney and his harassment, the official and his relationship with Meyer's wife, the pathos of the showdown and the irony that all was manoeuvred by Meyer's wife and the official?

17. How human was this film? How inhuman? Its portrayal of men and women, society?

18. Was the film a valuable one exploring values or was it exploiting human response?