IN COUNTRY

US, 1989, 120 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Willis, Emily Lloyd, Joan Allen, Kevin Anderson, John Terry, Peggy Rea, Judith Ivey, Stephen Tobolowsky, Jim Beaver.
Directed by Norman Jewison.

1. The impact of the film? In the aftermath of Vietnam? In the late 1980s? For American audiences? World audiences? The perspective on Vietnam, on war, on time and healing?

2. The Kentucky settings, ordinary, the town and the environment? The stylised perspective on the war? The musical score, the songs?

3. The title, Vietnam and the use of the phrase? The men and their experience in country?

4. Sam and her perspective, the late 1980s, in retrospect, her search for understanding her father, audience sharing her quest?

5. The portrait of Samantha, Emily Lloyd’s presence and performance, her voice – irritating many audiences? Part of the stereotype of the Appalachian Kentuckians? Her age, graduation, prospects and college? Her studying the family photos? Her mother, Lonnie? The town and her grandparents? Emmett looking after her? The house, hanging out, the friendship with Lonnie and going out with him? Her verve, typical, hyperactive? Dwayne? The search and her father, not knowing him, her continually wondering?

6. Her father, Dwayne and his age? The month? Pregnancy, the fight and the scenes? The letters, the hopes, prejudices? Death? The black leader? The diary and the details, love, the ending, death? The memories of each? What he missed? The Washington Memorial and his name?

7. Sam and Emmett, their discussions, his care for her, her urge, the clashes, his disappearance? The dance with the veterans? Tom, taking her away, the sexual relationship, or not? The car, her mother, Anita? Sam at the dance, Lonnie and the break? Dwayne and the pregnancy? Grandparents, the camp and the diary, Emmett and his sharing? The decision about the trip?

8. Emmett, Bruce Willis’s performance? His appearance, his war experience, not settling down, the post-traumatic stress, but his pain under the surface? Wandering, hurt, not quite right? His friends and keeping company? The house, the work? Irene? Anita? The dance, his mediating in the fight between his friends? The doctor and no help, his finding Sam, revealing the truth? The trip, the tribute at the Washington Memorial, the possibility for a healing of memories?

9. The veterans, Pete and his wife, the chase, Earl and his drinking, Tom and the cars, his impotence? Jim and the dance? The fight? The memories and their effect? Age and the passing of time? Not really being able to settle back into the ordinary way of life?

10. Irene, the month, mother, marrying, family, fuss about Sam, the letters, the diary, the car and warning Tom? Lonnie?

11. The grandparents, ordinary, loving, the farm, their son, the photos, the trip? The grandmother and her legs, the visit?

12. Anita, her verve, care?

13. Dawn, talk, the car, pregnancy, the test? Kenny?

14. The life of the town? Authentic?

15. The Washington Memorial, the emotions connected with it, the visit as a pilgrimage, Samantha kissing her father’s name on the memorial? The end of the quest?