FATAL ATTRACTION
US, 1987, 119 minutes, Colour.
Glenn Close, Michael Douglas, Anne Archer, Fred Gwynne, Lois Smith.
Directed by Adrian Lyne.
Fatal Attraction was one of the biggest box office successes of 1987. It was written by James Dearden (son of British director, Basil Dearden) from a short film. It was directed by Adrian Lyne, a director of commercials, whose features have included Foxes, Flashdance and 9 1/2 Weeks (to which this film relates directly). It boasts strong performances by Michael Douglas as the New York lawyer caught up in a marital and psychological tangle after a one-night stand. Glenn Close is excellent as the psychotic book editor. Anne Archer is charming as Douglas' wife.
The film has been accused of being manipulative, an example of the new Puritanism. It depends on whose point of view the film is seen from. Feminists can certainly take the film as misogynist. However, the film is quite well-written, is interested in characters and relationships and consequences of action - although the final melodrama seems to be expedient rather than inevitable. The film has a deal to say about contemporary morality.
1 The impact of the film? As drama? Violent thriller? Its extraordinary popularity and box office success?
2. New York city locations, the atmosphere of the city, the contrast with the country and the country home? The background of yuppies? Contemporary audiences' identifying with the characters and situations? Adrian Lyne's commercial background and the style and pace of the film? Maurice Jarre's atmospheric score?
3. The title and the irony of its meanings?
4, The introduction to Dan and Beth, at home, work, their rapport, their love? Their wealth and success? Lifestyle? The party, the jokes about relationships and affairs? their friends? The initial encounter with Alex and her staring at Dan's friend? His talking to her at the bar, apologising, the attraction? Back home, walking the dog? The film establishing the characters their moods, stances, values?
5. The weekend situation: Beth and Ellen going to the country, Dan having to, work? Alex and her dramatic entry to the meeting? The case discussed? their professional expertise? Their rapport, the rain, Dan's umbrella breaking, sharing a meal, the proposal, who seduced whom? Alex's decision? The options, her declaring they were adults? The visualising of the passionate affair be-tween them, for each? Vivid? Direct? Sexual passion? Their going to the dance? Dan leaving in the early morning, leaving the note? Alex's phone call -and the ominous use of the phone? The argument? Her persuading him to come, running with the dog, pretending that he had a heart attack and Alex's retaliat-ion with her story about her father and then pretending it was a pretence? The meal, the discussion about Madame Butterfly? Dan revealing the story of his life, his parents' divorce, his father's treatment of him at the opera and otherwise?. The meal and Dan trying to break off the relationship? The ten-sions? The motion, Alex's truth and directness? Audience response to her slitting her wrists, the embrace and the blood, Dan's reaction, helping, stay-ing? Phoning Seth to cover himself? His decision about the weekend, actions and consequences?
6. The contrast with Beth, her charm and glamour, going to her parents, Ellen and her grandparents, the hope for the rabbit, the new house? The return home, the ordinary way of life, Dan deciding to visit the new place and the decision to buy it? Packing up, the meal of farewell with their friends and the jokes about their going up the ladder? The irony of Beth and the interview to sell the apartment to Alex? Beth as a character? Ellen and her charm as a child, the bond between the two, the card games, the answering of the phone calls?
7. Dan at work, his skills, Alex's visit, the tickets for M. Butterfly, his declining contact with her, the phone calls, in the middle of the night, refusing her calls at the office, her hanging up on Beth? The meeting, her desperation, talk, the pregnancy, abortion or not? His reactions and trying to cope? His going to her room and searching for evidence? Seeking the advice of his lawyer-friend? The phone calls, changing the number? His dismay at seeing Alex at the apartment? her ruining the car, the country house and her killing the rabbit and boiling it? Talking to him on the tape recorder and her abuse of him? Taking Ellen from school and Dan's anger, Beth's accident? his going to her apartment and throttling her - audience emotion and sympathy?
8. Alex as a credible character: Glenn Close's performance? The initial charm, wildness of look, the stare, the party, her work, attraction, the meal, her derision, enjoying the relationship, memory of her father, the passion of their encounter, going dancing, accusing him about the note, the phone call, enjoying the walk in the park with the dog, inventing stories, the ending of the affair, the scenes of slitting her wrists? Her calling to thank him and seeming calm? Tickets for the opera? Her continual menace, the change of moods on the phone, ringing and hanging up? Her pregnancy, desperation? The continued attraction to Dan? Destroying the car, killing the rabbit, the tape, the visit to Beth and the irony of meeting Dan? Taking Ellen and the seeming menace at the carnival, on the roller coaster, returning her home? the house under threat? The violence on her by Dan at the apartment? The knife? her going to the home, the attack? the menacing of Beth and slitting her, Dan's attacking her in the bath, her rising with the knife? As a credible character, portrait of a psychotic woman? (The criticisms of the film as anti-women?)
9. Dan telling Beth, the phone call to Alex, the separation, Ellen and her being the bond between the two, the phone calls? Beth going to the -school, Ellen missing, the accident, the hospital, the forgiveness, her return home, the bath and Alex menacing her?
10. Dan going to the police, telling the story in the third person, admitting the truth? His forgiveness, looking after Beth on her
return home? The irony of the kettle whistling? The screams? The violence of his attack on Alex, her death? The irony of Beth shooting her?
11. The resolution of the plot on emotional and moral grounds? The use of thriller conventions for a melodramatic ending?
12. Human nature, relationships, acts and consequences? American morality?
