FATSO

US, 1980, 93 minutes, Colour.
Dom De Luise, Anne Bancroft.
Directed by Anne Bancroft.

Fatso was written and directed by Anne Bancroft - surprisingly. An actress who excels in serious roles, she has shown a flair for comedy (To Be Or Not To Be). With this film (as with her cameo performance in Silent Movie) she shows herself definitely to be Mel Brooks' wife.

While the basic idea is good (the fat man and the pressure in society for people to be thin), in execution the film becomes a raucous, often strident film about Italian families in New York. With this, Anne Bancroft is herself most to blame and offers the most screeching performance. Dom Deluise, however -is sympathetic as the fat brother. Candy Azzarra is attractive as his fiancee. An interesting idea, comic potential which does not work entirely.

1. An interesting film? Enjoyable? For what purpose?

2. The style of the film - comic, satiric? Italian families and community? Fat people? Raucous style?

3. The film as the work of Anne Bancroft - writer, director, actress?

4. Contemporary interest in weight problems, people being fat or thin? American fads? Pressures, helps? Self-image, self-acceptance?

5. Dominick - and the comic style and presence of Dom DeLuise? The credits collage of Dominick's birth, his enjoyment of food, his being pampered by his mother? The First Communion sequence and his eating? Friendship with his cousin Sal? The film opening with Sal's death? The grief? Dominick and his grief but preoccupation with eating? Life at home - and the criticisms of his brother? The criticisms of his sister Antoinette? At work? Friendships? The discussions with the lady customer who lost weight? The visit to the doctor? His attempts at reducing weight, going to the group? The binge with the two fat men-and his being ill? The attraction towards Lydia? Her visit when he was sick? The outings - and the parish fete? The ring? His brother's support? His being anxious, eating the $40 worth of Chinese food, the phone call from Lydia, his visit to her and her brother, his happiness? Self-acceptance? As a type, realisation that he was to be fat, that his mother had Spoiled him? The importance of being a good person, pleasant with people? The end credits collage and his marriage, family?

6. Anne Bancroft's strident performance as Antoinette? Her grief at Sal's death? Her shouting? The shock, the appointment with the doctor, her family, fights, Lydia's help, card games? A satiric, over-satiric performance?

7. Lydia as a good woman, pleasant, work in the shop, attracted towards Dominick, helping him when he was sick, sharing, the accident and her not being able to call him, the happy ending?

8. Dominick's brother, pressures at home, the discussions about bread etc, his support?

9. The satire on Italians, sense of community, tradition, grief, funerals, etc.?

10. The Catholic background, religious atmosphere, religious pictures, the priest and his friendship, the Catholic bazaar?

11. Themes of being fat and being thin? Pressures to be thin?

12. Why wasn't the film more successful?