THE GREAT NIAGARA
US, 1973, 75 minutes, Colour.
Richard Boone, Randy Quaid, Michael Sacks, Jennifer Salt, Burt Young.
Directed by William Hale.
An off-beat telemovie set in the Depression about a father and two sons who live on the Canadian side of the Niagara River. Richard Boone gives a strong, shouting performance as a patriarchal type who has high expectations of his sons, well played by Michael Sacks and Randy Quid. The patriarch has injured his arm in a fall rescuing people at the falls. He expects his sons to conquer the river and he will conquer it through them. This provides the basis for a melodramatic story with a lot of local colour. The falls continually appear in the background - almost as a character.
1. An interesting telemovie? The atmosphere of the Depression? The off-beat story? The story of a family and sons being freed from their fathers? The confrontation between people and nature and human nature wanting to conquer?
2. The impact of the telemovie, its brevity? The colour photography especially of the falls and the river? The variety of shots of the river especially for the barrels going over? The period atmosphere of the Depression - the family, the party, the tourists? The contribution of the score?
3. The impact of the Niagara River and its flow, rapids? The majesty of the falls? The call of the river and its power over the humans living near it? Their sense of daring? Aaron Grant and his memories of rescuing the woman and his arm being destroyed by the river? Ace Tully and his wanting to go over the falls, his being rescued? Karl and his exploiting the situation for money? His wanting to prove himself to his father? His ultimate fear and the accidental destruction by the river? The effect on his father and his taking the blame? Lonnie and his devotion to his father, the pressure of Lois, his decision to go over the falls and free himself? His sense of the river's presence and call?
4. The sequences with Tully - the introduction to Aaron, Karl and his salesmanship, Lonnie and his concern? The Mounties and the application of the law? Tourist curiosity?
5. The character of Aaron - patriarch, his power, shouting? His fighting the river? The pressures on his son, antagonism towards Lois? The party and the friendly rivalry of his sons and his urging them on? Karl and his wanting to prove himself, his ultimate fear in not being able to face his father? Lois and the fight between them? Lonnie and his wanting to move away, his proving himself to his father, to the river, freeing himself? Aaron admitting this at the end?
6. The character of Lonnie - release from prison, love for Lois, rescuing Tully, the party and his enjoyment of the games with Karl, his love for Lois, their plans for leaving and the lyrical telling of these? Karl and his making the barrel? The encounter with Karl's death? His own going over the falls and defying his father?
7. Karl and his being the younger son, trying to make money, smooth talking his brother, his pleasure in proving himself to his father, his fear and his death?
8. Lois as the ordinary woman, trying to grow things, her love for her husband, the party and her mixed reactions. the defiance of her father-in-law, her deciding to leave but watching Lonnie go over the falls?
9. The portrait of people: tourists' curiosity, the Mounties and preserving the law?
10. The eccentricity of the Grant family, their daring, confronting nature?
11. The picture of Lonnie's going over the falls - the variety of shots, the water, the rapids, the falls themselves? His emerging?
12. Themes of family pressures and expectations and sons breaking free and starting a new life? not living their lives through their children?
