FOOLS' PARADE (DYNAMITE MAN FROM GLORY JAIL).

US, 1971, 99 minutes, Colour.
James Stewart, George Kennedy, Anne Baxter, Strother Martin, Kurt Russell.
Directed by Andrew V. Mc Laglan.

Fools’ Parade is an interesting, enjoyable kind of film, a James Stewart vehicle. It featured him in one of his last major starring roles. It is a Depression story about criminals but it has that homespun atmosphere about it so prevalent in American comedy dramas. James Stewart is his upright self, although has a knack for arming himself with dynamite when the opportunity suggests itself. George Kennedy, Kurt Russell and Strother Martin also appear as engaging kinds of criminals. Anne Baxter plays a striking guest performance - also as a criminal. The film was directed by Andrew V. Mc Laglan who has specialised in Westerns. It is an average kind of film but enjoyable in its way; an enjoyable piece of Americana.

1. The meaning of the title as indication of themes? The appeal of the plot and the characters? Interest and enjoyment? A picture of the 30s? Rugged individuals against the system? An action film? Comment on the presentation of men as good and evil, the clear cut cases of right and wrong.

2. How enjoyable a piece of Americana? The picturing of American society and its various strata, American society in the 30s, the heritage, the good and the corrupt? The focusing of America on the bank, the individual's cheque? James Stewart as the symbol of this type of Americana?

3. How typical an American character was Mattie? The qualities of James Stewart's style? A man of the past? Forty years gone in prison? His ability to cope with the present? The symbolism of his eye and humorous and serious use of it? Mattie as the victim, the victim of a plot? An attack on an old man who is resourceful? The old nun who protects the younger and the less intelligent? The man with commonsense? Tired about most things but standing up for principle about his money? What are the qualities of this kind of character?

4. The film's presentation of his resourcefulness: his capacity with dynamite, his wisdom for helping his friends when on the run, the encounter with Cleo, rescuing? The stand at the siege of the house? His resourcefulness in the truth, vindicated at the end, an American hero?

5. The contribution of Lee to the plot? His personality, relationship with Mattie and Johnnie? An older man? An American criminal yet likeable character?

6. Johnnie as the young criminal? His dependence on Mattie? Mattie as his model? His remaining with him? His attraction to Chanty? The beginning of a life for him? Johnnie and Lee as victims like Mattie?

7. Doc Council: an American villain, corrupt, sadistic? His brutality in the prison, his self-righteous Sunday School background. his deals with the bank manager? Was he too evil? His glasses and his bad eyes.. compared with Mattie’s? The venom in his pursuit? His relentlessness? His brutality and violence? The symbol of the dog? Any audience sympathy for him at all?

8. The portrait of American killers? The irony that they thought they were shooting atheists? The comment on American religiosity here?

9. The picture of the banker and corrupt society? A creature of the system? An attacker of individuals?

10. The irony in the presentation of Cleo? The American prostitute? Golden hearted yet self-centred? Her greediness and its reward? The irony of her speeches about patriotism, her stories about herself?

11. Comment on the quality of the adventures presented in the film, the escape from Glory jail, the continual return to the town, their inability to get away from the law? The train, the car, the house? The strength of the film in term of characters? Wise sayings and humour?

14. The value of the individual in this kind of film?

15. The optimistic view taken, the values stood for?