CARBON COPY
US, 1981, 87 minutes, Colour.
George Segal, Denzel Washington, Susan Saint James, Jack Warden, Paul Winfield.
Directed by Michael Schultz.
Carbon Copy is a witty title for a film where a rich white executive finds that he has a seventeen-year-old African American son.
The film is a star vehicle for George Segal with Susan St James as his bigoted wife. It is also the first feature film (after three television appearances) for Denzel Washington playing seventeen while actually about twenty-six. It was to be a good decade for Denzel Washington as he was to appear in Soldier’s Story and then in Cry Freedom, winning an Oscar in 1989 for Glory. For the next twenty years he had great success in films, becoming one of the icons of African American stars. He won another Oscar in 2001 for Training Day.
The film was written by Stanley Shapiro who had written a number of the Universal Studios comedies for stars like Doris Day, Rock Hudson and Cary Grant: Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back, Come September, Bedtime Story. The film was directed by African American director Michael Schultz who had worked mainly in television but made a number of feature films in the late 70s and early 80s, race-related films, especially for such stars as Richard Pryor (Bustin’ Loose) as well as Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The film is strong in its racial theme. The father-in-law and wife of George Segal both express great bigotry. Segal loses his job and has to travel round with his son, trying to find somewhere that he can get a job and be supportive. This makes him realise the decisions of his life – and his cover-ups, even changing his Jewish name to a WASP name.
The film could be compared to the much more serious Secrets and Lies by Mike Leigh, something of the same theme, set in England but done differently. However, each contributes to an understanding of racial tensions and tolerance.
1. The focus of the title, tone and humour? The blend of jokiness and seriousness? Satisfying satirical comedy? Moralising?
2. Los Angeles background and the use of the city? The focus on the exclusive San Marino with its streets, homes, affluence? The satire on America with the opening and the flag, Los Angeles and big business? Audience response to the San Marino way of life? The contrast with Watts? How representative this picture of Los Angeles of the whole United States? The impact for a white audience, international audience? The pace of the comedy? The musical score - classical tones for San Marino, modern themes for Watts and Walter's adventures? The concluding song and its, lyrics and their significance?
3. The basic situation in terns of realism and fantasy? Comic and farcical treatment? Audiences accepting the basically contrived plot - for laughs, for satirical point?
4. The strength of the moralising: on American racial bigotry, snobbery? The way of life, behaviour and attitudes of the affluent whites? The point and need for such satire in the 1980s (with the memory of the Sidney Poitier films of the '60s making similar points)? The need for exaggeration rather than subtlety? The end and audience feeling that the film was truthful about racial attitudes and human dignity?
5. The atmosphere of the Whitney household and the opening of the film? Introduction to Walter and Vivien? The emphasis on sex (and the later satire when Walter was a burglar)? Vivien's prudery? The maid and her bringing breakfast - and the comments about servants and their status? The style of snobbery in San Marino - on what was it based besides wealth? Vivien and the project of adopting Roger? Her rivalry with her friends and neighbours in doing good? The discovery of the truth and her reaction to the suggestion that God was black? Mary Anne as the daughter of her mother? The tension of the situation and her snobbery? Nelson and his ideas dominating the family? The family as rude and exploitive? Nelson and Vivien rejecting Walter and later wanting him to return? The San Marino setting for the drama of Walter's discovery?
6. The setting up of the situation of father and son meeting? Audience expectations of what was to happen? The encounter, the clash of opinions, Roger's attack on Walter? Walking on the beach in his father's footsteps? His agreeing to become part of the project? The limitations of living in the garage? The formalities of the meal and the truth being told? The farcical and melodramatic reactions?
7. The sketch of Roger - his arrival, confrontation of Walter, the popularised black style (as seen by hostile white eyes)? Walking along the beach, participating in the project? His calling his father 'Mr. Charlie'? His story about his background? Love for his mother and confronting Walter on her behalf? The comedy with his car? Booking in at the motel under suspicious circumstances? Making their own territory in the motel room? His failure at basketball? His interest in work - and finding it for Walter? Hiring the apartment and the clash with Walter there? Being chased by the police and Walter going to prison? The importance and sincerity of his talk with Walter in the prison and telling him the truth about his mother? Garvey's revelation of the truth about Roger? The plausibility of the reconciliation? Walter throwing in his lot with Roger? The final photo? The importance of Lorraine and Walter's memories, Roger's memories? Her being jilted but being faithful in her love for Walter? The way that Roger was seen by Walter, Nelson, Vivien? The truth about him? The point being made about judging others?
8. Walter and his place in the household, the changing of his Jewish name, Nelson knowing his past? His frustrations with Vivien and with Mary Anne? His commitment to his work? The discussion with his lawyer and the revelations about his way of life? His happy memories of the past and Lorraine and his deserting her? The humorous flashback with the confrontation between Nelson and himself? Deserting Lorraine for what? The encounter with Roger and the memories of the past? Fear? Hostility? The project as a way round the situation? His telling the truth and his inability to remain a snob? His wanting to do the right thing by Roger although not make friends with him?
9. Walter being rejected by family, by his lawyer, by his friends, the banker? The ease with which they could change and reject him? His having no money? The sleazy motel and the need for food? The failure of the basketball game? His interviews, search for work, lining up with the hard core unemployed, the encounter with the alcoholic? The humiliation of working in the stables and yet his doing it well? The return to the apartment in Watts and his looking at the Watts way of life through San Marino eyes? His experience of how the other half lived? The change in him?
10. The character of Garvey - listening to Walter, giving him advice, helping him at the end?
11. Nelson and Vivien arriving at the Watts apartment? Their self-righteous speeches? Invitation to return? Walter's return and confronting Nelson and quitting? The credibility of his motivations for rejoining Roger? The values that Nelson stood for and his rejection of these?
12. The sketch of the pot-smoking lawyer, supposed best friend, his representing Vivien? His business friends and banker friends and their rejection of him? Mary Anne and her snobbery?
13. Nelson as the embodiment of white racist attitudes, elitism? His manipulative speeches? His pragmatism? His bending to public opinion and wanting to control it? His patronising attitude towards those he thought not on the same level? His ruthlessness? Vivien as his daughter - in the garden, at the meal with her formal manners, the satire with the burglar encounter, her immaculate dress and presentation to invite Walter back?
14. Themes of work and unemployment - the hiring of the unemployed, the stable owner and his abuse of Walter?
15. How well did the film invite audiences to identify with Walter? Understand the world of snobbery and success, affluent lifestyle? The presumptions of this section of society? To identify with Walter in the reversal of his fortunes? Perceive the African Americans from their own point of view? Discover the truth about inequality?
16. The film as a successful comedy? A successful light but acid-toned moralising parable?
