THE LOLLY MADONNA WAR
US, 1972, 103 minutes, Colour. Rod Steiger, Robert Ryan, Jeff Bridges, Scott Wilson, Season Hubley.
Directed by Richard C. Sarafian.
The Lolly- Madonna War takes us to back-of-Deliverance territory. It shows us the same ugliness, but tries to show something of why this is there. In many ways it is an ugly and violent film, and fairly pessimistic in its outlook. As a moral lesson against the ravages of hatred and stupidity and their consequences, it is very forceful.
The film portrays two feuding families in hillbilly country. It gives their background (white family Gutshalls; red-descended family Feathers), the roughness of their way of life and some of its deeper feelings, the petty bickerings and taunts that finally erupt into family massacres. The audience becomes involved by means of a girl, Rudi, the outsider drawn into another world to look on, amazed at what can happen. Rod Steiger is the sullen Feather patriarch. Robert Ryan is effective, as always, as the elder Gutshall. Jeff Bridges plays the most sympathetic of the younger generation. Director is Richard C. Sarafian, who has made a number of interesting, although not excellent films - Run Wild, Run Free; Fragment of Fear; Man in the Wilderness; Vanishing Point; The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing.
1. What was the effect of the action starting and ending with the album photos? What impression did this give, about the families, about the happiness evident in the photos?
2. Why were the Feathers and Gutshall's enemies?
3. How serious was it when the film opened - the postcard and smashing of the still?
4. Why were the two families laws unto themselves? Why couldn't outside authorities intervene (e.g., the sheriff or even the call-up authorities for Zach?)
5. Was Rudi introduced into the film well - her words about the postcard
incident, being abducted by Thrush and Hawk? Why did the Feathers believe she was Lolly Madonna?
6. What good qualities did the Feathers have, were they close as a family? Comment also on the Gutshalls.
7. Did the film show both families equally or did it favour one side?
8. Comment on the visual presentation of the hillbilly situation - grimy, dirty, old and battered, poor, T.V., no phones, state of the homes, why did the sons stay?
9. Why was there so much hatred? What spurred it on? Why was Lolly Madonna an excuse for a battle? How bad was the swift recourse to violence and death -how futile were the feuds? What comment did the film make about this?
10. How important was Hawk's saying that there used to be a lot of love before? Was Zack's wife's death the principal reason for all the sorrow? Does it explain Thrush being killed?
11. What would become of them - Gutshall alone. Sister leaving (seen past the empty rocking-chair), Feathers, Zack and Rudi?
12. What value has a film like this? Is it too pessimistic or is it necessary to see the possible consequences of futile hatred?
13. Was the film well made - atmosphere, mood, techniques?
14. Details of character:
- Daddy; hard, self-made, suspicious, relationship with his wife, sons, use of guns, dispute with the Gutshalls?
- Chicken: mother, support, sewing Thrush's head?
- Thrush: moody, the explanation that emerged - horses killed, bitterness, unable to leave, cruel streak, self-defeating, the rape scene, did he want to die?
- Hawk: dependent, his imagination and the crowds, cruel, the rape scene, his sorrow at Thrush's death, his own death wish, going out to die?
- Skylar: in love with Sister; more sensitive to Rudi, hoping to avert bloodshed?
- Finch: simple, non-violent?
- Zachary: the most humane, his memories the key to the tragedy, his relationship with Rudi, his love for the beauty of the hill, yet Ms sharing in the family's vengeance?
The overall impression of the Gutshalls:
- Father: what kind of man, how violent, how proud, the dispute, the hogs, confronting the Feathers over the rape, the flight, the death of his wife, the insurance, the arming for war. Why did he attack?
- Mother: her love for her sons, comforting the daughters and her explanation of her marriage, her freeing the pigs, her death?
- the Sons: the dead son, the skirmishes with the still, bashing Thrush etc.,
the youngest son who refused to kill?
15. Hatred and violence - the number of deaths, the manner of deaths. Feathers' use of pigs and fire, Chicken Feather shooting the Gutshall boy, Skylar's death, the glee of the Gutshalls before they were shot?
