MAN WITHOUT A FACE

US, 1993, 114 minutes, Colour.
Mel Gibson, Nick Stahl, Margaret Whitton, Gaby Hoffman, Fay Masterson, Richard Masur.
Directed by Mel Gibson.

Man Without A Face marks the directorial debut of Mel Gibson, who also stars in the film. (He was to go on to win an Oscar for directing in 1985 for Braveheart.) It is based on a novel by Isabelle Holland.

The film is a rites of passage film, focusing on a young boy (well played by Nick Stahl), one of three children (from different fathers) of a mother who loves but is unable to communicate with her children. He has not been told the truth about his father (alcoholism and going to a mental institution) and he makes up stories of a heroic nature. However, he clashes with his two sisters.

During the summer he encounters a recluse called the Freak, because of his scarred face. This recluse turns out to be a former teacher with a complex background. Together they work, study, prepare the boy or his entry to military school.

However, while the psychological themes are developed (and have been criticised by many reviewers as pop psychology), the film focuses attention on the recluse's past, his relationship with a boy, an accident, his being jailed for manslaughter, his seclusion from society. The film also raises issues of child sex abuse.

Mel Gibson does well, if somewhat solemnly, in the role of the recluse. It gives him an opportunity, however, to take a more intellectual line than many of his popular films (and his getting the opportunity to read Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice).

The film is set in the early '70s, re-creates the atmosphere of the times, especially with the free-and-easygoing adults. The film starts with a voice-over, the film being a memoir of a young man who found a friend but was separated from him.

1.Interesting and enjoyable film? A film of hope, sadness? Message and themes? Rites of passage, family, permissiveness, child sex abuse, education? A '90s perspective on the '70s?

2.The contribution of Mel Gibson, director, actor?

3.The New England settings, the town, the landscapes and the seascapes? The atmospheric score?

4.The title and expectations, the revelation of the accident, the disfigurement, the nickname in the town as "the Freak"? Getting to know Justin, seeing the human side, seeing him as a victim, his place in society, victim of society?

5.Charles as focus of the film, the adult voice-over and its perspective? Charles and his relationship with his mother, tensions, her inability to express her love, the continued clash with his sisters, his dreams and the nightmares about his father, making up heroic stories about his father, a disturbed boy? The image of the man with no face? His therapy? His wanting to go to military school, the need for study?

6.Catherine, in her self, a woman of the '60s, her various husbands, her various children and her relationship with each of them? Secrets? Her treatment of the children, puzzle about Charles? Her relationship with Carl and his being free and "with it"? The parties and socialising? Not knowing about Mc Leod? Gloria telling Charles the story, her anger with her? Her anger at McLeod? Her confrontation and telling him the truth? Telling Charles the truth - and his being hurt? Charles and his confrontation and anger at her? The ending at his graduation - and her new husband?

7.Gloria, her age, place in the family, her father, resentment? The fights? With her girlfriends, around the town, their chatter? Their attitude towards Mc Leod? Her boyfriend, the incident in the kitchen, the milk? Charles finding her in bed with the boyfriend? His threats, her anger and telling him the truth about his father? The confrontation with her mother, the reconciliation?

8.Megan, her place in the family, the fights and the clashes, spying on Charles, threatening to tell about him and Mc Leod?

9.Carl, his talk, relationship with Catherine, his hair - and the nicknames? Representing the times?

10.Charles and his attitude towards Mc Leod, the rumours and repeating them, the boys chatter, their fear, the house, his encounter with Mc Leod and his initial response? The house, the discussions, wanting to study? His petulance? Wandering, the request to Mc Leod, his having to dig the holes (and learn geometry), the essay and his cheating? Writing it afresh? The Latin? Curiosity about Mc Leod? Looking at his face, touring the house, the paintings and the cover sketches? Poetry and his reaction, reading the poem, reading The Merchant of Venice (and asking his mother about the ending)? The story of the accident? His telling the others, his sense of betrayal - and Mc Leod coming to him in the nightmare, condemning him? Forgiven? Not telling his mother the truth, hiding in the store? His sisters learning the truth? The effect of Mc Leod on him as a person, learning, as a friend? The encounter with the hunters, the police? The test and his getting 84? The crisis about his father, going to Mc Leod, in the compromising situation? The psychologist and the Rorshach tests? His mother's anger, finally doing the exam, going to visit and finding McLeod's letter and understanding? His waving to him at the graduation?

11.Mel Gibson as Mc Leod, his appearance (and the photography of each side of his face)? The Freak, his reactions, living alone? His work, seclusion, the horses, hunting? The house? His reaction to Charles, hard, making him dig the holes, take responsibility? Latin, maths, the essay and the cheating, taking the poetry book, reading Shakespeare? The discussions about life, sex - whether he was a pornographer or not? The rumours? His going to the store? His covers for Time Magazine? The hunters? The effect of Charles's trust? Teaching again?

12.The audience gradually knowing the truth about him, people and their talk, theories? Charles finally seeing him but not seeing the scars? The background of his marriage, teaching, Patrick Scott, the obsession, disturbed, the accident, the jury, jail, disbarred from education? Presumptions about him? The interviews with the sheriff? His going to the board - and their harsh treatment of him? Catherine's hostility?

13.Charles and his hurt, the letters to McLeod?, finding the letter and his joy? Mc Leod as victim? His going to the graduation - and the final wave?

14.Themes: education, family, molestation of children and sexual abuse? The '90s perspective? An emotional film, a thoughtful film?