THE MORNING AFTER
US, 1986, 103 minutes, Colour.
Jane Fonda, Jeff Bridges, Raul Julia.
Directed by Sidney Lumet.
The Morning After is a star vehicle for Jane Fonda as a soap opera actress, down on her luck, getting old. She wakes up one morning to find herself in a drunken stupor with a murdered man. She befriends a down-and-out man, played by Jeff Bridges, as well as the help of her ex-husband, played by Raul Julia. The film is basically a murder mystery and the unravelling of the mystery.
The film was directed by Sidney Lumet, most of his films being New York movies - this was his first made in Los Angeles. His vision of Los Angeles is quite garish, especially in his use of bright colours to highlight the settings unrealistically.
The film is interesting, the performances strong - and should satisfy fans of mysteries and thrillers well enough.
1.Interesting murder mystery, solving of the crime? Los Angeles style?
2.The colour photography, the bright pastel shades making Los Angeles different? As a setting for this plot and characters? The stars, the work of the director? Atmospheric score?
3.The title, Alex waking up with the dead man? The morning after in reference to alcoholics and facing the day? Their awakening, the television on with the interview with the victim and his sex interests? The sexuality setting? Alex and her not remembering anything, the body, having to cope with the situation and the bewilderment?
4.Jane Fonda as Alex: her background as Viveca on television? The blonde Jane Fonda, her floozy style? Reactions, drinking, ringing Jackie? Her decision to go to the airport, the car? The stories she told for trying to get the ticket? The encounter with Turner, the ride, talking? The return to the apartment, cleaning up thoroughly? Turner and the corpse? Her growing frantic, drinking? Her story and her reputation?
5.Her relationship with Jackie, the divorce yet still friendly with him? Her getting her hair changed (and becoming the expected Jane Fonda)? Her talk with him, the relationship with Turner, becoming freer, the relationship, lovemaking? Her reaction to him, fears, confusion?
6.The revelation of the set-up, Turner being caught up in it? Jackie and Isabelle? The violence, the hit, the police and the truth?
7.Jackie, the phone call from Alex, his background, Hispanic, Los Angeles and his work, clients? Helping Alex with her hair, confidante? His going to the dinner, his speech about Isabelle, fitting into Los Angeles society? The return, the confrontation with Alex? The truth, the clash with Isabelle?
8.Isabelle and her place in society, her family? The dinner and Jackie's speech? The return to the shop? The truth - the photos, the blackmail, the murder, framing Alex?
9.Turner and his story, the truth about his ten years as an alcoholic, police background, the limp? At the airport, working with cars, helping Alex but mystified by her? Listening, returning and helping her, the body, the clues, the investigation, his police contacts? Relating with Alex, the effect, normalising her? Love? The danger and the injury? The confrontation with Jackie? His symbolic vanishing trick and his explaining it to Alex - and vice versa?
10.The background of the police, the investigation? The media coverage? Turner and his contacts with the police?
11.A Los Angeles story, Alex as a Los Angeles character? Jackie and Turner as Los Angeles characters? The colour and shape and look of Los Angeles? The morning after - and the story of a second chance?
