TICKET TO HEAVEN

Canada, 1981, 107 minutes, Colour.
Nick Mancuso, Saul Rubinek, Meg Forster, Kim Cattrall.
Directed by Ralph L. Thomas.

Ticket to Heaven was very topical in 1981 when it was first released. It is a film about the power of a sect, recruiting techniques, the impact of the leader, the power over individuals and their remaining in the sect despite appeals from family and friends.

This is an adult version of the story – in 1983 there was a very strong film directed by Ted Kotcheff, Split Image, with Michael O’ Keefe as a teenage recruit for a sect. It was very powerful in the debriefing sequences with James Woods. There was also the television movie, Blinded By The Light, with Krista Mc Nicoll and Christopher Atkins.

Nick Mancuso stars as David, trying to get over his girlfriend leaving him. He goes to a summer camp in the country without realising that it is a camp for training for a religious sect, many of the members of which are quite fanatical. We see the group sessions, the denial of sleep and food, the brainwashing so that the individual becomes a servant of the sect. The leader of the sect has a motto: Stay up, earn money, destroy the Satan. The difficulty is that ordinary people who oppose the sect become identified with the Satan. Another frightening aspect is that the members are trained how to kill themselves in case family want to bring them out of the sect. (The film was made only two years after the mass suicide at Jonestown in Guiana.)

David’s friend, played by Saul Rubinek, makes efforts to bring him back and to experience some debriefing.

The film was directed by Ralph L. Thomas who also directed The Terry Fox Story. A Canadian production, it shows the pervading atmosphere of the sect in northern America at the beginning of the 1980s.

Other Canadian performers who have made names for themselves internationally are included in the cast besides Nick Mancuso and Saul Rubinek: Kim Cattrall and Robert Joy.

1. An interesting and entertaining drama? Moral fable? Warning about religious sects?

2. Canadian production? The Canadian background? Use of United states locations - especially San Francisco as the place for sects? Canadians taken in by Americans? Colour photography? Editing and pace? Musical score? Songs?

3. The title and Patrick's ironic use of the phrase during the begging sequence in San Francisco and his religious rationalisation of it? The fact of the religious sects? Relationship to such sects as the Moonies? The focus on human needs, emotional needs and confusion, religious and moral values, human susceptibility? Alternate lifestyles? The techniques for proselytising, conversion, indoctrination? Possessiveness of the members of the sects? Power over others? Holding techniques? The purpose of the sect? The stances taken, the shared experiences? The exploitation? How just was the attitude of the film towards the sects?

4. The structure and its emotional effect in communicating the character of David? The dramatic opening with San Francisco, the van, the incantation and songs, the fanaticism? The credibility of this kind of behaviour? The reversion to three months earlier in Canada? David before his conversion, his progress and regress? His involvement in the sect, his being taken over. the encounter with family, the kidnapping and debriefing?

5. David as a credible character for this story? The opening and his intensity, the flashback to his presence in the cabaret, his stern attitude towards Larry, his smile, the emotional tangles with Sarah, his teaching background? His visit to San Francisco, encounter with the friends, being trapped into the situation? The process of his change? Meeting Larry again and the contrast (after the phone calls)? The encounter with his family, with Larry's boss. with Sarah? The enormity of the change? The comparison with Larry and his visit and the possible indoctrination?

6. Larry as contrast with David? Cabaret. humour, professional work? Concern with the phone calls? His discussion with the boss? Arrival in san Francisco, reaction to the sect members, the bus trip and his lewd remarks and songs, his joining in the activities, his cabaret performance? with the only laughter coming from Eric? His almost absorption? Eric helping Tim to escape? His coming to his senses and coming back and participating in the debriefing? The emotional experience? Support of David and love for him?

7. The film showing how the ordinary person can be caught up in the religious sect? David and his ordinariness, his being caught out of courtesy in going to the farm, doing a favour for friends, the friends and their talk and manner, conversion? The atmosphere of San Francisco and California? Ruthie and her enthusiasm? The bus trip and the singing? The exuberance and exhilaration? The adolescent zest? The dormitory, the waking up and the sings, keeping together ? even in the toilets? The food and the information about its lack of protein? Being hungry? How credible was the process of David's indoctrination in 48 hours? His experience of moods. wanting to be by himself but pursued by the others, the talks. listening to people's emotional stories, the girl and her promiscuity and his emotional response condemning himself? The songs, the lectures? Amazing Grace etc.? His being changed, breaking, telling the story of himself? The haircut and the physical transformation? The phone call and his hesitation, immaturity. inability to be his adult self? Cutting himself off from his family?

8. The nature of belief and commitment? Davina changed and going into San Francisco to beg? Patrick and his lies and the praying in the street? David's taking the hamburger and milkshake and looking in the mirror? His wanting to make the phone call but his being caught by Ingrid? Ingrid and Patrick and their hold over him? Prayer and reverence for Father? Larry's arrival and his reserve? The cafe sequence and his having to go? The meeting with his parents? His reaction to being kidnapped?

9. The severity of his experience with the kidnapping, his reaction against his parents and friends, being alone, the memories of the advice for suicide, not wanting to eat? The debriefing and the emotional and physical battering? Enduring the process of looking again at values, at Father? The quoting of the Bible and Linc's shrewdness in undermining the credibility of Father? His finally breaking, weeping? The end and his look at Patrick and Ingrid?

10. The film's final judgment on the sect and the experience, the nature of sect religion, humanity and inhumanity? Final images?

11. The portrait of Ruthie and her ingenuous sincerity, her singing, activities, games, leading stories? Her real belief in her life?

12. The contrast with Ingrid and her decorum, control, leading the group in worship, her strong presence, control of phone calls, of visitors? Her information about how to commit suicide by slitting wrists? The clash with Sarah and the physical fight? Her being with the group at the end? Patrick as the male counterpart? His enthusiasm in the group? Smooth talk, lies? The praying in the street? The encounter with Larry's boss and the taking of the photographs and the clash during the kidnapping?

13. The girl who was kidnapped, her faith, her attempting suicide and her return and the joy of the sect in welcoming her back?

14. Greg and his enthusiasm, the revelation of his stockbroking work, his betrayal of his friend? His following the routines ? elements of doubt? His return and contribution to the debriefing?

15. Sarah and her relationship with David, the phone calls and her not answering? The plea for her to go to San Francisco and participate in the kidnapping? Her part and fight with Ingrid? The humiliation and hurt in the process? Giving David her love and helping him?

16. The parents and their bewilderment, their Jewish background, their disbelief about his conversion to a sect? Their willingness to go to San Francisco? Their participation in the kidnapping? David's mother and her using the Jewish mother techniques shrewdly? The police arresting them? The contribution of Larry's boss and his participation?

17. The personnel at the farm, their religious attitudes, style of life, support, needs, singing, hymns, begging? The attractiveness of the religious sect?

18. The indications about the founder: his being called Father, Indonesian background, parallel with the Moonies? The veneration? His being held up as an example in his own private life? Linc's telling the truth about his wealth and extravagance in the debriefing?

19. The lectures? the style and idiosyncrasies of the lecturer, his using jargon language and rhythms, his religious tone and enthusiasm? The various responses to the lectures?

20. The focus on the kidnapping and the editing and pace for communicating it to the audience: real, funny, timing and bad timing, physical fights and awkwardness, photos, F.B.I. claims, the nature of the law, the role of the police, phone taps etc.?

21. Eric and his place in the sect, looking for his sister, laughing at Larry's cabaret act, bringing Larry to his senses, helping him escape, helping with the debriefing?

22. Linc and his previous involvement with the sect, his appearance, his understanding of the sect, strict treatment of David, his conditions, the verbal abuse, the physical abuse (and the jolting aspect of his indication of loving everybody)? His devices, arguing against Father's credibility? Trying to get an emotional reaction? Concern about safety? His energy, argument, being drained? David's skill at disrupting the process? The ultimate success?

23. The dramatics of the film? The mirroring of American and worldwide experiences in the '70s and '80s? A fair warning about the fanaticism and excesses of the religious sect? The nature of religion?