TRIBUTE

Canada/US, 1980, 125 minutes, Colour.
Jack Lemmon, Robby Benson, Lee Remick, Colleen Dewhurst, John Marley, Kim Cattrall.
Directed by Bob Clark.

Jack Lemmon created the role of Scottie Templeton on the Broadway stage. Here he gives the utmost of his considerable talent for both comic and serious to making vivid on screen: a forever-joking, successful but hollow agent who, in facing age and possible death, is made to look at his life and his disappointing, critical, introvert son (Robbie Benson). Much of Bernard Slade's screenplay is in funny quips. Much, towards the end especially, is sentimental in the American vein (though Slade and director Bob Clark are Canadian). Lee Remick enhances the film as the estranged wife. Many good things, somewhat long and contrived. Clark made a number of action thrillers during the '70s: Dead Of Night, Breaking Point. He also directed the stylish Sherlock Holmes Jack the Ripper story, Murder By Decree.

1. An entertaining Jack Lemmon vehicle? A film version of a successful play? A portrait of a man? Study of relationships, especially father and son? A satisfying comedy drama?

2. The transition from stage to screen? The devices for opening up the film: New York locations, variety of scenes e.g. the home, Hilary's party, hospital, theatre? The retaining of the dialogue - and its humour, wit, sentiment? Set speeches, especially for Scottie? For confrontation? The strength of the performances?

3. The quality of the Canadian/American coproduction? An American style film? Locations? Canadian studio work? American tone - sentiment (and in public)?

4. The strengths of Jack Lemmon's performance? Serious and comic? The style of humour, verbal and in action? Needing a straight man (family, friends, even the world!), his going through life without any deep commitment? Everybody's friend? The audience sympathy for him at the beginning, the early pathos about his illness? His friendship with Lou Daniels? Work? Going into the hospital? His behaviour in the hospital - and the flirting with Sally? Early indications of the types of joke, tone, his laughter? Innuendo? The ordinary salesman, confidence man, extrovert writer?

5. The study of Scottie moving deeper with the encounter with Maggie? His fondness for her, memories, love? The pathos of his inability to remain married to her? The importance of his telling the truth about his illness? Her compassionate response? His hopes for relating to Jud? Getting Maggie's help with his son? Her staying with him, staying the night with him and the anger of Jud's reaction? The importance of his discussions with Gladys about his health ? and his following her advice?

6. The film's focus on Jud as well as his father? The audience being informed about the family story, the divorce, the separation of father and son, the mutual disappointment? The background of Scottie's entertaining his son and dressing up, memories, photos? Knowing his son and yet not knowing him? The same response from Jud to his father? His father begging him to stay during the holidays? Jud's ambitions? The difficulty of sharing interests? The outing and its failure? Scottie's proposing sexual encounters? The build up to confrontations between the two? Jud trying to communicate his ambitions, obeying his mother, his reaction to his mother's spending the night with Scottie? The importance of the outing with Sally and then the discovery of the set-up, his anger and disappointment? His presence at the party for Hilary, His puzzle about his father, disgust, affection, wanting to be like him? The introvert envying the extrovert? The importance of his mother's telling his the truth and his having to cope with it?

7. Scottie and the possibility of death? His looking back on his life - the failure with Margaret, the gap between himself and his son, friendships with people like Hilary, reliance on people like Lou, temporary support from people like Sally? Strong friendship and support from people like Gladys?

8. The decision to go to hospital, Jud's pressurising his father? The importance of the photos device for showing the progress of Scottie's illness and treatment? The?re?ality of Illness, pain, therapy? His having to cope? How well did the film communicate the stages of illness ? and even preparation for death?

9. Scottie emerging from hospital? how much the wiser? Calming down in his life, relating better to others?? The humour of his birthday and everybody seeming to forget? The build up of the nurse and the revelation that it was Hilary?

10. The build up to the tribute itself? A sentimental device? How effective for American audiences, non-Americans? was the reconciliation between Scottie and Jud credible? The importance of Scottie's speech and his self revelation, self assessment? Jud's speech and his relating to his father, understanding him, loving him? Maggie and Lou in the wings? Scottie and his friends and their support?

11. What picture of Jud emerged from the film - a satisfying portrait of a shy 20 year old? His growing up, relationship with his mother, the importance of the absent father? His presence in Scottiels room by way of photo, memories? His studies? Hopes for the summer? Photography? The encounter with Sally? Hilary? The importance of his angers and self assertion? The confrontation of the truth of Scottie's illness? The wisdom of Lou and the advice given? His photographing his father and learning from this experience of his father's illness? The move towards change and eventual respect and love?

12. Lee Remick's portrait of Maggie - brief, loving, dignified? The ambiguity of her marriage, the night with Scottie, her eventual explanations to her husband? As seen in her pursuit of Jud and discussions with him? The support during the hospital time? In the wings at the end?

13. The point of the introduction of Hilary - the woman of the world, the men in her life, the testimonial dinner with its ironic humour? The nurse joke? The tradition of the prostitute with the heart of gold? The comparison with Sally, the encounter in the hospital, her visiting with Scottle at home, helping Jud and the embarrassment? Becoirdnga friendof the family?

14. The world of older friendship and support with Gladys and her advice, Lou and his knowing what was going on and supporting Scottie, advising Jud?

15. Themes of ageing, illness, facing death? Assessment of life, relationships? What doth it profit a man? Career, achievement, values?