99 AND 44/100% DEAD

US, 1974, 98 minutes, Colour.
Richard Harris, Edmond O'Brien, Bradford Dillman, Ann Turkel.
Directed by John Frankenheimer.

John Frankenheirner used to make interesting social dramas and then explorations of ageing and physical strength. Here he goes comic book in the New York gangster world. But, while the dialogue is comic book (especially Bradford Dillman's Big Eddie), the characters and the director invest too much humanity in the film, so that there is the continual invitation to become more involved than seems intended. Gunman lead cries out for Michael Caine's deadpan, but we have Richard Harris (with Caine glasses) and Irish feeling. The situations are as expected, but the camerawork and acting give them forcefulness. The opening and closing underwater and wharf sequences are excellent. A diverting exercise in disposable seriousness.

1. The meaning and tone of the title? The comic book credits? What was the characteristic tone of the film and was it consistently employed?

2. How enjoyable was this film as a thriller? How well did it use the conventions of the thriller? Which were the main ones that it used seriously? What conventions did it parody? was it a parody of quality?

3. The film presented itself in terms of quality. Was this successful or pretentious?

4. How realistically was the plot to be taken? At all? Was it meant to be taken as a comic strip? Exaggerated incidents, two-dimensional characters? The appropriate mental adjustment and response of the audience? It was meant to be an enjoyable film, But in a particular kind of way which needs to be judged.

5. Comment on the humour and tone of the opening. The New York graveyard under water, the fight on the wharf and the car chase and its emphasis to the tone of the opening? The commentary and the irony? The reprise of this opening for the ending of the film?

6. Comment on the structure of the film. as a gangster film with its conventions and development of the plot and character. How well did it measure against other similar structures?

7. How important was the city of New York for the film? The widescreen colour? The particular use of locations, cars and buses and chases, schools and parks? Shoot-outs? The importance of city environment for the themes of the film?

8. How successful a central character was Harry? A comic-book hero or more? Richard Harris' style as giving more life to the two-dimensional character? A successful blend? Was he explained as a person with human feelings? A conventional killer? The importance of the demonstrations of his skill? The respect in New York and his acquaintances? His capacity for violence? The admiration of David and his actions as a model for David? His ingenuity in such schemes as the bridge attack' How impressive was all this? His relationships with Uncle Frank? With Big Eddie and his refusal of his deal? The past hostility with Claw and the inevitable clashes? His romance with Buffy ? how realistic? How much of audience sympathy was with him? And yet repellence as he was a villain?

9. How stereotyped was Uncle Frank as a villain? Was the portrayal anything more? Insight into the gang boss and his ambitions for keeping on top etc? Fears? The reliance on the paid killer? How did Big Eddie contrast with him? In size, in being satirized, Bradford Dillman’s exaggerated comic style and its success? Their roles in the shootouts?

10. How conventional a villain was Claw? Doing villainous things? The exaggeration of the claw and its humorous exhibit e.g. in the brothel? The inevitability of his death?

11. The tone given to the film by having David admiring Harry and following him? David as a potential Harry? Learning to be a classy villain? His relationship with Baby and her addition to the film? The romance, the human feeling, the drama of the torture, and the explosives?

12. How did Clara and her relationship with Uncle Frank contrast with Buffy and Baby and present a picture of woman in this film?

13. What attitude towards violence did the film take? Did it exploit its violence? The car chases, the bashings, the shootings, the terrorizing of the children in the school, the bus chase, the shootout in the laundry, the police? How necessary is the portrayal of violence in a film like this? In a parody?

14. How sordid a world was the world of this film? What judgements were audiences meant to make of it? People such as Buffy and Dolly as well as the criminals? The portrayal of the themes of betrayal.. loyalty, greed, ambition?

15. The satirical ending under New York harbour? The happy ending? Were these appropriate? How valuable a comic-strip film was this parody adventure?