OLD GRINGO
US, 1989, 120 minutes, Colour.
Gregory Peck, Jane Fonda, Jimmy Smits.
Directed by Luis Puenzo.
Old Gringo is filled with spectacular epic sweep, but is really a small drama, a miniature of three characters caught up in the fire, melodrama and romantic idealism of the Mexican Revolution. Gregory Peck is the old gringo, the cantankerous journalist-author, Ambrose Bierce (The Occurrence at Owl Creek) who disappeared in Mexico, 1913-14. Peck is excellent and has become an icon of American cinema. In his scenes with Jane Fonda, close-ups with her, it is almost two American icons together. Fonda (who co-produced the film) is a prim governess from New York whose life and perspective are changed. Jimmy Smits (L.A. Law, The Believers) is the rebel general, full of resentment, delaying in joining Pancho Villa's battles.
The spectacle is powerful, but puts the personal drama off balance. The film seems more interesting for older audiences. It was adapted from a novel by Carlos Fuentes and co-written and directed by Luis Puenza (the Oscar-winning Argentinian film, The Official Story).
1. An epic of the west? Mexico? The Mexican Revolution? Period, social comment, personal drama?
2. American locations, Washington? Mexico and its landscapes, pounds? The re-creation of period, decor, costumes? Lavish style? The cast of thousands for the action sequences, editing and pace?
3. The status of the stars, their impact on American cinema? The adaptation from a more subjective novel - how appropriate for the epic treatment?
4. The title, the focus, the Mexican perspective on the gringo? The perspective of the film on Americans and Mexicans? The '80s looking back at the past? American viewpoint on Latin America?
5. Harriet and the voice-over, her perspective, feelings, experience and change? The American growing in awareness of the Latin American situation? The invitation for American and world audiences to identify with Harriet and her experience?
6. The relationship between Harriet and her mother, her age, experience, the spinster? The reputation of his father, of her father, the Cuban war, the death - and the fraud? The cemetery? Her teaching, studying Spanish? Overhearing Ambrose Bierce and his speech, his sense of freedom? Inspired by him? Going to Mexico, her expectations? Her ignorance? Her arrival at the hotel in the midst of revolution? Her being duped, riding with the group, the clash with Tomas, the encounter with Bitter? Going to the hacienda, the battle, her bewilderment?
7. Her helplessness in the battle, the siege of the Hacienda, the guns? The deaths, the maid slitting the enemy's throat? The hanging of the manager? The puzzle, her resentment of Tomas as a general? Demanding to leave? Her being forced to stay, her encounter with the women, Tomas's woman, understanding the prostitutes? Their frankness, the effect of staying, adapting, washing, playing with the children, the interior change?
8. Ambrose Bierce and his reputation, working for William Randolph Hearst, his resentment against him? The dedication of his books, his speech to the journalists and authors, his condemning his own books? His decision to leave the United States? In the Mexican town, watching the revolutionaries, the drinking, the clash with Tomas, proving his skill in shooting the watch? His attitude towards the revolution? His personal death wish, the reason for coming to Mexico? Accompanying the troops, helping them? Watching the battle, changing the train line after the death of the Mexican? The exhilaration of the revolution?
9. Bierce and Harriet, Americans talking, sharing, the perspectives? His attraction to Harriet? Her seeing him as a father figure? His attitude towards death? His build-up to the relationship with Tomas, becoming his father figure?
10. Tomas, the revolutionary, his presence, the men following him, loyalty to Pancho Villa? In the town, tricking Harriet, the journey and the encounters, the dangers? The taunts with Harriet, tricking her? The attack and the battle? The deaths, hanging the manager, the aftermath? The relationship with his mistress? The irony of the aristocracy being his father, his resentment, his having killed his father?
11. Tomas and his decision to stay in the hacienda, the delay, looking for the documents, the mirrors and his contemplation? His own problems? The reaction of his lieutenants? The shooting of the officers - and the taunt by Bierce but not shooting him? Standing on orders? The meaning of his life? The Mexicans singing the song about his inaction? The dancing troupe dressed as skeletons? The interaction with Harriet, his mellowing, love and their passionate scenes?
12. Harriet, the change, discovery of passion, dancing with Tomas, the affair? Listening to him? Puzzled about his inaction?
13. Bierce, the decision to go into action, taking Tomas's horse, taming it, dressing like him, forcing him to move, sharing his identity? His return, Tomas's resentment, the shooting of the horse, the shooting of Bierce, execution?
14. Tomas and the change, the effect of killing Bierce? Harriet going to the consul and claiming the body? Going to Villa, Villa's condemnation of Tomas? The staging of his execution - standing alongside the corpse of Bierce?
15. Themes of life and death? Causes? Social change and justice? Values? The significance of the Mexican Revolution? The character of Pancho Villa, his leadership, the status of the Federales? His own views and comments about the end of the revolution?
16. The differing attitudes of Latin Americans to life and death from Americans? The willingness to go into death? Tomas and his acceptance?
17. The epic scale of the film, its scope? The ending with Harriet leaving, the fabrication about Bierce as her father and father figure? Identifying him with her father? Her not denying her memories, going to the Mexican-American? border?
