ONE FROM THE HEART

US, 1982, 101 minutes, Colour.
Frederic Forrest, Teri Garr, Raul Julia, Nastassia Kinski, Lanie Kazan, Harry Dean Stanton.
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

One From the Heart was an expensive musical experiment made by Francis Ford Coppola at his Zoetrope Studios. Coppola had made Finian's Rainbow with Fred Astaire, Petula Clark and Tommy Steele in the '60s. However, he decided to make a stylised musical, using video equipment, using studio sets rather than create any atmosphere.

The film was not a success - people finding the plot slight, the music and songs less than persuasive (even though many were composed by Tom Waites and Crystal Gale).

The stars do well under the circumstances - but, the contrived confection with its chocolate box colours and artificial sets, means that the film seems to appeal only to a minority audience.

1. The reputation of Francis Coppola, his past work, achievements? His aims for this musical? Its lack of success - merited or not?

2. Big-budget production costs? The studio sets, Las Vegas - real and unreal? The highlighting of the contrived sets for a musical? Taking away from its impact? Special effects, editing - and the work of electronic rehearsals, the dancing and the choreography?

3. The musical traditions: the genre, conventions, characters and situations, issues? Audiences accepting the unreality, being involved in the plot, distanced from it? The blend of the serious and the light?

4. The songs by Tom Waites and Crystal Gale? Voices, chorus? The comment on characters and themes? Creating mood? The choreography and style?

5. Las Vegas as the American city of dreams, the particularly American characteristics, gambling, relationships, violence? Dreams? The Las Vegas of the sound stage, artificially lit, its appearance, the apartments, restaurants, casinos? The garages, airports, streets? Audience response to this artificial Las Vegas? A setting for the themes of gambling, winning and losing, hopes and dreams, relationships and interactions?

6. The title and its use? Emotions, love? The light sentimental tone? The chocolate box style?

7. The setting of the fourth of July? The American atmosphere? Las Vegas in the summer? Frannie and Hank, their relationships, gifts, hopes? The scenes together, the quality of their relationship? Moving into quarrelling, the fight? Mutual accusations? The separation?

8. Hank and his relationship with Moe - partnership, buying the deed, attacking Moe? The clash with Frannie, on the town, the encounter with the circus? The attraction to Leila, his relationship with her, the sexual liaison - her disappearance and the aftermath?

9. Frannie and her going to Maggie, their work in the agency? Her staying, the encounter with Ray? Talking, acting - playing up to him, the truth? The dance and his performance?

10. The irony as the mismatched couples crossed paths without realising?

11. Frannie and Ray, Hank and his search, anger, carrying Frannie off? The plan to go to the Pacific?

12. Hank and Leila, the effect on Hank, her disappearance, his search, chase? The airport - and his song?

13. The background characters - real/unreal? Maggie and Moe, the restaurant owner, the airline agents?

14. A confection - and the Hollywood musical tradition, the experiments of Francis Coppola?