PASSION FLOWER
US, 1986, 96 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Boxleitner, Barbara Hershey, John Waters, Nicol Williamson.
Directed by Joseph Sargent.
Passion Flower is a telemovie of big business and intrigue. It was filmed on exotic locations -in Singapore- It has an -international cast: Bruce Boxleitner as the American hero, Barbara Hershey with an English accent, Nicol Williamson as her father and Australian John Waters as her husband. Direction is by Joseph Sargent, director of many telemovies and cinema movies ranging from Sunshine, The Taking of Pelham 123, Jaws IV.
The film is complicated, shows something of the mystery of the East and the naivety of the Americans trying to make their way successfully in business. The film also has echoes of Macbeth with intrigue and plots to murder.
1. Interesting and entertaining telemovie? Exotic locations? Characters? Intrigue?
2. The Singapore settings, the beauty of the city, modern style, the inscrutability of the East, East meets West? Musical score?
3. The title, its reference, Julia, the use of the symbol?
4. Credibility of the plot, passion, business, violence?
5. The clash between East and West? The oriental mind, long traditions, manner, business? The naivety of the West?
6. The opening with Julia and her nightmare, the shooting of her mother, her father's reaction, hatred for her father, a driving force throughout her life?
7. Her father, and Nicol Williamson's presence and style, the explanations of his background, form England, pirates, big business, the shooting, his empire, his relationship with his wife and her submission to him, her death, bringing up Julia, friendship and love, their clashes? His power, contacts, money, the loans and his plans? Larry's intervention, his taunting him, promises, conditions, exercise of power, the sexual relationship with the maid and the lessons for Larry, the promotion, the social, firing him? His being set up to be murdered?
8. Julia and her husband, her seductive manner, quiet, the affair with Larry, its passion, putting ideas into his head, leading him on, the relationship, the clash with her father? The social, the rubies? The break with Larry, seeming to spurn him? The murder? Her relationship with her husband, the plan? The visit to prison, her seeming to relent, the irony of her being recorded? The credibility of her life, motivations?
9. Larry and his business ambitions, background in Hong Kong, at tennis, attracted by Julia, the loans and his company, his being clever, the conditions, discussions with Julia's father, thinking that he could understand, learning tactics, his relationship with his maid, the businessman and his abuse of her? Relationship with Julia, caught, love, hatred, despising her husband, the moods of their relationship, the build-up to the murder? His being promoted, humiliated? The chase? Prison, the tape and the irony of his being free?
10. Julia's husband, his petulance on the tennis court, people despising him, the irony of his plan, mocking Larry at the end, going into the office, with Julia, the irony of their downfall?
11. The world of big business, banks, eastern and western styles, deals, American businessmen abroad, the Asian shrewdness?
12. The background of the western wives, their boredom? Intrigues?
13. The maid, relationship with Larry, the abuse?
14. A popular exotic thriller - with the touch of Macbeth?
