PRIVATE BENJAMIN
US, 1980, 108 minutes, Colour.
Goldie Hawn, Eileen Brennan, Armand Assante, Robert Webber, Sam Wanamaker, Harry Dean Stanton, Albert Brooks.
Directed by Howard Zieff.
Box office hit, Oscar nominee, talked about, rather inflating a modest comedy with a feminine reversal of hackneyed, almost cliched army situations (yet Oscar-nominated for best original screenplay). Goldie Hawn can always amuse and delight. As a spoilt girl, as unwilling trainee, as career woman, she entertains and makes a plug for women, careers and rights (even K.Oing the hero!). The film has some funny moments (too spasmodic), takes us to Belgium and Paris for bittersweet romance, is sometimes surprisingly frank in its dialogue and tells us that the '80s are a time to smarten up and be ourselves (after Vietnam and Vietnam anxiety) to opt in rather than opt out. Moderate enjoyment. Director Howard Zieff made such interesting and entertaining comedies as Slither, Hearts of the West (Hollywood Cowboy), House Calls and The Main Event.
1. An amusing and successful Goldie Hawn vehicle? Her comic style, manner? Charm, gleeful humour, satire? Her involvement in the production? Her interests?
2. The success of the comedy: the army comedy and its routines, feminist comedy, romance? A successful blending or not?
3. The influence of film tradition: old Jewish comedy, especially weddings, the army routines and accidents (and the comic reversal of roles for women in this film), love stories (and the heroine dominating)?
4. The feminist point of view: highlighting this by the reversal of roles and the women taking the men's leading parts ? even in the army? The highlighting of women and their way of life, interests, style? Women's talk ? especially about sexuality? The relationships between women? Captain Lewis and her repressed lesbianism? Women and their roles in government, the army? Working roles? marriage and romance? Deception and truth? Independent women? The validity of the point of view ? and its being communicated through comedy?
5. Army themes and the atmosphere after the Vietnam war and the examination of conscience about Vietnam? The traditional humour about the services? The propaganda lies? The ugly side of army life? Comradeship and achievement? Opting into the army? The experience of Vietnam and the growing optimism and nationalism of the '80s?
6. Goldie Hawn's presence as Judy - personality, style, charm and laugh? How well did she use her comic style? The story of her life up to the opening of the film, naivety, spoilt, first marriage? Her relationship with Yale and his preoccupation about business? The long detail of the wedding ceremony? Judy's parents and their money gift? The ironic humour of Yale and his passion, death? The humour and yet the grimness? Judy's collapse, her wandering away, the various relatives and their attempts at consolation? The phone call to the Lifeline style speaker? The recruiting officer and his false picture of the army? Her naivety in believing him? Her parents' visit to the army and persuading her that she had made a mistake? Their comments about spoiling her, explaining to friends that she was in an asylum?
7. The army humour: the arrival, the induction, the drill and the discipline, the huts? Judy trying to be feminine in her remark and manner? Captain Lewis and their ironic listening to Judy's comments? The officers? The interaction with the other girls, fights, clashes? Wanda and her trying to be the exemplary soldier? The tradition of army jokes and the way they were presented by Goldie Hawn? The decision to stay in the army to spite her parents? The war games, the girl talk around the fire, the tactics and the winning of the war game? The exposing of Sergeant Ross and Wanda? Her promotion? Captain Lewis' transfer and the schoolgirl of the blue paint in the shower?
8. Colonel Thornbush and his pep talks? His reaction to Judy's success? The prestige of the Thorn Birds? Judg and her participation in the train and a reprise of army training jokes, sight gags? The tough Thorn Birds? Judg and the preparation for the parachute jump? Colonel, Thornbush and his pass, attempted rape and her reaction? Her control over him and her transfer to Europe?
9. The portrait of Judy's parents? wealthy, the worried mother, the visit to Mississippi? Her reaction against them? Meeting friends in the town? The romantic interlude with Henri and the one-night affair? Her decision to look him up in Paris, their falling in love, sharing experiences, the decision to leave the army and marry him? His lies? Her decision to leave him and the final scene of her walking off in the wedding gown? The irony of the love story in reverse and her punching the hero? The portrait of Henri - his American visit, professional skill, suave manner? The build-up to the marriage? his previous affairs, the painter and her paintings, the liaison with the maid? His going to see his former girlfriend, Judy's walking out on him?
10. The American presence in Europe, NATO, Judy's skill, her relationship with her boss and the comedy with the Turkish pronunciation? The irony of Doreen Lewis being in Belgium? Surveillance and interrogation?
11. Her decision to leave the army, to marry Henri? The satire about phobias on communism?
12. The future for Judy Benjamin, what she had learnt in the American forces? A sequel (in fact a TV series)?
13. The portrait of the minor characters and their contribution: the army recruiter and his suave plausible story? Doreen Lewis and the tough army woman? Colonel Thornbush and his relationship with his wife, his promoting Judy, his violent attitude towards her, the attempted rape? Mary Lou and the fights, friendship? Wanda and her trying to be exemplary and exposed? The particular group of women in Mississippi?
14. A successful American comedy? For laughs? For points to be made?
