POSSE

US, 1975, 93 minutes, Colour.
Kirk Douglas, Bruce Dern, Bo Hopkins, Luke Askew, David Canary, Alfonso Arau.
Directed by Kirk Douglas.

Posse is an entertaining but very serious Western directed by and starring Kirk Douglas, which has got lost or obscured in limited release. The basic story is standard Western - ambitious would-be Senator pursues and captures criminal for law and order propaganda. Criminal exploits the politician's double-dealing. Critics have called it a Post Watergate Western and the ending is unmistakably caustic comment on Richard Nixon. The use of the Western conventions as a metaphor for contemporary politics is an indication of the critical attitudes of the 70s towards American history and of disillusionment with the present. Kirk Douglas is the Senator and Bruce Dern once more the effective villain.

1. How successful and enjoyable a western? Its use of western conventions and appeal to audience expectations?

2. The interest and enjoyment in the film in its plot, western characters, adventure aspects? Use of colour and locations etc.?

3. The western scene with the political background of America in the 70s, the allusions to political corruption, programs of law and order, vote campaigning etc.? How well did the film work at the political level? The value of linking 20th century America with the traditions and behaviour of 19th century America, especially in the west? How much insight via this comparison?-

4. How attractive a character was Marshal Nightingale? What kind of person was he, the nature of his ambitions, the extent of his shrewdness? His way of life and behaviour, eg. the train? His deal with his own mercenaries? His plots as regards Strawhorn? His relentlessness in pursuing his ambitions and Strawhorn? His capacity for double talk, his public speeches and hold on people? His lack of morality? His being captured and ransomed? His being abandoned? A symbol of American politicians?

5. The contrast with Strawhorn? The typical western villain? A bandit, callous, murdering his betrayer? His cowardly attitudes? His shrewdness in escaping, kidnapping Nightingale, doing deals? The irony of his riding off with the posse? The title and its irony with reference to this posse?

6. The similarity between the law and order man and the villain?

7. Audience response to the posse? Their dedication to their work, mercenary attitudes? Capacity for violence? Lack of motivation? Their behaviour in the town? Wesley and his attitudes, Krag? Pepe and his role? Pensteman and his betrayal? Audience response to the fact that they went off with Strawhorn at the end?

8. Helman and his comment on the behaviour? The significance of his loss of arm and leg? The newspapers trying to expose the truth and the criminals? As representing the 70s insight into law and order, via the media?

9. The picture of the town as the setting for these events? The beliefs of the people, the details of the people and their way of life, the Marshal, Mrs. Cooper etc.? Their listening to Nightingale, their being used? The behaviour of the posse as regards the women?

10. The corruption of the deputies and its significance? That people can be bought?

11. Where was Nightingale left at the end? The cowardly town, isolated and cursing his fate?

12. The film's understanding of law and order issues, the use of law and order for ambitions, the extrinsic morality of surface behaviour in America?

13. Insight into mercenary motives, money and morals? The political machine governing individuals?