THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE

US, 1981, 118 minutes, Colour.
Jack Nicholson, Jessica Lange, John Colicos, Michael Lerner, John P. Ryan.
Directed by Bob Rafaelson.

James M. Cain's novel has been described as '30s hardboiled realism and Greek tragedy in paperback, U.S. style. These intentions seem clear in this film and might have been more striking and persuasive in black and white. The setting of the '30s roadhouse is good. Jessica Lange suggests the earthy, passionate Cora. John Colicos is an excellent Nick. Jack Nicholson is effective but seems too old and knowing for his depression vagrant role. The film is long; we watch the passion dispassionately and are finally robbed of some of Cain's irony and poetic justice. A film of timeless themes located strongly in our time, but of detached interest. The brief supporting roles stand out. Previous versions included a French '30s treatment, Lucchino Visconti adaptation to Italy, Ossessione (1942) and Tay Garnett's 1946 M.G.M. version with Lana Turner, John Garfield and Cecil Kellaway.

1. The reputation of Jams M. Cain and his hard-boiled slices of life? Greek tragedy in paperback! The basic elements of man-woman relationships, love, hate, violence? The Depression? Melodrama American style? The relationship of this film to the novel? To the previous versions made?

2. The production values: The director and his reputation, the cast? Colour photography by Sven Nykvist? The atmospheric score? The adaptation of the novel - the re-creation of California during the Depression. the isolated roadhouse and its wag of life, the melodramatic conflict, law courts, shady lawyers? Decor, costumes? period atmosphere? The appropriate use of colour photography? (How might it have been in black and white?)

3. The directness and explicitness of the novel? The Hayes office and censorship in the '40s and '50s? The directness and explicitness of the 1970s and 1980s? How frank? How suggestive? An appropriate presentation of passion and violence?

4. The significance of the title? Tone? Themes of fate and justice?

5. The melodramatic style of the film? The melodramatic presentation of, and insight into marriage, lust, passion, violence, lies, betrayal? The changes wrought on the main characters? Contrived - but with reference to the stark melodrama of Greek tragedy? The impact of this kind of melodrama for the popular audience? For critics?

6. The importance of showing California in the '30s: the open roads, the roadhouse and the way of life, the style of the city, bus depots, gambling, dole queues? Ethnic groups and their style? Prisons, police, lawyers? The decor suggesting the way of life, costumes, cars?

7. The choice of Jack Nicholson to play Frank? His age and intelligence - appropriate for the character and the type? Seeing him on the road? His routine about getting the mal free? Nick offering him a job and his resisting it until seeing Cora? The vagrant of the '30s? The later information about his imprisonment and violence? His capacity for work? His jobs around the place and encounters with Cora? His spying on her at night - dancing with Nick? His friendliness with Nick? His waiting to make a move on Cora and her response to it? The long sequence of passion on the kitchen table? The credibility of their running away together? His gambling the money and putting pressure on Cora? Her refusing and return? Whose suggestion to murder Nick - Frank's or Cora's? His changing attitudes towards Nick's death during the film? Ready, regretting it? The build-up to the first attempt, the police passing by and the small talk? The irony of the cat and the electrocution? Getting Nick to hospital? The irony of Frank's behaviour at the dance and his being pointed out and praised as saving Nick’s’ life? The later party and the deception on Nick in order to kill him by the roadside? The violence of the blow? The getting rid of the car ? and its going a small distance at first? The significance of the sexual encounter after the murder? The irony of the accident and Frank's Injury?

8. The depiction of Cora, Jessica Lange's age, style? The reason for her marriage to Nick, her hard work in the roadhouse? The relationship with Nick, the dancing, his self-centred manner? His buoyant enthusiasm, the humour of the sequence with his buying the dressing gown? Her appearance, relationship with customers? Her slatternly style? Encouraging Frank in the kitchen? Her passionate response to him? Her coming down during the night? The attempted murder and her fright after the blackout? Her decision to go away with Frank? Her hard attitude towards the money? The celebration of Nick's recovery? Her participation in the murder and leading Nick on? Fear? Sexual encounter with Frank? Her being bashed by him to make it appear like an accident? His further accident?

9. The portrait of Nick: in himself, his enthusiasm for the roadhouse, his offering Frank the job, relationship with Cora, especially the dancing and the sexual relationship? Plans? The new sign, the electricity? His trust in Frank? His recovering and celebrating? His treatment of Cora - his loving her but taking her for granted? Her reaction against this? His being a victim of their passion? The details of the sketch of character and the vivid portrayal of Nick?

10. The irony of the arrest, the insurance questions, the police and the interrogation of Frank and forcing him to sign a document, the personality of their lawyer and his shady style, his getting Cora's confession with his assistant? The brief sequences of the court case? The lawyer and his style, the prosecutor and his vehemence? The judge and his decisions? The place of Cora on trial ? and Frank not being on trial? Was this clear to the audience with its legal repercussions, especially if she were cleared? The irony of the change of plea? The effect of the shady deal and their being released?

11. The aftermath of their release - the press pursuing them, going off alienated in the taxi? Their gradually moving together again? Cora's pregnancy and the growing bond of love? The absence of Nick and their genuine affection for each other? Changing into love? Cora's mother's death and her absence and her being welcomed back? The lawyer's assistant and his pressure for blackmail about the confession? Frank's beating him and getting the confession back ? and Cora's disregard of this?

12. The picnic together, Cora's pregnancy pains? The lyrical attitude and the change and the ironic moral comment that this should happen after passion and murder? The joy of going home and the irony of Cora's accidental death? The echoes of Nick's death? Frank's grief at the end? (The sentiment in this and the film's omitting Cain's retributive justice by having arrested for Cora's murder?)

13. The background of the law, the insurance discussions and deals, the ironies of making money and double-dealing? The lawyer and his pressures and reputation? His assistant and trying to make money? The vehement attitude of the prosecutor?

14. American treatment of basic human themes? The portrayal of character and the effect of actions on character? The importance of fate - freedom, determining one's life, circumstances, breaking through circumstances? Morality and codes of values? Audience sympathy towards Cora and Frank - in themselves, to what they did, to the repercussions?