PRIZZI'S HONOUR

US, 1985, 123 minutes, Colour.
Jack Nicholson, Kathleen Turner, Anjelica Huston, Robert Loggia, John Randolph, William Hickey, Lee Richardson.
Directed by John Huston.

Prizzi's Honour is based on a novel by Richard Condon (The Manchurian Candidate, Winter Kills). He co-scripted the screenplay from his novel. Condon has a sardonic approach to American society and the American dream. Here he is in Godfather territory with black comedy and the result seems far more critical of the Mafia in America than the Godfather stories.

The film was directed by John Houston (who played the Joseph Kennedy type patriarch in Winter Kills). This is one of Houston's best films. He began his directing career with The Maltese Falcon, won an Oscar with The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Jack Nicholson is excellent as the slow witted but shrewd hit man Charlie Partanna. Kathleen Turner matches him as the hit woman who becomes his wife. Anjelica Huston is shrewd as the Prizzi daughter Maerose. There is an excellent supporting cast, especially John Randolph as Charlie's father and William Hickey as the Don.

The film has excellent set pieces, especially the opening wedding scene. There is also a comic use of opera music to counterpoint the plot developments. The film won many awards and is a striking example of filmmaking, cinema sense, screenwriting, acting as well as commentary on America.

1. The film's acclaim, awards? Interest and enjoyment? Black humour?

2. Richard Condon and his satiric, amoral black view of American society? Matching John Houston's interest and filmmaking staples?

3. The American flavour of the film, New York, California? The Mafia atmosphere? Business, gambling, banks? The Catholic Church and its rituals and traditions? The background of Italy and Sicily? The contrast between the eastern coast and the west coast? Las Vegas? The movement and editing of the set pieces: the wedding, the reception, the Mafia meetings, the shooting of Maxie, the kidnapping of Filargi, the finale with the confrontation between Charlie and Irene? The device of the plane crossing America?

4. The musical score, the choice of operatic and liturgical music, the facetious and serious commentaries of the musical score?

5. The title, the reference to the Mafia, to the family, to the family's law and sense of honour? Honour amongst thieves? The family and its style, codes, laws? The Sicilian traditions? The brotherhood? The transplanting of the Sicilian customs to the United States? Their repercussions on American society? Outsiders and their relationships with the family?

6. The film's focus on Charlie, his birth, Don Corrado and his patronage, the knuckle-duster gift for the young Charlie, his blood initiation, and the laconic 'Yeah!' in reply? The importance of this patronage, his father as a counsellor, Charlie's code, being brainwashed and steered into the family loyalties? The family despite all? Charlie's ultimate choices? The finale, and Maerose as winning the battle of Prizzi's Honour? Charlie ultimately as victim of the honour?

7. The quality and impact of the opening, the long shot of the wedding ceremony, the focus on the guests, the information about the Mafia, the characters, the police, the church, Irene and Charlie and their attraction, Charlie's power, Irene's business, the dance? Maerose and the family tension, her mother, her father's rejection, the build-up of tensions and curiosity with Irene's disappearance?

8. Charlie and his wait in the city, the police ride to the reception, the photos of Irene, his preoccupation, ringing Maerose, the revelation of the past ? his attachment to Maerose. her running away, her dishonour and expulsion from the family. her friendship with Charlie. decorating his apartment? Irene's ring from Los Angeles? Charlie's delight? The plane ride, the talk. his showy coat, the sexual encounter and its passionate nature, the discussions about hormones. love and being in love (and Charlie's Reader's Digest and magazine information which he took so seriously)? The problem in Las Vegas, Charlie at the meeting, the visit to Los Angeles, Maxie and the confrontation. the killing and Charlie's ability at killing? The encounter with Irene, believing her, reporting to the family, saving Irene, planning to marry her. the meal with his father, the revelation about Irene as the outside hit, the proposal, the marriage in Mexico?

9. The initial impression of Irene, at the wedding, the dance, attraction to Charlie, ringing him, the passionate encounter, the story of her husband, her fear, her Polish origins (outside the Sicilians)? Her skill with tax advice? Her lies? Being caught with Maxie, her story about the money, her story about Las Vegas? Her marrying Charlie? The irony of their domestic patter as they went about the plans for killing? An ironic odd couple?

10. The plan for the kidnapping, the execution of the kidnapping, the timing and the preparation, the baby, the irony of Irene's and Charlie's behaviour, the killing of the policeman's wife? The effect on Irene and Charlie? The Mafia and the heavy action of the police?

11. Maerose and her appearance, glamour, cut off, scandalous, the night with Charlie, atoning for her past offence. the possibility of re-entering the family, yet her wanting revenge on him? Her return to her father and her acting morosely? Going to Don Corrado, the visit to Las Vegas with the showgirl, getting the truth about Irene, informing the Don, setting the process in motion whereby Irene would be killed and she would gain Charlie? The final image of Charley ringing her and her innocently inviting him over, Maerose as the winner of Prizzi's Honour?

12. Don Corrado and his hold over the family, his age, manner and voice, at the wedding reception, the family and the Italians loyal to him, the bankers and gamblers as well as the police and artists and musicians at his beck and call? His response to Charlie and wanting him to take over? Keeping it secret? His attitudes towards his sons. especially Dominic? His attachment towards Maerose and following her? Summoning Irene and giving her the ultimatum? Dominic and Eduardo and their running of the family business? Dominic and his seriousness? Dislike of Charlie? His horror at Melrose’s story about the sexual encounter, the irony of hiring Irene to hit Charlie, his being humiliated, the fire in the hall and his being killed?

13. Angelo and his place in the family. genial adviser to the Don, proud of his son, training him, advice about Irene. letting him marry her. liking Irene, the domestic scenes. the kidnap plan and its execution? However, his detachment about Irene ? and letting her be killed because of business and the family?

14. The sketch of Maxie, the scam at Las Vegas, the effect on the Mafia, the meetings, the plans, Charlie's mission? His execution?

15. The family's hold over Charlie? Irene's alternate plan, taking the money and going to Hong Kong? The pressure put on Charley by the family? The cat-and-mouse behaviour with Irene? The sexual context of their attempts to kill each other? Charlie's grief? Maerose's comfort?

16. Commentators saying that the film was anti-women? Condon's irony about the traditions of the Mafia, the masculine leadership, the hold over the women, their being put in their place, Irene as the outsider, the family having to eliminate her? His critique of these attitudes?

17. The film as a black comedy and its effect on audience emotions? The nastiness of the ending? The bitterness of the American dream?