P.K. AND THE KID

US, 1982, 90 minutes, Colour.
Molly Ringwald, Paul Le Mat, Alex Rocco.
Directed by Lou Lombardo.

P.K. and the Kid is an early Molly Ringwald film. It also stars Paul Le Mat as a champion hand wrestler. It is a genial kind of film, something of a short story. The young worker meets a runaway, their lives are intertwined, they support each other.

The film uses Denver and the American road as well as Californian locations well. It has echoes of Rocky, of course, in the final championship. Direction is by Lou Lombardo (Russian Roulette), a skilled film editor.

1. A pleasing short story, another odd couple, family crises, the Rocky tradition?

2. Denver locations, the American highway, California? The locale for the hand wrestling competition? Musical score, songs, mood?

3. The focus on P.K. and the Kid, the introduction to each, their becoming a couple, interacting, the bond between the two, the dramatics, mutual help and support?

4. Molly Ringwald as P.K. young, her style (and her later career? At home, the advances of her stepfather, his brutality, the mother taking his side? Her running away, her shrewdness in eluding her stepfather? Getting in the Kid's truck? Hiding again, the drainpipe, getting a lift? Refusing to go back in the bus? The talk with the Kid, understanding, the bond between the two? The bar and his wrestling? At the hotel as his daughter? Visiting the old friend? Her stepfather's continued pursuit? The adventure, growing confidence? The black woman in California and her friendship? Going out, the competition, wanting to have a drink, a dance? The police and the arrest? Her father and his violence at the black woman's home, at the hotel? Taking her, putting her in the boot of the car? Her pretending that she was unconscious, hitting the stepfather, escaping? Taking the vehicle, going back to get the black woman, getting the bail bond man, the hair-raising driving? The hand-wrestling competition, support of the Kid and his winning? Her attitude towards her father, her mother? Her future?

5. The Kid and his work, his friends seeing him off from Denver, nice young man, on the road, the meeting with P.K., reaction, giving her the lift, the stepfather's pursuit? His wrestling, registering as father and daughter? The friend in California, the girls and support? The factories and the tryout? The friendship of the black woman? The competition location, the bar, the clashes with the stepfather, the drink and the dance, the police, in the cell? His even-temperedness? Getting out, the bouts, winning?

6. The sketch of the parents: the mother and her relationship with her daughter, in love with the stepfather, ignoring his brutality? The relentless chase, the fights, putting P.K. in the boot of the car, the police? Her hitting him? A future?

7. The black woman and her friendship, friendship with the Kid. helping P.K. with the bail?

8. The friend and his supporters, the cheerleaders?

9. The bail bond man and his ride, support?

10. The competition, the visualising of the bouts, the contestants, men and women, the competition, the final bout and the win?

11. The atmosphere of Rocky? Family themes and child abuse? Nicely dramatised?