INTO THE HOMELAND

US, 1985, 95 minutes, Colour.
Powers Boothe, C.Thomas Howell, Paul Le Mat.
Directed by Leslie Linka Glatter.

Into the Homeland is an interesting telemovie about white supremacist groups in Middle America in the '80s. This theme was the background of a number of films of the period including John Frankenheimer's Dead Bang, the Clint Eastwood Pink Cadillac, Burt Reynolds' Malone.

The film was written by Anna Hamilton Phelan (Gorillas in the Mist) and focuses on a disillusioned policeman, his search for his daughter in Wyoming in one of the communes of the white supremacist group. Powers Booth is the policeman, Cindy Pickett his wife. Paul Le Mat is the head of the group with C. Thomas Howell as his heir apparent. David Caruso is a psychotic guard.

The plot is conventional enough, the policeman searching for his daughter, the kidnapping of the son and trying to debrief him to collaborate with the search for the missing girl. There is a somewhat downbeat ending, even if the girl is rescued, which gives some edge to the story. Statistics are offered at the end about the number of such groups in the United States. The film is a useful way of dramatising such issues for the television audience. The film was made for the Home Box Office cable company.

1. Interesting American drama? Contemporary problem of the '80s? For the wide television audience?

2. The California settings, Los Angeles and Capistrano? The contrast with Middle America? The Middle American states, way of life? The compound for the association? Realistic atmosphere? Musical score?

3. The title, Swallow going into Middle America? The homeland of America? Traditional attitudes and the Constitution? Freedoms? Fears and developing racism and supremacism?

4. The prologue with Swallow at home, relationship with his wife and daughter? Undercover, the drug deal, the shootings, his killing the woman and child? His collapse, leaving the police force, his drinking, making surfboards at Capistrano, his friends? The separation from family for three years?

5. Rye, arriving, her psychology background? Love for her husband? Exasperation at his departure? Ember going on her travels? Disappearance? Persuading Swallow to go?

6. Swallow, his going to Wyoming, search for the daughter, the boarding house (and the Grateful Dead fan)? The photo? Drinking in the bar? The attack on the Jewish reporter lawyer? His seeing Tripp? Trespassing and his being caught and bashed?

7. His going to the picnic? Watching Tripp and his father? The people at the picnic? Their loyalties? Tripp's accident, Jack rescuing him? The grateful family, installed as a bodyguard? Eating with the family? Travelling as bodyguard? Learning more about the group? The clash with Rider, the meal, his going to the computer? The file on his daughter? His emotions? Need for a drink? The contact with Joel, the information, Joel's help? Meeting him and giving him the information?

8. The decision to move, the outing with Tripp, kidnapping him? Tying him up, taking him back to California? The interrogations and his angry methods? Rye and her compassion? Jack liking Tripp and hating him? Taking him to his mother's grave? Breaking down the brainwashing? The videos of his daughter? Tripp's breakdown? The decision to go back? The rendezvous with Joel and Joel's being killed? With Tripp and Rider? Tied up? Rider piercing him with the knife? Tripp unable to cut him? Letting him go free? Going to the compound? Tipping off the FBI? The computer, finding that Ember was in the compound? Finding her, the rescue?

9. The portrait of Tripp and his father? The three generations, the interpretation of the name Derrick as ruler? The philosophy of the group, pro-Arian, playing baseball, the Constitution? Right-wing political and economic stances, racism? The appeal to ordinary people? Supplying them with money - the widow and the personal visit of Derrick? The picnics? Allegiances? The training camp, the terrorist films? The FBI agent being killed? The ordinary family, Derrick and his family around him, his wife? Children? The shooting practice? The threat of the FBI, Derrick packing up the family and evacuating them? The confrontation with Tripp, Tripp's accusations, the decisions about Ember and his father lying? His father killing him, calling him a martyr, finally wanting to erect a monument to his son?

10. Joel, the humiliation and bashing, the investigation, friendship with Jack, helping him, the rendezvous, his death?

11. The happy ending? The warnings for the American audience about such Right-wing groups? Constitution and law? Prejudice and racism? Fanaticism?