REMEMBER MY NAME
US, 1974, 94 minutes, Colour.
Geraldine Chaplin, Anthony Perkins, Moses Gunn, Jeff Goldblum, Alfre Woodard.
Directed by Alan Rudolph.
Remember My Name was written and directed by Alan Rudolph, an associate of Robert Altman who produced this film. Rudolph, a writer for Altman, (California Split), started directing his own films with Welcome to L.A. in 1977. Rudolph shares Altman's interest in characters, environments - and is strong on environments, even when they tend to obscure the motives and audience understanding of the characters. However, Remember My Name is much more straightforward than many other of Rudolph's films. It is more reminiscent of his mid-80s features, Choose Me and Trouble in Mind, rather than other films like Roadie and Songwriter.
Geraldine Chaplin gives an effective performance as a woman released from prison, seeking out her former husband - with mysterious motives. Anthony Perkins matches her as the husband. His wife, Berry Berenson, appears as his wife in the film. There is good support from Alfre Woodard and Jeff Goldblum, who were to make greater reputations in the '80s.
The film is something of a short story - a portrait of an enigmatic, woman, quite effective in its way.
1. The impact of the film, as a short story? Character study, situations and environment? motivations? The work of Alan Rudolph?
2. The American city, ordinary homes, streets, shops? The ordinariness with the memories of prison, the echoes of prison? musical score?
4. The title and its ironies, as related to Emily in her confrontation of Neil? The structure of the film, Emily driving into the town, enigmatic, the mystery about her past, her memories, her quest, revenge?
5. Geraldine Chaplin as Emily: creating the atmosphere of mystery, the background of the prison, her initial drive, watching Neil at work, going to the shop and buying the dresses for her husband, redoing her hair? Getting the apartment? Settling down? Going to the shop and appealing to the manager because of his mother in prison, his conditions, the clashes with Rita, her domineering Rita? The boy and his attention to her, the motor bike? Her continuing to watch Neil, the gradual revelation, going to the house, destroying the garden, coming into the house and confronting Barbara? The confrontation with Neil? The contrast with her behaviour with Pike, his initial harshness, her demands for her apartment, his changing attitude, devotion to her, her betraying him? The arrest and the irony of its cause? Confronting Neil in the jail, his not pressing charges? Her reminding him of the past, her going to prison, the death?
6. The dinner, the drinks, his going to her place, the sexual encounter? The irony of her breaking his marriage, her suddenly leaving - her revenge? Driving into her future?
7. Neil and Barbara, the tensions of their marriage, his work as a builder, her being at home, the destroying of the -garden? Phone calls? The confrontation with Emily, the effect on Barbara? Neil and his confronting her, the explanation of his past affair, the divorce, the manslaughter, her going to prison? At the police station, Neil not wanting to press charges? Barbara's hostility? Neil and his being seduced, the dinner, going home - and abandoned?
8. Pike and his privacy, his security work, interest in -Emily, helping her, his feeling betrayed?
9. The sketch of the manager of the shop, taking on em-prisoners, his conditions, the missing money, confronted by Emily? Rita and her jealousy, suspicions? Emily's attitude towards her, violence?
10. Themes of relationships, love and hatred, the ordinary and the extraordinary?
