PACIFIC HEIGHTS
US, 1990, 102 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Modine, Melanie Griffith, Michael Keaton, Laurie Metcalf, Miriam Margoyles, Tippi Hedren.
Directed by John Schlesinger.
Pacific Heights is a San Francisco thriller directed by John Schlesinger (whose films over three decades range from English slices of life like A Kind of Loving, Billy Liar and Darling to more big-budgeted projects like Far from the Madding Crowd, his Oscar-winning Midnight Cowboy and Sunday Bloody Sunday). During the '80s Schlesinger worked both in the United States (Honky Tonk Freeway, The Believers) as well as in England (An Englishman Abroad).
Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine are effective as the young couple, ambitious to renovate a house and to let it. Their sinister tenant is played with menace by Michael Keaton, a contrast from his extraordinarily ebullient roles in films like Nightshift and Mr Mom. (He is here a variation on his Batman style - and his serious film about drugs and alcohol, Clean and Sober.)
Of interest, Tippi Hedren, Melanie Griffith's mother, has a small role as the victim of Keaton's intentions in Los Angeles. Beverley D'Angelo, who starred in Honky Tonk Freeway for Schlesinger, has an unbilled role as Keaton's girlfriend.
The film came out in recession times - and audiences must have felt the experience of the young couple victimised by Keaton as particularly frustrating and certainly demanding some kind of retribution and revenge. There might have been a stronger sense of menace - but the film relies on the audience response of frustration.
1.Interesting and entertaining thriller, the mirroring of economic times and difficulties? A thriller of menace, of evil and revenge?
2.The San Francisco and Los Angeles locations, the house and the street and the environment, the inside of the house - authentic? Musical score?
3.The innocent title, the focus on the suburb and the house, the contrast with the evil experience?
4.The prologue and introduction to Carter, his relationship with his girlfriend, the men driving and bashing him, his seeming to be victim? His sinister smile? The puzzle, surveying the house, the official documents? The intercut contrast between Patricia and Drake, their relationship, decision to live together, buy the house, get a loan, the advice of the lawyer? The buying of the house, their enterprise in renovating it?
5.Pacific Heights and the house, renovated, the neighbours, the collage and steady stream of visitors thinking of leasing? Patricia and Drake and their patter with the visitors? Their life together and hopes? Financially precarious? The Japanese couple, the interview, their moving in? The black man - and the sense of prejudice, his form being destroyed? Carter, the approach to Drake, suave, his lies, confidence trick and fraud, the puzzle, moving in without notice, the cheque - and Drake becoming more frustrated with the visits to the bank? Trying to ring for references?
6.The Japanese family, the possibilities of renting, pleasant, the crises, Carter hammering, the cockroaches, the frustration and their leaving with regret? The effect on Drake and Pattie, emotionally, financially?
7.Michael Keaton as Carter, suggesting evil and menace, madness? Greg and his hardly opening the door? The alleged artist, the model of the house? (And Pattie throwing it out the window at the end?) The hammering, the mystery, Carter's disappearances, sitting in the garage? Changing the locks? The cat? The gift of the model? His manipulation of Patricia and Drake? The build-up? Drake under the floor, listening and understanding the plan? The anger, turning off the utilities, the assault? The police? Patricia and the upset, the pregnancy, the miscarriage? In hospital? Continued worries about money? Audiences sharing the anger and frustration?
8.Patricia and her trying to cope, the pregnancy, the house, the relationship with Drake, the miscarriage? The cockroaches, the money? The lawyer and her advice? Thinking they should separate? Carter as sinister, his charming words, flowers and gifts? Drake and the assault, in prison? The phone calls? Drake forbidden to come near the house? His decision to come after Patricia's phone call? Confrontation with Carter, being shot? His being in the wrong? Carter, suave manner, everything working according to plan? The experience in the court, Carter as victim and their having to pay costs?
9.Carter's disappearance, Patricia's discovery of the empty room, the eviction, the destruction? Disappointment and frustration? Finding the photo, ringing for the reference? Tracking down the girlfriend, finding out where Carter was? His change of name? The discovery of all the documents in Drake's name? Her shrewdness, getting into the room, watching Carter's set-up, in the car, his encounter with Florence and high society? In the hotel, changing his cards, ruining him financially? Watching - and the satisfaction of seeing him arrested, his chasing her?
10.Carter, the truth behind his story, the family disowning him? His manipulation of people, use of words? The information about him in the papers? His being tricked by Patricia, chasing her, the arrest, his anger, his spiel to Florence and getting the bail? Coming to the house, bashing Drake, the cat, threatening Patricia, the fight - and the poetic justice of his death in the destruction that he caused in the room? Audience feelings at this resolution of the plot - revenge, the financial work by Patricia, the physical violence?
11.The new couple, looking over the house, Drake and Patricia selling, reconciled, relief?
12.The moods shared by the audience, anger and frustration, the desire for retribution and revenge, satisfaction at Patricia's smart moves against Carter? A parable of evil - and victims menaced by evil characters, malevolence - causing mental, physical and emotional destruction? Financial helplessness?
