PARADISE

US, 91 minutes, 110 minutes, Colour.
Melanie Griffith, Don Johnson, Elijah Wood, Thora Birch.
Directed by Mary Agnes Donoghue.

Paradise is a remake of the popular 1986 French film, Le Grand Chemin. This version has been written for the screen and directed by Mary Agnes Donaghue. It is also a star vehicle for then husband and wife Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. It gives them a chance them to play against screen type, ordinary people, unglamorous, involved in ordinary life, work, relationships. Co-stars are Elijah Wood (the effective child actor from Avalon and Radio Flyers) and Thora Burch (All I Want for Christmas). Also in the cast is Sheila Mc Carthy (I Heard the Mermaid Singing, Die Hard 2, Montreal Seen by...).

The film has South Carolina settings, takes place over a summer holiday, focuses on a young boy staying with his mother's friends, discovering some of the realities about family and pain, bringing the estranged husband and wife together. The film is the kind of film that ordinary citizens often say needs to be made, highlighting ordinary human values - however, not supported at the box office.

1.The title of the film, the town of Paradise? The irony? The adaptation from the French film, its title focusing on the highway - and journey of life? The adaptation to the American scene and characters?

2.The Carolina settings, the town, the inlets, the sea? Musical score?

3.The focus on family, children, love and relationships?

4.Elijah Wood as Willard: his relationship with his mother and absent father, her pregnancy, at school, not popular, telling his friend that he was going to Africa for the holiday? The bus ride? Arriving in Paradise, asking Ben the way, Ben's hostility to the Reeds? Lily and her welcome? His mother's bond with Lily? Alone, wandering, meeting Billie, showing off to her, the lies? Their becoming friends? On the high stand and her balancing? His fears? At home, working with Lily, helping with the beans, the blueberries? Discovering the truth about Ben? Going fishing with Ben, enjoying the day on the boat? Sensing the estrangement between Ben and Lily? Prying on Darlene and Greg? Ben's moving out, Willard visiting him, playing poker? His questions about his father, the letters? The holiday time, swimming with Billie? Sally's party, Billie upset, her angrily telling Willard the truth about his father? Running away tearing up the letters? The model plane? Walking on the high tower, overcoming his fear, caught by Ben? Telephoning his mother? His going back home, the new baby, goodbye to Billie, best friends, leaving Lily and Ben? His future?

5.Lily and Ben, tension, their stories about meeting, courting, marrying, Ben as wild, Lily liking it? The happy marriage, the favourite spot at the water? The death of their child, Lily hearing the scream and not going, numb inside, cold towards Ben? His bewilderment, hurt, avoiding home? His approaches, Lily and her resistance? The tension? Lily and her friendship with Willard's mother, memories of the past? The mother envying Lily? With Willard, at home? Ben taking him fishing? Ben smashing the baby's room, Lily at the cemetery? Willard as a catalyst for changes in each of them? Ben playing poker with Willard? The swims and the picnic and joy? Sally's party? Willard lost, Lily going to find Ben, Ben's efforts? Lily and her comforting Willard, helping him to understand? The suffering of each, their return home, Lily overcoming her fear (like Willard)? Their future?

6.Sally and her talk, relationships, sex, her daughters? Billie and her treehouse, the tomboy? Meeting Willard, talking, showing off? Sharing with him, the children's ignorance of the world, sex, words? Each asking adults questions? Sally and men, Ernest the projectionist, the possible marriage, her motivation for marrying, settling down - and her erratic arguments? The party, the announcement, Billie's hurt reaction? Darlene, like her mother, sex - and spied on by the children? The talks, going swimming, the friendship, the heights? Going to the skating rink, confronting the man who might be her father - and his ignoring of her, hurt? The party and her anger with Ernest? Telling Willard the truth? The chance meeting with Catherine Ralston Lee, learning manners, the art, the painting? The end with her painting, her apology, farewell to Willard, best friends?

7.The atmosphere of the town, people, the bars, the cafes, the fishermen?

8.Catherine, the retreat, helping Billie? Standards?

9.The emotional impact of the film? Characters, relationships, crises? And the children's perspective on the events and characters, issues?