POISON IVY
US, 1992, 89 minutes, Colour.
Drew Barrymore, Tom Skerritt, Sarah Gilbert, Cheryl Ladd, Leonardo di Caprio.
Directed by Katt Shea Rubin.
Poison Ivy is a psychological drama, focusing on a striking young woman, eccentric, on the margin. She becomes friendly with the dissatisfied daughter of a wealthy family, ingratiates herself into the household and changes people's lives. Whether she is intentionally malicious or just simply a young woman discovering her power is not always clear. She has a tattoo with poison ivy - hence her name (while her real name is never known).
Drew Barrymore, in a more grown-up role, is Ivy. Sarah Gilbert is the awkward young daughter, Sylvie. Tom Skerritt is the TV station manager who is caught in Ivy's schemes. Cheryl Ladd is the hypochondriac mother who is destroyed by Ivy.
The film was based on a story by Katt Shea Ruben who directed the film with a feminine perspective on characters and relationships. The musical score suggests a horror thriller - thus giving a counterpoint atmosphere to what is a basic psychological drama (familiar from many telemovies).
1.The appeal of the psychological drama? Thriller? The women's perspective on character, situations and relationships?
2.Los Angeles, school, wealthy homes, television stations? The atmosphere of authenticity for this drama?
3.The reality and unreality of the characters, their enclosed world, moods? The psychological drama treated as horror drama? The musical score and its tone?
4.Sylvie's voice-over, her observations of Ivy, judging her, relating to her? Sylvie's comments on herself, her loneliness, her parents, hopes, rebellion? Her writing?
5.Sylvie as a teenager, watching Ivy, the bond at school, clashes? Her creating the bomb scare for her father? Rebellion against him, in the car? Her sickly mother, her mother's difficulties, relying on her yet never expressing love? Sylvie's need for love? The comment about lesbian relationships? Bringing Ivy into her life, her name? At home, Ivy taking things for granted, the clothes, the meals? Looking after her mother? Sylvie being dared to have the tattoo, her fight with Ivy, the reconciliation? Her going out on her teaching round, missing the party? The aftermath? The alienation of the dog and her hurt? Her mother's death and her grief? Ivy daring her to go for the ride in her mother's car, the urn with the ashes? The crash, hospital, hallucinations about her mother? Her cleverness in getting away from the hospital, discovering her father and Ivy together, the confrontation and Ivy's death? Her future - and her voice-over comments at the end?
6.Ivy - on the swing, real and unreal? Her clothes, hair, tattoos? At school, her style? Uncertain? Age, story about her aunt, her parents? Sexual exhibitionism? Her scholarship? Meeting Sylvie, the discipline, their talk, getting a lift, the seductive manner with Sylvie's father? Meeting her mother and the hostile reception, her backing down - seeming genuine? The mother and her friendship with Ivy, coming to rely on her? The clothes, freedom in the house? Friendship with Sylvie, their talking, the bedroom? The ordinary detail of life? Her affection for the dog - and giving it special biscuits? Daring Sylvie for the tattoo, the clash? Wearing Sylvie's mother's clothes? The party, getting Sylvie out of the house? The clothes, her manner of serving people? The father's attraction - and the seduction sequence? The mother and her suspicions, Ivy and her smooth talk, allaying them? The confrontation with Sylvie about the dog? Her being in the room with the mother, their having talked about suicide, the mother being tempted - and Ivy pushing her? The funeral? The ride with Sylvie, the urn? The crash and her changing Sylvie to the driver's seat? Sylvie not wanting to see her at the hospital? The sexual encounter with the father? Sylvie finding them? The confrontation, her arguments? Her envy of the gift of the necklace? The struggle - and her death clutching the necklace?
7.The father, tough, his TV editorials, his memories of his wife, her sickness? The party and his fears about his future? His being sacked, the substitute editor? The tension of his relationship with Sylvie? The attraction to Ivy, the party, the sexual encounters? His seeing through her at the end?
8.Sylvie's mother, her illness, age? Suspicions? Her clothes? The friendship with Ivy, relying on her? Standing at the balcony and speculating about death? Her dying? Her appearing in Sylvie's hallucinations?
9.The background of the television world and its cutthroat dealings with employees?
10.The overall effect of the drama - from Sylvie's perspective, Ivy's?
