POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE

US, 1991, 101 minutes, Colour.
Meryl Streep, Shirley Mac Laine, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman, Richard Dreyfuss, Annette Bening, Rob Reiner, Mary Wickes.
Directed by Mike Nichols.

Postcards from the Edge was written by Carrie Fisher, adapting her novel. (Carrie Fisher, daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, offers an insight into Hollywood - and audiences are tantalised with trying to identify Suzanne with Carrie Fisher and Doris with Debbie Reynolds; this may or may not be accurate.)

Carrie Fisher, with her experience of Hollywood in such films as the Star Wars trilogy, offers incisive insight into film-making and film-makers as well as the glamour of Hollywood, its pressures and the world of drugs and rehabilitation. She also has an excellent wit and the screenplay is full of humorous one-liners.

The film was directed by Mike Nichols, whose credits include Virginia Woolf, The Graduate, Catch-22, Silkwood, Working Girl, Biloxi Blues. The cast is excellent. Meryl Streep is superb, even mesmerising, as Suzanne. She had worked for Nichols in Silkwood and Heartburn. Here she is the actress, overshadowed by a dominant mother, lacking self-confidence but ambitious to have a career in acting and singing. She is also a drug-taker and in need of affirmation and rehabilitation. At the end of the film, she sings a country and western song by Shell Silverstein that would rival Dolly Parton!

Shirley MacLaine? is also excellent in the showy role of Suzanne's dominant mother. She has a chance to send up her own image - as well as give a complex, if external, performance as a Hollywood star of the past, clinging to past glory as well as trying to relate to her daughter. She also has a chance to sing a Stephen Sondheim song.

The supporting cast includes Dennis Quaid as a self-centred producer, Gene Hackman as an earnest and direct director, Richard Dreyfuss as a doctor, Rob Reiner as a producer and Simon Callow as an English director.

The film is both funny and serious, offering a great deal on the American way of life, Hollywood and the expectations and pressures, family relationships and the relationship between mother and daughter.

1.The impact and quality of the film? American style? The world of the movies? The world of drugs and rehabilitation? Family and relationships?

2.The work of Carrie Fisher, the background of her experience, the personal references, the strong screenplay, the humour and wit? Her perspective?

3.The strength of the cast, the quality of the director? Carly Simon's musical score?

4.The title, the edge of sanity, glimpses of lives, attempts at messages and communication?

5.California, the stars' homes, the hospitals, the studios? The detail of film-making? Authentic atmosphere?

6.The musical score, the songs, Shirley Mac Laine singing Sondheim? Meryl Streep's songs, especially the Silverstein song at the end?

7.The introduction, the audience taken into the make-believe world of film, Latin America, Suzanne's acting, the director, the difficulties of making the film, remembering lines, cutting? The drug-taking, the knowledge of the crew? The whims of the star? The director and his reactions, speaking strongly to Suzanne, sacking the drug supplier? The atmosphere of the film set, creative possibilities, responsibilities?

8.The contrast with the B-budget film that Suzanne was making - Los Angeles police saga, tied up to the cactus, hanging from the building - and the visual jokes? The crew, the producers, the insurance and the drugs screening, wanting her to be involved, the English director and his comments about her personality and figure, the various producers taking her aside to give her pep talks? The world of dubbing and looping? Gene Hackman as the straight-talking director, his belief in Suzanne, the effect on her, the final film and her achievement?

9.Meryl Streep's portrait of Suzanne: the quality of Meryl Streep's acting and presence? The opening and the acting, the single take, the response of the director, the question of drug-taking? Collapsed on the bed, Jack taking her to the hospital and leaving her there? The doctor and the pumping of the stomach? The social worker and the attempts to help her - and her taunt about talking in bumper stickers? Drugs, her own responsibility, her past life? Her mother's arrival and its showiness, Suzanne in the shadow of her mother, the continued comparisons, the drag queens and their comments on Doris? Her plans for the future? The past, the absence of her father, growing up with her mother, the stepfather and his silent presence in the house, watching TV? The flowers and attention from the doctor? Going home, the interviews with the doctor and her mother talking over her? Trying to talk with her mother? The agent and the questions of money? Her self-consciousness, going home to the party, smiling to the guests, applauding her mother's singing, her own song `You Don't Know Me'? The arguments with her mother, memories of the past, birthday parties, etc? Her mother's drinking? The new film and her reaction, the drug tests, the humiliations? Listening to the English director? The reappearance of Jack, his smooth talk, the relationship, sexual encounter, her trusting his sincerity? The gossip, the talk about Evelyn Ames, going for the walk with her and hearing the truth? Confronting Jack in the shower, her anger, shooting the blanks at him? Her mother being proved right? Her angers, argument with her mother? The news of the accident, going to the hospital, putting the make-up on her mother, watching her do the press conference, the proposal by the doctor? The encounter with the director with the looping, the challenge to do something better? Suzanne's appearance, hair, clothes, dowdy manner? In herself, lack of confidence, the reason for taking the drugs and her reliance on them, and the temptations to take more? Her singing, the finale and some triumph?

10.Doris and Shirley MacLaine's style? A star of the past, her memories, Louis B. Mayer and the old Hollywood? Her continually talking, the success of her career, drag queens imitating her? Deserted by her husband, her drinking and the reasons for it? The rationalisation? Her relationship with her own mother? Needing an audience, always turning conversations to herself, the late arrival, her loudness, the arguments with the doctor, taking Suzanne home, insisting on the party, the Sondheim song, the story about her skirt blowing up, exhibitionist? Her own poverty, taunting Suzanne with wanting to make herself poor? Disapproval of Jack? Urging Suzanne to sing? The talk about death? The clash with Suzanne, the drinking, the accident, hospital? Without her wig and make-up, being made up, going out again to the press, on with the show? The final affirmation of her daughter as she sang?

11.Jack, with Suzanne in bed, leaving her at the hospital without identifying himself? Reappearance, reputation as a producer? His approach, smooth talk, seeming sincerity, the sexual relationship? The truth about his relationship with women, Evelyn? Suzanne confronting him?

12.The sketch of Doris's mother, down to earth, the hillbilly style? Direct talking, the clash with her husband? The domination? Suzanne's relationship with her, the visits to the hospital?

13.The agents, absconding with the money? Directors, sympathetic and otherwise? The English director and his kindness but his talking with the costume director? The world of the stars?

14.The hospital, the sympathy of the staff, the inability of the social worker to communicate?

15.Evelyn Ames, the starlet, relationship with Jack, telling Suzanne the truth?

16.A portrait of Hollywood? A portrait of human nature? The strong star vehicle for strong women and women's issues?