HOMER AND EDDIE
US, 1989, 102 minutes, Colour.
James Belushi, Whoopi Goldberg, Karen Black.
Directed by Andrei Konchalovsky.
Homer and Eddie seems an ideal vehicle for the comic talents of James Belushi and Whoopi Goldberg. However, it is not so. The film, unexpectedly, was directed by Russian emigre, Andre Konchalovsky. After a successful career in the Soviet Union, Konchalovsky migrated to the United States. His film career in the U.S. includes: Maria's Lovers, The Runaway Train, Duet for One, Shy People and Tango and Cash. (A strange collection.)
The film is meant to be a piece of Americana - it traverses Arizona, Nevada, California, Oregon. Much is made of the American landscapes, city scapes. However, there is a difficulty with the two characters: James Belushi, doing his best as Homer, portrays a man who has been hit by a baseball and is not quite right in the head. Whoopi Goldberg, using her usual stand-up comic style (with its rough vocabulary) is a woman who has escaped from an institution and has a tumour on the brain.
Part of the difficulty for audience empathy is Whoopi Goldberg’s' character and her tongue, her violence - and her even shooting people in hold-ups. It is very hard for audiences to respond with the sympathy that is being asked for. By the time that the characters develop something of humanity and warmth, it is too late and the audience has probably been lost. There is an interesting supporting cast who put in cameo roles - led by Karen Black, Ann Ramsay and Nancy Parsons.
There is also some religious symbolism in the film. Homer and Eddie have long discussions about the existence of God, the nature of faith, the effect of illness and disbelief, a confession scene as well as a simple man in the streets of the modern city is dressed as Jesus Christ for his passion, a white robe, crown of thorns and carrying a cross. Eddie sees him and believes that it is Jesus. He comes past just as Eddie dies. Passers-by indicate that he is a loony. This seems to indicate that the writer and the director see Homer and Eddie and their looniness somehow or other as Christ figures. The ideas may have seemed very good on paper. However, the film does not live up to them.
1. Response to the film, the characters, their situation? Sympathy or not? The film as a piece of Americana?
2. The American locations: The Arizona deserts, the outback of Nevada, the snow of the Rockies, the Cityscapes of California and Oakland, Oregon City? The American feel of the film? The musical score? (And the sensibility of a Russian direction?
3. The title, the focus on each of the characters? Homer because of the baseball? Edwina? The background of buddy films and road films? Their friendship?
4. The focus on Homer: James Belushi’s presence and style? knowing something was wrong, packing and leaving, on the road, with the money, hitching, praying to God, His being robbed? Talking, hungry? In the shop, shoplifting - but the promise to send money to the proprietress? Sleeping in the car, meeting Eddie, her bashing him and hitting his head? Their decision to go away together? The pursuit of the van who took the money? His reaction to her? At the diner, eating the pizza, Eddie's outburst to the eaters? His apologies and leaving? His reaction to her hitting him? in Nevada, going to the brothel, the Madam and her reaction, cousin Esther? Homer with cousin Esther, talking about sexual relationships, dancing with her? Their departure? Going through the countryside, the snowbound motel? Eddie forcing him to drive? Skidding in the snow? the exaggerated stories about baseball and speedway driving? The decision to go to Oakland, sharing with her, in the motel and the outburst, the argument about the existence of God, Eddie going into the closet, her tumour? Her single belief, believing in what can't be seen? Eddie sowing doubts? in Oakland, the city, in the bar? The visit to her mother at the cemetery? Going to Oregon city? His finding his home, the maid and her suspicions? His father dead, going through the parade, the funeral centre, his father in the casket, his mother admitting his presence, inviting him to stay. Meeting? His meeting old friends, the last chance, cradling her in death? The result of the friendship with him?
5. Whoopi Goldberg as Eddie: her stand-up comic style, swift talk, swearing (and the people in the diner reacting to her)? In the car, attack on Homer? Taking him on once? his chasing her? His future? The road, her erratic behaviour? Cousin Esther and the brothel? In the motel, forcing him to drive? her outburst against the existence of God? Her admitting that she had the tumour? Her violence, the hold-ups, shooting people dead? Audience response to this? in the bar, Homer going in to talk with her? her mother's concern about her, her father's death wish, the stone in the cemetery and the date? Going to Oregon City, at home in the house? The reaction of the going to confession, the list, the discussions with the priest, his wanting her to give herself up, her reaction? Going to the funeral parlour, her happiness that Hotler had found his mother? At the dance, decision to leave, the pain of her tumour, not wanting to hold the man up, the gun and, his shooting her? Her death - and her seeing Jesus? The effect on her? the old man in Arizona? Homer left, the robbery, leaving him in the car, the old man and the twins at the shop, the people in the diner who reacted to Eddie's swearing, the brothel madam and Esther in the middle of Arizona, the people in shops, victims of shooting, the people in the bar in Oakland, Eddie's mother and her own "looniness" the maid at the house, the mother and her reaction to Homer, talking with him afterwards? the Catholic background? The argument about the existence of God and suffering an illness, compassion and the routine, Homer's explanation about admitting one's sins and the priest forgiving? The reaction of the priest (and his cold) and his advice to Eddie, not being able to absolve her? The Jesus figure - a madman walling the streets? The potential of the film? Realised or not?
