THE HAPPENING
US, 1967, 101 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Quinn, Faye Dunaway, Michael Parks, George Maharis, Robert Walker Jr, Oskar Homolka, Martha Hyer, Milton Berle, Jack Kruschen, Eugene Roche.
Directed by Elliot Silverstein.
The Happening is an oddball black comedy of the mid-60s. It seems serious - a kidnapping of a mafia type with dire consequences. However, a group of wealthy young students and a local gigolo become involved as if merely playing a game. This gives a strange counter-balance to the more serious theme - which then turns into black farce.
Anthony Quinn is the seemingly weak gangster who is kidnapped and then turns the tables on the group as well as his wife, business associate and mafia chief. Martha Hyer is suitably hysterical as his wife, Milton Berle, unexpectedly, is the business partner and seems to be mimicking Groucho Marx at times. Oscar Homolka is very good in his few scenes as the mafia chief.
The young group, very much mid-60s types, are George Maharis, a philosophical Michael Parks, Robert Walker Jnr and, in her film debut, Faye Dunaway (whose first words on screen are an emotional "I am hungry"). The film will remind many viewers of the 1986 Bette Midler comedy, Ruthless People. The film was directed by Elliot Silverstein whose range of films includes Cat Ballou and A Man Called Horse.
1. A film of the mid 60s, tone, style?
2. The title for the kidnapping, a happening with spoilt young students? The motivation for the happening?
3. Miami, Florida settings? Musical Score? The breezy De Vol score?
4. Spoilt students, wealthy? The young gigolo? The tensions between students and the young people around Miami? The picture of the students, hungry, human nature, the implicit sexuality? The police and their raid - and everyone running away.
5. The group: how well delineated their characters, the explanation of their background, style, dress, manner of speaking, philosophical, tough? On the boat?
6. The boat, the young boy with the guns, playing the game, going into the house, confronting Rocco and Monica, their interpreting it as a kidnapping, Rocco and all the directions, tied up, blindfold? in his pyjamas? Locking Monica in the cupboard? The boy? The beginning of a farcical kidnapping?
7. Rocco and his phone calls: Monica, her rejection, the 15 years of marriage? Trel and his restaurants, his business, the double deals, not wanting to raise the money, the phone call to Sam, the gangsters in the heat room? His mother and her lecture to her son? cutting him off?
8. Rocco and his being dominated by wife, mother and friends? His decision to turn the tables, taking over? Training? The notes, the appearances?
9. Threatening to give gangster information about the gangsters? The phone calls, the demands for the money? They're all agreeing to give the money, the elaborate routine for picking it up at the airport? At the rendezvous?
10. Being tricked by the police? Suspected of murder, the bullet through the coat, her not being able to produce a note? Her desperation? Fred, his fears, collecting the money? Their both arriving at the airport? relationship with Monica, the police taking him?
11. Sari, the heat room, all the gangsters distaining in unison? The gangsters all assembled, the phone call, Sari, the money?
12. The phone call with Rocco's mother, her long talk, refusing to sell her house?
13. The Miami officials, the police, worrying about the tourists? The pursuit of the criminals? The investigation of the murder?
14. The resolution - the young group playing games, going back to their studies, to their way of life? Rocco and the blinkers coming off, changed life, walking off into the future?
