THE CON
US, 1997, 92 minutes, Colour.
Rebecca de Mornay, William H. Macy, Danny Nussbaum, Frances Sternhagen.
Directed by Steven Schachter.
The Con is a telemovie co-written by William H. Macy and Steven Schachter, who collaborated on quite a number of films including Door to Door, the award-winning film about a door-to-door salesman with cerebral palsy, starring Macy.
This is a film about a confidence woman, played well by Rebecca de Mornay, who is in debt to the Mob and enters into a scheme to marry a very awkward gas attendant from Mississippi and take his inheritance.
The film shows her adapting to the town, posing as a schoolteacher but having a good effect on the students. She also wheedles her way into the life of the man who has an inheritance that she is after and eventually, she marries him. His two aunts are against the marriage and see through the woman. Various complications arise leading to the film having a happy ending.
1. The title, confidence tricksters, their schemes, the acting, performances, the deceptions? This film as a con trick with a light touch?
2. The Detroit settings, the city, the opening with the tricksters posing as a nun and a priest and having a fight? The contrast with Mississippi, the small town, people sitting on porches, the gas attendants, church, school, the river? The musical score?
3. The character of Barbara, dressed as a nun, the clash with T.J? Her going on her own, Harry and his advice, borrowing the money, the hold of the gangsters over her? Her going to Mississippi, changing her name to Nancy Thorogood, her arrival, getting the job teaching, her reaction with the students, tying up the boy and putting him in the cupboard and his being supportive ever after? The children liking her, the principal liking her? Her meeting Bobby's aunts, one friendly, the other suspicious? The garage, Earl and his not being the man she was after? Her shock to see Bobby, his hair, clothes, short-sightedness, glasses? Her behaviour, trying to ingratiate herself with him, his suspicions of her? The gradual change, her seeming love for him? The proposal? Her saying she was pregnant, the early marriage? The preparations, the hostility of the aunts and wanting to wait? The ceremony? Her finding T.J., hearing of his death, the visit by Harry? Her having to move quickly, revelation of the truth to Bobby, his knowing the truth already, giving her the cheque? Her leaving town?
4. Bobby, awkward, his life story, his mother and the pregnancy, his alleged father finding out the truth, murdering his mother? The bequest? His work in the town, awkwardness, appearance? Good with machines? The attraction towards Nancy, with her, puzzling about her attentions? Their going out, on the boat, her falling into the water? Their discussions, his sprucing himself up, the haircut, the clothes? The attraction between them? The sexual experience? His proposing, the news of her pregnancy? The marriage? The honeymoon, happiness? Her telling him the truth, his giving her the cheque? The gangsters' arrival, the confrontation, the shooting? Her falling into the water? The news of her body being found, the gangsters coming to the funeral, the cremation? His going off in the car, her being there, the ruse of the false bottom in the coffin? The happy ending?
5. The aunts, southern gentlewomen, the talk about their bad marriages, sitting on the porch, suspicions of Nancy? Advice to Bobby, his severity with them? The kindly aunt and the gift to Nancy, the ring? The suspicious aunt and her having to back off? The happy ending for the family?
6. The people in the town, the sheriff, his son and the discipline, the sheriff's appreciation for what Nancy did, the help in the deception of the criminals? Earl at the garage and his helping out? The school principal?
7. Harry, the criminal background, the schemes, the links with the gangsters? His disapproving wife?
8. Life in the small town, the detail, the woman from the city, her adaptation, deception - but fitting in for a happy ending?
