CITY GIRL

US, 1984, 85 minutes, Colour.
Laura Harrington, Joe Mastroianni, Peter Riegert, Coleen Camp.
Directed by Martha Coolidge.

City Girl was written and directed by Martha Coolidge whose credits include the documentary on Pornography and the abuse of women, Not a Pretty Picture and the features Valley Girl and Real Genius. This is a small budget film produced by Peter Bogdanovich and star Colleen Camp. It is a portrait of a photographer with ambitions, difficulties in relationships, undercovering the seamy side of city life and its repercussions on her life.

The film has an atmosphere of realism about it - and has strong characterizations. (Of interest in terms of women making films, this move has a rather long sequence of a male stripper in exploitive dancing, and poses - parallel to the usual presentation of the female strippers in conventional movies.) Laura Harrington is the photographer. There are guest performances by stars Peter Reigert and Colleen Camp. Brief, a slice of life.

1. A slice of life? Portrait of a photographer with ambitions? Relationships? Dangers?

2. The Toronto and New York backgrounds, the atmosphere of the city, apartments, studios, offices, clubs? The danger of the streets? Songs, musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Anne, her background, career, life? The city of the 80s?

4. The film as a portrait of Anne at a particular period of her life: the opening with her photography, her relationship with her editor, her interactions with the models and their ways of life? Her interest in crime and uncovering aspects of crime? Her career, going to New York, paying the thousand dollars, fashions of the future, the photography session, its aftermath? Her relationship with Joe meeting her at the airport, their clash, his being late, hurrying to get an extra photo at the club, the night with him, sexual relationship and hesitation, phone calls and photos more important? The tension between the two? With Sugar and Gracie and the session, the meal with the executive and their bad behaviour, the fight with Joe, his smashing her camera? The New York trip and its effect? Her going to parties, meeting a friend, the flirting, going off with two men - and leaving? The friend performing at the club, the music, photographing the pimp, the mail strippers dance and her photography, his flirting with her afterwards, the passion, the rest room? The continued encounters with Joe, his bringing Rose to the party? Her meeting new friends, new social life? The destruction in her flat? Her having to face reality, relationships, career? Getting a hold of her life?

5. Joe, his work, deals, strikes? His love for Anne, soft centred, loving of her? The phone calls, the plan for the
dinner, the models and their behaviour, his losing the contract, the clash and his breaking her camera? The break-up, meeting her again at the party with Rose, his relationship with Rose? The possibility of getting back together, Anne moving away? A new Life?

6. Sugar and Grace, the models, their background, their behaviour at the dinner, the contacts with San, the photographs, the destruction of Anne's room, Gracie and her relationship with Sam, the violence, the confrontation and the shooting in the bar? The dangerous world of pimps, prostitutes and models?

7. The party, Rose, her chatter, genial, relationship with Joe? The two doctors, their flirting with Anne, past friendships, sexual encounters, returning home, her tantalising then, leaving then?

8. The club, the woman playing, the male strippers, the films strong focus on male sexuality, the women's audience their response, the exploitation of men? The stripper and his attraction to Anne, the encounter between them?

9. Monica, the office, fashions, photography, competitiveness, the market and its demands?

10. A slice of city life, career, ambitions, relationships, betrayals, violence and danger?