CHUBASCO
US, 1967, 100 minutes, Colour.
Chris Jones, Richard Egan, Susan Strasberg, Ann Sothern, Simon Oakland, Preston Foster, Audrey Totter, Peter Witney.
Directed by Allen H. Miner.
Chubasco is an enjoyable and modest piece of entertainment. It was a star vehicle for Christopher Jones, married at the time to his co-star Susan Strasberg. Jones appeared in a number of films including Wild in the Streets, The Looking Glass War and, especially, Ryan's Daughter. This was virtually the end of his cinema career. He is a '60s James Dean-style actor, without Dean's charisma.
The film is also a star vehicle for many veterans of the '30s, '40s and '50s. It is attractively photographed on the California coast and has some excellent tuna fishing action sequences. It is, in some ways, reminiscent of Captains Courageous in its basic plot.
1. A popular piece of entertainment? 1960s, now?
2. Wide screen photography, California, the city, the sea? The fishing community and its way of life? The documentary style for the tuna fishing sequences? Special effects and stunt work? Musical score?
3. A vehicle for Christopher Jones? Chubasco as focus, a symbol of the young of the '60s? Message?
4. The importance of the '60s setting, the focus on youth, the opening sequence and the police raiding the fight on the seashore, the police, rebels? Prison? The theme of making something of self? The heavy hand of the older generation? The self-made generation? The new permissiveness, the new jargon? The relevance of the film to the '60s? Later?
5. Chubasco and his relationship with Bunny, chip on his shoulder, fighting, clashes, arrest? Surly manner? The clash with Sebastian in the police station? Nick and his help? The talk with his father and the possibility of working on the ship? The interview with Laurendo, making a good impression, meeting the crew in the mess, the decision to go to sea? The visit to Bunny, being taken in by the police? His work on the tuna ship, learning. lookout, success? His relationship with his grandmother, her words of wisdom, the ring? The effect of her death? His going ashore after success with Laurendo? Being taken up by the old man, success for him? The phone call to Bunny, her flying in for the wedding, Angela and her help? The love between the two? The old man's death? Getting the Job on the ship, the irony that it was Sebastian's? The clash between the two men? The fight and Sebastian going overboard and being rescued by Chubasco? The irony of the reverse situation and Sebastian saving him? Forgiving him for marrying his daughter? Chubasco's future and the happy ending?
6. Chubasco's father and his success a good fisherman the challenge to his son? Nick and his help? Laurendo and his taking him on, advice? The old man as being a second father to Chubasco? The possibilities of the older generation helping the next?
7. The contrast with Sebastian, his chip, his behaviour in the police station, his being hard on Bernadette and striking her, severe supervision? Relationship with his wife? The plan to go to Peru? The boat, the storm? The hiring of Chubasco? The confrontation on the ladder, the fight, his rescuing Chubasco, forgiving him? The final reconciliation? His having learnt a lesson?
8. Bunny and her love for Chubasco, being in jail, her father's reaction to her, the strict upbringing, support of her mother, Chubasco visiting her, the communication, the phone call and her eloping? her going to Chubasco's grandmother and gaining her support? The marriage, the honeymoon, Angela's advice?
9. The portrait of the grandmother - sympathetic, the older generation and the mothering? Her care for Bunny?
10. Angela and her girls, the wedding ceremony, her helping Chubasco to get the job?
11. The gallery of minor characters: businessmen, sailors, tuna-fishers, the people at Angela's bar?
12. Themes of growing up? Young people having opportunity to prove themselves? Coning to terms with themselves? Love? Popular ingredients and values for popular entertainment?
