COUSINS
US, 1989, 109 minutes, Colour.
Ted Danson, Isabella Rossellini, William Peterson, Sean Young, Lloyd Bridges, Norma Aleandro, George Coe.
Directed by Joel Schumacher.
Cousins is based on the 1976 French film Cousin, Cousine written and directed by Jean- Claude Tacchella. This is a pleasing adaptation to the American family and American situations.
The film focuses on weddings and funerals, the gathering of families and their interactions. It is also a light comedy with a serious touch, focusing on brittle marriages, fidelity and infidelity, the possibilities of happiness.
The acting is excellent with Ted Danson at ease in the central role and Isabella Rossellini at her most light and charming. Sean Young is very good as the self-preoccupied wife and William Peterson is suitably self-centred and preoccupied with women. The supporting cast is also very good, ranging from the elderly (Lloyd Bridges, Norma Aleandro, George Coe) to the brash young Keith Coogan.
Direction is by Joel Schumacher (St. Elmo's Fire, The Competition) and the film was photographed in the mountains and rivers of British Columbia.
1. Pleasing entertainment? Thoughtful comedy on relationships?
2. The British Columbia locations: the city, the water and the mountains, homes, workplaces? The prettiness of the film? The wedding sequences? The musical score and the range of songs?
3. The adaptation from the French, the translation to the American situation? The strength of the cast and their working together?
4. Family themes, relationships, interactions, weddings and funerals? Seeing the video of the wedding? The ceremonies and gatherings forming the framework of the film? The attention to detail and characters?
5. The introductions to people, attitudes, behaviour, interactions? Larry and Tish: their marriage, Larry's previous marriage, Mitch? Late for the wedding, on the bike, Tish's clothes? At the wedding, Larry's speech and toast? Tish alerted to Tom, going off with him, the talk about the sale of the car? Larry and Maria waiting? Getting to know each other and sharing the anxiety? Tish and her tension at home? Mitch and his going out, his own personal tension, trying to help? Larry talking with Mitch? Tish and her clash with Larry, going to see Tom, Tom's asking for secrecy? the encounter after the funeral? scene in the shop and strong stance? Tish and self-consciousness? The meal at Mario's and weeping at how nice Maria was? her decision to leave, her growing poise, her future? Larry and his background, his life choices, changing jobs, not going into the garbage work? The dance classes? His waiting with Maria, her coming and asking him the questions at the affair? The walk, the lunch, bashing the fish? Their growing friendship, discussions, the nature of their friendship? The humour of their revenge on their spouses: the hat, the underwear? The video screening and their reactions? Tom's stopping it? at the funeral? The meal at Mario's as part of their revenge? Larry and his relationship with his 'father, with Mitch and his problems?
6. The cousin's wedding? Changing the places? Seeing Maria at the station, running from platform to platform, going out, hiring the sexual relationship and its effect, the return home, Tish's leaving? The final wedding, giving away his father, the confrontation with Tom, going with Maria, setting up the restaurant, going sailing with the family? The possibility of happy marriage?
7. Maria, her relationship with Tom, marrying him after school? The sports hero? Chloe and her tantrums? Tom and the car and his preoccupations, sales? Tom at the wedding, his looking at the worried? The liaison with Tish? His going to all the women the next day and breaking the relationship? Wanting secrecy from Tish? Maria and her waiting, getting to know Larry, the luncheon encounter, the talk, the happiness, the sharing, the nature of the friendship? The decision against sexual relationship? The jokey revenge? The video screening and Tom stopping it? The funeral and her going out for a walk with Larry? The swim? The cousin's wedding, the tension? Standing at the platform, the cottage, her passionate freedom? Her talking with her mother about her choices? Going home to her daughter, the concern?? Tom's anger? The teacher and Chloe's problems? Her decision to stay with Tom? The tantrum at the wedding, the final ultimatum? Her decision to go with Larry, taking Chloe with her? The restaurant and the sailing? Her background, her work with the divorced couple and the lawyer? Tom and the yuppy background, cars? the trip to Las Vegas?
8. Edie and Phil, the opening wedding, their age, joy, the raucous style, songs and dances, Phil and lowering the trousers? His garbage empire? Trying to persuade Larry? The honeymoon? The video of the wedding? His quiet death? The funeral? Vince's arrival for the funeral? Edie and her shrewdness about the empire, money? The meal at Mario's and the payment? Vince deciding to court Edie? Her warnings? Her relationship with her daughter, warning her about commitment and changing her life? Going out with Vince? The decision to marry him? The joyous wedding?
9. Vince and his relationship with Phil, with Larry? Turning up for the funeral? Free-thinking, attitudes towards sex, discussions with Mitch? The wedding, the dinner at Mario's? The blow-wave and getting dressed with Mitch for the date? His secret about the relationship with Edie? The proposal, the marriage?
10. The old aunt and her warnings about Edie and her husbands, her worrying about Mitch?
11. Mitch and his problems, videos, multi-media, the video and the critique of the wedding and offering scenes of poverty? Wanting to kill people? His girlfriend?
12. The two ogling men, the wedding, the dance, with Tish, being sawn in half at the wedding?
13. The film's delight in details of characters, humorous remarks, situations? The rich interactions of families?
14. A comedy with issues: love, commitment, fidelity and happiness?
