WHERE THE MONEY IS
US, 1999, 88 minutes, Colour.
Paul Newman, Linda Fiorentino, Dermott Mulroney.
Directed by Marek Kanievska.
Where The Money Is is a slight caper film, given great strength by its screenplay and by the performances of its stars. Paul Newman shows at 75 how skilful an actor he can be and a charming screen presence. Linda Fiorentino is a strong screen presence, in such films as The Last Seduction and Dogma. Dermott Mulroney is excellent as her ineffectual husband.
The film was directed by Marek Kanievska, who made Another Country in 1984 and Less Than Zero in 1987. This is his third feature.
The film is reminiscent of the B-pictures of the past, the programmers which showed characters and robberies and then moved on. This is a very entertaining film in that vein.
1. The impact of the film? Characters, situations, robbery? The criminals getting away with the money? The American Dream?
2. The Oregon settings, the woods, the lake? The senior citizens' home? Ordinary homes? The musical score?
3. The title, the focus? The exhilaration of crime? Greed or not?
4. Carol, the opening, her relationship with Wayne, the king and queen of the proms, their accident? Their marriage, staying together? His work, her work? Shifts? Promotions? Their seeing each other, absence? The loss of the magic? Their not travelling outside the town?
5. Carol and her work in the home, her relationship with the staff? The picture of the home, the members of the staff, their diligence, care for the patients? The characters amongst the residents? Their response to Henry? Carol and her response to Henry? Suspicious, watching him, dropping things, continually testing him? Getting permission to take him out? Her explanations to Wayne? Her tipping him into the lake and discovering the truth? Her not knowing what to do next? Listening to his stories, fascinated by him? Continually taking him out? His taking her car and his going back in? Her wondering about the crime, the money, finding out more about his past? Her proposal that they rob the bank? His listening, his agreeing to rob the armed car?
6. Henry, his being transferred from the prison, stroke, motionless? Paul Newman and his raising his eyes to indicate to the audience that he was pretending? His skill in pretending - his explanation of reading all the books, testing himself out, the cigarette stub in his hand? His evading all Carol's tricks? Being tipped into the water and having to reveal himself? His confrontation with Carol, growing friendship? Going out to the diner, dancing with Carol? His memories? His ambitions? The son of his partner and the taking of all the money? His agreement to the plan?
7. Wayne, simple, the prom king, getting nowhere in his life? His suspicions of Carol, watching her dance with Henry? His agreement to help with the robbery?
8. The robbery itself, taking the guards, their uniforms - and the irony that Wayne left his knife and they were able to get free? Each of the stores, charm, Henry and his pleasant talking, pretending to be a religious born-again Christian with the police who didn't want to detain him, the man on guard and the phone call from his wife - and Carol ringing to ask the guard to tell Henry to bring milk? Wayne and his nervousness, with the gun? The woman and her chatter? The ordinariness of the people? The skilfulness of the robbery? Distracting the guard and getting the metal case into the back? Their having to escape? Wayne and his change of heart?
9. Wayne, the deal with the police, his being arrested? Carol and her quick thinking, the car, Henry and Carol escaping, going through the woods, into the water - and emerging for a new life, Carol going into the jeweller's shop, her smooth talk about getting the ring from her finger, Henry and his looking at the jewellery_?
10. The popularity of this kind of caper film, the sympathy with the characters, the various stings and robberies - and their getting away with it?
