WATER

UK, 1985, 115 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Valerie Perrine, Brenda Vaccaro, Leonard Rossiter, Billy Connolly, Denis Dugan.
Directed by Dick Clement.

Water is an amusing satire on British politics of the '80s. With echoes of past empire, the film focuses on a tiny Caribbean island Cascara. Michael Caine, more serious than the rest of the cast, is the Governor of this island. In the post-Falklands atmosphere, Britain wants to abandon the island. There are complications with American oil, Cuban revolutionaries, French saboteurs. The advertising describes the film as a 'lunatic comedy'.

The film was co-written, produced and directed by the team of Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais (Porridge, Otley, Bullshot etc.). It has an entertaining cast including Leonard Rossiter in his last film and Billy Connolly, Brenda Vaccaro doing a take-off of a Latin American bombshell. There is quite an amount of verbal humour as well as visual. While the film is enjoyable, it is not memorable. The final appeal for peace comes in the form of a group of guest musicians joining, Billy Connolly and Christopher Cummings in the United Nations to sing of freedom. The stars include Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Ray Cooper, Ringo Starr.

1. Entertaining satire and parody? On things British and parody? The United States? International business? The
politics of the 1980s?

2. The Caribbean island and its environment, isolated, poverty, beautiful? The contrast between London and Houston? The colour, the sunlight, the bright tones? Special effects for water, oil, fights, explosions? Stunt work?

3. The contribution of the music: its range, satire, protest, themes of freedom, water? The guest stars and the United Nations presentation?

4. The quality of the humour: broad, subtle? Contemporary? Visual, verbal? Farce and slapstick? Parody and spoof? A 'lunatic comedy' ?

5. Water as a resource, exploited, the attitude of the
superpowers? Water and oi1?

6. Life on Cascara: the island and its coast, the descendants from shipwrecked peoples,(and the honour of the swimming national anthem), Radio Cascara and the disc jockey looking out the window for weather etc.? The Governor and the easy way of life? His wife and her carry-on? The servants, the Public Service? The two revolutionaries and their period revolutionary actions? Court cases, prison? The minister and his reputation, drinking, family? Cascara as an outpost of empire? Its people, the future?

7. The British attitude towards the outpost? Sir Malcolm and his briefing the minister? The scheme for abandoning Cascara? The comedy of the preparations for Sir's visit: cleaning, painting, polishing, the banquet? His arrival, the anthems and his impatience, the farce of his short visit? The consequences for Cascara? The Governor? Mrs Thatcher and her anger? The deals with the rebels? The British wanting to get bottling rights of the water? The failure of the British and the pulling out for Cascara's independence?

8. The Americans and Spenco, the oil search of the 1950s, the abandoned derrick, the Americans arriving, exploiting the situation, discovering water? The cover-up with the filming of the commercial? The carry-on of the American star - satire on tantrums and prima donna attitudes? Houston and the board meetings, the decisions? Spender and his Reagan-like manner and decision-making? The rebels taking over the site? the failure of the Americans?

9. The French and their sabotage - guerrilla warfare, success?

10. Michael Caine as the Governor: the backwater of politics, the easy way of life, the pot smoking, doing his garden? Surviving in a friendly atmosphere? Dolores and her tantrums? The clashes with the U.S? The visit of Sir Malcolm? His reaction? His being taken by the rebels and leading them? The U.D. hearing? Pamela's arrival, his attraction towards her, her being part of the kidnapping? The victory against Sir Malcolm? Dolores going off with hit? A peaceful future? His relationship with the various people on the island? Dolores and the satire on Latin bombshell, extrovert, sexy, her encounter with the actor thinking she was the hooker, the liaison with Sir Malcolm and her revealing everything publicly at the end?

11, Sir Malcolm and his smooth insinuating style, his talk with the absent-minded and ill-informed minister, his liaison with the secretary, the brief visit to Cascara, his holiday in the Caribbean, the interview with Mrs Thatcher and her hostility, his deals with Delgado, the ultimate failure?

12. Pamela and her conservation issues, her history, her story, antagonism towards her father - explaining her involvement? Interest in Cascara, attraction towards the Governor? Supporting the revolution? The capture, the alleged rape? Winning?

13. Delgado and Garfield as the singing rebels, seeing them in action, attacking the radio station, the court case, prison, Delgado singing and not speaking, the Cubans and the deals, Sir Malcolm and his deals, the explosion in the prison, taking to the hills, the United Nations performance?

14. The minister and his presence on the island, his failings, father of Delgado? A genial old man - not facing reality for 30 years?

15. The Americans: the Spenco executives, the young man with ambition, the board meetings, the deals, Spender and his Reagan-like manner, going into the water business? The antagonism with his daughter? The visit to President Reagan - having to wake him up?

16. The presentation of the Cascaran people - genial, their ordinary work, aplomb, casual?

17. The Cubans and the jokes about revolution - and their going off to Miami to be cocaine-dealers?

18. The effect of this kind of satire, on the British Empire, after the Falklands war? The politics of the '80s?