HILL’S ANGELS

US, 1979, 99 minutes, Colour.
Susan Clark, Cloris Leachman, Edward Herrmann, Barbara Harris, Karen Valentine, Michael Constantine.
Directed by Bruce Bilson.

Hill's Angels, originally The North Avenue Irregulars, in an entertaining Disney film. However, it is geared to older children and adult audiences. Usually, Disney films have the children as centre focus. This in not the case here. Several accomplished actresses and comediennes are the focus of this group of religious vigilantes, searching out gamblers and criminals in their city. The film has overtones of Hell's Angels with the Reverend Hill on his motorbike. However, the title reference is more to Charlie’s Angels as the Reverend Hill, like Charlie, directs his particular angels via radio and co-ordinates their crime-busting activities. The film has overtones of law and order for the United States, the wholesome values of family and the church and some very funny sequences with the stars.

1. The original title and its American tone, the overtones of Hell's Angels, Charlie’s Angels and the combined effect?

2. The Disney style of presentation, gloss, comic effects? Expectations from Disney entertainment?

3. The production values, American suburbia, the Presbyterian Church, the city, the streets and the car chases and the special effects? The comic score with its detective story theme overtones?

4. The response of the adult audience to the film? the characters, religious background, gambling? Identification with the ladies and their crime-busting? The comic thriller tones? The response of a children's audience? The children in the background, applauding the adults at the end?

5. The humour of the credits, their tone, indications of the plot?

6. The character of Reverend Hill - his arrival and the accident, his taking over the church and his lack of judgment, clash with Anne Woods, his relationship with the ladies, with the children? Hid brash reorganization and allowing the money to go on bets? His being involved in the betting syndicate, losing his trousers, the exposure? The television programme and his change of luck? His becoming a hero, frowned on by the Presbyterian church, the clashes with the ladies, getting their help? Co-ordinating the chasing of the criminals? The plausibility of the plot - for comic effect?

7. The background of the Internal Revenue and the two officers? Their problems. the attempts to recruit the men, the recruiting of the ladies? The illustration of radio control? The attempts of the ladies to trap the bookies? The failure? The feminine touches preventing success? The complications? Anne and her confrontation of the Reverend Hill? The fire and her change of heart? Her full involvement especially with the Presbyterian church officers, a happy ending?

8. The backround of the church and Presbyterians, ministry? The services? The pop group and their singing? The ladies and their continued help, Anne and her work as secretary? The administrative board and their disapproval, their relenting at the end?

9. The picture of the gangsters? the cover with the ironing shop, the bone and his coping with the Reverend's bet, the taking of the trousers and leaving the Reverend stranded on the street? The taking of the money from one place to another, the trucks, the counting? The head gangster and his administration? The conventions from gangster thrillers?

10. The ladies and their help, the humour in their failures, the parodies of the trapping by police of hookers? The success of these comedy routines?

11. The character of Anne, her hostility at the beginning, her change of heart at the end? The humour of her work with the Presbyterian lady with her Citizens' Band background?

12. The mother with all the kids and the dogs and her contribution?

13. Cloris Leachman as the spinster eager for marrige, her elaborate, dress, nails, hoping for romance with the Reverend, her enjoyment of using the cars?

14. The black mother and her driving the truck, her contribution?

15. The Irish old lady, placing the bet, her husband and his being disguised as a woman and their care?

16. The bride and her pretending to be a prostitute, being caught by Howard and his mother, the wedding and having to go on emergency?

17. The various technical effects for the car chases and the crashes? The appeal of this kind of comedy to the audience of the 70s? Later?

18. The familiarity of the styles and the issues from television series? The particularly American tone of the film? Universal appeal?