HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG

US, 2003, 125 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Connolly, Ben Kingsley, Ron Eldard, Frances Fisher, Kim Dickens, Shohreh Aghdashiou, Jonathan Ahdout.
Directed by Vadim Perelman.

Ben Kingsley received an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination as Best Actor for his turn as an exiled Iranian colonel, earning his living by manual labour in San Francisco in the early 1980s and who hits on a scheme to make money for his family so that they can build a house like the one on the shores of the Caspian Sea which lingers still in their memories. He buys, very cheaply, a house which is auctioned by the county, reclaimed after its previous owner (Jennifer Connolly) defaulted on a tax payment. However, she is the victim of a bureaucratic error and should not have lost the house.

This is a story where so many wrongs (some of them office errors, some of them unintentional, some of them malicious) have absolutely no chance of making any rights.

It is further complicated by the kindness of the colonel's wife (Iranian actress, Shohreh Aghdashloo) and by the marital status of the young officer (Ron Eldard) sent to evict the owner, not only falling in love with her but using (abusing) his police authority to put pressure on the colonel. As the misunderstandings increase, the build up to tragedy increases.

The film is interesting but not always gripping. In one sense, it seems too small a matter for such drama, especially as it could be resolved reasonably. But the major characters do not act reasonably and it all builds tension which is melodramatic. One reviewer remarked that it might have worked better as an opera. That is probably right.

There are a number of interesting issues underlying the dispute about the house: the role of bureaucracy, the law and errors, personal insecurities of addictions or marriage breakdown so colouring perspectives that they become unwittingly destructive, the bigotry against migrants for middle eastern countries.

The director, Vadim Perelman is of Ukrainian origin, and brings a heavy, emotional sensibility to his first feature.

1. The critical acclaim of the film, Oscar nominations?

2. The locations of Iran, the Caspian Sea and the coast? Idealised? The contrast with San Francisco, the waterfront, the city, the building sites, police stations, homes? The house itself? The musical score and its tone?

3. The title, the visuals of the house, the opening, the ending? Both the sound and the sand and the fog? The significance of the house as a house, as a home? For memories, for business gain, for possession, owning? The opening with Katherine, her saying it was not her home, the film itself and her ownership, loss, the end?

4. The general and Katherine as central, the focus on each character, their being intercut? The initial innocence, the decisions, the conflict? The perspective of each? Iran versus America? The American dream, the different ways of life, codes? The issues of compromise? The decisions, stubbornness, the consequences?

5. The portrait of the general and his wife, their son, the married daughter? The Caspian Sea and the holiday home, his wanting to recreate it in America? The reality of where they lived, his military background, the uniform and his looking at himself in the mirror, the work site, the shock that he was working as an ordinary labourer, the hard work, the jokes of the men, humiliation, his changing back into his clothes, leaving the work site? His searching the papers, the decision to buy the house at auction, his shrewd business sense? The auction, the papers, his ownership, moving the family, setting up the house?

6. Katherine, her story, age, broken marriage, drinking, drugs? Her dead father and his paying off the house, her inheriting it? Her relationship with her family? The memories of the house, possession? Her being sent the documents, her ignoring them, the consequences? The police arriving, ousting her, the conflict?

7. The discussions with the agent, the meetings, the facts of the case, the agent and her help, the offers of money? The general and his learning of the situation? Her not paying $500? Her anger at the bureaucracy and its mix-ups, lack of sympathy?

8. Lester, his role, coming to oust Kathy, at work, his instructing the rookies? The alienation from his wife, home life, the child? The attraction towards Kathy, helping her, intervening with the general, the general reporting him to the authorities? His changing in his attitude, the affair?

9. The various tactics and clashes, Kathy and her stalking the house, the accident? The wife and her care for Kathy, bringing her into the house? The general and his not having a daughter any more? Kathy not having a father? The ambiguities, the stubbornness?

10. The lifestyle of the family, the wife and her kindness, the son and his hopes, education? Whether they should leave the house or not?

11. Kathy and her relationship to Lester, the affair, sharing ideas with him, his championing her? His own wife, the phone calls, the answering machine? Kathy depending on Lester, his delay in coming as he promised?

12. Kathy, into the house, the suicide attempt in the bath, the general and his help, the wife and her care, Lester coming, sinister? His wanting them to speak English, his presuming their guilt and wanting to rescue Kathy? Hostile attitudes, putting them all in the bathroom? The morning and the discussions about negotiation? The boy and the toilet? Kathy and her decision?

13. The possibility of compromise, their going to the office, the rookie meeting Lester in the street and praising him? The son going with the general, the gun, the son taking it, his being shot? Being taken to hospital, the impact on the general, his hurrying to the hospital, the blood on him, his kneeling in prayer? His grief? His return home, the sadness for his wife, his giving his wife the tea, poisoning her? The graphic presentation of his own suffocation?

14. Kathy, the discovery, her being horrified? Lester, the phone call, his being arrested, in prison?

15. The final sequence, the police, the ambulance, Kathy saying it was not her house?

16. Themes of strong will, decisions, stubbornness, the consequences of hard actions, conflict and no compromise?