SHATTERED SPIRITS

US, 1981, 93 minutes, Colour.
Martin Sheen, Melinda Dillon, Matthew Laborteaux, Roxana Xal, Lukas Haas.
Directed by Robert Greenwald.

Shattered Spirits is a mid-'80s telemovie on the theme of alcoholism and its effect on the family. Martin Sheen portrays a father, alternating moods because of his alcoholism and unable to admit his addiction. Melinda Dillon is the mother who loves her husband and tends to deny that anything is wrong. Roxana Xal (Something About Amelia), Matthew Laborteaux and Lukas Haas (Witness) are the three children.

The film dramatises familiar scenes - but effectively - and raises the question about the effect of the alcoholic on the whole family. Themes of individual and family therapy as well as peer therapy are presented.

A contribution to consciousness-raising about alcoholism.

1. The impact of the telemovie for the wide audience? Alcoholism? The family? American settings? Universal application?

2. The setting: California homes, bars, offices, counselling services? The musical score?

3. The title and its play on words for drinking and for the family?

4. The opening with the family, seeing them together, tensions, clash between Lesley and Joyce? Ken and his failure in maths? Lyle's arrival home, cheerful, the dinner, the gifts (and having to give them back)? The shifting to anger with Ken? The drinking, his reaction to Ken stealing the money for the excursion? The outburst about mowing the lawn and getting the lawn mower? His talking with Ken, the change of mood and urging him to practise driving, leaving him and going drinking, asking him to drive the van home, the encounter with the police, his blaming Ken? The angers at home, Brian's party and his forgetting, the children going to get him? The ultimate blow-ups at home and the police coming in?

5. Joyce as pleasant, arguing with her children, not admitting her husband's illness, covering for him, her reaction to the children? The therapist and his questioning her about her own father and drinking and the same feelings that her own children were experiencing?

6. Ken as the eldest, his erratic behaviour in school, his failure in maths? Wanting to go on the excursion, pretending to his father, his father turning on him? The contract to study all the weekend? Stealing the money and going on the excursion? Being blamed for not mowing the lawn? His father's approaches to him, letting him drive, then leaving him, telling him to drive the van home, his awkwardness, being taken by the police, put in jail, his father blaming him? Turning in on himself?

7. Lesley and her sense of duty, working hard within the home, blaming herself, trying to do the best, not admitting her father's illness? Brian as the youngest, the make-believe?

8. The judge, seeing the family in court? Her decision? Lyle having to move out? His reaction with the police when they took away the children? His reaction in the court? Saying that others were alcoholic and bad families (his wasn't)? Away from the family, Lesley making him sandwiches, the visits? His refusal to admit his illness?

9. The therapy: Mavis as an ex-alcoholic, her counselling, having the whole family together? The peer groups and the children learning what others experienced? Lyle going to Alcoholics Anonymous? The effects, the partial change? The continued angers? Each of the families facing up to the difficulties - and gaining in strength and assertion?

10. Lyle's final desperation, buying the liquor, bringing it to the door without touching it, apologising, calling for Mavis?

11. Portrait of an alcoholic, the reality and the truth, the games played?