THE MAJESTIC
US, 2001, 150 minutes, Colour.
Jim Carrey, Laurie Holden, Martin Landau, Ron Rifkin, Alan Garfield, Hal Holbrook, Bob Balaban, David Ogden- Stiers, James Whitmore.
Directed by Frank Darabont.
The Majestic was an ambitious film for Jim Carrey after his success in Peter Weir’s The Truman Show. It is an attempt by Carrey to move to more serious films (which he did later in such as The Number 23).
The film is set in 1951 at the time of the Hollywood blacklisting. This puts it in the company of such films as Guilty By Suspicion as well as The Front.
Carrey portrays a young screenwriter who unwittingly attended a communist meeting while he was in college, going with his girlfriend, but becomes the target of suspicion, is requested to go to a Congressional hearing, his company decides then that they should not release his film. After drinking, he plummets into a river and suffers amnesia. He lives in a town called Lawson – and one of the many men killed in World War Two resembles the screenwriter and so the townspeople think that this man has returned. He settles in the town, becomes part of the town, helping his father to rebuild a film theatre, The Majestic.
The film is grim in the sense that his memory comes back just as the FBI track him down in order to bring him to the Congressional hearing.
The film is interesting in its fifty-year retrospect on the period which Lillian Hellman referred to as scoundrel times.
The film was written by Frank Darabont who had achieved considerable acclaim for both The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile.
1. A film of nostalgia, the America of the '40s and '50s, the aftermath of World War II, the effect of World War II, the movies of the time, the small towns? The background of politics and unAmerican activities?
2. Los Angeles in 1951, Graumann's Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood offices, the roads and the countryside, the rivers, the town of Lawson, on the sea, the landscapes and the seascapes? The musical score, the range of songs?
3. The title and the reference to the old cinema, its patrons, the movies, their style, the cinema as a symbol of the town, going into disrepair after the war and its effect on Lawson, losing so many young men in the war, being renewed?
4. The setting: Peter in the office, the discussion about his movie, the changing of the plot for a child, a dog, blind? His agreeing, compromising, refusing at the end?
5. His movie, its poster, the Grauman Theatre, going with his girlfriend, watching it, saying the lines - movie-going in 1951? His having it all, even if he had to compromise?
6. The Hollywood bosses, the studio lawyers, the hearings of the House of unAmerican Activities, the Movie News and the Hollywood Ten, prison, naming names, ruining careers, denying that there was a black list?
7. The effect on Peter of the accusation, belonging to a university club, going because of the young woman, not having any ideological stances? Talking to the barman, driving, the skidding on the bridge, going over, being in the water, escaping, hit on the head, lying unconscious on the beach, his monkey coming to the shore, the car washing up?
8. Congress and their not believing his amnesia, the agents and their being briefed, the FBI and its role, J. Edgar Hoover seeking out Communists, taking photos at the cemetery, the conspiracy theories, especially about Peter and his being more dangerous than they thought?
9. The old man at the beach finding Peter, helping him, taking him to breakfast, the introduction to the town, to the doctor, Harry and his identifying him as his son Luke? The effect on Peter with his loss of memory, seeking his identity, honestly telling people he didn't remember, the effect on the town and the people of his return, those in favour, the young man with the hook hand at the diner against him? (***that sounded a bit confusing, grammatically, I think)
10. Adele's return, looking at the photos, Harry telling the story of his son, heroism after D-Day?, the medal? The grave? The doctor and his love for his daughter, Luke as his possible son-in-law? Adele and the doctor meeting Peter, hoping and believing? Peter and Adele and their talk, trying to jog his memories, his falling in love with her?
11. Harry and his dreams about The Majestic, the war memorial statue in the cellar, all the stuff in the cellar, the mayor and the celebration, announcing the restoration of The Majestic and urging everybody to help? The collage of everybody joining in the project? Making it like new, the success of the project?
12. Peter meeting people in the town, the mayor and the story of his dead sons, the dinner in his honour, at the diner and meeting Mabel and the hostile soldier, meeting people at The Majestic, Irene and Emmett and their long service? The celebration at the beach? The music teacher urging Peter to play the piano, moving to jazz, Emmett supporting him, everybody dancing?
13. His new life, the meeting with Adele, talking, sharing the sunset, listening to the ideals of Luke? The Majestic and the range of films shown? His own film, his repeating the dialogue, it jogging his memory? Harry's collapse and not changing the reel? His dying, Peter talking to him, trying to tell him the truth but not? The funeral?
14. His telling Adele, her reaction, wanting him to be Luke? The melodrama of the cars driving into the main street, arresting Peter, the reaction of the sheriff, the stances of the law? The producer coming to Lawson and urging him to make a statement? People turning their back on him?
15. The statement, his naming names, the lawyer supporting him, going into the hearing, the photographers and the journalists, the presiding judge, the interrogator, needling Peter, wanting him to name names, his beginning his speech, needing a drink of water, the change in heart, making his speech and attacking freedom of speech, the heritage of those dying in the war? Laurie and her sending him the Constitution, her talk about what Luke would've done, her watching with her father, the people of the town watching and applauding?
16. His sending the telegram to Adele, everybody at the station to meet him, The Majestic opening up again, his future in the town? With Adele, the photos, her pregnancy, a happy future?
17. The stock characters and the way that they were presented: the doctor, the mayor, the old man, Mabel, the man with the hook, Spencer and his clarinet and the gift from Luke, his father, Irene and Emmett?
18. A combination of themes from The Return of Martin Guerre and Somersby, along with a Capra-esque interpretation of the times?
