FALLING FROM GRACE
US, 1992, 100 minutes, Colour.
John Cougar Mellenkamp, Mariel Hemingway, Kay Lenz, Claude Akins, Dub Taylor.
Directed by John Cougar Mellencamp.
Falling from Grace is based on a screenplay by novelist Larry Mc Murtrie (Last Picture Show, Texasville, Lonesome Dove, Terms of Endearment). The film stars country and western singer John Melenkamp, who also directed the film. (Members of his family served in production and Larry Crane, who plays his half-brother Ramey, wrote a number of the songs.)
The film portrays the breakdown of a popular singer who returns to the country town where he grew up, tries to settle in with his family, has an affair with a childhood girlfriend who is married to his brother and is having an affair with his father. The complications continue to get him down so that his wife leaves him with their child.
Melenkamp (looking like a smaller version of Tim Robbins) gives a laid-back performance. Mariel Hemingway is good as his wife and Kay Lenz is particularly good as the girlfriend. There is a strong supporting cast led by Claude Akins as his father and veteran Dub Taylor as his grandfather.
There is nothing particularly new, but Mc Murtrie gives us some insight into the world of the American Midwest.
1.The work of Larry Mc Murtrie, his portrait of middle America?
2.The town locations, family home, clubs, workplaces? The musical score? Use of songs? Title song?
3.The title of the song, its reference to Bud? The prologue with his friends and its being taken up at the end? The possibility of grace and salvation?
4.The portrait of Bud by John Melenkamp? Arriving, wealth, the plane, Alice and his child? The friends and the entourage? Wealth and reputation? Going home, the easy encounter with his grandmother, tension with his mother? The long talk with his grandfather - his grandfather and his flirting? The more sombre approach to his father? Going out to the chickens, the work? Ramey? The bonds with Parker? Going to the hairdressers and meeting Linda? Sally and Mitch and the discussion about supporting them, financial? Meeting P.J? The family get-together, Grandfather's birthday? The party at home, everyone arriving, Bud leaving and going to work with Ramey? Going to the dance, requiring to have formal clothes? The dancing? P.J. inviting him for the walk? Her explanation about her affair with his father? The attraction between them, memories of the past, his not proposing, leaving town? The affair and his deceit? His moodiness with Alice? Wandering the town, meeting the black woman and going fishing? Sense of alienation? His not wanting to leave? Alice and the confrontation, her not understanding, challenge to his self-centredness and self-absorption? Her leaving? The discussions with P.J? The end of the affair? Her not wanting to leave? The confrontation with his father, the punch-up in the diner? Mitch in hospital? His drinking, with his friends, shooting, in the cage, the crash, in hospital? Everyone coming to see him? Alice coming back, his love for her? Their future?
5.Alice, attractive, supporting her husband, Californian background, her relationship with Bud, with the family, with her daughter? Dancing, getting on well with the family? Her comment about Bud's father making a pass - and her violence when he did? Her being hurt by Bud, trying to reason with him, going? Her return?
6.Grandfather, his relationship with his wife, the jokes, age, flirting, the dress for the young woman who went and married someone else? His party? Bud's father, surly, wealthy, dominant, his affairs, disregard of his wife? (And her going to buy clothes in compensation?) The affair with P.J., his arrogance with his son, fighting him in the diner?
7.Parker, his relationship with Bud, marrying P.J? P.J., her crush on Bud, his not asking her to leave town with him? Liking the town, marrying Parker, the affairs, the relationship with Bud's father? Good with her children? Liking sex? Her concealment? Friendship with Alice? Her being on the parents board and her pride in her commitment? The end of the affair?
8.Ramey, his status in the family, relationship with his father, his stepmother and her not wanting him at the party? His discretion and not coming? Love for Linda? Working, trying to talk sense to Bud? Envying his life but not wanting to be like him? Linda, her support?
9.Sally, her love for Bud, talking the truth to him, seeing him on TV, proud of his achievement? Love for Mitch?
10.The picture of small-town life, people satisfied in staying, people wanting to leave and create a new life? The attraction to the media, glamour (though Bud's father thought it wasn't work)? A portrait of middle America?
