FUNNY BONES
UK/US, 1994, 128 minutes, Colour.
Oliver Platt, Jerry Lewis, Lee Evans, Oliver Reed, Leslie Caron, Ian Mac Neice, Ruta Lee, Richard Griffith.
Directed by Peter Chelsom.
Funny Bones was directed and co-written (with Peter Flannery) by Peter Chelsom. Chelsom made his feature debut with the popular Hear My Song, 1992. It was an eccentric look at Liverpool and was based on the true story of the tenor, Josef Locke who left Liverpool in the '50s because of tax problems and remained in Ireland. He was enticed back to sing in Liverpool and risk meeting the police.
Chelsom is from Blackpool and Funny Bones is a Blackpool movie (despite the first 15 minutes or so in the glitz of Las Vegas). The film is about comedians. The film offers some excellent comic work by English comedians, especially young Lee Evans backed up by George Cahill and Freddie Davies. This contrasts with the American stand-up routines as offered by Oliver Platt and, especially, Jerry Lewis.
However, the plot of the film is complex. It starts off with a murder at sea but soon shifts to the comedians, Oliver Platt as a would-be comedian but overshadowed by his father, Jerry Lewis. Platt goes to Blackpool to try to get material - and there discovers he has a half-brother, appreciates the English style comedy, and experiences his father coming over to Blackpool where he had learnt his craft (and taken their material, uncredited, to America).
The film has a strong cast led by Oliver Platt and Lee Evans. Jerry Lewis gives an excellent performance as the father. Leslie Caron is the mother of his illegitimate child. Oliver Reed appears briefly as a gangster.
The film was financed by Disney's Hollywood Pictures - but, perhaps, is too art-house for the Disney cinemas. The film was more successful in art-houses.
1.An enjoyable and eccentric comedy? A comedy about comedians? A serious comedy about comedians?
2.The city of Blackpool, the sea and the beach, the familiar tower, the park, the circus, the clubs? The contrast with the Las Vegas clubs and their glitz? The musical score and songs?
3.The mixed group of the cast? Jerry Lewis and Leslie Caron from the past? The British comedians?
4.The nature of comedy, highlighting human foibles, clowning, the picture of the grotesque? Different cultures appreciating differently what is funny?
5.The title and laughter? Appreciation of humour? The humour of Tommy, of Jack and the Parkers, of George Fawkes? The funny bones of the film's audience? Theories about being funny? The difference between telling funny stories and being funny?
6.The prologue, the boats at sea, expectations? The exchange, Jack and the diving, his presumed death? The atmosphere of mystery? Gangsters and violence at sea? The police?
7.Las Vegas and the song, Tommy and his angst, his girlfriend, the writer and their support, George and his wife in the audience? The jokes? Tommy sick in his room? The expectations of the crowd? His view of himself, George as the celebrity, overshadowing his son, telling the jokes in the introduction? Tommy and his `No'? Tommy's style, a pessimist, swearing on stage, alienating the audience, failing and deciding to disappear out of the US?
8.Jack as the focus of the film? The gradual introduction of his character, the revelation of his personality, of his comic style? The enigma of his presence on the tower? His relationship with the Parkers? Bruno? With his mother, Katie? The police chase and Sharkey? The French and their not blaming? His parents? Jack as a character, being funny, the acts, the accident and his head? Killing the comedian by accident? The importance of the flashbacks and their being interspersed throughout the film? His performance, mother, acting for Tommy, the reaction, George's reaction? The rehearsal and the violence? The final performance, the height, the policeman, Tommy and his going to his rescue, the tension, the recognition, clasping hands?
9.The contrast with Tommy, his lawyer and the auditions, the range of characters auditioning for him with their comic routines? His hiding in England, encountering the Parkers? Seeing Jack? The flashback memories of his being six, his parents? Realising the truth? The Parkers' act and George stealing it? The question of contracts? Ringing his father, not wanting him to come, blaming him for so much? The arrival and the reconciliation? Jack and the rehearsal, the beatings? Watching the performance, going to rescue Jack at the end?
10.The Parkers, enigmatic and reticent Englishmen? Funny, their skills, Jack on the tower, the ghost train and the screams? Not talking? Their relationship with Katie? The auditions, signing, performing, the powder? Meeting George again and talking?
11.The character of Katie, memories of the past, her relationship with George, caring for Jack? Bringing him down from the tower? Singing the song? Her own performances, Cleopatra? Confronting Tommy, meeting George? The building up of the plan to confront Sharkey?
12.George and his wife, in Las Vegas, his success, celebrity, holding an audience? Relationship with Tommy, overshadowing him? Memories of the past, the relationship with Katie? Coming to England, performing for the press, the luggage? Telling jokes? The truth, talking through the truth, telling Tommy the truth? Watching the final performance?
13.Sharkey, the police, corruption, gangsters in Blackpool? Oliver Reed as Dolly - the brief appearances, the effeminate style, his sitting with George at the final performance?
14.An enjoyable blend of the serious and the comic?
