ORDINARY PEOPLE
US, 1980, 120 minutes, Colour.
Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Timothy Hutton, Judd Hirsch, Dinah Manoff, Elizabeth Mc Govern, M. Emmet Walsh, Adam Baldwin.
Directed by Robert Redford.
Ordinary People has been rightly acclaimed for its perception( Oscar winner Alvin Sargent (Julia) writes a telling screenplay), sensitivity (especially by Robert Redford in his directorial debut) and excellent acting. Mary Tyler Moore, with her background experience from comedy television, is self-effacing as the brittle poised mother; Donald Sutherland gives another marvellous performance as the warm, bewildered father; Judd Hirsch is a forceful, sympathetic psychiatrist. But the film belongs to Timothy Hutton as the tormented son. Mother thinks ordinary people don't have problems and should not run to experts if they do. Many audiences would agree. But we now face up to more problems explicitly and this film offers some insight, encouragement and hope amid depression. It is a valuable film. 1980 saw other films dealing with family relationships, especially Jack Lemmon and Robbie Benson in Tribute and Michael O'Keefe and Robert Duval in The Great Santini. Robert Redford has always been interested in more serious films along with the entertainments: Jeremiah Johnson, All The President's Men, Brubaker.
1. How well did the film deserve its acclaim in 1980-81? Awards? What did it mirror of family life in the '70s and '80s? An authentic mirror? An honest presentation? How much insight, hope?
2. The backgrounds of the stars and their performances here? Acting against type - successfully? The qualities of Robert Redford's direction, his sensitivity, his pace, treatment of the actors? The musical score? The colour photography and the authentic atmosphere of American homes, schools? The ethos of the middle class and the upper middle class?
3. The effectiveness of the opening sequences from black, to the blue sky, to the change of seasons in the colour photography, to home? How successful in establishing the atmosphere? Conrad as focus, the choir sequences, the gradual focus on him as a person? The gradual revelation of his story, his anxieties? His inability to sleep and his pretences? His reaction to his father's anxiety, to his mother's ignoring of him? His comments on what he expected of fathers, mothers? The gradual knowledge for the audience of what had happened to him - his brother's death, his slashing of his wrists. his being found, the hospitalisation, electric shock therapy? How important was this in his meetings with Karen and their discussions about hospital, hopes? His reaction to the news of her suicide? The importance of his memories of his mother laughing with Buck? Seeing her laughing with friends and not with himself? The impact of the accident and his not crying at the funeral? The insertion of the flashbacks about the accident, their frequency in his final session with the psychiatrist? The load of guilt that he bore, its effect on his whole way of life, attitudes towards people? How well did the film sketch in his character: the scenes at home, meals, discussions? The friendship with the boys in class, the ride to class discussions, swimming, locker-room discussions, fights? The ambitions for swimming, the coach's advice, his letting the position in the team go, not telling his parents? His watching the final competition? Friendship with Karen and their meetings and discussions, shared memories? The attraction towards Jeannine, her comments on his singing, the outing, the humour of the bowling outing.. the serious talk in the cafe, the group coming in and Jeannine's tense laughing? The tense ride homes? His going to see her after Karen's death, sympathy and a build-up of friendship, affirmation? How well did the film trace Conrad's experiences through the months around Christmas? The possibilities for his life by the end of the film?
4. Conrad and his relationship with his father: warmth, Calvin's dependence on Conrad and knowing that he didn't need so much training as his brother, the anxiety and attentiveness of Calvin, the quality of love? The talks together, Conrad not wanting his father to be anxious, going to the psychiatrist to please him? The confrontation where he told him the truth about his blindness to problems? The strength of the relationship? The support and the final sequence?
5. The contrast with Conrad and his mother: her ignoring him frequently, his fear that she hated him, the comparisons with Buck? The awkward situations at home? Beth walking past him, bypassing him? His catching her unawares in Buck's room, his attempt to talk with her and her avoiding any self-revelation? Her buying shirts? The importance of the sequence where photos were taken, her anxiety in being in a photo with Conrad, his outburst? Calvin bringing the tree home and Beth's outburst about Conrad not telling them about not being in the swimming team? Her judgments about him, her comments? Her reaction to his kissing her? Her not saying goodbye when she left?
6. The effect of the hospital treatment on Conrad, especially the electric shock? The lack of follow-up? The referral to Dr. Berger? Conrad's approach, the telephone appointment, the tension in the first visits, his saying that he didn't like the sessions? Dr. Berger's methods, the hour, discussion of the clock? Conrad talking, gradually becoming looser? His fear of expressing feelings? Not liking himself when he expressed feelings? The provocation to anger, the swearing? The comments about masturbation? The wisdom of the psychiatrist in prodding Conrad to outbursts? Conrad's ability to see his father and mother in a clearer light after the talks, in understanding Buck, the self-punishment, low esteem? (Calvin said that Conrad was very much like Beth - the lack of tears at the funeral)? Forgiveness and his slip of the tongue about who should forgive whom? His letting himself off the hook especially about Buck's death? His realisation that he chose to live? The cumulative effect of each session? The style, the authenticity? The impact of the visits to Karen and the comparisons? Her exterior cheerfulness? The news of her death? Conrad's desperation, audience fears that he would slash his wrists again, the telephoning of the psychiatrist, the importance of the session, going over the memories, purging himself of guilt for Buck's death? The bond of friendship with the psychiatrist? How well presented was the process of psychiatry and therapy? The discovery of love, the proportion of hostility?
7. Conrad as a teenager - the school atmosphere, the class discussions, his friends and clashes with them, especially as -regards the swimming, the fight with the big boy, his not being able to be with his closest friend because of the feelings? The friendships with the girls? His being himself with his father? The tension of not being able to be himself with his mother? The possibility of growing through the traumas and not wanting to kill himself ever again?
8. The film's portrait of Calvin: a gentleman, a warm caring man, bewildered? The background of his work? The discussion with his business friend on the bridge? Sleeping at the play, the comments afterwards, the party and Beth's comment on his drinking? His telling the truth about Conrad and the psychiatrist and Beth's reaction? The tender sequences with his wife? Social status, wealth? Paying the money for the psychiatrist sessions? The tension sequences, especially t-he photo-taking? His trying to persuade Beth to understand Conrad? The fight with the Christmas tree and his pleading with her not to fight? The defence of Conrad? His going to see Dr. Berger - embarrassment, awkwardness, growing explanation of Conrad, of Beth, of himself? The liberation in his talking? His wanting Beth to go with him and Conrad to Dr. Berger - might there have been success? His wanting to talk to Beth about the funeral and her fussiness about his shoes etc.? The holiday in Houston and the possibility of relaxing? The tensions on the golf course as manifestation of what was to break? The final confrontation - his telling the truth, not knowing what was happening? Questioning his love for Beth? His being left with Conrad at the end? His future? How skilful was Donald Sutherland's portrait of this kind of father?
9. The portrait of Beth: her tightness, busyness, efficiency, wanting things in perfect order, managing, social background and status, her ease with her friends, laughter on the phone, in the mall? Her statements about her inability to express affection? Her fear of touch? (The change in the family had she been able to communicate by touch as did Calvin?) Her appearing in the memories of Conrad with her laughing with Buck, of Calvin and his dance with her in the past? Her brittle efficiency at home, her manner at parties? Her attitude towards privacy? Solving problem at home and not running to experts? Her visit to Buck's room and being caught by Conrad? Her inability to communicate at any personal level? Her shying back in privacy? Her anger at his not telling them about leaving the swimming team? Her emphasis on holidays, travel? The importance of the speech where she defended herself and her self-preoccupation, her love and lack of love, he need for security, her unwillingness to change? Her decision to leave? Her not understanding Calvin? Her looking in the mirror and the possibility of tears? Her leaving? Would she change, would she return?
10. The psychiatrist: his manner, ordinariness, his skills and training, capacity for listening, honesty, provocation, judging the situation, the help that he gave, the friendship on the final night of Conrad's anxiety? A man of insight for Conrad, for Calvin? The film's presentation of psychiatry in a sympathetic light?
11. Jeannine as an attractive girl, in the choir, talking to Conrad in the corridors, the outing and the humour of the bowling, her awkward laughing with the group of boys? Her support of Conrad when Karen killed herself? The future relationship?
12. The minor characters and their contribution to the film and its atmosphere, relationship with Conrad? The friendship of the boys and their place in class, the swimming team? The many sequences at the swimming pool? The anxiety of the coach, his comments about electric shock, his wanting Conrad to do well? The grandparents and the photo-taking sequence? Conrad staying with his grandmother and her inability to help? The importance of the in-laws at Houston - a different way of life, their wanting to help, their inability to help?
13. A portrait of an American family and insight into family? Social structures. pressures. status? Expectations? Insight into the relationship between husbands and wives and the changes over the decades? Relationships to children, love, affection, touch, favouritism? Male-female relationships? Love and inhibitions?
14. Therapy for problems - self-help and families being locked into themselves? The need for experts and the possibilities of change?
15. The film's emphasis on feelings and their range? No easy solution at the end? Audiences speculating as to the future? Relating it to their own experiences of family and friends?
16. The importance of this kind of two-hour exploration of a family: enjoyment, delight in identification, pain and worry? The overall effect on an audience - and the possibility of changing attitudes and behaviour?
