OVERBOARD
US, 1978, 96 minutes, Colour.
Angie Dickinson, Cliff Robertson, Andrew Duggan.
Directed by John Newland.
One of many telemovies made in the latter part of the seventies which focus on domestic problems. They were romantic in tone but offered a sense of realism and an opportunity to grapple with social questions. Angie Dickinson appeared in several of these including The Portrait of a Suicide and A Sensitive Passionate Man about an alcoholic husband.
She acts well in this film, although so much of the plot seems improbable. She is matched by Cliff Robertson as her husband. The film is unusual in its showing the main characters leaving the rat race and trying to live a more simple life and one which they would enjoy, sailing in the Pacific. It also shows the anxiety of husband and wife especially after quarrels. The film focuses on the wife's falling overboard, the flashback memories as she waits for her husband to find her. This is counterbalanced by the husband's memories as he goes to find his wife. The film is unusual in having a sad ending.
1. An entertaining telemovie? The portrait of a marriage, a middle American couple, their grappling with the rat race and opting out? The joys of the marriage, suspicions? Accidents and the possibility of death?
2. The style or the film as a telemovie? The dramatic impact, the flashbacks, audience understanding and identification? The tension?
3. The Californian background and its way of life? The contrast with the open sea? The interludes in Tahiti and a slower pace of life? The visual impact of the sea and Tahiti? the special effects of storm and the sea? The musical score?
4. The screenplay and its use of flashbacks? The basic plot of the wife falling overboard and the husband searching? The insertion and continuity of the wife's memories, the counterpoint with her husband's memories? The dramatic effect of the structure? Our understanding of each of the characters, of the marriage, of the crises in their lives? The dramatic impact of the husband searching for the wife? The pathos of the ending?
5. Angie Dickinson's portrait of a wife? The years of marriage, the experience, age? wealthy background? her husband and his legal affairs? her interest and support? her fear of the sea, her father's sailing background, her husband's love of sailing and her decision to bow to his wish? her going to sea and her apprehensiveness? her enjoyment at the achievement? the build-up of bonds between the two when they were alone? The enjoyment of Tahiti, the attraction of the Frenchman? her husband's jealousy? her return to Tahiti and the possibility of deceiving her husband? The return, the accident? The anguish of being in the sea, the rough seas, the storm and the possibility of drinking the water, keeping afloat? Unconsciousness? her husband coming to her aid, her being the cause of his death and her own?
6. Cliff Robertson as the husband? his legal work, the clash with the clients and the clash between morality and legalism? his father-in-law and sailing? The possibilities of opting out of his work? his interest in the yacht for many years? The encounter with the builder-owner and persuading him to sell? The enjoyment of sailing, life on the seas, the bond with his wife? The enjoyment of Tahiti and its social life? Jealousy? Suspicion and clash? The impact of his wife's falling overboard, the desperation of the search, the measures that he took by radio, sailing? Discovering his wife? Dying with her?
7. The characters in California? the significance of the court case and damage to the doctor's reputation, his
guilt or not? The impersonal aspects of law? The money deals and insurance? rhe partner and his more callous attitude towards making money? The father-in-law with his background of sailing? The builder of the yacht and his love for his yacht, his being persuaded to let the couple take it?
8. The presentation of Tahiti and its way of life, colourful, the reputation of the Pacific paradise, French artists and attractive types making their living in Tahiti?
9. The special effects and the impact of sailing, the difficulties of being at sea, the possibility of the accident?
10. How well did the film give the portrait of a marriage, of each of the characters and their background? Their values? How satis factory the end with its pathos?
