ON THE YARD
US, 1978, 90 minutes, Colour.
John Heard, Thomas G. Waites, Lane Smith, Mike Kellin.
Directed by Raphael D. Silver.
A prison film. In the tradition of so many prison films from Riot in Cell Block Eleven to Escape from Alcatraz, audiences have seen very much of the prison system in the United States. The screen play was written by Malcolm Braly who spent twenty years in jail. Director of the film is Raphael D. Silver, the husband of Joan Micklin Silver who directed such interesting semi-documentary features as Hester Street. Raphael D. Silver uses a similar style in his first film as director. The film is grim, shows a cross-section of the prisoners and warders and shows how the prisons occupy their life in the prison. Escape and dreams of escape are strong, power struggles within the prison are also to the fore. The film is interesting but its particularly American style makes it much more of American interest than for an international audience.
1. The title, its reference to prison life, the way it was visualised? An interesting film, informative about prison life, human nature, social justice? Entertainment value?
2. The traditions of the American prison film ? the cross-section of prisoners, the good and bad within the criminals, the victims and the victimisers, power struggles within the prison, the ugly side of prison life, the routine side? Governors, warders and power pressures? Dreams of escape and attempts? The documentary tone of this story? How well did it fit into the tradition, how was it different?
3. The authentic atmosphere of prison? Interiors and exteriors? Location photography? Set scenes? The contribution of the score? The American tone of this prison?
4. The realism of the plot, the presentation of real criminals, the writer's own experience from prison life for twenty years? How well was this communicated in detail, incidents, characters? The atmosphere of realism and audiences being invited to share the prison experience? To what effect?
5. The screenplay interweaving the story of the various characters? How well did the audience get to know them? Credible characters, complex characteristics? Strengths and weaknesses? Criminal background, justice?
A. Chilly: the top man, his personality, organising the various operations managed by the inmates, his hold over people?
B. Red, Nunn, Gasolino - their being Chilly's right-hand men, their personalities in themselves, their interactions with each other, the relationship with Chilly? Their dominance in the prison?
C. Morris? Chilly's errand boy, his dreams of escape, the realism and the symbolism of his sewing the escape balloon? A possibility of getting out or not?
D. Juleson, the Chief Clerk in the Job Department, his aloofness from the activities of others, the supply of cigarettes, Chilly being dominant and Juleson having to submit himself to him?
E. Stick - the psychopath, his relationship with Morris and the completion of the balloon, his antagonism towards Juleson, Stick attempting to fly over the wall in the balloon?
6. The build-up of melodramatic action within the prison? Chilly and the prison officials working on him? His rivalry with Tate? Tate gaining power and Chilly's resentment? Chilly's pressurising Juleson to give Nunn a job? Juleson's refusal and its reasons, the effect of his being beaten up by Gasolino? The repercussions of Gasolino being shot by the warden? Chilly and his motives for revenge?
7. The night of the fight, the violence in the prison, Stick's attempt to go over the wall in the balloon, Red taking his place in the struggle? Red's possibility of escape?
8. How melodramatic was the tone of the film? How melodramatic is prison life with its artificial situation and the gathering together under pressure of criminal men?
9. The film taking an observer's stance on life in prison? The implications of its picture ? in terms of the style of prison life, supervision, counselling and understanding of prisoners, opportunities for them to rehabilitate? (The film used actual prisoners and officials in many of the minor roles.)
