LUCKY LADY
US, 1975, 118 minutes, Colour.
Gene Hackman, Liza Minnelli, Burt Reynolds, Geoffrey Lewis, John Hillerman, Robby Benson.
Directed by Stanley Donen.
Lucky Lady looks and sound a bit too calculated for box-office success. It might have been more enjoyable if less big and brassy and more spontaneous. Liza Minnelli is her usual live-wire self, involved in rum-running with a subdued Gene Hackman as an opportunist and a daffy Burt Reynolds in a rather delightful comedy role. Locations (Mexico, the sea, San Diego) are generally spectacular and lavish, although filmed in an irritating over-hazy nostalgia style for the 1930s. The film is a mixture of action and adventures (especially with the sea battles for the preservation of the illicit cargo). It is humorous and corny comedy which makes for undemanding entertainment.
1. How entertaining a film? Many reviewers were very hostile to it? why? The screenwriters' intentions were to provide the best commercial entertainment. Was this evident? Did they succeed?
2. Comment on the popularity of the commercial ingredients: the rum-running plot, the 30s settings, the Californian, Mexican locations, the main stars, Liza Minnelli's songs, elements of comedy, violence, sexuality; the final battle, the atmosphere of poverty and wealth? How well presented were these elements? Why do audiences enjoy them?
3. The use of Panavision, colour, the hazy colouring for the 30s, sets and settings, the ships, the wealthy houses etc.? what atmosphere did this provide? How necessary for the plot and the themes?
4. How interesting was the plot, the background of illegal rum-running, the people involved, their strategies, money, the dangers, the coastguards, the easy fortunes, the way that these were spent?
5. Clare as the centre of the film; Liza Minnelli's personality and style, her singing? How convincing was she as a hostess? Encountering her at the burial, her business sense, her wisecracks? Proprietorship of the ship, her deals with walker and Kibbie? The dive in which she worked, the contrast with the rich house? Her relationship with Charlie and her return? Her fighting with her partners? Her loving them? What future? Was she a credible type in this kind of world?
6. The contrast with Walker; his introduction, hard working, an eye for business, his softness, relating with Kibbie, love for Clare? The brains behind the venture? A run with a capacity for violence? A credible person involved in this kind of work?
7. Kibble and Burt Reynolds style? The comic relief? His relationship with Walker, Clare? His lack of skill in illegal rum-running? The incidents in which he was involved? A credible character?
8. The importance of Captain Rockwell, his role, the impact of his death?
9. How convincing and real a character was McTeague? As the cause of ugly violence? -The villain for the film? His being put down?
10. The role of Mosely and the coastguard? Their role in law and order, their blind eye, the fun being poked at authority?
11. The contribution of Billy and the younger generation, his devotion? The ugliness and pathos of his death?
12. The impact of the final big battle? Its effect at this juncture of the film? Its purpose?
13. Did the film provide good entertainment? Did it trivialise its material or succeed with it?
