FAT CITY

US, 1972, 96 minutes, Colour.
Stacy Keach, Jeff Bridges, Susan Tyrrell, Candy Clark.
Directed by John Huston.

Strong realistic drama for those who like meaty entertainment. Stacy Keach, seen frequently these days, and Jeff Bridges are two would-be boxers in Stockton, California, typical city with its dreary bars, cheap housing and its soul destroying dinginess. The city ruts are photographed in colourless colour and shadow where Billy Tully gropes for success but can't hold it, where an alcoholic (Susan Tyrell in an effective performance) drifts and young Ernie copes with boxing, crop-jobs and marrying his pregnant girl friend. John Huston's direction is tight and unobtrusive, highlighting alcoholic conversations, brutal boxing bouts and desperate need for friendship. A good film.

1. The meaning of the title? Its irony and tone? As fulfilled during the film?

2. Comment on the technical impact of the film: the colour and the bleached city colours, "help make it through the night" and its reprise during the film, the use of contemporary music like Bacharach’s "look of Love"? The use of long shots in the city, the close-ups of faces, the action sequences, looking over the shoulders of characters?

3. Comment on the editing of the film. The contrast of the two major stories and their comparison by visual contrast?

4. How was the Fat City itself a central character of the film? The initial portrayal of Stockton before the credits? As a place, its people, the down-and-outers, the dreariness and drabness, hope and despair, the atmosphere of failing .,.and drifting? The bars, the gymnasiums, the apartments, the streets, the work etc? What was your response to life in this city?

5. How sympathetic a character was Billy? The initial presentation on the bed and his smoking, his dingy apartment, his wandering, as a bum? His drinking and meeting with friends in bars? The background of his boxing career, failures? The quality of his ambitions and staying power? Could one sympathize with him? He said that life made a bee-line for the drain. Was this true? The importance of the encounter with Ernie? His helping him and yet at the end insulting him? His meeting with Omar and the humour of it? His response to her? Why did he go to live with her? Was there any love? His wanting to push her into some kind of self-respect? His failure to change her? His encounters and comparisons with Earl? Especially when he picked up his clothes? The sequence of work out in the fields? Why did he decide to train again? How much did the fight mean to him? The visual impact of the fight and his growing in sensibility? His disillusionment with the result? His unwillingness to try harder? The rejection by 0mar? His ultimate loneliness? The fact that Ernie avoided him and yet supported him? What insight into this kind of man did the portrayal give?

6. Was the insight into Ernie just as good? A young man, was he a contrast to Billy or was he just the same? His entering into the fight game? His wanting the glamour, and yet his immediate failures? His relationship with Faye and the significance of getting stuck in the mud? Our not seeing the wedding? His going to work, in odd jobs? His cheering Billy on? His going on fighting and yet getting decision victories? His wanting to avoid Billy yet the quality of his staying to talk to him? How much self knowledge did he have? What future did he have?

7. Comment on the editing juxtaposition of the two stories and their comment on each other?

8. How important was the character of Omar for the film? How much like Billy was she? The importance of her manner, her chatter, her fuss, her tearfulness, her wanting fun and love, her erratic emotions and moods? The way she reacted to people? Her mouthing of cliches and insight. Her remarks about her marriage to Frank? Why did she love Earl? Why did she let Billy study with her? The quality of their relationship? The importance of the meal sequence and the erratic moods? Her rejecting of Billy and the insults? Earl's explanation of her? What insight into such a character did the film give. Sympathy?

9. The importance of Earl in his relationship with 0mar and Billy? His final comments on them both?

10. How interesting was the brief portrayal of Faye? The conversation in the car about virginity, her moodiness about the pregnancy, the wedding? Her living with Ernie and supporting him? Her companionship for him at the end of the film?

11. How important was the character of Ruben? A success or failure? Big talk? Encouraging his boxers? The failures of the fights, yet his continual hope? The importance of his talk to his wife about Ernie, the white boy's potential? The importance of money? The final encounter with Billy and the discussion about money at the kerb-side?

12. The character of Lucero and his illness in fighting? The lonely figure coming in and going out after defeat?

13. What attitude did the film take towards boxing? Portrayal of the excitement, the brutality, the atmosphere? The effect that boxing has on people?

14. The importance of the Chinese character at the end and for the meaning of their lives?

15. What human values were explored best in this film? Was it an optimistic or pessimistic film? Why?