FINNEGAN BEGIN AGAIN
US, 1985, 112 minutes, Colour.
Mary Tyler Moore, Robert Preston, Sam Waterston, Bob Gunton, David Huddleston, Sylvia Sidney.
Directed by Joan Micklin Silver.
Finnegan Begin Again is a pleasing romantic drama. It is a star vehicle for Robert Preston, portraying a writer in his '60s, a columnist who gives advice to others but who needs advice himself. He is married to Sylvia Sidney. He encounters Mary Tyler Moore on a bus and acts as bar father figure. He falls in love with her. Sam Waterston has the role of a married man having an affair with Mary Tyler Moore.
While the material is conventional, the acting brings in alive and the writing raises a number of issues about modern society, commitment, love.
The film is both serious and humorous, is attractively presented - entertainingly thoughtful. Direction is by Joan Micklin Silver, director of Hester Street and head Over Heels.
1. An interesting and entertaining telemovie? For what audience? Age group? American audiences? Universal audiences? Popular treatment of themes for the television audience?
2. The United States, the American city, the neighbourhoods, newspapers, funeral parlours, schools? Contemporary flavour? Authentic?
3. The humour of the Jingle? Michael Finnegan and the rhyme? Michael Finnegan as the focus, the song and theme?
4. Robert Preston and his screen presence? Audiences' response to him, liking him? On the bus, talking with people, talking with Elizabeth and his exercise of ratiocination? Revealing herself to her? The tension in the laundry? her visit to his office? The meal and his explanation? His telling the truth - even when hard? His work on the paper, the column, his boss and the threats? The series of articles about old age? Elizabeth and her compassion, her writing a letter? Her critique of his column? His home life, relationship with Margaret, the marriage, 35 years? The death of their son? her withdrawal? Her suspicions and tantrums? The memory of the affair and his breaking the affair after its intensity, his being able to talk about it to Elizabeth, losing track of the woman, hearing of her death years later? At home, his being mugged at the door, his false wallet? Meals? Going out? Ringing up Margaret? The discussions with Elias about the selling of his house? Elizabeth working for Elias? Out in the rain, going home to Elizabeth's, Paul's arrival, their clash? The robbery of the house? The effect on Margaret? Her going to hospital? His feeding her, visiting her? 'Wells of compassion' springing in him? Memories of their son, her dancing? Making her laugh? Cleaning her? The communication, her movement? The sadness of the phone call about her death? His depression, Elizabeth rescuing him? Moving into her home? The dance and the friendship? her taking off her stockings and his violent reaction? Advice about Paul? His waiting for Elizabeth at the bus, following her and discovering her with Paul? The funeral and his allowing Paul to arrange it? Pushing Paul into the grave? At home, the sound of the gun going off? His shooting his newspaper alter ego? To Europe? His love for Elizabeth, revelation of the love, the finale? The begin again? At 65? Character, wit, wisdom, experience, hurt, sincerity?
5. Mary Tyler Moore as Elizabeth: on the bus, the affair, her nervousness, her routine with Paul, the effect of Michael's ratiocination, her fears and reaction in the laundry? Her career, widow, teaching, work in New York? Her angers? The meal? The dilemma about Paul, the truth? The evening with Michael, Paul's intrusion? breaking with him? Paul phoning her? Sharing with Michael, helping him clean the house, the discovery of the dollars in the books? The dance? The clash? Her going to Paul, the funeral convention and its ironic comedy? The funeral, in the grave with Paul? Her coming to Michael, fearing for his life? Love for him?
6. Margaret and her love for her husband, living in the past, her age, withdrawal, dancing, suspicions? Her son? The robbery and the stroke? In hospital, her coming to life again, reconciliation? Love? Moving? Death?
7. The boss, Michael's place in the paper, his column, threats to it, the increasing compassion and the boss's response? The world of journalists? The photo? (And Michael's photos with celebrities?)
8. The world of teaching, the underprivileged, drug-users, rehabilitation, muggings?
9. The comedy of the funeral convention? The humour of Paul's dropping the coffin in the street and the passer-by picking it up?
10. Themes of love, reality, romance, fidelity, break-up, respect? Age, repairing of broken commitments, beginning again?
