54
US, 1998, 89 minutes, Colour.
Ryan Philippe, Mike Myers, Salma Hayek, Neve Campbell, Sela Ward, with guests Cheryl Crowe, Donald Trump, Art Garfunkel, Peter Bogdanovich, Lauren Hutton, Michael York, Lorna Luft.
Directed by Mark Christopher.
54 is a brief re-creation of the famous nightclub in 54th Street in New York City, called 54. In the late 70s and early 80s it was a celebrated place for celebrities to frequent. It was also a centre for drug dealing. The glitz and glamour, the music - and the available sex also contributed to its reputation. It was presided over by Steve Rubell, a drug addict, homosexual master of ceremonies who also had a rather iron grip and control on the way that his club was run.
Steve Rubell is played very effectively by Mike Myers, rather unlike his Austin Powers performances. It indicates his capacity for more dramatic roles. The focus of the film is on a young man from New Jersey, played by Ryan Philippe. His dream is to go to New York City and all his fantasies are fulfilled as he his picked out by Steve Rubell, is promoted within the club, becomes a kind of centrefold and is available to all comers. This contrasts with the ordinariness of his family life back in New Jersey. He makes friends with a couple, played by Breckin Meyer and Salma Hayak, falls out with them, is able to reconcile, discovers some truth about himself, especially as the girl of his dreams, played by Neve Campbell, turns out to have feet of clay. When Steve Rubell is arrested by the IRS, the club loses its spirit and the central character goes off to study. He is able to look back then on the glitz, glamour, the liberty and licentiousness of Club 54.
The film is also peopled by guest appearances of celebrities who used to frequent the club.
1. New York City, the 70s and the 80s, the atmosphere of freedom, licence and licentiousness? A microcosm of the era?
2. The contrast between New York and New Jersey, the short distance, across the Hudson River, the skyline of New York and its beckoning to ordinary people in New Jersey? The contrast between the two, New York City as a dream? Reality and fantasy?
3. Club 54, the street and the exteriors, the interiors, the different levels, the balcony, the basement? Lights and colour? Light and darkness? Costumes? The décor? The disco music?
4. Shane and his voice-over, his reminiscences, the expression of his dreams, the quality of his life, his involvement in Club 54, his letting go the past, grasping for a successful future? Reality, the change, the touch of conscience as regards his friends, some maturing? The film as his moral journey?
5. The credits, the collage of US in the 60s? The end and the changes in the 80s?
6. The character of Shane, the New Jersey background, his friends, the girls, quick sex in the car, the girls' snobbery? The home movies about his mother, her death? The family, dad and his sisters, the ordinariness of life at the breakfast table, permission to use the car? Going with his friends to 54, Steve Rubell choosing him, his going in, his friends not permitted, his having to take off his shirt, his gaping at the interiors, what he saw at each of the levels, the drugs, sexuality?
7. The character of Steve Rubell, in himself, drugs, his party attitude, living in a world of fantasy, money and his secure grasp on it, his relating to people, his wanting to be in complete control, his judgments about people, his standards, his whims, his sexual orientation and behaviour? His expectations of his staff, the tests? The TV interview and his spurning of the IRS? His reaction to the death of the old woman and keeping the show on? His discussions about celebrities, the prince from Saudi Arabia coming for the night? Working with his accountant, sacking her? Knowing that Greg stole his money, not punishing him? The arrest, Shane trying to help? The jail sentence, his return, his speech at the end to his friends and his comments about being away in jail and the nature of the prison experience?
8. The celebrities and stars, their behaviour, the availability of drugs, the availability of sex partners, careers to be made, wanting to be seen? Sexuality, straight and gay? The staff, their availability, their dress and undress, Rubell flaunting the staff, prostitution, the entertainment, the singers?
9. The film as Shane's journey, going to the club, being chosen, working, his relationship with the patrons, with Billie, partners, the sex encounters, the drugs? The contrast with his home life, discussions with his sister, the discussions about Grace Kelly, phone calls, his not wanting his sister to take drugs? Moving out? His posing as a pin-up for the magazines, Shane 54? His relationship with Rubell, asking for his friends to enter and Rubell cruelly not letting them, giving Greg's stolen money back? His relationship with Greg and Anita, with the other busboys and bartenders, the attraction towards Anita, the sexual encounter? Julie as the dream of success, meeting her, talk, meeting her at the club and her callous behaviour, his disillusionment? His decision to leave, helping Steve when the arrest came? Julie picking him up in the car? The aftermath, his studies, his return to celebrate Steve Rubell's getting out of jail?
10. Greg and Anita, married, their work, their ambitions, Anita's dance classes, Greg and his supplying the money in the garbage bags to Tony, stealing the money, the drug deals? The proposition by Rubell and his denials, accepting? The clash with Shane, and Shane's approaches to Anita? Her having sex with him? The reconciliation with the group? Anita and her tapes? The formal dinner with the celebrities and his being called a troglodyte? Anita and her getting the chance to sing - and the old woman dying?
11. The old woman, eighty, at the pharmacy, the little girl, her friendship with Shane, drugs, dancing, her collapse and death?
12. The people behind the scenes, the bouncer, the accountant, the guards, the money dealers? The IRS, looking at the television interview, the interviews with Tony, the clamping down on Steve Rubell?
13. An era, themes of freedom and dreams, fantasy and reality, licence and licentiousness - and the need for more in life?
