BLAZE

US, 1989, 120 minutes, Colour.
Paul Newman, Lolita Davidovitch, Jerry Hardin.
Directed by Ron Shelton.

Blaze is a lively drama about the last year of the Louisiana Governor, Earl Long and his relationship with a stripteaser called Blaze Starr. The film, written and directed by Ron Shelton, writer and director of Bull Durham, is based on the memoirs of Blaze Starr herself. She appears to great advantage - almost sweetness and light. (In fact, at the time of the release of the film, for which she was production advisor, she was retired from show business and was running a jewellery store in Baltimore, quite prosperous.)

Earl Long was the younger brother of Hughie Long, the assassinated Governor of Louisiana, dramatised in Robert Penn Warren’s book All the Kings Men - and Broderick Crawford won an Oscar in 1949 for his portrayal of Hughie Long, as did Mercedes Mc Cambridge win best supporting actress. The film. was the best film of 1949. Paul Newman is very good - indeed as Governor Long. Newcomer Lolita Davidovich looks the part of Blaze Starr. There are comic touches, an atmosphere of madness about Long's style and career. In fact, his political nemesis engineered his being committed to a mental institution in the middle of a campaign. Long, however, was a great survivor - although he died soon after being elected to the U.S. congress. At the end of the final credits his own voice is heard.

1. A piece of Americana, history and politics, personal story?

2. The use of beautiful West Virginia mountain locations? Louisiana and New Orleans? The cities and the countryside? Authentic flavour?

3. The recreation of the period, the 1950s? Style, costumes? Musical score and the range of songs?

4. American history after World War II, the background of the Korean War, politics and the Long’s Destiny in Louisiana? The coming of John F Kennedy? The significance of race issues and bigotry?

5. The film as a memoir of Blaze Starr, her perspective, sweetness and light, generous interpretation of Long, of herself?

6. Blaze's origins in West Virginia, setting out as a young Girl, her family, relationship With her mother, the warning not to trust any man who says ‘Trust me’? (Red says trust me; Governor Long saying ‘Hell no’, but his final words being ‘trust me’)? The letters home to her mother over the years, not telling her mother the truth? A home girl away in show business? Re visiting her mother, concealing the truth, asking advice, her mother knowing, the album? Her mother's support and understanding? Wearing the gift of the coat?

7. The young girl at work, the diner, playing her music, singing? Red and his proposition, her thinking she was going to sing, the military forces in the audience and their reaction, being advised to strip, learning on the spot? The response of the armed forces - and the motivation for entertaining them? The creation of her name? Red's advances and her literally running away?

8. The move to New Orleans, her work as a stripteaser, the style of the 50s - and the show business artistry associated with it rather than just mere pornography? The audiences, the clubs, the performances? Her appearance and style? The variety of costumes, the panther, the rose, her songs? Her interlude with Governor Long? Her future and later career? Advisor to the film, her life in Baltimore - and the quotation about the ‘local cultural scene’?

9. Paul Newman as Earl Long: strength of character, excentric personality? The background of the Longs, Louisiana as a great state and the continual praise of the state? Louisiana style? His explanations about Hughie and his assassination? The party machine and their support, the police, the continued deals? Long's reference to the Yes men and their wives? His eagerness -in meeting people and saying vote for Earl? Clever, the various - issues, social-minded, progressive? Looking to the future? Attitude towards the law and changing laws? His wanting to succeed himself? The scenario for setting up Thibodaux as Governor and himself as Lieutenant Governor? Idiosyncratic style?

10. On the prowl in New Orleans, well known in the clubs, seeing Blaze and his reaction his advances and her refusal, his reactions, the messages and flowers? The invitation to dinner, the tour of the house? His leading her on? Her resistance but flirting? Going out on the Sunday drive, at the shop and buying all the goods - and giving away the boots? Meeting with the black Doctors? The hospital issue? Going to his old home, the sexual encounter, her playing the guitar, in bed with his boots on? The quality of the relationship?

11. Long's opponents, their spurning him, mockery, the flight and his biting his opponent? Then getting photographed? The deals about the racial vote, his being absent from congress? His eagerness for photo opportunities? The blacks and the Doctors, the segregated hospital, his manoeuvring the head to employ the black doctors? His being photographed and saying that he was a coward compared with the head of the hospital? His campaign techniques, mocking his opponents, on the platform, Jim Davis and his songs? Going to the floor of the congress ignoring the opponent? instead of keeping away, arguing his case, violent reactions, people being angry and his being ousted? The photo of himself and Blaze, the collage of newspapers? Being put in an institution, drugged, his suffering? Blaze and her visit, the set up for the press conference, the head of hospitals and the interview on the phone, Dr Ferriday and his taking over and letting Long out? The campaigning with the badge "I ain't crazy" ? The difficulty of the relationship with Blaze? Her campaigning -and the strippers at the club campaigning for him? Her leaving after advice? His defeat?

12. The picture of his entourage?

13. A comment on the eccentricities of American politics? The power-brokers, the deals, the advice about not going on the day of a vote? The media personalities, hostile and critical? Favourable?

13. The impact of the election loss? His anger with Blaze, the scene at the striptease show, a gun, terrorising the staff? The reconciliation with Blaze? At home, domesticated, the interviewers coming for Blaze, his anger with the lawnmower and shooting it? Being crazy or not?

14. Blaze and the set-up for the election to Congress, her phone call, the reaction of the entourage? The campaign, his enjoying it, his rivalry with Deeter and his mocking him? Travelling around, meeting people, the speeches? The support groups? The votes? His wandering in his home town, the collapse with the watermelon? His illness, covering it up, photo opportunities, the count of the vote, his overtaking Dieter, his winning?

15. The irony of his death, Blaze with him, his final words? Coming with the news of the victory? The irony of his death? His life the stuff of legend? The use of his own voice at the end?