DINER

US, 1982, 105 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Bacon, Mickey Rourke, Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Ellen Barkin, Timothy Daly, Paul Reiser.
Directed by Barry Levinson.

Diner was a critical and commercial success in the early 1980s. It was written by Barry Levinson who had written quite a number of films up to this period including the semi-autobiographical Best Friends. This was his first film as director. He was to go on during that decade to write a number of significant films and direct them including The Natural, Good Morning Vietnam, winning an Oscar for Rain Man.

The film also has a very strong young cast, most of whom were to make quite an impact in the film industry in succeeding decades. Steve Guttenberg, better known perhaps for his comedies like the Police Academy series and Three Men and a Baby, is the focus of the group. Mickey Rourke won a number of acting awards for his performance. Kevin Bacon is perhaps the most successful of the group. Paul Reiser made an impact on television with Mad About You.

There are a number of films at this period where the main characters gathered together and reminisced. For an older generation, this was the focus of Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill in the following year.

The setting is Baltimore, the week between Christmas and New Year in 1959. These young men are immature, apprehensive about women and relationships, comfortable with each other’s company, able to talk frankly with one another, exploring what their lives are going to be and what they have been up till now. The strength of the film is in both the writing and the performance.

As time passes from the release of Diner, it becomes even more relevant as giving both a 1980s perspective on memories of the 1950s as well as a dramatisation of how young men were at the end of the 50s as they were to move in what was to become the society-changing 1960s.

1. The film's acclaim as one of the ten best of 1982? Entertainment, nostalgia? Insight into human nature?

2. The atmosphere of the '50s, Baltimore? The look of the times, clothes, styles, sets? The city, the sounds, the use of music (and discussion about this) and films: A Summer Place. TV programmes etc.? The diner itself symbolising this atmosphere of the late 150s?

3. The screenplay and the introduction of the characters and the diner: the emphasis on character sketching, situations illustrating character, the time span of the screenplay, the culmination in the wedding, the presentation of the group together, each individual, their associations and interlocking? The reliance of the screenplay on verbal humour, insight through talk and discussion? The writer-director and his memories? His interpretation of the times? Sentiment, humour, satire, seriousness? The power of the memories of the time and the age at which the characters were?

4. The Christmas setting, the dance? The atmosphere of the holiday season: the characters, their occupations, age, mix-ups - dating? The practical joke with the crash? The group returning to the diner to talk things out, the group going to the station to meet Bill? Audience's attitude towards the characters - like, dislike, judgments, interest?

5. The detail of life during the Christmas week in Baltimore? The hairdressing shop, bets and money, jokes, jail, Elise's football test, Barbara's pregnancy, preparations for the wedding, affairs and fidelity, the wedding? The diner as the place where the group was at home: their own place, communication, enjoyment, quality of friendship?

6. Shrevie and his marriage: his confiding in Eddie to explain the qualities of being married - especially questions of sexuality? His relationship with Beth - driving, talking, their lack of communication, the intensity of the arguments about his records and her inability to see how important they were to him? Seeing him at work and the discussion with the customer wanting to buy the television? His anger with Beth and going off? Hiding to watch Boogie's night with the girl? The irony of Boogie with Beth and her being wig? His being spared the knowledge of the truth? Beth and her trying to relate to him? The wedding and the possibility of their growing in understanding? Beth as the ordinary girl. friend of all, her previous liaisons? Boogie's visit, her talking with him, going to the hairdresser's and discussing things, going off with him for the night with the wig - and his not going through with it? His complimenting her and giving her some affirmation?

7. Boogie and his style: working as a hairdresser, ambitions about law, the man about town idea of himself? His leadership within the group? The bets and the pressure on him to collect the money? His appeals for the money (and Fenwick approaching his brother and getting rejected)? The attraction to the girl on the horse - and inviting her to the wedding? The differences in class, style and wealth between the two? The encounter with Beth and his affirming her and letting her go home? His being bashed as a warning about the bet? His mother's friend paying the debt, letting him off and employing him? His future?

8. Eddie and the focus on the marriage? His mother and her slinging off at him? His friendship with Bill and his waking him up? Talk together, the discussions at the diner - especially about sexuality and his virginity? The build-up to Elise’s test and her failing? Calling the marriage off? Rescuing Fenwick from the crib? Jail? Discussions with

9. Bill and his study, return home, looking forward to the wedding, friendship with Eddie? Eddie's mother? His visit to Barbara, love for her - romantic love? The memory of the night in New York, the pregnancy? Decisions about having the child? Barbara's preoccupation with her television career? The discussion about the pregnancy and the soap opera showing behind their discussion? His taking Eddie to see The Seventh Seal and Eddie going to sleep? The discussion with Barbara in the church? The clash between love and career? His depression and the visit to the strip joint, his energetic playing the piano? His presence at the wedding?

10. Fenwick and the girls, his money, his staging the car crash as a practical joke? Friendship with Boogie and going to his brother to borrow the money? His hostility? Drinking? His visit to the crib, his later lying~ in the crib, drunk, in the place of the Jesus figure? His being taken to prison? His father leaving him there all night?

11. Model and his place in the group, the meal and the antagonism and fights with Eddie, the jokes? His presence at the wedding? His making the speech and summarising their relationships?

12. The background of the bets, the bashing, Bagel and his friendship, offering the job?

13. The youngster who saw The Sweet Smell of Success so many times and wandered in and out mouthing its dialogue?

14. The atmosphere of the marriage, the future for the group?

15. The emphasis on conversation, issues: cars, food, songs, records, career, sex, relationships?

16. The quality of the observation, the truth of the film? ordinary human beings, strengths and weaknesses, mundane realities, ideals, sex and marriage, growing up, communication? An observation of people at that time? The influence of the younger years on their adulthood?