BLUE STEEL

US, 1990, 102 minutes, Colour.
Jamie Lee Curtis, Ron Silver, Clancy Brown, Elizabeth Pena, Louise Fletcher.
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

Blue Steel is a police thriller starring Jamie Lee Curtis. She gives a strong and sympathetic performance. The film was co-written and directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Near Dark, Point Break, Strange Days).

This is a New York story, a story about police committed to their work, seeing it as a vocation - yet threatened by the irrational violence of the city as well as tough administration.

Ron Silver gives an intense performance as a psychotic killer - making the film tense in its portrayal of the insane serial killer who is also a threat to the policewoman. Louise Fletcher and Philip Bosco appear briefly in an interesting sub-plot as Jamie Lee Curtis's parents.

The film, especially during the credits, focuses on the blue steel of guns and makes its point about the use of guns in contemporary society - by criminals and by the police. The film is a sympathetic presentation of police and the pressures on them - and has, as in this genre, an ending which makes demands on the police as regards execution of a criminal.

Well-paced, dramatically acted - raising social and moral questions.

1.The popularity of police stories during the '70s and '80s? The vocation of the police? Law and order? Justice? Social issues? Violence?

2.The women's perspective on the film in the writing, directing and central performance? The psychology of women police? Contrasts with men? Treatment by men - criminals, fellow workers?

3.New York settings - and the vividness of the streets and locations? By day? By night? Action and pace? Musical score?

4.The intensity of the police thriller, the focus on Eugene and his psychotic character, the visualising of the violent and meaningless deaths? The pursuit of Eugene, his pursuit of Megan? The cinema style with the opening credits, the close-ups of the gun? The training session with Megan trying to disarm criminals? The emphasis on cinematic tricks?

5.The title, guns, the credits, the hold-up man's 44 and its disappearance, gun issues - the ugliness of guns, violence? Glamorising of guns?

6.Jamie Lee Curtis as Megan - her graduation, joy and pride? Her bond with Tracy, friendship, the children? Tracy's death? Her parents not being at the graduation? Her confronting them during the meal, her mother coming to see her, her mother's fears, being brutalised by her husband, the angry husband and his confrontation of his daughter, her later arresting him and threatening to take him to the station, his breakdown? Megan and her vocation, discussions with her partner, the build-up to his going to the rest room, her buying the goods - and the robbery?

7.The violent situation, the robbery, her fear, action and crossing the street, tracking the hold-up man, the confrontation, the split-second timing, shooting him? The gun being lost? Her reactions, the reactions of her superior? Nick and his confrontation - testing her reflexes with the comb? Her suspension?

8.The portrait of Eugene - our seeing him shopping, lying down during the hold-up, looking at the gun, taking it, fondling it, his own violent actions at home, with the mirror? His work, trading, the stock exchange, the violence and the shouting? Hyped-up life? His cold-blooded shooting of the man who went to help him in the street? His envy of Megan, pursuing her, the rain and the taxi, the meals, talking freely? At home, the relationship? His working out with gymnasium equipment? Hearing voices, his reaction against the voices, his torment? With Megan, his explanation to her and her realisation of the truth? Being arrested by her, the lawyer holding her and releasing him, his becoming more vengeful, the cruelty of the murders, wanting people to look at him? Holding Megan, the confrontation with Tracy and killing her? His visit to her parents and the tense ironies with her mother wanting him to stay? The build-up to the confrontation, burying the gun in Central Park, tricking Nick and Megan, holding Nick with the gun? His escapes? Hiding in the house, the shooting of Nick? His being wounded, the pursuit by Megan, desperation, the subway, the roads? The finale with Megan confronting him, shot dead? His pathological intensity?

9.Megan and her suspension, her relationship with Eugene and relying on him? Charmed by him? Her relationship with her parents - even to the confrontation with her father? The barbecue with Tracy, being set up with the date - and his reaction to her as a cop? Relationship with Nick, his observing her private life, the mystery of Eugene, realising the truth, the decision to arrest him? The lawyer's skill and her being victim? Working with Nick, Eugene in the house, the shooting of Nick, her pursuit of him, her error in handcuffing Nick? The possibility of his being killed? The final pursuit - prolonged? Her decision to shoot him?

10.Nick, the police force, his suspicions, friendship, working with her, handcuffing to the wheel, the possibility of his being killed, being shot?

11.The police, the enthusiasm of the young graduates? The superiors and applications of the law? Lawyers and their taking advantage of loopholes and evidence?

12.The sub-plot with Megan's parents? Character studies? Her background? The violent father and the suffering mother?

13.The overall impact of this thriller? Portrait of police? Portrait of the criminally insane?