BREAKING IN
US, 1989, 91 minutes, Colour.
Burt Reynolds, Casey Siemaszko.
Directed by Bill Forsyth.
Breaking In is a story about burglars - with interesting credentials. It was written by John Sayles, whose screenplays range from Battle Beyond the Stars and Alligator to his own films Matewan, Eight Men Out. It was directed by Scots director Bill Forsyth, whose eccentric comedies include That Sinking Feeling, Gregory's Girl, Local Hero, Comfort and Joy, Housekeeping. The star is Burt Reynolds, acting a character almost ten years older than himself. He is supported by Casey Siemaszko (Miracle of the Heart, Young Guns).
The film comes together as a piece of whimsy, a portrait of an old thief and a young one, their literally breaking in, the old man training and breaking in the younger. The characters are nicely drawn, there are amusing robbery sequences as well as some amusing sequences with lawyers. It is all very slight - but nice. (Forsyth obviously enjoys looking at the gentle side of crime, as he did with his initial film, That Sinking Feeling, as well as Comfort and Joy.)
1.Light comedy? Honour amongst thieves? Apprenticeship?
2.The credentials of the film: the writing of American John Sayles, the perspective of the wry Scots director Forsyth, the contribution of Burt Reynolds and his image?
3.Californian settings, locations, the robberies, homes, jail? Musical score and songs?
4.The title and its reference to robberies, to the apprenticeship?
5.The tone of the film, amoral and affectionate? The final comment of each of the characters `Poor old man, poor kid'?
6.Burt Reynolds as Ernie: arrival at the mansion, well-dressed, his style, the tools? Encounter with Mike? Finding him out? Ringing him, the meetings, the work-out and watching him on the roof as a look-out? Liking him, training him, learning on the job? The market robbery? The range of other robberies? Teaching, safe-breaking etc? Making nitro-glycerine? Ernie as a teacher, the old man and his limp, moving towards retirement? Memories of prison? The card games with his friends? The girls and the easy relationship with them? Wanting a successor, wanting a son?
7.The picture of the various robberies, the comic touches? The carnival and the Fourth of July, the fireworks? The open safe, the guard's shutting it? The plans, the garbage, the collection of the money? Mike and his losing his job, Ernie's anger?
10.Mike, his age, on the loose, entering houses for thrills, eating and watching television? His work and his slackness with cars, the boss's comments? The encounter with Ernie, going to the phone, sharing with him, learning, the nitro glycerine, on the job? Going to the races and his thinking it a waste of time? The encounter with the prostitutes, the meal, the night?
11.The bond between the two, the response of each, like and respect? The carnival and the Fourth of July mood?
12.Mike being followed, the arrest? His keeping quiet, the lawyers and their interrogations, their deals? The court case and the heavy sentence?
13.Ernie, visiting Mike in jail, making sure he was safe, paying for the prisoners to look after him? Mike enjoying jail, his influence with the others, training them to be professionals?
14.The end and the prospects for each? Honour amongst thieves, each's reputation? Handing on the tradition? `Poor old man...'?
