BEST SELLER
US, 1987, 95 minutes, Colour.
James Woods, Brian Dennehy, Victoria Tennant, Paul Shenar.
Directed by John Flynn.
Best Seller is an action-packed thriller from its opening with an attempted robbery by men with Nixon masks in 1972 to its taking up its themes in the 80s: the wounded policeman from 1972 having become a successful author but still working on the force, confronting the criminal who shot him and who has been a hitman for a wealthy businessman. The hitman wants his biography written - and an expose of his former boss. The two work together, highlighting American buddy system, one not entirely trusting the other but eventually gaining a mutual respect as they track down witnesses, explore the background of the killer. Complications arise with the author's sixteen-year-old daughter and her being kidnapped by the businessman. The ending is symbolic rather than credibly realistic but it makes its point.
The screenplay, written by writer-director Larry Cohen (The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover, It's Alive, Q the Winged Serpent), is meatier than that of a lot of thrillers - strong situations, strong and pointed dialogue. The film is also carried by the performances - a comparatively restrained Brian Dennehy as the policeman and a manic James Woods as the killer. The film was directed by John Flynn, director of a number of thrillers including The Outfit, The Jerusalem File, Rolling Thunder.
1. Impact as a thriller? Police story? Crime action? Buddy movie?
2. The use of the city of Los Angeles, New York, the world of affluence, special effects? Stunts and pace? Musical score?
3. The title, the world of books, the film as a cinema best seller?
4. The opening mood, 1972, the brutality of the deaths? The cop who betrayed his fellows? The stolen wealth? Dennis and his being wounded, the clue for the book and identification of his assailant? his success?
5. The transition to Dennis in 1987: still in action, the action scene on the wharf, his being saved by Cleve? The mystery of Cleve's identity? Cleve's contact with his daughter? The meetings? rotting wharf and Cleve's saving him again? His becoming involved? The possibility of writing a best seller? His distaste for Cleve? His disbelief about the events?
6. Brian Dennehy as Dennis: the background of his life story, his wife and her illness, death? His daughter and his looking after her? Writer's block? The ironic link with Cleve? The cigarette burns and Cleve's willpower? Dennis's realisation who he was? The hatred between the two? His response to Cleve's interventions, concern about his daughter, Cleve's boasting, the book of lists and souvenirs? The trail of verification: entering the apartment in New York, the bath and the murder? Testing whether Cleve was making it up or not?
7. The visit to the business man? The hoods and the expulsion from the party? Smooth talk? The taxi in York? His starting to write? The visit of Cleve's lawyers and the confrontation in the office? His concern about his daughter and her safety? Leaving her with the agent? The visit to Cleve's family and their being ordinary Americans? The ugliness of the situation, the effect? the visit to the factory the attack and her death? The truth, the confrontation with the businessman? The kidnapping of the daughter? Cleve and his saving, the success of the eventual book and the expose? The portrait of an American policeman, his values? His integrity? His violence? The strength of comradeship between Dennis and Cleve?
8. James Woods as Cleve, in 1972, his reappearance, appearance and disappearance, reckless and ruthless, a psychopath yet exhibiting sensitivity? his relationship with Dennis because of the 1972 shooting? Saving his life on the wharf, twice? His proposition, the list and the scrapbooks? The verification? Going to the party and his relationship with his former boss? The thugs, the taxi and the explosion - and his killing the taxi-driver without Dennis's knowing? The irony of the audience knowing more about Cleve's ruthlessness than Dennis? The visit to the apartment, describing the deaths and his methods, going to visit his family, the folksingers, wanting them in his book? The witness and her death in the factory? His concern about Dennis's daughter, sending her to the publishing agent? His infiltration of the mansion, the gradual killing of the guards? His decision to die for Dennis's daughter? A credible psychopath?
9. The wealthy businessman, his empire, generosity, charities the irony of the past, the stolen money? His bodyguards, their threats, the lawyers and their visit? His taking Dennis's daughter? The finale, his being taken, the book and the expose?
10. The sketch of Dennis's daughter, the relationship between father and daughter, his concern, her safety, her not staying in the room, causing Cleve's death?
11. The portrait of the publishing agent, her contact with Dennis and relationship with him, Cleve's attack? Her caring for the daughter?
12. The sketch of Cleve's family, ordinary family, folksy, loving their son? Having no idea?
13. The various police characters, superintendents, the bosses, their reaction to crime, investigations, helping Dennis, suspecting him?
14. The sketch of the various thugs and gangsters - especially the thug with the hairpiece?
15. The corruption, the murdering of political and financial enemies? Innocent victims?
16. A piece of '80s violent Americana?
