CHATTAHOOCHIE

US, 1989, 97 minutes, Colour.
Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, Frances Mc Dormand, Ned Beatty, Pamela Reed.
Directed by Mick Jackson.

Chattahoochie is the name of a prison in Florida. This is a grim film, focusing on a young man, a decorated veteran of the Korean War, who suffers emotional and mental collapse, has an outbreak of violence and is interned in the Chattahoochie prison. It is a combination of all the worst aspects of ugly prisons and snakepits. However, he eventually stands up for his rights and those of fellow prisoners and takes a legal stand. He eventually triumphs. However, most of the film focuses on his struggles in the prisons.

The film was directed by Englishman Mick Jackson (A Very British Coup and then Steve Martin's L.A. Story). The film stars British Gary Oldman (Sid and Nancy, Prick Up Your Ears, Criminal Law, JFK). He is very effective as the Florida soldier. Also in the cast are Dennis Hopper as a fellow prisoner, Francis Mc Dormand as his wife and a very effective Pamela Reed as his sister.

Not entertainment, but a quite stylishly, if grim, portrait of prisons, an indictment of cruel society and hypocrisies and the need for reform.

1.The impact of the film, Korean War, justice and prisons in Florida, abuse and reform?

2.Florida, suburbia, ugly prisons? Colour photography, light and dark, shadows? The musical score?

3.The title and the focus on the prison? The perspective of the British director?

4.The prologue with the Korean War, the experience of battle, suffering and violence? The voice-over? Emmett and his being decorated and returning home a hero?

5.His violent outburst, 1955, the siege? In himself, shooting, wanting to be shot? The neighbours and their reaction, curiosity? The police and the crowds? May and her arrival and pleading with him? His being wounded - his despair?

6.In hospital, the coma, May's visit, the trial, the revelation about his insurance scheme and wanting to be killed? Discussions with the psychiatrist?

7.Going into prison and the conventions of prisoners and their humiliation as they went into prison, stripping, search, uniforms, the dormitory? Handcuffed and chained? Meeting Walker Benson and the bond between them? Mr Johnson and the squalor, his needing to go to the lavatory, his overalls? The grim comments by the inmates? The range of prisoners, the meals, their explaining why they were in prison? Madness and violence? Life in the dormitory?

8.Mental and prison institution, the routines, work, the violence and grimness of the punishment, the sadism of the warders, the fights, prisoners fighting and warders watching, warders mocking the prisoners?

9.The portrait of Emmett in himself, his background, desperation? Friendship with Walker, in the shower - seemingly wanting to drown? The experience of violence, abuse? His beginning to write letters to the prisoners' families? The interview with Dr Harwood, the attacks on his letter-writing? His continuing?

10.May, in herself, her relationship with Emmett, her child? Long delays in visiting, her angry outbursts at Emmett? Her discussions with Earlene? Her delayed visit, her pregnancy and his reaction?

11.Earlene, the bonds of brother and sister, talk about their parents? Her contact, supplying him with information, books? Listening to his pleas? His marking the Bible with all the information, her changing Bibles? Her fighting for her brother, going to Harwood's office, put off by the secretary, finding the entrance, her campaign?

12.The abuses, Emmett's list? The reaction of the families? His interviews with Harwood and the board - and their taunt that he was not sane because he didn't try to escape? The blackmailing of the homosexual warder, getting the key, the escape attempt with Walker, letting Walker go and his return?

13.Emmett and his reading, study of the law, discovery of the rights of habeas corpus? His notes, Walker and his interview, failing? The taking of Emmett's notes, his being isolated, sitting immobile and supervised, the electric shock treatment? His collapse and Earleen's finding him collapsed?

14.The recovery, the senator's interest, the holding of the hearing, the report - Harwood and his explanations? The consequences for reform?

15.A film of the '50s, in retrospect? The tradition of prison movies and films about mental institutions? Mental institutions and prisons as an indictment of society and its attitudes? The law?