CITY OF HOPE

US, 1991, 130 minutes, Colour.
Vincent Spano, Joe Morton, Tony Lo Bianco, Barbara Williams, Chris Cooper, John Sayles.
Directed by John Sayles.

City of Hope was written, directed and edited by John Sayles. Sales is the writer of any number of genre movies, from Alligator to Battle Beyond the Stars. But, since the early '80s, he has written a number of movies which he has directed himself. More serious in tone and style, they take on themes of contemporary America, social values and change: The Return of the Secaucus Seven, Baby It's You, Liana, Matewan, Eight Men Out.

City of Hope is much more ambitious than his previous work. It is a portrait of a contemporary American city over three days. We watch a wide range of citizens, wealthy and poor, honest and corrupt, concerned and marginalised as they cross each other's paths.

Sayles uses the technique that Robert Altman used to advantage in the broad scope of Nashville in the 70s and The Player in the '90s. The camera is continually on the move, filming some characters, then catching others as they come into view and then others - all in one take. It makes for fluid action and a sense of continuity.

At the centre is a young disillusioned man (Vincent Spano), son of a wealthy builder (Tony Lo Bianco), but alienated from his family. The builder is being asked to evict tenants (mainly black and Hispanic) from an apartment block that the corrupt mayor and city council want demolished for development.

And so the plot continues, interweaving characters and concerns: the ambitious police officer as well as the malcontent on the force, jealous of his ex-wife who meets the hero, and harassing two black kids who then assault a college professor and accuse him of molesting them. The local black councillor (Joe Morton) is called in and finds himself in the mesh of inter-race politics.

It is an excellent mix, involving the audience quickly in its range of characters and issues. The title is, of course, ironic. As one character remarks: that's the way society works.

1.The work of John Sayles? Writing popular movies? Serious movies? Editing and directorial skills?

2,His perceptions of the United States, especially the cities of the '90s? Pessimism? The way society works?

3.His fictional Hudson City - and his New Jersey experience? The poverty, the slums? The contrast with the wealthy buildings, golf clubs? The streets? The sense of realism? The musical score?

4.The title and its ironies? What hope? Everybody tainted with corruption?

5.The visual style of the film, the long takes, the fluidity? People entering into the scene, passing by, interacting? The interaction of the issues?

6.The focus on Nick, at work, his relationship with his father, giving up on the job, taking drugs, trying to buy them? The spectre of his older brother, idealised, dead? His estrangement from his parents? Inability to talk to his father? The pact with his sister and their mutual help? His depression? Going home, the socials, wandering through, going out? Wandering the city, alone? Carl and his friends? The proposition for the robbery job? His anger with his father and going to do the job? The car-driving, the guard, leaving the car? His being chased through the city? His meeting with Angela, the friendship, the school memories? Their easy talk? The relationship, her husband watching Nick? The danger, going to see his sister at school, her exasperation? The visit to Angela's apartment, her boy and his handicap? The affair? The encounter with Rizzo, his being shot? Going to the warehouse, his favourite place? His father finding him, not wanting to let his father leave, the talk between the two, the possible reconciliation? But his death?

7.Joe Rinaldi as a builder, the L Street site, not wanting to demolish it? The building site, the workers, union rules, city money? The pressures from the city, especially from his brother? The mayor and the DA? The tense relationship with Nick, the memories of his older son - and Nick idealising him? The truth about his friendship with Carl, cowardice, the hitting of the woman, the options of going to prison or Vietnam? His death in Vietnam? His daughter, his wife? The pressures, not wanting Nick to go to jail, the deal with the mayor? His brother-in-law? The meeting with Carl, the planning of the Arson? His presence at the fire, the deaths? His grief? His returning home, going to find his son, telling him the truth? Calling out for help - but only the mad vagrant hearing him? The desperate cry from the heart - and only a mad echo?

8.His wife, her support? His daughter, the tensions in the relationship, her helping Nick, her work as a teacher?

9.Nick and his friends, Bobby and Zip, musicians, playing? Small-time crooks? Their relationship with Carl? Persuading Nick to be involved? The robbery, their walking in, the new guard present? Their being taken, in jail, with the vagrant and his driving them mad? Their not betraying Nick?

10.Carl and the background of his friendship with Tony? At work, the young men with him, getting him to do robbery jobs? His giving the information to O'Brien about Nick? The setting up of Nick, the plan for the fire and the conversation with Joe? Nick confronting him and the clash? His bitterness about his accident?

11.Mad Anthony and his commercials, his store, technology and television and the future? At the party? The vagrant, Asteroid, mimicking him in the street? The effect of television patter? His wandering the streets? His going into jail, driving the young men mad with his words? His passing by at the end, hearing Joe's cry - and simply echoing it?

12.Wynn and his earnestness? Background, relationship with his wife (and her teaching work, support of him)? The intimate scenes of them at home - sign of hope? His work on the council, lobbying Levonne and Malik, their sneering at him? His lobbying, the council meeting, proposal about education, his speech, being defeated? His campaigning? Meeting with Desmond and Tito? His interrogation of them? The meetings with Les, understanding him, believing him? Persuading him not to prosecute for his own reputation? His going to see the former mayor, the golf course, the cynical memories of the mayor, the system and mutual favours for power? His behaviour at the meeting at P Street, his avoiding the issue about the boys and their accusations? His rousing the people up, demagoguery and rhetoric, the march on the mayor's banquet, the right-sounding slogans - but the basis? His wife, Levonne and Malik in support? The confrontation with the mayor? Tainted by the system - his future?

13.Levonne and Malik, P Street, their antagonism towards the whites? Suspicions of Wynn, abuse of him? The pressures about the two boys and their accusation? Their response to Wynn's rhetoric and marching with him?

14.Desmond and Tito, their background, Desmond and his mother? Hanging out, hassled by the police without cause? The anger, the encounter with Les, bashing him? Tito and the decision about their being molested? Their plans, the questions, their contradicting themselves? Desmond not understanding? The lies, the interrogation by Wynn? Desmond and his mother? A sign of hope in her saying that he should do what is right?

15.Les, jogging, relationship with his wife, being beaten, his reaction with the police, the accusations, the interrogations? The accusation against him, his standing on his reputation, the homosexual teacher supporting him? Wynn's visit and persuading him to withdraw the charges?

16.Michael Rizzo and his partner, at work? Disdain for O'Brien? Patrolling, hassling the young black boys? Rizzo and his preoccupation about his wife, not telling his partner about his son? The camaraderie in the hotel, the drinking? Rizzo and his watching Nick, confronting him and shooting him? The police taking him, their supporting each other and the law against him and taking his gun? The breaking through of them sticking together?

17.O'Brien, his politics, smiling to the members of the force? Giving the information to the mayor? His promotion and celebration?

18.Angela, at work, the restaurant, her friends? The encounter with Nick, the car and walking him home, talking, the truth? Their meetings? Going home, her disabled son? The pressures in her life? Her memories of her marriage to Rizzo, his brutality? At home, studying? The sadness of the ending - with Nick's death?

19.The mayor and his toughness, his advisers, his public smile? Meetings and quashing votes? Paulie and his connection with the mayor, pressure on his brother? The DA and organising corruption in the city? The mayor and his planning for the arson, the money coming in for the development of L Street? His final speech at the fundraising? The confrontation with Wynn?

20.Franklin, related to Wynn, getting the job, the uniform, doing well, arresting the boys - with the toy gun? The incident of his throwing the basketball and the conversation with Nick? The bond between the two? The memory of Nick's brother?

21.Kerrigan, the old Irish power, Joe going to see him, his advice to follow the mayor's proposal?

22.The fire, Ramirez and the drug suspicions, his wife and child and their being killed in the fire?

23.An overall picture of three days in an American city?