WHITE LINE FEVER

US, 1975, 89 minutes, Colour.
Jan- Michael Vincent, Kay Lenz, Slim Pickens, L.Q. Jones.
Directed by Jonathon Kaplan.

White Line Fever is a surprisingly effective little drama, very emotionally involving. Idealistic and hopeful Vietnam veteran tries to build up a trucking career but is relentlessly hounded and persecuted (physically and psychologically) by co-workers on the take, corrupt bosses and business interests. More suffering than Job, he takes on his opponents with questionable but emotionally understandable vigilante violence to become a hero of integrity for the silent workers. Jan- Michael Vincent is credible in the central role of a film which is depressing in its picture of the hopelessness of individuals who want to act according to principle and who become the butt of all the ugliest instincts of selfish human beings.

1. What were the main interest points of this film? What audience was it made for? The nature of the appeal? Enjoyment and values?

2. The truck focus and interest? The title and the indication of the fever and its explanation in the film? The importance of the location photography, the roads. the trucks and machines? The emphasis on work,, the trucks and air pollution, smuggling and transport? The atmosphere of this trucking business world?

3. The interview framework for a sense of realism at the beginning and end? Emotional response to this and to the story unfolded in this framework? A feeling for the social situation and oppression?

4. The film as an aspect of American society? The world of labour, bosses, unions, corruption? The oppression of justice? Carroll Joe Hummer and the amount of sufferings in the cause of this justice? His reaction to his suffering? Audience response to this suffering? The final message of triumph?

5. Carroll Joe as an ordinary American everyman? The family background in the stills and photos during the credits the Vietnamese background, the buying of the truck and investing his money, youth and ambition, wife, house and children? His pride in his work? His reliance on his friends?

6. Comment on the film's changing its atmosphere from friendliness to foes? The people involved in smuggling and corruption? The changed way of life from the previous generation? What had happened and why?

7. Carroll Joe Hummer and his conscience? His stands on principle, his confrontation of authorities his being made to suffer, being physically bashed, the amount of provocation? Was his own response understandable? The vigilante kind of violence? His breaking in and confronting people? Forcing them to give him work? The ambiguities of audience reaction to his response?

8. The character of Duane as the transition from old style to modern corruption? His subservience to Buck? His relationship with Lucy? His love of wealth, fear? His death and his being used as a frame for Carroll Joe?

9. The film's comment on Buck and his way of life? His wealth, arrogance, subservience to the big businessmen, his thugs? His pursuit by Carroll Joe and audience sympathy and antipathy towards Buck?

10. The portrayal of Cutler and the big bosses? The corrupt lawyer, the bribing of witnesses, the manoeuvring of court cases? Audience disgust at this?

11. The picture of Pops and the workers? The racial element and fraternal relationships? Individual reactions and the following of Carroll Joe?

12. The relationship between Carroll Joe and his wife? Her suffering? Pregnancy? Her appearance in the court case and reaction afterwards? The burning the miscarriage,, her final appearance at the window? Was it necessary for her to suffer so much?

13. The theme of the individual versus the organization?

14. The finale and the smashing through into the rich man's house? Carroll Joe unable to be bought off? His final suffering, yet a tribute and a symbol for the silent admiration of the workers?

15. How adequate a film study of human nature, society, heroism?