THE DRIVER

US, 1978, 91 Minutes, Colour.
Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Adjani, Ronee Blakley.
Directed by Walter Hill.

Writer Walter Hill authored films like The Getaway and The Thief Who Came to Dinner, where criminals were strongly characterised as persons, the techniques of their crimes studied in close-up and then they were let go. This is his style here. He directs also - frequent, vividly dynamic car chases with police after robbers alternated with static character confrontations. An expertly cold getaway driver (Ryan O'Neal's reacting acting style helps greatly here) versus an obsessed detective. Bruce Dern, yet again oppressively manic, Isabelle Adjani and Ronee Blakley are the driver's connections. Many sequences are compelling, especially since the focus is on human interplay and wits rather than just action. Brief, direct and offbeat.

1. The significance and tone of the title, the anonymity, the relation to function and role? The character of the driver as subordinate to his role? The reputation of the getaway driver, his moral viewpoint, his skill, an accomplice for the major criminal? Other significances of the driver? (The overtone of driving and being driven?)

2. Ryan O'Neal's performance as a driver? Seeing him mainly in his work and coming alive as he exercised his skill, wits, ingenuity in helping his criminals and evading the police? The driver and his dependence on his contacts in the underworld for jobs? His criteria for meeting people, accepting jobs? His conditions? His expectations about behaviour, timetable, business deals? The material rewards of his getaway driving, the psychological rewards? The significance of risks, dangers, confrontation with the police, eluding the police? The getaway driver as the agent of escape, yet his being pursued by the police and to that extent victim?

3. This driver as a person: his relationship with the girl, liking her, using her? Sexual relationship? His visit to her apartment, paying her off? His using her at the end? His relationship with his contact, his dependence on her, her saying that she would not save him, his accepting this, his being betrayed by her? His relationship to the various thieves, his judgment on them if they were not punctual and slack in their work? His expression of his expectations? His arrogance and even snobbery towards petty thieves? His capacity for violence even shooting? His action in driving and destroying the car to demonstrate his skill? His eluding those pursuing him by using his skills with the car? His thinking, lying on his bed, planning? His hiding and acknowledging that he was victim? The seedy and anonymous places where he lived and hid? His ingenuity with the money exchange, the train? His finally being caught, the irony of his lucky escape? His attitude towards the money, towards law? The driver with little personality, very functional, efficient? Achieving?


4. The contrast with the detective? The anonymity of the detective, his function, relationship with the law, his work with his team and his hold over them? Bruce Dern and his manic tone, his oppressive and obsessive violence? His attitude towards his men and the language that he used towards them, emotional blackmail? His living for his function and his role, the pursuer, the victimiser? His skills and his presumption and making so many mistakes? His presumption that he was right, his presumption of the law being on his side and helping him? His disregard of the warnings of his subordinates about breaking the law?

5. The study of obsession, obsessed by his role? His interrogation of people, threats, bullying? His attitude at the line-up, his hostility towards the girl, and his visiting her in her apartment to threaten her? His activity and his involvement in the cases? His resorting to plot, illegalities, and pressurising petty thugs, setting psychological conditions even to meeting the driver, visiting the girl? (The irony of the driver overhearing his conversation with the girl?) His eagerness, excitement? The pursuit of the train the build-up to the confrontation in the railway station? His being defeated once again? The film ending with his defeat?

6. The film's presentation of the interplay between the two - static sequences of confrontation. poses, the emotional detective and the unemotional driver, the way that they spoke, the final situation and confrontation and irony? The driver walking away?

7. The film's visualising of the robberies, violence, betrayals, shootings, death?

8. The dynamic presentation and visuals of the car chases. the time taken, the scenes in the street, night, noise, speed, the contrast with the cat-and mouse techniques of the drivers in the warehouses, the capacity for hiding? The car for power, deceit? The thugs and the demonstration for them and the driver's skill, the girl being present in the chase of the thugs?

9. The portrait of women in the film: the girl, her non-personality, wanting the money, relationship with the driver, helping him? Her seeming impassiveness? The contrast with the connection and her place in the underworld, her fears. telling the driver that she would not help him, betraying him and the violence of her death?

10. The presentation of the other police and their contrasting with the detective?

11. The thugs with the initial robbery, the thug arrested and set up by the detective, the interviews with the thugs, the demonstration, the attempted shooting and the driver killing the thug, the young driver and his being let go?

12. The action with the train sequences, the exchange of bags, the detective and his obsession on the train and his joy in ferreting out the criminal, his killing him?

13. An action film psychological study? The blend of both?

14. How well did the film analyse themes of right and wrong, justice. the criteria for law and its administration, obsessions, professionalism?