A PERFECT MATCH
US, 1981, 90 minutes, Colour.
Charles Durning, Colleen Dewhurst.
Directed by Mel Damski.
A Perfect Match is one of many telemovies from the United States in the '70s and '80s focusing on family situations with social implications. The screenplay was written by John Sayles (director/writer of Return of the Secaucus Seven, Lianna; writer of Alligator, Pirhana, The Howling). Direction is by Mel Damski, whose first cinema feature was the comedy Yellowbeard. The film has a very strong cast, especially with Charles Durning and Colleen Dewhurst as the parents.
The film is emotional, focuses on questions of health, family relation ships and secrets, but with the strength of the acting makes the potential soap opera ingredients much more impressive.
1. The impact of this kind of telemovie: emotional response, understanding, persons, issues?
2. The Middle American background, affluence? Popular audience identification with the characters? Interest in the lifestyles? Television style for establishing characters, situations? Adaptation for home audiences?
3. California, locations, cities, Los Angeles? The contemporary atmosphere?
4. The title and its expectations? The background of films like Love Story, illness stories? Television family series?
5. The introduction to both families? Comparisons, contrasts, puzzle? The audience learning of the relationship, the blood match? The glamorous world of Miranda and Steve? Julie and her family and their ordinary way of life?
6. Miranda's situation: her work, relationship with Steve. illness? Interviews with the doctor? The background of her illegitimate child, her father's blood being unsuitable for the transfer? Steve and his emotional involvement, his decision to find out about the daughter? Audience sympathy for or against him?
7. Steve and the interview with the judge, the court order? The judge's cautions? Her uncertainties about her decision? Steve's contacting Larson, the phone call, the visit, seeing Julie in the shop, the discussions with Meg and her hostility?
8. Rights, choices, options? The situation in theory, in fact? Emotional decisions?
9. The Larsons and their background? Their decision to tell Julie about her adoption - but not doing it? The reaction to Steve's request? Emotional response for and against, protectiveness fears? Their strengths as a couple? Their decision after meeting Miranda? Meg's harshness towards her? The tests, the emergency and their telling Julie the truth? Their being hurt, the sad response to her reaction? Fears of losing Julie? Meg and her strength, her secrets? Feeling as in she had actually borne Julie? Her hard manner in bringing her up? A good mother? Protective, anxious, eventually helping with the needle for Julie to undergo the transfer? The father and his pleasantness, the emotional response to Steve, his being hurt by Julie's reaction, asking her to apologise to her mother? Their reflections on whether they should have told Julie or not? The handling of situations, the need for strength? The visit to Steve, seeing his show being filmed? The bond between husband and wife?
10. The sketch of Julie, ordinary young girl, her reaction against permissions, her mother's strictness, what she wore, going to the dance? Practising dancing with her friends? Interest in boys? Serving the ice cream, proud of her father? The blood test and her wanting to see her file? The moment of telling the truth, her reaction? Her confusion? Attraction towards Miranda, enjoying the outings, being considered for fashion? The hostile reaction to her adopted parents, her wanting to know the truth? The clash with Miranda and her running away? Emotional needs? meeting the girl on the street, the meal, the home and her leaving? Her arrival for the operation, her fear, her mother reassuring her? The success of the transfer? A future with Miranda as part of her life? Fairness or unfairness in not telling children that they are adopted?
11. Miranda and her situation? Unwilling to find her daughter. meeting the parents, Meg's harsh reaction. enjoying Julie's company? The clash with Julie? The blood, the operation and its success? Wanting to be part of Julie's life? Steve, initiative or intrusion?
12. The background of the television world, the weightlifting photography, the world of fashion and models? The contrast with home and protection? The streets of Los Angeles?
13. The blend of emotion, drama, realism? A well acted film with conviction?
