SWING SHIFT
US, 1984, 99 minutes, Colour.
Goldie Hawn, Christine Lahti, Kurt Russell, Ed Harris, Fred Ward, Holly Hunter.
Directed by Jonathan Demme.
Swing Shift is an enjoyable film - with touches of feminism and with an atmosphere of nostalgia. It was directed by Jonathan Demme, who had made a number of genre films for Roger Corman. This is much more humane and a feeling film.
The film is also a Goldie Hawn vehicle - and she is excellent in the central role. Surprisingly, the film was not a box office success. She is well supported by Christine Lahti (And Justice For All, Whose Life Is It Anyway). The men in the film are Kurt Russell who improved in stature as an actor during the early '80s (Elvis, Escape From New York, The Thing, Silkwood) and Ed Harris (The Right Stuff). The film re-creates excellently the atmosphere of the '40s, the air craft factories and the work that the women did during the war. It might be compared with the excellent documentary of the period, Rosie the Rivetter.
1. An enjoyable film? Atmosphere of nostalgia? Comic touches, humane touches? Feminism? The perception of the '40s from the '80s? A piece of Americana?
2. The film's attention to detail of period and place? California and the '40s? Homes, streets, dance halls. cars? Factories? Costumes, decor, make-up and hairstyles? The atmosphere of World War Two? The songs and the musical score? The theme song? The title and its reference to the atmosphere of the period?
3. The film as a Goldie Hawn vehicle? Her skills and comic style? Her portrait of Kaye - as a woman, as a wife of the '40s as a wife whose perspective was changed by the war? Ordinary woman in love with her husband, experiencing the war, loneliness, betrayal, friendship? Her growing and changing because of this experience? An insight into the impact of the war on American wives at home?
4. The opening with December 6th, 1941 - an ordinary day. the beach, skaters, music, a husband and wife enjoying the day? American innocence - childlike? Kaye fitting into this world - work, home? The sneer at Hazel? And the war changing her attitude towards her? Jack's enlisting and Kaye's feeling helpless? Seeming unable to cope with the war and her husband's absence?
5. The war and the morale-boosting for the men, their enlisting? Their earnestness? Jack's expectations of the war, of his wife? Secrecy, letters, overseas postings? The expectations on wives - and their unpreparedness? Coping, failing? The exhilaration of their achievement and sense of responsibility? The hurts? The courage to face the reality of betrayal, change?
6. Kaye and the study of her transformation: as a wife at home, her reaction to Jack's absence. going to the cinema and watching the newsreels etc, her decision to enlist, the lessons - and her awkwardness, being laughed at? Her changing by taking responsibility - the dramatic action in which she saved Violet from injury? The power struggles within the factory, the roles of men and women? The importance of Kaye's becoming leadman? The women and their building planes? Kaye and her capacity for plane-building? Hazel and the sneer, the help, the bond between the two, happiness, sharing? The strong friendships that could develop between women? The encounter with Lucky, her reaction to him in the factory, the motor cycle incident, rescuing, her fears, dates, his staying and
the affair? The night and her reaction? Her love for Lucky? Her feelings towards Jack? His letters and the discussion? The importance of the affair over the two years? Work, outings, music, birthday party? The relationship between the two? How well did Kaye face the reality of the relationship and its effect on Jack and herself?
7. Jack's sudden return, her surprise, having to cope, awkwardness, telling the truth? Lucky and his reaction? Hazel and the betrayal? The hostility between the two - how necessary? Credible? Lucky and his bowing out, the farewell? The reconciliation? Hazel's wedding and the finale - the film's delicacy in showing the relationship between the two women, their enmity, feelings towards one another, the impact of the reconciliation?
8. Jack as an ordinary American husband, his enlisting, his presence in the house, absence, return and his expectations, reaction, hurt? The future of the marriage?
9. The portrait of Hazel - the accusations that she was a tart, Kaye looking down on her? Her singing in the hall? The relationship with Biscuit and his pressures on her? Her reaction to Kaye and Jack? Her being hurt by Biscuit? Going to work? The bike, the encounter with Kaye, the bond between the two, sharing. her educating Kaye with clothes, dancing? Her support, her presence? The break between the two - hurtful? Her going her own way, succeeding, marriage? The need for reconciliation between the two women?
10. Lucky and his work. heart. his accident with the bike. play, flirting with Kaye, outing, the night with her, the affair? No pretence? His reaction to her being leadman? The clashes, reconciliation? Relationship with Hazel? The end of the affair, his response, going away to New York?
11. The small portrait of Biscuit - the spiv, proving himself?
12. Women and the effect of the war - work, dangers, deaths, the skill in building? The end of the war and their having to return to their homes? The effect on attitudes towards women after World War Two?
13. The riveters and their achievement. the end of the war, the film, Roger Corman's role in appearing and commending the women?
14. A piece of Americana - nostalgia, the capturing of history, understanding the present through the past? The importance of the study of work? The role of women in the 20th century?
