HAWKS

UK, 1988, 107 minutes, Colour.
Timothy Dalton, Anthony Edwards, Camille Coduri, Sheila Hancock, Jill Bennett, Connie Booth.
Directed by Robert Ellis Miller.

Hawks is a black comedy about dying - with a touch of sentiment. Timothy Dalton, sounding very aristocratic but not behaving so, is an English cancer patient. Anthony Edwards is an American with cancer. They meet in hospital. In their interactions, layer Dalton encourages football player Edwards to make the most of his final weeks. This involves leaving hospital, combating Edwards' suicidal wishes, going to Amsterdam to visit a brothel, encountering two English girls. It also shows the effect of death and friendship.

The film is peppered with sex references which might alienate some of the potential audience. However, it is very difficult to make a comedy about dying that is acceptable and the reviews of the film were generally very unsympathetic. However, it is an interesting attempt to try to dramatise the situation, give some insight - especially for people of ordinary (often very ordinary) values and stances where death makes a difference to the perspective. There is a very good English cast in support. Direction is by American Robert Ellis Miller (The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Any Wednesday, The Girl from Petrovka).

1.Impact of the serious comedy? Death and dying? The sexual perspective? Hostile critical reaction to the film?

2.London settings, Holland, Amsterdam? Musical score?

3.The title and Bancroft's explanation, Hawks soaring, soaring over the ordinary pigeons?

4.The introduction to Demerchensky? The Saab dealer, his patter, going for a ride, the reckless drive, the suicidal rush at the cliff? Demerchensky's attitude towards his illness, to death? Contemplating suicide, Bancroft with him on the roof, wheeling him over the edge and the short drop? His realisation that he still wanted to live?

5.The presentation of illness, the cancer ward, the atmosphere of the hospital? Bancroft and his interaction with Demerchensky? The puzzle of a terminal illness? The putting on of the red nose? Jokes? Bleak and black jokes? Visits to the roof and leaving Demerchensky there? Going out to dinner and the reaction of the diners? The ambition of going to Amsterdam, facing dying? Relationship with the nurses, the doctors, fellow patients and the dead man in the ward, the visit to the morgue and the oath?

6.Timothy Dalton's style as Bancroft, lawyer, rhetorical speeches, cynical, nose, his range of defence mechanisms? With the staff? His going out, onto the roof, his behaviour at dinner, Demerchensky's attitude towards suicide, the oath in the morgue? His love for Carol, going to visit her before going to Amsterdam? Crashing the wedding? The sobering talk with her father?

7.The decision to go to Holland, Demerchensky and his not wanting to sit in the chair, leaning on the bike? Driving the ambulance, the encounter with Hazel and Maureen, the hitching of the car? Their plans? Their going to the brothel, the reaction against it, leaving? Meeting Hazel and Maureen, talking things over, the truth about their illness? Demerchensky's night with Maureen? The problem of the pregnancy and finding the husband? Their decision to take the girls - and Hazel as the victim of deception?

8.Hazel and her awkwardness, dropping the bag in the river, friendship with Maureen, telling her about the pregnancy, the decision about the trip to find the father, in Holland, talking and being understood by Bancroft and Demerchensky? The towing? The reaction to the men going to the brothel, their clothes, the visit to the brothel and their not finding them? Spending the night and their reactions? Hazel and her attraction to Bancroft? Going to the father of the baby, finding he had a family, feeling foolish?

9.Demerchensky and his background, his trying to cope with the illness, weakness? The effect of Bancroft's friendship? The effect of the visit to Holland, Maureen? His final illness, the Dutch doctor? Bancroft spending the time and energy caring for him? The pathos of the moment of death? The strong bond of friendship?

10.Bancroft and his illness, to death or not? His defences, honesty and lack of honesty? His reaction to Hazel? Writing to Cal? The build-up to the wedding day, the chair for Demerchensky as best man? Marrying Hazel?

11.The perspective of dying on values and drives, friendships and support, the drive to live, the sexual drive?

12.A film of insight? Humour? Or not? Or merely a black comedy in bad taste?