HEART OF DIXIE
US, 1989, 95 minutes, Colour.
Ally Sheedy, Virginia Madsen, Phoebe Cates, Treat Williams.
Directed by Martin Davidson.
Heart of Dixie is the story of a young girl from the South, Alabama, in the late '50s. She looks more critically at her environment, the presuppositions about growing up white, successful marriages and families, and the contrast between the experience of blacks and the need for social justice. She is a writer and opts then for a writing career in New York City.
The central character is played effectively by Ally Sheedy. In support are Phoebe Cates and Virginia Madsen as well as Treat Williams as a photojournalist who befriends her.
The film re-creates the atmosphere of the South, its genteel racism, the violence against blacks. It also places these events in the period of the emergence of Elvis Presley as an entertainer, showing racial violence erupting at a Presley concert.
The film offers a portrait of young people at the time, their expectations and the futility of this closed wealthy life of the aristocracy. It highlights the contrast with more enlightened views and a broader approach to life.
The film is conventional in its style, but appeals to a wide audience - offering them reflections on youth, growing up and issues of racism.
1.The film as a memoir, young people in the '50s, ideals, the smashing of ideals, change, the breaking of racist attitudes?
2.Alabama settings, the atmosphere of the '50s, visual style, manners, decor, clothes? The world of the university, of mansions? The contrast with the black townships? The musical score, the songs - of the '50s, of Elvis?
3.The title and its focus, the changing heart of the South during the 19th and 20th centuries?
4.The film as Maggie's story? Ally Sheedy in the central role? Her strength and character, her drive? Her place at Randolph? With the other girls? Her relationship with the black servants, friendship, learning from them? The fraternity, their lifestyle, talk? Her friendship with Delia, with Acken? Sharing their lives, study, social? Going out to the topless bar? The role of boys: Tuck, Hoyt, talk? Friendships, clashes, fights? Maggie and her trying to save her friends? An attractive and sympathetic character?
5.Maggie with her friends, Acken and Green? Pregnancy, the dance, the discussion? The friendship but her opting out of Randolph? The advice for Maggie? Delia and her ambitions - and lack of ambitions? The friendship with the boys: Tuck, Jinx? The outings? The card game and Delia being disregarded by the boys, the clash? The accident and its effect on all of them? Boots and his family? Hoyt and the judge?
6.Maggie and the writing of the article, her challenging style, the questions raised in her own consciousness? The importance of the Elvis concert, her observing, the blacks, the eruption of the violence, the brutality of the whites? The photographs? Her alarm? Discussing with the photographer, her sentiments against him and his exploitation - his showing her the photos and her change of heart? Going to see the woman in the black township? The writing, the support from Tuck? The meeting with the board, the dean, discussions about her attitudes, her writing? Her being ousted from Randolph? Her stances?
7.The girls, Delia and her type, her family, Daddy? Her aloofness from the blacks, from the social questions? The questions of integration? Her concern about being Honeysuckle Queen, Belle of the Ball, the plan for the marriage? The card game, her accepting her place? The accidental death and its effect on her? The discussion in the fraternity and her asserting herself? Her relationship with Boots - and the prospect of the marriage?
8.The Honeysuckle Queen - the place at Randolph of these institutions, the old-fashioned attitude towards women? Delia and her grief, her winning, her speech? Her reading of Maggie's article - and her reaction? The possibility of change or not? Her marriage and her future?
9.Acken, her place in the school, friendship with Maggie, pregnancy, dropping out? Advice?
10.The girls in the fraternity, discussions about sex, going all the way? With the boys, the boys and their sex preoccupation, serenading the girls? The styles of college life?
11.Treat Williams as the photojournalist, his coming to the school, his knowledge and background, his friendship with Maggie, going to the Elvis event, taking the photographs, showing them to Maggie, her change of heart? Supporting her in her going to New York? Their attraction, relationship?
12.Boots and his type, attitudes towards women, flirting? The judge? The visit to the house - and Maggie and her talk, making a bad impression?
13.The judge and his wife, the discussions about the South, the role of women, race issues - and his discussions with his black servant and asking him if he was under threat?
14.The portrait of the blacks, knowing their place in this society? Servants in the mansions? Servants at the school? The black township, Maggie's visit, the farewell?
15.The background of Elvis Presley and his emerging from the South, his musical style? The following amongst the teenagers? The frenetic dancing and singing? The violence erupting at his performance?
16.The themes of integration? The university background? The role of the dean? The governor? The hostility of the people, the students? The black student and her attending the university? Maggie's help?
17.A look back at the '50s and attitudes in the South from the perspective of the '80s?
