HOMICIDE

US, 1991, 102 minutes, Colour.
Joe Mantegna, William H.Macy, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Pidgeon.
Directed by David Mamet.

Homicide is the third film written and directed by playwright David Mamet. His plays include Glengarry Glen Ross and Speed the Plow. His film scripts include The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Verdict, The Untouchables, We're No Angels. His own two films are House of Games and Things Change and, later, The Spanish Prisoner.

Joe Mantegna starred in each of Mamet's films. Here he is centre screen in all sequences. He is a Baltimore policeman who in fact is Jewish but has no Jewish feelings or allegiance. He belongs to the police force. In his investigations he experiences racism and prejudice. On the way to investigate a murder and to arrest a drug dealer, he comes across a murder in the ghetto, a Jewish woman dead. Her relatives ask for him to remain on the case. It draws him much more deeply into Jewish consciousness, his Jewish roots, Zionism - until he is prepared to belong to this Jewish heritage and break the law. In the meantime he neglects the pledge he made to the drug dealer's mother and arrives too late to stop his partner being killed. He confronts the drug dealer. At the end he is in a state of complete disillusionment about himself, his origins, his work. It is a journey into darkness.

The film is excellent in its presentation of police work, not the average action s how but a careful and detailed study of police and the range of their work. The film is very interesting with its portrait of its American Jews, the sens of persecution from the Holocaust, their seeing violence against them everywhere - and their involving other Jews in their quest.

The supporting cast is excellent and the whole film is persuasive - even if particularly grim.

1.The work of David Mamet, for the stage, screenplays, his own films? Serious themes? Crime, justice? Relationships?

2.The portrait of the American city, the ghetto, affluent society, police precincts, the streets, warehouses? The city alive and audiences identifying with it?

3.Camera techniques, editing and pace? The opening sequence of the raid and its timing - enabling audiences to experience work? Day and night, light and darkness shadows? The musical score and the range of moods?

4.The title, its references? Gold's work? The murder of the Jewish woman? The black drug dealers and death? The death of Sullivan? The echoes of the Ten Commandments, `Thou shalt not kill"? Law and justice?

5.Mamet and his Jewish background, his rediscovery of it, incorporating it into his screenplay? Mamet, like Gold, detached from the Jewish heritage, discovering it? Repercussions? The racist themes, Jewish allegations of racism? The demands, Zionism? Jewish betrayal?

6.Themes of racism, black and white, black and Jewish, Jewish and white? Names and epithets, attitudes? The racism pervading American society and interactions, expectations of different races?

7.The police work and its detail, the opening raid and its timing, the final attack on Randolph, from the street, staircases, apartment, into the darkness? Dangers and violence, death? The ghetto street, the candy shop? The visit to the shop in the night and Gold searching it? At the precinct, the various types arrested, the man who murdered his family, his comments on the meaning of life, subservient, brutally treated? The attack on Gold to get his gun? The surveillance in the Jewish home? Investigations of the clues, the public library? The deals, mediation with the drug dealer's mother? The complexity of police work - and Gold and Sullivan loving it?

8.Police personnel and the effect of their work, interactions language? Use of authority? Gold and Sullivan as partners, friendship, ease of working with one another? The officials, expectations from the top? The initial clash with the FBI? and the black officer abusing Gold? The young policeman on the rounds - and caught by the dog in the candy shop? Gold and his ability to handle the situation? Authorities, changing of personnel on cases? The limitations of ordinary people, violence, authoritarianism, betrayal, racism?

9.Joe Mantegna as Gold: no background as to his ordinary and private life? No relationships? Partnering Sullivan? His life in the police force, his commitment to it? Speaking up about the investigation, the clash with the FBI officer? The Randolph case, his skills? His angers, language? The man who killed his family, the attack, the apology - and his later seeing him as a forlorn character, the meaning of life and transcendence? The physical hurt? Going to the job, the situation at the candy shop? His action, helping the young officers? Being put on the job? The Kleins asking that he be on the case? Their pressure, his reaction to the authorities? His mediating with Randolph's mother, his skills of persuading her, the deals - and the interruptions from the phone call? The drama and the acting of the other members of the squad? The visit to the Klein family, the different world, listening to them speak, their grief, their abuse about the sniper on the roof? Surveillance, going to the roof? Finding the Grofaz note? Talking on the phone with Sullivan and his abuse of the Jews - and Miss Klein listening? His apology, a turning point and his recognition of his own Jewishness? Her demand for respect? The search of the shop in the night, funding the gun list? The photos? His puzzle about the old woman? Going to the library, the information about the code and Grofaz as a name for Hitler? The research in the library - and the material missing? The young rabbinic man explaining the police star and the Jewish star - and attacking him for not speaking Hebrew? His going to the synagogue, meeting the committee, their attack on him, his feelings of guilt? The meeting with Chava, having met her at the Kleins', going to the cafe, his talking about his dilemma, almost a confession? Her persuading him to do the job - his reaction to the posters, his going to the shop, discovering the Neo-Nazi? regalia? His planting the bomb, the escape? His refusal to give the list of gun dealers - and the Zionists with their photos compromising him? His integrity with the list? His realisation that he was too late to help Randolph and his mother? The false passport? Sullivan shot, his going into the building, Sullivan's death, pursuing Randolph, confronting him, telling him the truth, his being wounded? His return to the office, the truth about the young boys killing the young woman for her alleged fortune in the cellar? Grofaz as a fast food for pigeons? A journey out of darkness into darkness - his future, self-esteem, origins, police work?

10.Sullivan, friendly partner, dedicated to his work, friendship, the easy repartee? Language? Their arguments, Sullivan and his trying to pursue the case of Randolph? His death?

12.Randolph, the background of his drug dealing, his initial escape? His mother, her attitude towards her son, his being given a chance, her being persuaded by Gold to collaborate and save his life? The deal, the passport, his brother-in-law being taken in? The chase and the confrontation with Gold, Gold telling him the truth about his mother? His death? The mother driving past in the car and looking at Gold arriving late?

13.The old woman, her background in the kibbutz in Israel, the gunrunning? The story about the fortune in the cellar, her decision to remain in the ghetto? The children, the interview, their killing her?

14.The Klein family, arriving at the shop, Dr Klein and his daughter? Their house, the grief of the mother? The shots on the roof? The arrival of the Zionists? Chava translating from the Yiddish? Concealing their discussions? The memories of the old woman? The daughter and her listening to the phone call, demanding respect? The synagogue, the elders, the pressure on Gold for the list? Chava and her background, travel, listening to Gold, persuading him to the sabotage? The photos and the hold over Gold?

15.The significance of Gold's personal and psychological journey? Audiences identifying with him - person, heritage, conscience, duty and right?