DOGFIGHT

US, 1991, 92 minutes, Colour.
Lili Taylor, River Phoenix, Richard Panebianco, Brendan Fraser.
Directed by Nancy Savoca.

Dogfight is a surprisingly effective short film, mainly a two-hander between Lili Taylor and River Phoenix.

The film was directed by Nancy Savoca who made an impact with her initial film about Italian marriages in the Bronx, True Love. (Both films are striking in their characterisations but are marked by copious rough language.)

River Phoenix is effective as the young man, going to Vietnam, caught up in the ethos of the military forces and making a bet with his buddies about dating the ugliest girl, the dog. Lily Taylor is a shop assistant whom he meets, decides that he will use her for the winning of the bet - but gradually comes to appreciate her as a person, is humiliated by his treatment of her, and then returns for a reconciliation.

The film indicates that River Phoenix would have had a long career had he not died, a versatile actor. Lily Taylor has appeared effectively in Mystic Pizza, Robert Altman's Short Cuts and, especially, Abel Ferrara's The Addiction.

1. A brief and small-budget film? Portrait of two characters and their interactions?

2. The San Francisco settings, the streets, the dance-hall, the cafe? The contrast with Vietnam and the war? Musical score?

3. The title, the focus on the males betting, the focus on the plain women? Indication of themes? Tone?

4. The November 1963 setting? The month of the Kennedy assassination? The end of Camelot? The end of a seeming innocence and idealism? The beginning of the American involvement in Vietnam? From advisers and peacekeepers to full-scale war? The '90s perspective on the '60s and Vietnam?

5. The quick portrait of Eddie and the fellow marines? The bonds between them, the line, on the bus, the plan for the dog competition? Typical of the rough young men of the period? The fodder for Vietnam 1963? How well did the film highlight the differing personalities, their interactions, their stances?

6. The portrait of the girls (from the perspective of a woman director): Ruth, the girl with glasses, Marcia and her teeth? Their situations, the flattery of the men, their believing them? Their own neediness and the response? The men talking up the girls? The ugliness of the competition, the dancing, the judges? The humiliation of the girls? Their not deserving it?

7. Themes of sexism, the macho attitudes of the young men, the victimising of the women, rudeness, crassness and exploiting them?

8. The portrait of Rose, in the shop, playing the guitar, talking to Eddie? Her mother? Eddie and his visit, the decision about Rose, his motives? Rose's talk, the excitement of going out, getting ready? Her mother's reaction? Eddie talking her into coming out? Going to the dance, the talk, the drinking, the being sick, the talk with Marcia and her realisation of what was happening? Her being hurt and humiliated?

9. The character of Eddie, the ordinary young man - but with a difference? Attitude towards the dogfight, towards Rose? The talk, the dancing, the competition?

10. Rose and her anger, her discussions with Eddie? The possibility of him seeing a different perspective? The change, the clash? His wanting to make up to her? Her accepting his invitation to go to the dinner? The swanky hotel and the issue about the jacket? The meal, Eddie's boorish behaviour, the swearing? Rose and her reactions, wanting a more sensitive approach? Her criticisms of him?

11. The night together, what it meant to each of them, the change in attitudes of each, the farewell?

12. The bus, Eddie and his lies, the truth? Vietnam, action, the young men joking, the attack, the injuries?

13. Eddie's return, talking in the bar, looking in the shop, approaching Rose, their embrace? A future?

14. A film about ordinary people, stances of the sexes, sensitivity and crassness, the possibilities of genuine love?