DEAD AGAIN

US, 1991, 108 minutes, Colour.
Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Andy Garcia, Derek Jacobi, Robin Williams, Wayne Knight, Hanna Schygulla.
Directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Dead Again is a very entertaining murder mystery. It is very stylishly made, directed by Kenneth Brannagh, his working for his Renaissance Theatre Company. Brannagh had achieved fame as an actor, on stage and on television (Fortunes of War, Boy from the Bush) and had appeared in some films (A Month in the Country). However, he received international recognition with his 1989 version of Henry V, gaining an Oscar nomination for best director.

His next film project was this murder story, Dead Again. It was written by Scott Frank (Little Man Tait) with a strong plot and excellent twists as well as an enjoyable gallery of characters and references to many films of the old tradition, especially Citizen Kane and Hitchcock films like Rebecca, Spellbound, Dial M for Murder, Psycho. There is also a screen quotation from Sorry, Wrong Number towards the end of the film.

Brannagh acts two roles with great skill, a Germanic musician in Los Angeles of the '40s and a private eye, modern '90s style, in Los Angeles. His wife Emma Thompson also portrays two people, a British pianist of the '40s and an American woman who has amnesia in the '90s. In the supporting cast are Andy Garcia, Hannah Schygulla, Campbell Scott. But a very interesting performance is offered by Derek Jacobi, who has worked with Brannagh on stage and television. Jacobi also does a quotation of himself as I, Claudius towards the end of the film. All the references, the strong performances, the sometimes entertainingly flip dialogue, the use of old-style angles, the pounding score echoing Miklos Rosza or Bernard Herman's score for Hitchcock's films, all combine to make it entertaining. At times it goes over the top, especially in the finale. However, it is clear that this is intended and is part of the entertainment.

The theme underlying the murder mystery is that of reincarnation and poetic justice - and the plot ultimately gives this some plausibility.

1. Entertaining thriller, comedy touches? A satisfying blend of excitement, action, psychology and humour?

2. The work of Kenneth Brannagh, his skills as director, as actor? Working with Emma Thompson? The double performances - a complete tour de force?

3. Modern Los Angeles, colour and light, the streets, the houses and their sinister angles? The interiors and exteriors? The tower and the house? The contrast with the black and white photography of Los Angeles in the '40s: interiors, the concert hall, the nightclub and the dancing, the wedding sequence, the masked party? The musical score with its dramatic atmospherics as well as its romantic tones?

4. The homage to thrillers of the past? A pastiche of various characteristics of classic movies? The references to Citizen Kane, Psycho, Spellbound, Rebecca, Dial M for Murder, Sorry, Wrong Number, I, Claudius - and others?

5. The tone of the title, the theme of reincarnation, made plausible, the purpose of reincarnation - and true justice?

6. The introduction to the film, Roman in the shadows, the haircut, the scissors, the prison atmosphere? Baker present, the interview, the whisper in Baker's ear, taking the scissors? The long walk up the corridor to his execution? Going towards Margaret, attacking her? Grace waking in fright?

7. The mystery of Margaret/Grace? Grace, waking up in bed, the screams and fear? The nuns and their concern? The priest and his attitude - and harshly wanting her to leave? The calling on Mike Church (and his name)? Their persuading him to investigate, taking Grace to the precinct, the echoes of the snake pit and the institution and his not wanting her to be there? Taking her home? His concern and interest? Her bewilderment, mute? Settling in - and the further nightmare, Church responding and concerned? His telling the story to Pete - and Pete's reaction? Telling the grim story of the man's mutilation of his arm - but the moral behind it? Recovery?

8. Kenneth Branagh skill in impersonating the Los Angeles detective? His name, the orphanage, his working for the priest, the concern of the nun? His personality, the phone call, glib about women? Driving carelessly? With Grace, taking her to the police, taking her back home, trying to console her? The photograph, the papers, the information? Pete's story? The nutty phone calls identifying the woman?

9. Derek Jacobi's presence and style as Franklyn Matson? His arrival, dithering manner, looking at the furniture and the antiques? His connection with the case? His skills in hypnotism? The techniques, the effect, taking Grace back, making her become Margaret? The long flashback and its releasing effect on Grace? Their visit to his place, his calling to his mother (and echoes of Psycho)? The woman being hypnotised - and his questions about the antiques in the White House? His taking Margaret back further? Telling them the truth about Roman and Margaret, the Life magazine (and charging for it)?

10. The story of Roman and Margaret: their first encounter, her playing and winking, his conducting? Roman as sinister European, charm? Their going out, dancing? His writing the opera? The background of his story of escape from the Nazis? Inger (resembling Mrs Danvers in Rebecca) and her son Frankie, their helping him, their place in the household? The proposal and the marriage? The celebrations? Gray Baker and his presence, his interviewing Margaret? His criticisms? The marriage and its progress, the gift of the anklet? The masked party, Roman and his need for money, the refusals of the entrepreneurs to lend? Writing for the movies - and the snide comment about composers not being celebrities? Baker at the party, asking Margaret about her marriage, looking at the anklet? Roman's angers? The camera focusing on the scissors in the household - and the scissors theme? Margaret cutting Roman's hair?

11. Baker - seeing him in the first nightmare, the credits collage of the newspapers talking about the murder, Roman's arrest and trial, the conviction? The death penalty? The collage on the prison wall? Baker's war background, his drinking, the visit to the wedding, his friend? Meeting Roman and Margaret? His regretting the war being over? The masked party, talking with Margaret, the anklet? Roman's jealousy? His phoning Margaret and giving her information about Roman's lack of money? The visit to the prison? Mike Church finding him in the old people's home? His age, still smoking - and the macabre humour of his needing the machine for his voice - and smoking through the hole in his neck? The truth about Roman and the whisper, kissing him? Promising that justice would be done?

12. The fiance coming and recognising Grace, his performance, persuasive, Grace bewildered, the effect on Mike Church? The discovery about the gloves - and his being exposed? Church pursuing him? His being an actor?

13. Inger and Frankie, the Rebecca parallels, Inger as the aloof housekeeper, her story? Her seeming jealousy of Roman and Margaret? Margaret and her accusing Frankie of stealing? Her seeming to be unjust? Frankie's anger? His stammering? The discovery of Inger, in the back room watching television? Her telling the truth? Roman playing the piano downstairs, Frankie killing Margaret? The gradual audience understanding that Frankie was Matson? Grace in danger? Inger in her old age, watching the television - and Sorry, Wrong Number? Frankie coming back, her not being able to conceal the truth any longer? His putting her to bed, smothering her?

14. Pete, collaborating with Church, information, his style, the story and the possibilities of regaining memory? His clumsiness? His bursting in at the crucial confrontation?

15. Mike, his growing fears, his own involvement in the story of Roman and Margaret? His not wanting to be Roman? His being Margaret - two halves of the one person? Matson hypnotising him? His bewilderment? Grace's fear of him?

16. The growing bond between Grace and Church, their talking, walking together, sharing memories, her recovering? Her gaining her speech? Her dependence on him, the sexual liaison? The sudden coming of the actor? Her growing fears, trusting Matson, mistrusting Church? Her going to the tower - and the build-up of the confrontation of the heroine in the tower, in peril?

17. Robin Williams' guest appearance as the psychiatrist barred from practice? His initial remarks, working in the freezer, the supermarket? The relationship with Church - their talking things over, his glib remarks - yet with their wisdom? His professional misconduct yet his skills? The return of Church and Grace, talking about reincarnation, psychology and trauma? His reinforcing their trust in Matson? Robin Williams' comic style and his contribution to the mood of the film?

18. The final confrontation, the pursuit, Grace's bewilderment, the guns, the scissors? The climax in the tower? The macabre paintings and sculptures of scissors all round the world? The huge scissors - ready for Matson to fall on them? The fight, the conflict? Matson's death?

19. Reincarnation, the mysterious origins of Mike and Grace? Their destiny to meet each other, to meet Frankie? For justice to be done in the next generation? A plausibility for reincarnation?

20. The camera styles, the stylish photography, the editing and pace? The over-the-top style - and audiences accepting it and its mood? The writ of the film?