DEALERS

UK, 1989, 91 minutes, Colour.
Paul Mc Gann, Rebecca de Mornay, Derrick O'Connor, John Castle, Adrian Dunbar.
Directed by Colin Bucksey.

Dealers is a smooth British drama about money and money-making. It is in the vein of Wall Street. It stars Paul Mc Gann (Withnail and I, The Rainbow) with American Rebecca de Mornay (Risky Business, And God Created Women). Character actor Derrick O'Connor has a good supporting role, as does John Castle.

The setting is London, a commercial bank, its loans and deals, stock exchange fluctuations. There is also personal interaction and rivalry between hero and heroine. Smooth, interesting, a picture of the times.

1. A drama about money, power, relationships?

2. London settings, the affluent bank, homes and apartments, lifestyle? Smooth editing, the yuppy style? The musical score?

3. The title, the reference to the central characters, their work, their plots and plans, wheeler-dealing?

4. The prologue, the opening of the bank, life in London, the personnel at the bank, the suicide, its consequences?

5. Danny Pascoe in himself, age, achievement, his wealthy home, flying his own plane? His relationship with Jimmy? With the bosses, especially Frank? The crisis, the new promotion, his being passed over? Robbie and his advice? The encounter with Anna? Personal relationships, sexual liaison with Bonnie, the dinner, breaking the relationship? Lucy and his laziness?

6. Danny and Robbie and the commission, the risks? The bank's debt? The rivalry with Anna? Their clashes? His help, her help? Her not being available? The dinner in recompense? Hiring the private detective, the photograph, following her? The information about her relationship with Frank? The clashes and anger? At work, the two sides of the financial dealings? Conservative and risk? Going out with her? The growing relationship, sexuality? The visit, taking her to his home in the plane, the confrontation?

7. Danny and Robbie, the meeting, Robbie drinking and drugs, staying in the house, their talks, the plan? The dead ends? The restaurant? Danny discovering the body, coping?

8. Danny and the risks at the bank, insider information, not telling Anna? The reaction of the superiors? The time, the tension, going to the bank, his connection, using his intuition? The market going down, going up? His success?

9. Anna, her American background, her life? Being given the job, her relationship with Frank, clashes with Danny, mutual help? Outings, sexual liaison? The balloons in her room? Having to trust Danny? Her clashes with the two bosses? His success, her decisions? The end and her future?

10. Robbie, his background, long experience, risk-taking? His personal habits, drugs and drink? His being dismissed, locked out of his office? His angry reaction? In debt? His hopes, meeting Danny, living in his house, the advice on financial matters, the possibility of the restaurant, walking, dying?

11. Lee, boss, success, wheeler-dealing, shrewd and observant, the party, his wife, Danny and Anna at the party? His suspicions of Frank, changing the security locks?

12. Frank Mallory and his double standards, his caution, his relationship with his wife, with Anna, the photos? His anger towards Danny, dismissing him? Being locked out by Lee? Punched by Danny?

13. The various members of the staff, their shrewdness, interactions, work, deals? Tension on the floor? the fluctuating market?

14. The use of the phones, the market, forces, tensions? To what purpose? Money?

15. Decisions, risks, opting out or not? Audience fascination with the world of high finance? Its consequences on people's lives?