GRAND CANYON

US, 1991, 134 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Kline, Steve Martin, Danny Glover, Mary Mc Donnell, Mary Louise Parker, Alfre Woodard, Jeremy Sisto.
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan.

Grand Canyon was nominated for an Oscar for best original screenplay, 1991. It was written by writer-director Laurence Kasdan with his wife, Meg. Kasdan had written screenplays for The Return of the Jedi, The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark as well as more serious dramatic comedies like Continental Divide. His own films as director included Body Heat and Silverado as well as The Big Chill, The Accidental Tourist which resemble Grand Canyon.

The film is an ensemble piece, a group of people in middle age and in mid-life crisis in suburban America. The paranoia about violence and the world going to ruin is evident in the film, the violence of Los Angeles, the black ghetto and racism, criminal violence, violent movies - and even earthquakes.

The Grand Canyon is a symbol of hopes, of seeing human beings in perspective. The Kevin Kline character talks about Grand Canyon as forming over millions of years - making an individual life seem so insignificant. Needless to say, the climax of the film is a group of the central characters going to contemplate the Grand Canyon.

The acting is excellent with Kevin Kline and Mary McDonnell? as a middle-aged couple with a teenage son (Jeremy Sisto). (Kevin Kline had worked for Kasdan in The Big Chill, Silverado and I Love You to Death). Steve Martin has a very effective cameo as a director of ultra- violent films (allegedly based on Hollywood producer Joel Silver, whose credits include the Die Hard and Lethal Weapon movies). Danny Glover is very good as Simon, a tow truck driver who rescues the stranded Kline one night and becomes friends with him. Also in the ensemble are Mary Louise Parker as Dee, a secretarial assistant infatuated by Kline, and her friend Jane (Alfre Woodard).

The film is long, relies a great deal on the substance of its dialogue as well as its visuals. It is a film of middle-class America - but with interesting human themes, of both black and white, for wide audiences.

1. Impact of the film? Human and humane? Comedy-drama? A piece of Americana of the early '90s? Suburban and affluent America? Impoverished America? Universal appeal? Screenplay's Oscar nomination?

2. The worlds of Los Angeles, the suburbs, downtown, homes, the sinister Los Angeles? The real and the artificial? Rich and poor? Black and white, ghettos? Hollywood? The Grand Canyon as a symbol and climax to the film? Musical score?

3. The title, the canyons of contemporary American cities? The Grand Canyon as a symbol of beauty, creation, formation over millions of years? Human beings minute in comparison? The visit to the Grand Canyon as climax to the film?

4. The visuals and the verbal communication of the film? Character interactions, relationships: family, marriage, affairs, friendship? The relationships between men and women? Men's friendships? Women's friendships?

5. Mid-life, experience, the pressure of the world, growing confusion and paranoia? Crises, values? The passing of traditions? Age, change and coping?

6. The intercutting of the various characters and events, people's lives being linked? Their effect on one another?

7. The opening with basketball, American style? Simon and his skill at basketball? Mack and Davis and their watching the match, the kids watching it on television, both black and white? Claire at home, the game, yet doing her calendar? An ordinary night - leading to the short cut, Mack lost, the car failing, the blacks attacking him, the phone calls, lack of co-operation? Simon coming, confronting the black youths, helping Mack? Help, communication? Their sitting in the gutter and talking about life - and the significance of the Grand Canyon?

8. Mack and his life, his work in immigration, husband, father? The brief affair with Dee and its effect on her, his wanting to forget it? His relationship with Claire, age, their son? Life at home and its detail? Their separate lives? His deceiving her? Mack being disturbed, discussions with Davis? Meeting Dee and Jane, his uncertainties, the cafe? His taking his son for driving lessons - the humour and his own nervousness? His moralising on the lessons? The friendship with Simon, going back to seek him out, taking him to breakfast? His story about being saved by the woman and his not having thanked her properly? His wanting to thank - and make that part of the flow of life? Claire, life at home, jogging? Seeing the poor men in the cardboard shelters? The discovery of the baby (with the Moses and Exodus overtones)? Her day with the baby, tenderness, looking after it? Feeding it? The phone calls with Mack, discussing - the bedroom discussions and his not believing it? Their trying to communicate? The decision to adopt the baby, processes and documentation? The reasons for Claire wanting to have a child?

9. The dream sequences - fantasy, spectacle, danger, the truth for the dreamer? Mack, relationships, the affair, the tenuous nature of his hold on life? Claire, her sense of loss, the departing train? (Claire hearing the voice of the vagrant saying to take the baby?)

10. Simon, a good citizen, a good man? The divorce, his devotion to his deaf daughter, communicating by computer? Looking after his sister, his concern about Otis, the little girl? His visits, the meals? Their poverty? Otis and his rebellion, going out? The meeting with Mack, rescuing him, reflecting with him? The violent shoot-up of his sister's house? The visit by Mack, having breakfast, the possibility for his sister to move, his hesitation, arranging it? The move and the effect on them all? His sister at work? The park and its peace, Otis and his beginning to fear, the friendship of the Hispanic youths? The police and their suspicions, harsh treatment and his reaction? His having to face realities - that life need not be as violent and grim as he thought?

11. Roberto, his baseball name? At home, television, study, his advice for his mother? The summer camp, working with the young kids, the girlfriend, the letters, the parents waiting for the children to come back, the Thanksgiving plans? The challenge to his mother? His fear that they were going to separate? His response to the news about the baby? The driving lesson and his ability to handle the situation, mistakes, his father's reactions?

12. Davis and his friendship with Mack, sport? His limousine, his young girlfriend - and her wanting to get married? His violent movies, the editing sequence and his argument about integrity and art? His philosophy of moviemaking? The attack, his being knifed, bleeding, going to hospital? The effect of the attack, his limp, his change of heart, his vision? Claire's visit and his whole change in values? Leaving hospital, the money for the nurse, talking with Mack - and his reverting to his old self? The visit to the studio? Back to normal?

13. Dee, her age, her life, the short affair with Mack, her infatuation with him? Discussions with Jane? The decision to leave? Her appearances in Mack's dreams? Her tension, her driving, the attack on the car, being rescued by the policeman - and the possibility of a new life? Her new job and the glowing reference by Mack?

14. Jane, her friendship with Dee, listening, advice? Meeting Mack, being fixed up for the date with Simon? Nervousness, nice, enjoying the date? The effect on each of them?

15. Simon, his nervousness, meeting Jane, in love? Communicating with his daughter - and introducing her to Jane?

16. Claire and Mack, the discussions about the baby, about their love for each other, of bringing up Roberto? A reconciliation?

17. Simon and Mack, talk about friendship, the basketball-playing and the bet? The healing power of friendship?
18. The visit to the Grand Canyon, their contemplation - humans in nature, in the world? Violence and paranoia? Friendship and harmony?