THE CHINA SYNDROME
US, 1979, 123 minutes, Colour.
Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, Michael Douglas, Scott Brady, Peter Donat, Wilford Brimley.
Directed by James Bridges.
With Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1979, nuclear fact overtook nuclear fiction (with extraordinary detailed resemblances). This filler has a strong anti-nuclear point of view in terms of risk and accidental consequences urging, rightly, greater security and unstinting vigilance matter what the cost. The thriller elements prevail here, chases, siege, disaster threats, but the TV news background gives the plot an urgency and plausibility as well as emotional punch.
Time Magazine rightly remarked that praising Jane Fonda's acting is almost superfluous these days, so good she is - herself, but always subtly different. Jack Lemmon is excellent too, so that the human interaction of the plot is persuasive. A thoughtful, social message drama.
1. A successful thriller of the late '70s? Its qualities as thriller, social message, fable? A didactic film through the conventions of thriller? The wider themes than nuclear power - television, the media, communications, finance, government, safety regulations?
2. The presuppositions in the audience about nuclear power, the pros and cons? How well were these articulated in the film in events, speeches by the characters? The emotional impact to the accident? To the power play of those in authority? To ruthlessness? Could such a film change views?
3. The impact of the film as commercial thriller, the use of such commercial films as vehicles for message? Audience interest in plots, conspiracies, ruthlessness? The original name of the film was The Power. America and its role in nuclear power and controls in the '70s? The background of political cover-ups and exposes? The importance of the stars and their presence, styles, skills? Jane Fonda and her causes?
4. How authentic was the film? The technical advice given, the quibbles made about accuracy in detail, the overall authenticity? The presentation of a nuclear plant? The authentic world of the television studios, cameras, offices? Split-second timing? Political pressures, commercial pressures? The Californian setting - locations, roads, countryside, city? The importance of the editing for tension and pace? Musical score?
5. The invitation to the audience to identify with Kimberly? An attractive television personality, Jane Fonda's style? Her patter, the subjects of her programmes? Her being tired of her job, wanting more? The introduction of themes of feminism and women's careers, sex as a means of drawing ratings and attraction? The cautions given to her and her being relegated to her role? Her being eager for opportunities, taking them? Discovering the issue, her emotional response, her pursuing it relentlessly? The personal dangers? The opportunities for herself as a reporter?
6. The impact of the opening and Kimberly's presence: her poise, style, the type of television reporter? The TV bosses and making her do what she did best e.g. the Live Wires (how humorously satirical) , the tiger, the fish, items at the zoo? Her pace - rushing to the make-up room, her smoking, preparing the specials, her crew, her turning on her smile when immediately on camera? Her relationship with the bosses, with Richard? A picture of a media professional?
7. The introduction to Ventuna? Kimberly and Richard being part of the group, the ordinary tour, explanations? The TV eye taking this all in and recording it? The P.R. man and his explanations? The tremor, the indications of accident? The reaction of the people on .the plant? Richard and his filming? The immediate tension and audiences identifying with this and carrying it through the whole film?
8. Tensions in a nuclear plant - the professional response, the people with responsibility, technological know-how, estimation of situations, the technology for remedy? The emotional response to danger, nerves? The possibilities of such accidents? The thriller techniques to communicate the dangers?
9. Kimberly in her world - meetings, discussions about the freedom of the media, going to parties, preparing her Special, the discussion with experts? Her interest in Jack Godell and her talking with him? Her reaction to his lying, to his personality? The build-up to getting the evidence, her going to the hearing? The importance of the accident with the evidence? Her being present at the siege and the effect that she had had on Jack? Her weeping, the expose? what happened to her through this experience? Is this what would happen to in such a situation?
10. Richard as contrast? The demonstrator, the 60s type, his ethics and lack of ethics, sense of responsibility, his jargon and protest? His skill at his work, his being an independent, his studio and his assistants? His filming the reaction to the accident? His being prepared to use it, stealing the film, showing it to the experts - and the importance of the screening with the experts and their reaction? His friendship with Hector and his reliance on him? Hector and the accident? Richard's motivations, his right to communicate such information?
11. Jack Godall and Jack Lemmon’s performance - devoted to his work, tired, surprised at mistakes being made, at people's reaction to the accident? Seeing him at work and his skill, his reaction to the crisis, his report, the Commission and his evidence? The joy when the Commission exonerated the group? His being a bachelor, wedded to his work, his presence at the bar and the seedy atmosphere, his making a pass at Kimberly? His being forced to examine the situation, Royce, at home, watching the television? The initial hostility towards Kimberly? The realisation of the cover-up? His treatment by the company? The set-up for the exchange of the evidence after his examination of the plans and discovery of the defects and inadequate supervision? The exchange, the drive, his chase and the eluding of the pursuers? His setting up of the siege? His incoherence on the television and people's judgment of this? His being shot? His being attacked personally and the response of people to vindicate him? A martyr? How rounded a performance - for audiences to be interested in, identify with, understand the issues by?
12. The world of P.R., Gibson and his role, his talk? McCormack? and his being boss, Herman and his supervision, his not expecting anything to happen, his following orders? The picture of power and communication, the unwillingness to face the truth? The old man and his evidence? The investigations, the experienced old man and his testimony? Scapegoats, lies? The repetition of the accident? The moneyed interests and the background of Senate hearings and investigations about further nuclear plants and their suitability? The importance of the hearings sequence with the protesters and the validity of their protest?
13. The background of protest - Richard, questions of nuclear waste, nuclear bombs? The nature of the hearings and the demonstrators? The variety of speeches giving pros and cons about the nuclear issue?
14. The presentation of the TV executives, their responsibility for what they broadcast, the law? Fears and pressures? Their role, their duty? The world of scoops, hard news, ratings? Kimberly within this world and her articulating reaction against them?
15. The picture of the accident, the various factors causing it, the reality of such accidents, risks and security, thoroughness of checks? The significance of the China Syndrome as explained - and its consequences?
16. The human drama within the thriller techniques - Kimberly at work, at home, her phone calls? Jack and talking with him? The weeping? Jack at the station, giving his all to his work, the seediness of his life? The danger in his life and his death? Richard and Hector? Hector's accident and the response of Kimberly and Richard?
17. Themes of contemporary society, energy needs and energy crisis, the common people taking energy for granted, the arguments for nuclear developments and plants?
18. How accurately did the film show dangers, the domination of money and power, authorities prepared to take risks? The exercise of influence and power over others?
19. Themes of social responsibility, roles, exposes and cover-up? What has the public a right to know? The overall and final impact of experiencing this kind of thriller?
