DESPERATE HOURS
US, 1990, 105 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Hopkins, Mickey Rourke, Mimi Rogers, Lindsay Crouse, David Morse, Kelly Lynch, Elias Koteas.
Directed by Michael Cimino.
Desperate Hours is an updated remake of the '50s thriller, from the novel and play by Joseph Hayes, with Humphrey Bogart and Fredric March. This film is directed by Michael Cimino (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Oscar-winner for The Deerhunter, reviled for Heaven's Gate, Year of the Dragon, The Sicilian). This remake is reminiscent of the remake of Cape Fear by Martin Scorsese (though made before it) with psychotic criminals holding a family to ransom in their home.
It is quite an entertaining thriller, moving rapidly enough so that the implausibilities are not noticed. It is strikingly photographed in a Utah autumn. The film also has a strong cast with Mickey Rourke alternating between charming menace and outbursts as the criminal and Anthony Hopkins and Mimi Rogers as husband and wife. Kelly Lynch is the crooked lawyer (but reformed enough for her next film as a lawyer, Curly Sue). Lindsay Crouse is a tough FBI agent. As with Cape Fear, American family life is more complicated than it appeared to be in the '50s, which gives the film more tension. However, the ultimate siege is quite extraordinary, where everyone lets fly with extraordinary amounts of gun power.
1. Interesting and entertaining thriller? The original and the remake? The updating to the '90s?
2. The beauty of the cinematography, the Utah state locations, the autumn? The musical score?
3. The title, expectations, the thriller genre, the siege - and its conventions?
4. The focus on the American family, the nuclear family of the '50s changing to the family breaking up in the '90s? The infidelity of the husband, the hurt for the wife, the young boy and his fear, the teenager and her self-assertion, her boyfriend?
5. The pace, the editing, Nancy and the car speeding at the start? The shift to the courtroom? Bosworth and his outbursts, Nancy and her defence? The reaction of the judge, going into private consultation - Nancy with the gun, the escape and hold-up? Nancy posing as the victim and in danger? Going to the car and leaving? The setting for the rest of the action?
6. Bosworth and his past? Brutality, legal aid in getting off charges, murder? Agent Chandler and her analysis of his motivation? The reaction of the police, her expectations of his behaviour? Tactical squads and the FBI? The interrogation of Nancy, the decision to let her go free and follow her? The planting of information on television news?
7. Bosworth and his brother Walter, the bond between them? Albert being the friend and companion of Walter? His treatment of them, the speeding away, letting Walter drive the car into the lake? Getting Albert to whistle? Their choice of the house? Bosworth and his charm in infiltration, Nora's reaction? Holding her and control? Tim and his arrival, Bosworth humiliating him, calling him Timmy? The blend of suave charm and violent outbursts? Reading the letters about the marriage, knowing about the children? The children coming home and being part of the siege? His dressing for dinner, the elegance of the meal - and his reaction, Walter and Albert awkward? The repairman, Nora writing the cheque with the note, his violent reaction towards her? His promising to keep his word? The interaction with the whole family? Tim and the money, going to the bank? The arrival of the estate agent and his brutally murdering him? Waiting for Nancy's phone call, nerves?
8. Walter and Albert and the bond between them, erratic, violent? Driving the car into the lake, Albert not wanting to be confined, finding Nora's gun? Interaction with May? Nerves, the clash with Tim, the knife and the wounding? Bosworth letting Albert go, taking the body, his driving, impatience on the road, getting rid of the body, covered in blood, finding the girls and frightening them, the police pursuing him, in the canyon - and whistling `The Red River Valley'? Not dropping the gun, raising it, being shot? Walter, the bewilderment, trying to do the right thing, softer than his brother? The bond with Albert? His being shot in the siege?
9. Tim and Nora and their marriage, the broken relationship, the selling of the house, Tim's affair with Karen, half his age, breaking it off? The early visit and the clash, the tension with his children? Nora at home, the difficulty with the heat, the phone call? Letting Bosworth in, reaction and fear, phoning Nancy as asked? Her concern about her children? Cooking the meal? The cheque and the message? The clash with Tim? Coming closer together? Their fears? The passing of the night? May and Kyle, May's return home and her angry outbursts? Zach and his fears, the 8-year-old? Defiance of Bosworth and the men? The scenes of the family together, their plans, the wounding and bandaging of Tim? The possibility of jumping from the window? Zachary jumping, meeting the estate agent, not escaping? May and her moodiness?
10. Tim, going to the bank, the tension, suspicions? His being wounded?
11. The FBI, following Nancy, the roadblocks, the chases? The importance of wiring Nancy, making her turn against Bosworth? The plan, her going in - the background of their relationship, her love for him, helping him escape? Wanting to survive, her fears? Bosworth's reaction to her entry? The siege, Walter's death? Her weeping - and being arrested?
12. The siege: the fire power, the tactics, the FBI officers' clash, Chandler and her being in command? Kyle and the phone call from May, his driving up, breaking the barriers - and May getting away? Zachary being allowed to go? Tim going to the car, meeting Chandler, the gun? Taking the bullets from the gun - and his gaining courage?
13. The confrontation, Bosworth threatening to kill Nora, Tim getting her to trust him? The empty gun, Bosworth and the humiliation, Tim ousting him from the house?
14. The siege, the FBI agents, the amount of shooting, Chandler injured? The criminals destroyed, Nancy arrested? The family and the ordeal, the past becoming meaningless and their uniting, the suburban man finding some heroism? A fable for the violence in American society of the '80s and '90s?
