GOING HOME
US, 1971, 97 minutes, Colour.
Robert Mitchum, Brenda Vaccaro, Jan- Michael Vincent, Sally Kirkland, Josh Mostel, George di Cenzo.
Directed by Herbert B. Leonard.
Going Home is a striking but underrated film of the early 1970s. Produced at a time when M.G.M. was in crisis, it was cut and re-edited for final release to the disclaimers of its producer-director. However, what remains is an impressive and engrossing melodrama. It can be seen as a Robert Mitchum vehicle and he gives a strong performance. He is matched by an early performance of Jan Michael Vincent as a moody teenager. Brenda Vaccaro also adds strength to the woman in love with Mitchum.
The film has sombre themes - a man murders his wife, his young son gives evidence which puts him in prison, they encounter one another when the son is 19 and the father released from prison. The son wants vengeance and as he attempts it he begins to understand his father. The film uses the atmosphere of Pennsylvania and New Jersey and the road, quite a number of songs in background (with some religious overtones), and some devices for flashbacks and imagination. It runs the risk of being pretentious, but on the whole succeeds with strong impact. Screenplay is by Lawrence Markus who was to write Richard Rush's striking drama The Stunt Man.
1. The focus of the title, its reference to the Grahams ' home, the place where the mother was killed? Jimmy and his needing to go home to exorcise his memories and forgive his father? Harry's going home to confront the past and to relate to his son? The physical home and the transformation? Home being truly where the heart is and Harry and Jimmy being able to make a new home?
2. The technical aspects of the film: colour photography, creation of atmosphere on the American road? Editing devices? Special effects for imagination and flashbacks? Jimmy watching the past and being part of it? The importance of the musical score, the range of songs and their lyrics? Commenting on the action?
3. The opening and the focus on Jimmy as a child, his eyes, at night, his watching, the child's vision of his mother's death? The voice-over with the lawyers in court and the focusing on God, telling the truth, lies? (The addition of the religious themes with the opening songs and the love of Jesus with the consequent segment with the bible-seller?) The fact of his mother's death, his experience of it, his bitterness towards his father? The quick outline of his life in institutions and foster families? His going to see his father in prison and the variety of imaginings of how his father would greet him? His fear, his twisting things against his father, love-hate, his being impotent to confront his father - culminating in the rape of Jenny? His return how? His scoffing at his father - and his father's retort that he was to grow to 20 from 19? Jan Michael Vincent's style - appearance, brooding manner? Contradictions - visiting his father in prison, going back to the Charles' and seeing the young boy fostered there, the encounter with the girls but watching for his father, the meeting with his father and Jenny - eating and then leaving, his watching Jenny at work, fighting the sailors to defend her and yet ultimately raping her? Working with his father and yet writing the hostile graffiti on the wall? Listening to his father and yet not listening? Communicating and being unwilling to communicate? A wounded young man, a wounding young man? A satisfying portrait of this kind of adolescent?
4. The more straightforward presentation of Harry: the initial killing, the condemnation? Harry as feared by Jiminy and as real? His work and skills, the friendship with Jenny, welcoming Jimmy, working with him in removing things and the discussion about sex? Relenting towards his son? Driving with him, talking with him? Ignoring the graffiti? Making a good impression on the parole officer (and Jimmy's hostile reaction to this)? His tenderness towards Jenny in the night? Fighting to save his son against the sailors? The preparation for marriage? His going to get his son and confront him in the home? The importance of the flashbacks and showing love for his wife and child, the bowling, the discussion about his Korean war wound, popularity with the neighbours, his sister and her bitterness and his believing her and killing his wife? His admission of his responsibility to Jenny? A man who committed a crime, served his sentence, had to build his life?
5. Audience sympathies towards Jimmy and then towards Harry? Questions of right and wrong, good and evil? Hopes? Who was the sinner and who sinned against?
6. The build-up to the confrontation between father and son? The father preparing for marriage? The son viciously raping for revenge - then the possibility of remorse? The visit to the home, phone call, Harry coming to his son? The confrontation of the past? The symbol of getting the car out of the crowded car park? The possibility for future reconciliation? An appropriate ending?
7. The portrait of Jenny - ordinary young woman, her being in the camper van park, the relationship with Harry, falling in love with him but wary of marriage, the initial encounter with Jimmy, the meal and the talk about the prize? Her care for Harry - and her being unable to sleep? Concern ed for Jimmy? At work and the confrontation with the sailors? Buying the plants and the talk with Jimmy - and the culmination in the rape? Her hard bitter tears after the rape? Her not telling Harry? The possibility of a future with Harry? A portrait of a lonely young woman? A realistic and sympathetic portrait?
8. The picture of institutions: prison, orphanages, the Charles' house, the parole officer and the room in which he questioned?
9. The range of people portrayed as background to the film: the people in the caravan park, the bowling alleys, the sailors, the man who ran the nursery, the people at the diners, the Italian and their celebration at the old house? The picture of the American roads, parks, people at play, eating? A cross-section of the world - aspirations, hopes, sorrows?
10. The flashback - the past happiness with the picnic, Harry and his wife, JIMMY? The killing and the effect on father and son? The cruelty of fate?
11. The screenplay and the patterns establishing father and son as parallel, as contrasting? The influence of one on the other? The lack of communication? The attempts at communication? Love-hate? Punishment? The contrast of their attitudes towards Jenny - marriage and cruelty? The possibility of hope after suffering?
12. An imaginative presentation of themes of love, hurt, hope, reconciliation and forgiveness?
