REVENGE
US, 1989, 124 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Costner, Anthony Quinn, Madeleine Stowe, Tomas Milian, Sally Kirkland, Miguel Ferrer.
Directed by Tony Scott.
Revenge is something of a grim thriller, a star vehicle for Kevin Costner after his success with Bull Durham and Field of Dreams and prior to his Oscar-winning Dances with Wolves as well as Robin Hood and J.F.K. Anthony Quinn enjoys his swaggering through roles as he has in this film. Madeleine Stowe is the female lead - but spends most of her time drugged and in a coma as the men fight over her.
The film has lavish Mexican settings, the atmosphere of the West - although the film starts with jet pilots (reminiscent of director Tony Scott's previous success with Top Gun).
There is a grim, frequently nasty tone about the whole film as the ambiguous central character Cochran, played by Costner, falls in love with Quinn's wife, confronts Quinn after he has abducted her and sent her to a brothel. The title is fully worked out.
1. Impact of this melodrama, the colourful locations, the touch of the American West? The moral ambiguity of the characters?
2. Tony Scott and his career as commercials director, his melodramas like Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop 2, Days of Thunder? Mexican settings, the colourful presentation of locations? The comparisons of great wealth, the world of squalor? The mood of the film, atmosphere? Musical score?
3. The title and the carrying out of revenge?
4. Cochran, the American hero, flyer, his buddies, the speech on leaving? Going to stay with Mendez? The confrontation with the bodyguard? Seeing himself as a guest, playing tennis, the gift for Mendez? The basis of their friendship? His meeting Miryea, the infatuation? Mendez's ambitions and brutality? The beginning of the affair, going away together unbeknown to Mendez? Mendez knowing it, the burning of the cabin? Miryea's disappearance? The clash with Mendez, Cochran and his search, the Texan and his death, taking his place? Maro and his contacts? The finding of Miryea? The brothel, the brutal interrogation of the madam? The final confrontation with Mendez at his dawn ride? The killing of the bodyguards? Mendez demanding an apology, Cochran giving it? His continued search, Miryea in the convent, her illness, taking her into the sunlight, her death? The effect on Cochran - his future?
5. Anthony Quinn's authoritative style as Mendez, his belief in himself, wealth and ambition, friendship with Cochran? His age, pride in his body, playing tennis, riding? The bodyguards? The guests and their talk, bad manners - and his killing them? His relationship with his wife, her wanting children, his not wanting children? Wanting her to be the ideal beauty? His rages, the anger at the affair, the burning of the cabin? His treatment of Cochran and hostility? Treatment of his wife, drugging her, sending her to the brothel? His rage and ruthlessness? The build-up to the final confrontation with Cochran, being wounded, wanting the apology? His death?
6. Miryea, her background, her marriage to Mendez? Her wanting children, his forbidding it? The infatuation with Cochran, the affair and its passionate nature? Her being taken by her husband, the degradation of the brothel? Drugged, in coma? Her being spirited to the convent? Cochran finding her? Her death?
7. The wealthy and their bodyguards, Cesar and his authority, the ruthlessness of the bodyguards? The destruction of the cabin? Carrying out Mendez's orders? The murder at the dawn ride?
8. Mendez's visitors, political ambitions, money dealings - the sleazy types and their death?
9. The Texan, in the bar, beaten? Befriending Cochran, his death? Maro, the farmer, his finding Miryea? Helping Cochran in his search? His relations? At the brothel, the violence? The confrontation of the bodyguards and the deaths?
10. The world of the brothel, sleaziness and ugliness? Miryea's experience? The madam, the prostitutes, the clients?
11. The basic triangle melodrama, jealousy and revenge - the modern setting, the Mexican western setting and the overtones of the stories of the past?
12. The grim tone, ugliness, amorality, revenge? Insight into love, passion and revenge?
