THE RIVER
US, 1984, 122 minutes, Colour.
Mel Gibson, Sissy Spacek, Scott Glenn.
Directed by Mark Rydell.
The River dramatises economic situations in the United States in the early '80s, especially on the land. Other films of this period include Country, Places in the Heart (set in the '30s), Miles from Home. The films are in something of the tradition of The Grapes of Wrath.
The film was directed by Mark Rydell (The Fox, The Cowboys, The Rose, On Golden Pond). It is beautifully photographed (Oscar nomination) and scored by John Williams (Oscar nomination). However, the film looks rather too beautiful for its theme - not rugged enough.
The screenplay has familiar situations, even predictable. Mel Gibson, Sissy Spacek and Scott Glenn do what they can with the characterisations (even Sissy Spacek winning an Oscar nomination). However, the film seems too contrived, sometimes too sentimental, sometimes too predictable. It is interesting to note that the developer, the wealthy man, has the last word. The farmers have a temporary victory.
1. A piece of Americana of the '80s? Economic situations? The land and farmers, the struggle and effort? The old values versus development? Versus enterprise? The quality of the film and its Oscar nominations?
2. Production values: Tennessee, the river and its beauty and ruggedness, the seasons, the farm and the crops? The town and its way of life? The factories? Authentic? Atmosphere and environment? The atmospheric score?
3. The title and the focus: the visual, the flooding, the settling down of the river, its beauty? Symbol? Its effect on the farms, on business? The Garveys and Wade and their attitudes towards the river? Destroying the river, damming it, holding it in? The river conquered - for the time being?
4. The picture of the floods: the credit and the rain, the build-up, the graders, the activity, accidents, Tom and his leg? The trucks, the threat to homes? The friends and the sandbagging? The threat to the crops? The aerial photography of the receding waters? The season and the climax, the angry farmers, tired, Wade and the final confrontation, issues, hunger and the scabs, guns, the four-wheel drive blocking the water, the sandbags and the final stand?
5. The dramatic confrontation between farmers and the wealthy? Tradition, work, families buried in the cemetery, hands-on work versus business? The bank and wealth, loans and refusals? The auctioning of farm goods and family possessions? The Garveys representing the farmers? Wade and his aims, power?
6. Mel Gibson as Tom: his strength, sullen, emotional? The farmers' symbol? Work and his family, serious? The background of May and her friendship with Joe Wade? The flood and his work, the repairs, trying for the loan, his anger with the bank manager, the machine breaking? Going to the factory, discovering himself a scab? The tough work, the rescue of Baines? The strikers spitting at him? The return home, the corn and Wade's men? The lower prices? The baseball scene and his confrontation with Wade? The build-up to the harvest, the floods, his anger, working alone, not wanting help, stance against Wade, the shooting, Baines, the flood and his work? The final sandbag? The harvest? The seemingly happy ending - a future? Or Wade prevailing?
7. May as wife and mother, working with the floods, in the home and her cooking, caring for the children? In town for the loan? Wade and his attention, her choice? By herself, managing the farm, the injury with her arm and her being trapped? Goading the bull to set her free? Visiting Tom? The harvest, the rain, the flood, standing by her husband?
8. The sketch of the children, work, school, the ice cream sequence, baseball sequence, with the machines, the visit to their father? The end and the demands made by Tom on his son? Too much?
9. Wade and his position in the town, piloting the senator, the mill, the prices and the fixing of prices, changing of them? His hold over the bank manager? Trying to persuade the farmers? Relationship with May, wanting things to change? Looking after her in her injury? The flood, getting the scabs and paying them, throwing the final sandbag - but having the final word?
10. Tom's cousin, the job, the foreman and the explanations, the conditions, the tough work, discovering that they were scabs, the fights, the deer coming into the factory and the men chasing it, setting it free, walking the gauntlet and being spat upon? The peaceful demonstration of the strikers? The film's comment on strike-breaking and the scabs coming to help flood the farm?
11. Baines and his hunger, his wife, at the factory, trying to get out, the finale with the sandbag, the shooting, getting the truck and blocking the water?
12. The symbolism of the deer - in the factory, wandering, frightened, chased by the men, their letting it go free?
13. A piece of Americana, the farms of Tennessee, traditional farmers and their stances, progress and industrialisation? The bankers and money?
