RACHEL RIVER
US, 1987, 90 minutes, Colour.
Zeljko Ivanek, Pamela Reed, Craig T.Nelson, Viveca Lindfors, James Olson.
Directed by Sandy Smolan.
Rachel River is based on Minnesota short stories by Caroline Bligh. The screenplay is by novelist Judith Guest (Ordinary People). It is a production in the American Theatre Playhouse. It captures the atmosphere of the Minnesota town in winter, a cross-section of the people - presented sympathetically, warts and all. The film also has a very good cast with Pamela Reed as Mary, the radio announcer, from whose perspective we see the characters; Viveca Lindfors as a migrant grandmother devoted to her ailing husband; Craig T. Nelson as the deputy sheriff; James Olson as the very proper undertaker.
A warm piece of Americana, a microcosm of today's society.
1. The portrait of people, of a town, of human nature?
2. Location photography, the town, the winter, the river? Ordinary life and its detail? Musical score?
3. The death as the focus and the catalyst for people's reactions: Mo-Mo?, his discovering the body, the death of the aunt, his, reputation, money? Marlyn and his devotion, watching television with her? Hoping for the inheritance? His sister and her criticisms? The haggling about the coffin? The haggling at the burial? The truth of her leaving the money to Mo-Mo? Mary's radio tribute to her?
4. Mary's perspective: the radio program, the story of St. Alban as a martyr for his people and the reference to the Norwegian farmer? Her program listened to? Her child, alone, need for money? Friendship with Jack, his offering to have lessons and pay for them? Meeting with Harriet, sharing with her? Marlyn and her antipathy, her drinking at the bar, getting drunk, dancing and imagining the past? Deciding to spend the night with him? The search for Harriet and finding her? Jack and his accusations of Marlyn being dumb, her response that it was her choice, and acting dumbly? The final broadcast and tribute to the aunt?
5. Jack, proper, the salesman and the techniques, his not wanting to use them, Marlyn and his sister and their haggling about the coffin? Offering to take lessons to help Mary financially? His attraction towards her, his expression of his disappointment in her spending the night with Marlyn?
6. Marlyn, alone, the deputy sheriff, no phone, watching football with his aunt? His wanting the sheriff to tell his sister? Arguing about the coffin and wanting the cheapest one? His sister calling him cheap? The argument at the burial? At the bar, advances towards Mary, the dancing, the night with her, having to get up and go on the search, leaving her unemotionally?
7. Harriet and her devotion, her age, memories of the old country? Her husband and the story of St. Alban? Her visits to the hospital, being with him, talking and singing? The meeting with Mary and singing her the song? Her son and the selling of the farm, her resigned reaction? Her explaining it to her husband, taking the responsibility? Walking to the farm, imagining him there? Collapsing in the snow? Being found, going back to the hospital, in bed with her paralysed husband?
8. The sheriff, the men, the job, the bar, talk around the town, perspective on things - and memories of the war?
9. Mo-Mo?, wandering the paddocks, the river, finding the body? Slow-witted? Inheriting the money?
10. Rachel River as a microcosm?
