RAIN MAN
US, 1988, 126 minutes, Colour.
Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Valeria Golina, Bonnie Hunt.
Directed by Barry Levinson.
Rain Man was one of the hit films of 1988. Nominated for, and winner of many awards, it featured an award-winning performance by Dustin Hoffman, meticulous as an autistic savant, Raymond Babbett. Hoffman, an excellent actor and mimic, persuades us that he is Raymond Babbett and has this impaired communication personality. He contrasts excellently with an underrated performance by Tom Cruise as his bustling brother who takes him away from the institution for the wrong motives, has to change during a week of living with him and growing to understand and love him. Cruise is completely persuasive and Hoffman acts/ reacts excellently with him.
The film is a journey, a journey of love and redemption across the United States. Direction is by Barry Levinson, writer and director of such popular films as Diner, Tin Men, Young Sherlock Holmes, Good Morning Vietnam.
1. The impact of the film? Interest and enjoyment? Message? The acclaim?
2. The strength of the performances, qualities, characters, illustrating themes and the journey?
3. The film as an American journey: Los Angeles, Ohio, the Midwest, the West, Las Vegas? The roads, the towns, the homes, the landscapes, the desert? A piece of Americana?
4. Audience knowledge of and appreciation of autism: the diagnosis, the causes, symptoms? Charlie's anger and intolerance? Audiences sharing these attitudes with him? The bases for judgment about autism? Intelligence, sense data, memory. rituals and security, fears, non-involvement? Speaking style? Dustin Hofmann’s acting of autism offering insight?
5. The title, Charlie's story about the rain man protecting him, discovering that Raymond is the rain man, Raymond's memories, the song, the farewell, hurting the baby, protecting the baby?
6. Tom Cruise as Charlie: the cars, the deals on the phone, hustling, regulations and panic? Lennie and giving him ideas for deals? Susannah and her work for him? The pressure, the credibility of this hustler and his discovery of his brother for the rest of the film? To Palm Springs. Susannah wanting to talk, his offhand manner, hearing of his father's death, his non-reaction? The return, the funeral, going to his father's house, seeing the car, the memories, the story of his resentment of his father, his father's expectations and perfectionism, taking the car, driving with the friends, the father sending the police, leaving his son for two days in jail? Charlie's leaving, never corresponding with his father, never seeing him again? The story of the father and son as embodied in the father's letter and his will? The car and the roses? No money? The mystery of the beneficiary?
7. Charlie wanting to discover who the beneficiary was, visiting the institution, watching the patients, the Downs Syndrome people, going to the television, watching the quizzes? Raymond in the car with Susannah? His talking about the car? In a hurry for the television, the questions? Charlie's discovery, his reaction to his brother? Wanting to know why he had never been told? The secret? The doctor's reaction to Charlie?
8. Raymond and Dustin Hoffmann's performance: manner, speech, interior life? Initially at the car, in a hurry for the television, the importance of the rituals of television, His knowledge of the programmes, meals and the routine
Charlie interfering? his library and his growing anxiety? Going for a walk with Charlie, the beginning of a journey?
9. Charlie and his decision to take Raymond? Susannah and the car at the gate? Going off, Raymond's reaction, the car, the rules, insistence on time, television, the room and his rearranging it, the bed at the window? Being told to read the phone book (and the irony of his knowing the waitress's phone number the next day)? Alerted to the sounds, Charlie in bed, the television? The contrast between Susannah's reaction and Charlie's reaction? Charlie's intolerance and his not knowing how to treat his brother? Susannah's anger and her decision to leave? Charlie and his impatience, ridicule, anger? The going to the airport, taking the plane, Raymond's reaction about the crashes of the various companies, wanting to go by Qantas?
10. The decision to go by car, the crash on the highway, Raymond's reaction and statistics? Charlie following him slowly to the exit, going along the side roads? Going to the motel, Raymond and his under-wear, the repetition of various ideas? His wanting to drive, his memories of the past, taking the wheel? Charlie and his exasperation, taking Raymond to the doctor, calculations contrasting with his ignorance of prices? Going to the farm house and encountering the wife, his spiel about the TV ratings, Raymond watching the show with the children? meals, eating the maple syrup before the pan cakes, lights out?
11. The effect on Charlie, talking to his brother, the revelation of the photo of the two boys, a growing awareness of reality, Raymond's needs, a growing tenderness and care, less reprimand, understanding of the routines? His amazement as regards the number of toothpicks, the cards? The decision to go to Las Vegas: the suits and the haircut, the two brothers, playing at the table, the enormous success, Raymond distracted by the Wheel of Fortune - and losing the money? Raymond and the encounter with Trish, her reaction to him and dropping him, yet his wanting to learn to dance, the tenderness of Charlie teaching Raymond the steps - but not being able to hug him? Susannah's arrival, going on the date, the dancing in the elevator and the kiss?
12. Charlie and his continued phone calls, his concern about the cars, the deals, anxiety? The authorities at Las Vegas warning him off and telling him to go?
13. Going to Los Angeles, hopes, the change of heart with the doctor, Charlie and his decision to get custody of Raymond? Yet Raymond's outbursts, the touch, the heater going off? The importance of the discussion with the psychiatrist and the objective look at Raymond, autistic, Charlie's ability to look after him or not?
14. The change in Charlie, less hustle, a growing love and care, understanding the bond with the brother? The humour of the breakfast and his making a joke about maple syrup? Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and Raymond's repeating this but not understanding the joke? Charlie making, the decision, the
farewell to Raymond, the gift of the TV and Raymond holding it, Raymond going off without a companion? His future?
15. The finale and the audience sharing that moment with him? The effect of the experience, empathy, love? A blend of sentiment, realism and understanding?
