SIGNS OF LIFE

US, 1989, 90 minutes, Colour.
Beau Bridges, Vincent D’ Onofrio, Arthur Kennedy, Mary Louise Parker, Kathy Bates, Kevin J. O’ Connor, Will Patton, Georgia Engel.
Directed by John David Coles.

Signs of Life is an American Playhouse film. It is small scale, a day in the life of a sea town on the New England coast. It resembles Our Town and Under Milkwood but lacks their scope.

It is also a film about changing times, the economics of the U.S. in the late '80s. It is the closing down of a boat factory with the threat of Californian boats and fibreglass. The consequences for unemployment, the moving out of the town.

Arthur Kennedy returns to the screen after 10 years as the crusty boat-owner. The strong cast give fine performances - but overall, perhaps the writing, perhaps the direction, the film still remains a slight view of life.

1. A piece of Americana, old and new generations? Economic crises?

2. The use of the town for locations, the factory, the diner, hospital, the sea, the roads?

3. The ordinary style, a day, crisis musical score and moods? The Lion Sleeps Tonight?

4. The focus on the day and the situation, the characters, hopes and life, livelihood, death?

5. The structure of the one day, the town as microcosm? The place, the cross-section of people?

6. The events of the day: life and death, the boats, the last day, final contracts, the Portuguese launching and fishing, packing up, the anticipation of a birth, a marriage arranged, a death for a life? Life lost and found? The past haunting?

7. The town and the factory and its significance, the boat-building? The place of the diner, the people eating and working there? The modern Thrift Shop and the modern ethos?

8. Coghlan as an old man, getting up; the bookkeeper looking after him? Crusty and angry? Seeing John, going to old Wilson to persuade him to buy and that he was not in touch with reality? At the factory with Daryl and Ed, nice with Joey but then angry with him? His dreams, the figure following him and haunting him? His father, talking with his father, his father contrasting his work with Coghlan's closing the factory? His anger, smashing his office? After trying to persuade his father to contract to build a boat? The launch of the Portuguese ship? His anger with Joey and driving him away? His anxiety on the boat, searching for Joey? His father's reappearance, the bargain, his life for Joey's? The party, trying to hang himself, the reprieve? Finally teaching Joey how to swim - and a new lease of life?

9. Daryl and Ed, their friendship, the plan for Florida, in the truck with Joey, the song? Ed's break with Charlotte and his harsh manner of doing to Daryl and his frustrations with looking after Joey day by day, the school to take care of him? The last day at the plant, packing up, the cake and Joey holding it, dropping it? The launching of the Portuguese boat? Going to the diner, Ed and Charlotte, her sexy style, the date with the doctor, in the car, breaking with windscreen, his anger?, The search for Joey in the boats? Eddie's helplessness in not being able to swim? Daryl and his diving? The end and Ed proposing marriage? Daryl going to Florida and his message about his success?

10. Joey, his mental ability, the radio and his delight; the song in the car, around the factory, holding the cake and the bee, dropping it? Not wanting to be blamed? His seeing Coghlan's father? Coghlan fixing the radio, his anger? In the boat, drifting out, his fear, tying the boat to the buoy? Into the water, drowning, fished up by the Portuguese, coming back to life? Learning how to swim with Coghlan?

11. John and his experience, his age, relationship with his children, his wife care of his wife? in the hospital and giving birth? Going to the hospital? With Owen going to see Wilson and the frustration? Not wanting to work in the town, wanting to move, going to see his cousin, the lecture on Thrift Stores? The temptation to steal the money, driving away, lying in the field and letting the money blow away? His daughters and their anguish about their father? His going back, getting them to help find the money? The birth of the child? Remaining in the town? Charlotte and Betty, their work at the diner, talking together, good friendship, Betty's advice about Charlotte being sexy, its failure? The concern about Joey? Ed's change of heart? The happiness of the engagement?

12. The sketch of Coghlan's father, his appearing, haunting his son, the discussion about the contract for building the boat? His return when Coghlan tried to hand himself?

13. The Portuguese, the car, the boat, fishing, the delight with the party?

14. An attempt at a treatment of a small American town like Our Town and Under Milkwood? Whether it worked well or not?