STONE BOY

US, 1984, 91 minutes, Colour.
Glenn Close, Robert Duval, Frederic Forrest, Jason Presson, Wilford Brimley, Dean Cain.
Directed by Christopher Cain.

Stone Boy is a low-key film about two brothers. One accidentally kills his brother with a shotgun -and we look at the effect that this accident has on him, in his own understanding of himself, as he feels that he is judged by his parents, family and friends.

The film is set in the folksy American West, has an atmosphere of Americana. The parents are portrayed by Robert Duvall and Glenn Close with Frederic Forrest as an uncle. The film was directed by Christopher Cain (Grand Jury, The Principal).

While the film might be too leisurely for many audiences, it focuses on a significant theme - a young boy trying to cope with a tragedy that would daunt an adult and trying to find his place in his family.

1. The film as a piece of Americana? Universal appeal? Portrait of family, grief, hope?

2. The American West, the folksy families and towns? Authentic locations? Musical score?

3. The title and its relationship to Arnold? His experience, his reaction, recovery?

4. The focus on the family: Gene and Arnold, early in the morning, getting up, going out to work, the games, the relationship between the two, the accident? Arnold's reaction and going to pick the peas, rather than telling what had opened? The consequences?

5. The portrait of Arnold: his becoming hard and the stone boy, a 12-year-old, his relationship with his brother, grief, parents and their lack of response, disturbance in the night, his relationship with his grandfather talking, staying with him? The experience of the funeral? The interrogation by the police - and suspicion of malicious circumstances and motives? The boy's loneliness, his relationship with his uncle? His uncle's problems? Going away, travelling? Finding Lou and talking with her? The conversation with the mother and the baby on the bus home - the instincts of the mother, his feeling free to talk, to weep? His return, telling the story, reconciliation?

6. His good parents, the detail of their characters, relationship, trying to cope with the tragedy, details of home life, the incident itself, the funeral, grief? The family coming together? Their failing to respond, well to Arnold? Their dealing with the mother's brother and Lou, his new girlfriend? Grandfather? The daughter and her trying to c6#e with the grief?

7. The portrait of the uncle - his grief, his nephew's girlfriend, the beginning of the affair, his attitude towards his wife and child, their fighting, drifting, angers? Lou and the clash, Lou and the divorce, talking with Arnold? The girlfriend at the bar? The women and men in this kind of society?

8. The portrait of the grandfather, his relationship with the various members of the family, his wisdom, his love for Arnold, hearing him, understanding, bringing him into his home, allowing him freedom, hoping that he would
grieve?

9. The sketch of the woman on the bus, the baby, her friendliness towards Arnold, listening to him? Enabling him to weep?

10. Themes of family accidents, grief, love and hate? The impact for American audiences? Worldwide?