SWEET REVENGE
US, 1984, 103 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Dobson, Kelly McGillis?, Alec Baldwin, Wings Hauser, Alfre Woodard, Richard Bradford, Helen Hunt.
Directed by David Greene.
Sweet Revenge lives up to its title. It focuses on an arrogant military officer played by Kevin Dobson who is responsible for the death of a young woman wanting an abortion and blames it on a promising officer who suicides. Fourteen years later his sister encounters the officer, challenges him, defies him and plans to kill him, but finally exposes him. The girl is played by Kelly McGillis?, so effective in Reuben Reuben and Witness.
The film is fairly implausible, works on the level of soap opera - which means that it communicates quite effectively on a melodramatic level. The film offers insight through emotion.
1. Interesting story? Entertainment? Melodrama? Audiences' emotional response?
2. Military life, the base? Social life? Musical score?
3. The title and the indication of theme? Anger, hurt? Arrogance? The need for justice? Revenge? The satisfaction that revenge gives?
4. The focus on Jo Cheever? An efficient officer? Debbie and her seduction? Tantalising him? His wanting to back off? His strained relationship with his wife? Deceiving her? Debbie’s abortion, death? His decision to cover up - and inviting Paul to take the blame? His not supporting him during the hearing by Debbie's father? The passing of the 14 years? Audience reaction towards him, hearing of the death of Paul? Audiences siding with Katherine against him? Life on the base, Alex admiring him? Anne and her exasperation? His making passes at Katherine? Her meeting him, the jogging? Setting him up during Alex's absence? His arriving late and so avoiding being killed? The investigation about the death? His cover-up? The challenge and Katherine's confronting him? Anne overhearing it? His being exposed and humiliated at the end? An appropriate revenge?
5. Katherine and her friendship with Debbie, knowing the truth but not understanding it? Fourteen years later and the chance encounter with Alex? Falling in love with him, an affair, marriage? Life on the base? Meeting Cheever, hostile towards him, beating him at cards? Alex's puzzle? Her not telling him the truth? Her plan for killing him? Her getting ready as if the had been attacked and had the gun? The irony of the soldier arriving, assaulting her, her killing him? The investigation? Alex's suspicions and her being hurt? Their reconciliation? The confrontation with Cheever? Anne's support? The satisfaction of the public humiliation?
6. Debbie and her father doting on her, her seducing Cheever? The dance with Paul? Concern about the abortion? Her death? Paul as the bright young man, admiring Cheever, his victim? Debbie's father finally taking revenge and humiliating Cheever when he was to be promoted?
7. Anne and her patience, her Senator father, her knowing the truth about her husband, her not having the courage to leave him or expose him, overhearing the conversation with Katherine, her participating in his humiliation?
8. Alex and his friends, the date, falling in love with-Katherine, marrying her, admiring Cheever, puzzled by Katherine's behaviour, his reaction after the death, reconciliation? His friend and his attempt to rape Katherine? His death?
9. Plausibility/implausibility of the plot? Soap opera melodrama style - contrived situations and characters for emotional response? Satisfying melodramatic entertainment?
