MELVIN AND HOWARD

US, 1980, 96 minutes, Colour.
Jason Robards, Paul Le Mat, Mary Steenburgen, Michael J.Pollard, Gloria Grahame, John Glover, Ricky Lenz, Dabney Coleman, Elizabeth Cheshire.
Directed by Jonathan Demme.

Melvin and Howard is a very engaging piece of Americana about success and failure. Allegedly based on a true story, it contrasts ordinary failure Melvin (failure at jobs, marriage, remarriage, winning money) with success Howard Hughes (who ultimately died a wizened image of his former self). The frame work of Melvin's encounter with Howard Hughes provides part of the American dream - although all Melvin wants Howard Hughes to do is to sing his song. There is an excellent rapport between Paul Le Mat and Jason Robards as Howard Hughes. The bulk of the film is about Melvin's life and dreams and failing at these.

An excellent cast supports this picture of the American way of life. Mary Steenbergen won an Oscar for her performance as the scatty but shrewd first wife. Melvin Dumas himself appears as the kind man behind the counter at the bus station in Reno. Veterans like Michael J. Pollard, Gloria Grahame, John Glover, Rick Lenz and Dabney Coleman all contribute cameos. There is a wealth of detail in the film from life in Nevada to life in California to Utah, to frantic television quiz shows and winning jackpots to sleazy strip joints in Reno, to factories, to milk companies, to the road. Direction is by Jonathan Demme who began making exploitive action films for Roger Corman including Crazy Mama and who moved to bigger budget films like The Last Embrace. The screenplay be Bo Hopkins also won an Oscar.

1. The acclaim the film received? Awards? An entertaining and insightful piece of popular Americana?

2. The film's impact for American audiences - visualising dreams and failure? The American way of life of the '70s? Style, affluence, loudness? Success and difficulties? The impact for an international audience, depending on how much was in common with the American way of life? Melvin and Howard as symbols of affluence, success and failure?

3. The structure of the film: the Howard Hughes framework? The importance of names and dates and places? The tone given by the encounter with Howard Hughes and its being recapped at the end? Creating a mood? Hughes' general absence from the rest of the film and the focus on Melvin and his life? The contribution of colour photography, the locations where the events happened - giving a sense of detail, authentic atmosphere? The musical score and the range of popular songs used?

4. The introduction to Hughes: the bike?riding, the accident, his being found in the desert, his sitting in the car, gruffness, not wanting to talk, sore ear, unwillingness to sing, not liking Melvin's Santa's Sleigh song, singing Bye Bye Blackbird with feeling? The bond between the two men? Listening to his story? Not wanting a doctor? Getting out at Las Vegas and taking Melvin's money and throwing it away? The reality of Hughes later with the television news of his death and the background of his aviation empire? The ending with Melvin's memories of Hughes' friendship, smile, driving? Melvin pleased that Howard Hughes sang his song? Hughes presented as real ? and audience knowledge of Hughes' life, reaction to his later years and seclusion? The truth about the will leaving the money to Melvin? Did it matter for the film whether this was true or not? The end of the film presented as symbolic, real?

5. Melvin as the ordinary American man? His driving the truck, going off the road and picking up Hughes? The chatter? The would-be composer? The manufactured melody for his song? Encouraging Hughes to sing Bye Bye Blackbird and enjoying it? Giving him his money? Paul Le Mat's engaging charm as Melvin ? despite his faults and weaknesses? Coming home, love for Linda, love for Darcy? Their leaving him in the early hours of the morning? His reaction, search in the strip joints, aggressive attitudes towards Linda's dancing (but encouraging her later for ogling on the TV show)? His love for Linda and her refusal to return? The divorce? His reaction to her later pregnancy and going to get her in California? The pomp and circumstance of the remarriage? Hawaiian War Chant etc.? Their work to raise money as witnesses? His work in the factory and lack of success, his work in the milk rounds and becoming Milkman of the Month? His falling foul of authorities? His pressure to win the television set? The sequence of domestic detail? watching television with dark glasses on with Darcy, the predictions about the gate for winning prizes on the TV quiz? The birth of the new baby?
The build up to Linda's going on the TV quiz? Her winning? The buying of the new home, his extravagance with the boat and the car? His reaction to Linda and Darcy leaving again? His work on the milk rounds, and with the women? Bonnie and his new life? The Christmas party and the success of his song? Going to Utah and the success of the gas station? The possibilities for a successful life, had not the will intervened?

6. The importance of the will, the mysterious way in which it was left, his delivering it in Utah? The reporters and his hiding behind the tree? The press conference, the relations all turning up, the mad intruders e.g. the driver with the gun? The business manager and lawyers? His being taken to court and the judges trying to wear him down in the long speech? His sticking to his story? His not gaining any of the money and his acceptance of this?

7. Melvin as the ordinary citizen? Strengths and weaknesses? Aims and hopes? An honest man? His appearance in the film itself?

8. Linda as the American woman? Her love for Melvin, exasperation? Her leaving with Darcy? The new boyfriend? Her being bashed? The scene with Darcy at the bus terminal and the making of the sandwich? Her jobs as a stripper ? and her enjoying these? Melvin's intervention? Her being sacked? Her staying with her mother? Pregnancy and the phone call? The build up to the remarriage? Her wanting the blue veil, the kitschiness of the wedding ceremony? The humour of there being witnesses and the collapse of the witness after kissing her? The background of Las Vegas? The birth of the new baby? The possibility of a happy life? Going on the TV show ? her poor dance, her responding to people's 'love' for her? Her winning the jackpots? Her business head as regards the house? Reaction to the car and the boat? Her leaving? The second divorce? Her response to Melvin's phone call after the story of the Will? Her presence in the court? Her kissing him at the end? Mary Steenbergen's deserving an Oscar?

9. The portrait of Darcy and the life she had to lead with her parents? Love for mother, father? Bonnie's children and Melvin becoming their father?

10. Bonnie and her seeming primness as the accountant, her devotion to Melvin, breaking out at the Christmas party, the language, plans? Her reaction to the will? Her support of Melvin?

11. The background of the milk run and Melvin's work? Milkman of the Month? Delgardo and his hounding Melvin? The celebration and Melvin's song? The television interview and Delgardo's opinion of Melvin?

12. Little Red and his friendship with Melvin and sharing his experiences?

13. The satire on the television show ? the detail. the reaction of the audience, of the compere and his style, the girls with the prizes? Advertisements, prizes, dreams come true? Easy Street and love?

14. The interactions of the characters in ordinary circumstances? Enjoyment out of life despite disappointments?

15. The will situation ? the men coining, leaving it, his lodging it in Salt Lake City? Press and conferences? The repercussions for Melvin's life?

16. The court and the attorneys and their speeches, the pressure on Melvin to alter his story? The judge's summation? How truthful did Melvin seem?

17. A piece of Americana: realism, fantasy? Humour? A glimpse of an American subculture? What if ... ?