MACON COUNTY LINE
US, 1973, 89 Minutes, Colour.
Alan Vint, Cheryl Waters, Geoffrey Lewis, Joan Blackman, Jesse Vint.
Directed by Richard Compton.
Macon County Line is an unexpectedly effective little drama. The setting is the 50s, the heroes two young men on the verge of settling down, the heroine an attractive hitchhiker. Their story begins comically and lulls the audience into responding to ephemeral incidents laced with homespun philosophy. But gradually we are led into violent melodrama, police brutality and senseless deaths consequent upon American fondness for guns and lethal solutions to problems. The cast is virtually unknown but competent. The follow-on film Return to Macon County is by the same director and company but uses the title for box office purposes only. It is not a sequel, but uses similar ideas.
1. How enjoyable a film? What was its overall impact? Audience involvement and interest? The film was a great success, despite its lack of stars. How would this be explained?
2. what was the purpose of the makers of this film? Human drama, the characters, the violent situation, audience entertainment? A thriller?
3. How important were the comparisons of the 50s and the 70s? The lifestyle, the characters.? the pressures, the themes of the 50s seen in the light of the experience of the 70s?
4. The impact of the film in so far as the story was a true story? The basic themes? How well were they illustrated? were they in any way exploited?
5. How well did the structure of the film work: wanderers and their seeming irresponsibility, the hitchhiking and the
journey, the girl joining the group, the story of the policeman, the thieves? The drawing together of these strands of plot for the climax? Comment on the gradual mounting of tension and the final impact of the film.
6. What were initial impressions? Theme music, the exploits of Chris and Jess, their running away etc.? How much sympathy did they engage? When did audience attitudes change towards them?
7. How interesting were the characters of Chris and Jess? The establishing of them as types, their way of life, the lack of responsibility, their going into the army, their hitchhiking, their playing games with the police, as Americans? As young men of the 50s? Was the time of the 50s important? Did their characters develop during the film? The relationship to each other? To the girl? In such sequences as the discussion with the garage man? The final confrontation and their fears? The tragedy in their lives?
8. How attractive was the girl? As a heroine for the film? As part of this 50s way of life? Her relationship to Chris? Sharing the adventures, humour, dangers? The tragedy of her death?
9. How was the garage man the symbol of the older generation? The importance of their speeches and their themes?
10. The introduction of the police and the story about the policeman: the cleancut Americans, hunting, the proud father, the wife, the judgements of the police? The impact of this way of life on the boy?
11. The contrast of the criminals: their cruelty, the robbing, shooting, torturing? The way that the police treated them? Audience sympathies here and judgements on violence?
12. Audience response to police methods? Did the police have the right to such cruelty, even though the criminals were guilty?
13. The judgement of the policeman in pursuing Chris and Jesse? Audience response to this, especially in feelings? The suspense and drama of the hunting of the three? The shooting? The terror and the fear? The darkness, the setting, the unexpectedness on the part of the young people? The plight of victims? The terror of the boy and the fact that he shot them?
14. What judgement did the screenplay make of the character of the policeman? On the boy? Was the film right to emphasise the factual details as an epilogue to the film?
15. How valuable is a small film like this? In showing the aspects of the times? In character? The American heritage? How was this emphasised by the musical background in the words of the songs?
