THE MEAN MACHINE (LONGEST YARD, THE.)

US, 1974, 122 minutes, Colour.
Burt Reynolds, Eddie Albert, Ed Lauter, Michael Conrad, Jim Hampton.
Directed by Robert Aldrich.

Robert Aldrich's films, including Flight of the Phoenix, Dirty Dozen, Ulzana's Raid, Emperor of the North, Grissom Gang, have received some attention in these pages. His portrayal of masculinity, toughness, violence, law and justice is a particular US vision of the world and of great interest, even if one is not sympathetic with the film or the theme. This is an unsympathetic example: prison and sport as a microcosm of violence, hate, vengeance and dominant power. The climax is a long section of a gridiron game. Burt Reynolds is the virile drifter, coward-hero, who asserts himself against warden, Eddie Albert. Comic and serious, a peculiar illustration of Aldrich's world.

1. Was this an enjoyable film? Particularly for Americans, football fans? For non American audiences? The box-office potential for this type of film?

2. The tone of the title, the reality of the football team, the atmosphere for the film? In America it was called The Longest Yard. Is this a better title?

3. How well did the film explore themes of violence, aggression, masculinity? Were these the most important themes?

4. What did the film have to say in favour of aggressiveness? Against it? Individual aggression, the aggression of masculinity? The prison system and the inter-relationships of human beings in terms of aggression? Sport as an outlet for this aggression? The administration and the love of power and its use and abuse? Did the film have insight into this whole area?

5. How successful a prison film was this? The exploration of imprisonment, isolation from society, paying for crimes etc? The interrelationship of prisoners, the interrelationship with guards, persecution and bullying, taunting by prisoners etc? Comment on the prison being presented as modern, yet a modern veneer over old realities? How real was this prison?

6. How interesting a sports film was this? The presentation and filming of football, the presentation of skill and understanding the game and playing? The role of team and team co-operation? Sport as a legitimate form of aggression and competition? The possibilities of illegitimate sport for aggression and violence? Vindictiveness?

7. Was Paul Crewe an interesting hero. Our first impression of his treatment of Melissa? Looking at the football on TV, his loving and his drunkenness and violence? His irresponsibility with the car, the chase and putting it in the harbour? Did he explain himself well? His role in the past, the pathetic story of his father and supporting him, his alleged hatred for sport, his manipulating the game for a price? What was the truth? As a man out for laughs, an easy sell-out? His own self-opinion e.g. as regards the arresting police, the warden, the warden's secretary, fellow prisoners? His fear for himself? His thinking of himself first? His showing off with the secretary? The appeal to his energy, loyalties?. The energy he gave to training the team? His easily being intimidated by the warden? why did he finally fight? The influence of Pop? What had he achieved at the end, as a prisoner, as a man?

8. How much was Paul Crewe a symbol of modern man? His irresponsibility and casual approach, the values inside which need appealing to? How can we evaluate modern man by comparison like a character like Crew?

9. What insight was given into Crew by his relationship with Melissa, the police, the police arresting, Captain Knauer, Granville, Caretaker, Nate, the negroes in the prison, the team work?

10. How did Hazen contrast with Crew. The modern warden, his position of power, his use of power and love of it, the fear he inspired, his devotion to sport and wanting to win, the fact that he had a follower with him all the time, a yes man? His capacity for being two-faced? His cruelty and unscrupulous behaviour? The reality and symbolism of the final dram and his wanting desperately to kill Crewe? The fact that he had mistaken the situation. What insight into the will to power did this characterization give?

11. Captain Krjauer: as vicious, a prison guard type? His relationship with Hazen? His brutality to the prisoners? His role as the captain, his pushing of the team? How did he compare with the other guards? The old man who murdered the caretaker?

12. Audience response to the presentation of the prisoners, life, prison atmosphere, the hard work in the swamps, the sport outlets, teamwork, morale, the prisoners code?

13. The emotional response to the caretaker's death? The impact of the funeral?

14. How interesting was the film in its showing the planning of the team, the training of the members, the types that made up the team, the interrelationships, the motivations of vengeance, the execution in the match?

15. Comment on the proportion of time given to the game. The presentation of the tactics, use of slow-motion, violence, competition, winning, the satire in the cheer leaders, the crowds? Did the climax fit in appropriately with the film.

16. How successful was the film as a drama, melodrama, comedy? Was it a pessimistic or optimistic view of human nature? Redeemable?