TILT

US, 1979, 111 minutes, Colour.
Brooke Shields, Charles Durning, Ken Marshall, Geoffrey Lewis, Lorenzo Lamas.
Directed by Rudy Durand.

is called a pinball rock musical. It focuses on the pinball craze and the people involved in playing it professionally and for money. The film is reminiscent of 'The Hustler' and even refers to this film at the end. However, it is junior league hustling with the heroine, Tilt, a 14 year old champion. She in played by Brooke Shields who made impact in such films an 'Pretty Baby' and 'Just You and Me, Kid' and 'The Blue Lagoon'.

Charles Durning plays the Jackie Gleason hustler role. The film moves through the sleazy world of hustling and confidence tricksterism but then at the end moves to a resolution which is sentimental, traditional morality and wears its heart on its sleeve very much. The film is the work of Rudy Durand, and the screenplay was co-written with Donald Cammell who worked with Nicholas Roeg for 'Performance' and who directed 'Demon Seed'.

1. An entertaining pop film? For what audience? Its impact on the young, middle-aged? For American audiences? Non-Americans? For fans of pinball playing? For those not interested in it?

2. Popular styles for the young audience? The involvement with the hero and heroine? The enjoyment of their adventures and wandering America? The gambling background, hustling, competitiveness, genius, success?

3. The jargon of the pinball world, its atmosphere, the places, the people involved, the betting, the competitions? The psychology of the confidence hustles?

4. The opening with Mr Whale and his impact? Neil and Henry and their trying to cheat him, his attack on them? The atmosphere of vengeance? His character, size, arrogance, seeing him continually eating, a champion dedicated to winning at pinball? Replay and his work for Whale? Seeing him in action during the film and winning the music, his dancing, his skills? The confrontation with Neil, the bet, the mutual challenging? Tilt and her visit during the night, his relenting and playing her, his admiration for her? The deal, his favourable attitude towards Neil? The sentiment at the end? His observations that he was the champion because he cared about it whereas Tilt was a genius but didn't give all?

5. Neil and Henry and the ambitions of young men for success in the music world? Their attempts to cheat the Whale? Why? The fight and their leaving for Los Angeles? Their living there for eighteen months and not succeeding? The build-up to the audition? Henry and his believing the managers and their propaganda? The audition and its failure? The delineation of their characters, heroes, sympathetic? The hustling side of their characters?

6. Neil an hero, his background, talent, behaviour? The encounter with Tilt? Inviting her to the audition after seeing her win? His realisation that he could use her? The set-up and the contrived fight? Her decision to go with him? His proper treatment of her? The various competitions? his hopes? The plans for the making of the tape? His relenting after she found out the truth? his admiration for her in her competition with Mr Whale? His realisation of what he ought to be - his future? How convincing a picture of this kind of young man?

7. Tilt and the introduction to her, the kids going to school ridiculing her, her taking the day off and going with the truckie and pretending she was a hustler? Her skill at pinball and her winning? Mickie and his getting the cut from her? The family fights, the accusations, her decision to move out? Sympathy for Neil? Wanting to win to get the money for his audition? Her participation in the hustling and using her innocent look, winning? Arriving at Corpus Christi and the impact of the truth? Her decision to battle it out with Mr Whale? The competition, the realization of her skills and limitations, her care for Neil? Her future?

8. The portrait of the adults - the initial antipathy towards Whale, despite his change at the end? The truckie with his foul mouth and yet his mouthing of American ideals? Tilt's parents and their bickering and accusations? Mick and his friendship although taking the money from her? The professionals and the con men of the United States?

9. The games, the visualizing of the pinball matches, the focus on the acts, the points, the explanation of the skills? The importance of the encounter in New Mexico with the bets and success and champions being taken in?