HERO (ACCIDENTAL HERO)

US, 1992, 116 minutes, Colour.
Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, Andy Garcia, Joan Cusack, Chevy Chase.
Directed by Stephen Frears.

Hero is an offbeat comedy. It was not a success in the United States, odd considering its strong cast. However, it is full of tongue-in-cheek situations and dialogue, the subtlety of which may have eluded the local audiences.

In the '40s, comic writer and director Preston Sturges made a series of comedies that still amuse because of their ironic and satirical approach to American sentiment, institutions and traditions: Miracle of Morgan's Creek, Hail the Conquering Hero, The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels, The Palm Beach Story.

Hero is latter-day Sturges comedy - with a touch of Frank Capra's optimism - directed with finesse by Englishman Stephen Frears, who makes the most of the ambiguous and often witty screenplay. (Frears directed a number of British films including My Beautiful Laundrette, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid, as well as the American films Dangerous Liaisons and The Grifters.)

Dustin Hoffman shows, yet again, what a versatile actor he is, living the part of a mean minded petty thief who might have a skerrick of heroism in him. Geena Davis is the glamorous, ambitious TV reporter. Andy Garcia is the down-and-out who is also a hero. Chevy Chase (unbilled) is the hardboiled TV boss.

The film pokes fun at the American media, media's truth and fiction, American cynical professionalism, the sentimental streak in the American public for heroism. And it plays neatly on these varying emotions and sympathies in the audience. (Edward Hermann also makes an unbilled appearance as the executive on the ledge.)

1.Entertaining? Style? Failure in the US? Success for non-American audiences?

2.The atmosphere of Chicago, the streets, bars, homes? The media station? The special effects for the plane crash and the rescue? The musical score?

3.The sardonic tone of the screenplay? Emotional Americans, the critique of emotion, patriotism? Tone?

4.The title and its irony? Relating to Bernie? To John?

5.The strong cast, their style?

6.Dustin Hoffman as Bernie: the initial court proceedings and his behaviour, his appearance, robbing his lawyer? The case, the sentence - and his paying back the lawyer and asking for a loan? His background, lifestyle, stolen goods, his room and its contents, the landlord and his reaction? The background of his marriage, his relationship to Evelyn? Relationship to his son? Evelyn and the new man at home? The bar, the barman and his chat, the blacks - and the irony of their arresting him? The clash with Evelyn, taking her son to the zoo? Finding the wallet in the toilet, his lecture to his son? Claiming the reward, taking the credit cards? The application for bail - and his six days in jail?

7.Gail and her work for TV, the photographing of the suicide on the ledge, discussions, talking, his fall? Yet getting the shot? Her relationship with the crew, with the producer, with the boss of the station, with Chucky and his camerawork? Seeing her on the job, office discussions, tough? Her going to New York, receiving the award, the bet about her coming back, the quality of her speech - and the jokes? Her return to Chicago?

8.Chevy Chase and his sardonic style, the running of the office, the news service, the decisions? Exploiting the crash and the heroism? Wallace and his job? Decisions?

9.Bernie, the car, trying to get it going, stopping, the shoe? The crash and its effect? The ruining of his car? Bernie and his decisions, curiosity, the banging on the door, his opening it, his continuing to rescue people, even though muttering, the child looking for its father, his grumbling behaviour, leaving? Wandering away, the car? Not thinking of his heroism?

10.The crash and its impact in the city, the effect on the staff, the passengers? Gail and the crash, her being rescued? The boy wanting his father to be rescued? Going to hospital, Gail and the discussions, her wanting to do the program - because she had done the research by being in the crash?

11.The television treatment of the crash, of the rescue? The hero being called the Angel? The news items, talk and discussion, close-ups? The advertising, the reward? Everybody talking? Joey and Evelyn and the discussions about heroes?

12.Bernie arriving late after the crash, Evelyn's complaints, the son on the lookout for his father? The question of the shoe? Driving, the discussion with Johnny, giving him the shoe? The bar and the television - the heroism? The discussions in the bar? His trying to get rid of the credit card - and his being sprung, in jail? In the cell, his protest? Seeing John taking all the credit? The court, his attorney? His going to the hospital, watching John with the children? The credit card, meeting Gail, in the room? His reactions? Not telling her the truth? John on the ledge, his going out on the ledge to discuss the meaning of life with him, the talk, the heroism, his fall and John saving him? The money deal - preferring cash rather than credit? Wanting the money for his son? The relationship with his son, Evelyn? The reluctant hero?

13.Gail and her search, the line-up of interviewees? John and the interview? His being scrubbed up, the meal, the hotel? Her attraction towards him? Seeing him in the hospital, the re-enactment and getting him to perform? The telemovie? Her doubts, discussions with the boss, Bernie on the ledge with John? Talking to John, going to Bernie's room, her suspicions, talk with him, discovering the truth, offering her thanks?

14.John, driving the car, hearing Bernie's story, getting the shoe? Going to the line-up, the true story, the Cinderella aspects with the shoe? The bath, the hotel and the attraction to Gail? The background of the Vietnam war and his experience, his collapse, the Vietnam buddies? The telemovie and his not knowing how to act the rescue? The hospital - and his miraculous touch with the children? The crisis of personality and conscience? On the ledge, motivations, talking with Bernie, rescuing Bernie? Able to retain his status as hero?

15.The satire on the media, Chucky and his techniques, camerawork? Always trying to get the sensational shots?

16.Evelyn and her marrying Bernie, the break-up, her love for Joey? Her clashes with Bernie, the son and his relationship with his father? Realising that he was a hero?

17.The film's critique of the media and sensationalism, TV treatment, programs, logos, interviews, heroes, re-enactments, ratings?

18.The dialogue and its presentation of American sentiment and patriotic stirrings? Everybody admiring the Angel? Needing heroes? And then Chevy Chase's sardonic comments about American sentiment?

19.Heroes - likely or unlikely, the comment of the bartender, the insights on human nature, heroes as nice, not nice? The finale at the zoo - and Bernie becoming a hero again?