HE SAID, SHE SAID
US, 1991, 115 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Perkins, Sharon Stone, Nathan Lane, Anthony La Paglia.
Directed by Ken Kwapis and Marisa Silver.
He Said, She Said is a light romantic comedy. It is a throwback in many ways to the partnerships of the 30s and the 40s in the screwball comedies, the matching of Rosalind Russell with various actors, Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn - with a touch of Rock Hudson and Doris Day.
There are two parts of the film each directed by a different director, Ken Kwapis directing He Said, and his wife Marissa Silver, directing She Said. There doesn't seem to be a great deal of difference in the cinematic styles; the difference is in the screenplay in what he sees and what she sees, in what he remembers and in what she remembers, in what he forgets and in what she forgets.
Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Perkins are personable as the young couple. They are rival columnists on a paper, he with right wing stances, she with left wing stances. In their encounter and rivalry with each other, they fall in love and live together. They audition for television and go on a programme with their clashing views, He Said, She Said. All ultimately comes to head and there is a scene on television (capitalised on by the media and promotions) and, of course, a confession and reconciliation. The film is presented with the light touch but with serious themes. The supporting cast includes Sharon Stone as Bacon's former girlfriend and Anthony Paglia as the floor manager at the television station.
1. Entertaining light romantic comedy? Battle of the sexes? Female perspectives, male perspectives?
2. Baltimore, the city locations, the newspaper offices, the television studios apartments, restaurants and cafe, the streets? Authentic? Musical score and range of songs?
3. The title and its ironies, the battle of the sexes? The television programme? The two parts of the film and the different perspectives?
4. Audience identifying with him or with her? Stances in the battle of the sexes? The rivalry in the media, in opportunities, career possibilities? prejudices? Relationships?
5. Audience response to the differences in perspective of the same events?
6. Her failure and the many takes? Its success? The build-up, Dan and his friendship with Linda (which he omitted in his memory)? The meal together - and her imagination with the pornographic touches? Her reliance on her girlfriend and getting advice? Her throwing the mug?
10. The differences in what each remembered, and which each omitted? who was telling the truth? The truth from different perspectives?
11. Mark, his work on the television floor, his help? Laurie relying on him, driving away from the studio after her walking out? His having to sit at the cafe during the fight?
12. Linda, her relationship with Dan in the past, going out for a meal - transformed in Laurie's imagination? Turning up again, sitting at the cafe with Dan, the clash with Laurie?
13. The television station, the manager, his fears, the phone call from the boss, deferential? His hopes and ambitions? His auditioning the two, promoting them? The boss and his phone call, wanting to take on the program? His arrival and watching the performance?
14. The public and their response to He Said and She Said? People in the restaurant, in the shop wanting the photo for promotion? The advertisements on the buses? The promo material for the clash for the next day?
15 . The aftermath of the programme, the binding contract? The final night - Laurie letting Dan in, his sleeping on the couch? Each recording their separate pieces and each apologising changing the point of view? The beginning and the end with the discussion about the freeways - as an image of what was happening to them in their independence and their commitment. Their apologies to one another, the
previous discussions about living together, marriage, commitment, love?
16. The romantic and happy ending? satisfying?
