THE HEAVENLY KID
US, 1985, 92 minutes, Colour.
Lewis Smith, Jason Gedrick, Jane Kazzmarek, Richard Mulligan.
Directed by Cary Modoway.
The Heavenly Kid is a pleasant surprise. It is a variation on those films of the '40s where angels came to guide people's lives. This time it is the frank, youth-oriented '80s. However, the guardian comes back from a Rebel Without a Cause style '50s and '60s. He is amazed at the changes in styles and behaviour of the '80s. However, the film points up the similarities between the two periods.
While the film capitalises on the youth orientation, it has something more to say and is pleasingly whimsical about a kind of purgatory experience where the dead young man of decades ago must redeem himself by doing something for someone else. Richard Mulligan enjoys himself, mugging as usual, as some kind of official angel who appears on Earth on motor7bike.
A pleasing fable.
1. Good entertainment? Youth orientation? The focus on the supernatural? American sentiment?
2. The film as a piece of Americana: from the '60s to the '80s and the change in styles, behaviour, values? The stereotypes and audiences enjoying them? The '50s with the drag race, playing chicken, the Rebel Without a Cause style - with its tragic consequences? Dress, speech, relaxation? The contrast between the two eras? The '80s as familiar: schools, home, cars? The contrast with the afterlife as a subway ride and cafe? The score with the songs, the re-creation of period.
3. The prologue and the focus on Bobby: personality, the clash with Joe, the relationship with Emily, motivation? The events, the plea? The race and the crash? The heavy tone - and the lightness of tone as a consequence? This being repeated at the end for Lenny's experience? The similarities between the two periods, father and son?
4. The train and the people, the various journeys? Uptown as Heaven? Midtown and Rafferty as an official? A humorous variation on Purgatory? The opportunity for the dead person to redeem themselves, the test, riding the subway waiting for an opportunity? Bobby and his arrival, the cafe, trapped, the rules etc.?
5. The portrait of Bobby: type, his place in the town, his memories of the past, the hamburger place and watching, seeing Lenny and Melissa, Lenny as awkward? Sharon? His reactions, catching Lenny after his fall? Not wanting to intervene, stepping in? His philosophy of redemption? The set-up concerning Sharon? Throwing the toughs, proving himself? Successes and failures? Walking on air? The change: clothes, the car, transformation, mores of the times, the effect on Lenny? Transforming him? Sharon, the clash? Watching Emily, her discovery? His regrets? Appearances, sharing, discovering the truth? Leaving? The booklist? Saving Lenny? Going Uptown? A basically good-natured man, 'cool', change, his wishes? Credibly self-less?
6. Rafferty and Richard Mulligan's style, an official angel, his behaviour in the cafe, on the subway, coming to Earth on the bike, communicating the rules to Bobby, helping him to save Lenny and himself?
7. The contrast with Lenny and his awkwardness, the hamburger place, his failures, getting the sack, in class, the poetry, Romeo and Juliet, Melissa, Sharon, the clashes? His being saved by Bobby? Sharing ideas and friendship with Bobby? The new style clothes, the car? The reactions of the family? His relationship with girls, gauche, successful? Sharon? The fight, his drinking, parents' reaction? Self-assertion? Hurting Melissa? The repetition of the drag race - as was Bobby's style? Saved? His true self, image, peer pressure? The son of his father?
8. Emily and Joe and their way of life, the memories of the race, the clash, marriage? The happiness and unhappiness of their married life? Settling down from the tough types of the past? Joe and his television, middle-class life? Worries? Emily and the encounter with Bobby? The truth? Their joy?
9. The tough kids, class, the dining room, the fights, the drag race?
10. Sharon and her style - the blonde bombshell, sex? The contrast with Melissa, loving, sweet?
11. The picture of adults: at the hamburger place, the teachers etc.? How fair was the film to adults?
12. An entertaining blend of sentiment, humour, realism, fantasy? Humorous touches? A pleasing fable?
