HEROES
US, 1977, 113 minutes, Colour.
Henry Winkler, Sally Field, Harrison Ford, Val Avery.
Directed by Jeremy Paul Kagan.
Heroes echoes Cuckoo's Nest, Scarecrow and various Road movies of the American Dream. It is different because of its showing the pathos of the aftermath for Vietnam veterans. Hero Jack (engagingly played by Henry Winkler, blending humour, sentiment and the verge of insanity) travels the American highway with Sally Field, re-living many situation comedy routines but with hints of hopeless dreams to be dashed and, ultimately, an angrily hysterical outburst on the American presence in Vietnam, a jolt to memories in present, more peaceful, times and ending literally pleading for sanity. The stars, the tone and the treatment of issues direct its appeal to younger sensibilities.
1. The significance and tone of the title? Its reference to the United States, to the experience in Vietnam? To Jack Dunne and the men in this film? The memory of the '70s about Vietnam and its heroics? The aftermath of heroes?
2. The film reflecting the trends of the '70s - the reflections on the Vietnam war, on its aftermath, on the effect on American society of the war involvement, of the men damaged by the war?
3. The reputation of Henry Winkler, his performance in the film, expectations of him? Sally Field and Harrison Ford and their reputations in the '70s and audience expectations? Their performances in serious roles?
4. The portrait of the United States and the device of the journey? As a symbol? Pictorially and thematically from east to west? From the atmosphere of the eastern cities, the atmosphere of the roads and towns of the mid-west, the farm, hotels and motels? The cities of middle America? The Arizona Desert? The contrast with the west coast and California? The highway as a symbol of moving through life? A vision of the United States in the '70s?
5. The film's attitude towards war, to the Vietnam war and American involvement? Carol and her comments about protesting? Jack and his being there, the experience of fighting, madness and death? The interruption of life's ambitions, new hopes? The nature of madness and craziness? The veterans who drifted, who were afraid? The meaning of the cause? The place of memories and traumas?
6. Madness in the '70s and the United States. The importance of the credits sequence? Jack's interview? The nature of his escape - his shrewdness, the comic overtones? The portrait of the various inmates? Jack when he went berserk? The other friends and their madness? The importance of breaking out? The final going berserk and Carol's plea not to be crazy?
7. The theme of American responsibilities, at home for the veterans of the war? The response of the ordinary citizen who was not directly involved? Audience identification with this?
8. Jack's vision, the name of Eureka and its significance? Iris dreams and their reality and unreality? The value of having a goal? The importance of his buddies and the origin of the scheme in Vietnam? The humorous detail of the worms and his knowledge of them? The loss and the damage that they caused? His hopes from Adcocks and from Munro?
9. Henry Winkler's interpretation of Jack? The significance of the opening, his behaviour in the ward, the details of his escape, using his wits? The humour of the visuals and the American city? The encounter with Carol, escaping on the bus, the discussions with the driver, on and off the bus? The humorous chatter of the people in the bus, the ventriloquist act, etc.?
10. The introduction to Carol? Sally Field's style? Her presence on the bus, ignoring Jack, the discussions, 'the earth vibrating', the ventriloquist act, her embarrassment, the meal and the mess and the loss of money? Her telephone calls to her fiance and their poignancy? The reason for her being on the bus and her not facing up to the marriage? Her taking charge of Jack and urging him on? Her grasp of the reality? The encounter with Ken, the enjoyment of the visit, the winning of the race, the realisation that he would not help? Her coming to the rescue in the motel fight? The growing romance, love? Jack's shyness of her advances? Her coping with the Adcocks situation and the discussion with Mrs. Adcocks? The clash and the hitch-hiking and its ironic humour? Her coping with the California situation? Her credibility as a person, a mixed-up person of the '70s with the background of causes and ideologies? Her humanity, care for Jack? Her final plea to him? How well drawn and interesting a character?
11. Her effect on Jack, his fears, hopes, trust, clashes, love?
12. The character of Ken? His work on the farm, his knowledge of the worms, the background of Vietnam? His devotion to his car? His talk, the rabbits, his grandparents? The build-up to the race and its enjoyment? The inevitability that he would never leave? The car and Jack and Carol and the rescue?
13. The Adcocks situation and its understatement? Jack asleep, Carol and her en~ counter, the discussion with Mrs. Adcocks? The significance of her husband drifting away? The connection with the war?
14. The visit to the Munros and the parents' stunned reaction, Carol trying to understand. Jack going berserk?
15. The way that Jack went berserk? In the street? His memories and their visualising of the war and death? How appropriate the actual visualising of the war?
16. The contribution of the minor characters and their illustrating the themes -the bus driver and his reactions, the doctor, the police, the ventriloquist? The thugs and the long sequence of the confrontation with Jack? The racing people, the car driver and the hitch-hiking and the advances to Carol? How real a portrait of contemporary America?
17. How authentic a film? The emotional response drawn from the audience as background for understanding the people and the themes?
