HARD EIGHT/SYDNEY
US, 1996, 102 minutes, Colour.
Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Melora Walters.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Hard Eight is a very impressive first feature film from Paul Thomas Anderson. In his career, which has received great praise, he has made comparatively few feature films: Magnolia, Punch-Drunk? Love, There Will Be Blood, The Master.
The film is very strong on dialogue, particularly well written and articulate. It is given full value in the performance by Philip Baker Hall as an elderly man who befriends a down-and-out young man as well as a prostitute in Las Vegas. It turns out ultimately that he is a former gangster, a gambler. However, he is someone who is always in control, well spoken and well dressed. It is an excellent performance. John C. Reilly is the young man, and also gives a fine performance at this stage of his career – he was to become quite a character actor and star in the early 20th century with films ranging from Chicago to Stepbrothers to We Need to Talk About Kevin. The film also shows Gwyneth Paltrow and her talent (though not particularly well cast as a prostitute to be fully convincing), two years before she won her Oscar for Shakespeare in Love. Samuel L. Jackson gives an energetic performance as an unsympathetic gambler in Reno. In the supporting cast is Philip Seymour Hoffman, making his mark as a vociferous player at the craps table.
Paul Thomas Anderson was to use Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Magnolia and Hoffman in his other films. John C. Reilly and Melora Walters also appeared in Magnolia.
This is a film driven by character rather than by event. It seems to be in three acts, Philip Baker Hall’s Sydney being the common denominator. The first act is his meeting with John and setting him up. The second act is the encounter with Clementine. The third act is the confrontation with Jimmy, culminating in Jimmy’s death.
As with Paul Thomas Anderson’s other films, this is a film of intelligence for attentive audiences.
1. The title, the focus on Hard Eight, the scenes at the craps table and the bets? The bets and the losing? The alternate title, Sydney and its focus on Sydney and his character?
2. The career of Paul Thomas Anderson, his first film, dialogue and characterisation, the intricate camerawork? The strong cast?
3. The structure and three acts, Sydney and John, Sydney and Clementine, Sydney and Jimmy?
4. Sydney as a character, the performance of Philip Baker Hall, his look, manner of talking, dignity and gravity, his age, neat clothes, clarity, enigmatic? His past and the audience guessing? Eighty minutes into the film and the discovery of the true story, especially about the death of John’s father?
5. Sydney meeting John, John in the gutter, down-and-out, talking, offering the cigarettes and the money, John and his fear of matches (and the flashback of the cinema and the explosion)? The drive in the car, John’s caution, coming into the front, their talk? John as a slow character, desperate? The money, his mother’s funeral? His going with Sydney? His answering most questions with ‘I don't know’?
6. Las Vegas, the gambling scheme, Sydney and his control and explanations, John and his following Sydney’s orders, the details, the hundred and fifty dollars, the chips, the slots, turning them in, the record card, repeating and getting cash? The supervisor? John and his success, the comfortable room? The bond with Sydney?
7. The gap of two years, the situation in Reno? John’s success? Sydney, sitting, observing, playing keno, the discussions with Clementine, about her flirting, the tips, the other guests? Jimmy coming to the table, Sydney’s dislike of him, Jimmy’s language, Sydney explaining the crudity? His care of Clementine, offering her a room? Her thinking he was a client? His kindness to her? The breakfast? Her expectations? Her passing the night, John coming in the morning, offering the money, the clothes at the mall?
8. John and Clementine, their liking each other, the morning, the money, the mall? The marriage – and the video and Sydney watching it?
9. The phone call, the situation, the man beaten and bloodstained on the bed, Clementine wanting her three hundred dollars? John not knowing what to do? Sydney and his questions, Clementine and her foolish decision, her stubbornness, John helpless? Pleading, Sydney wanting to go, returning? The news of the marriage? Sydney’s decision, control, hitting the man into unconsciousness? Sending Sydney and Clementine off to Niagara – and the comedy with John not wanting to go because he had visited it before?
10. Jimmy and his visit, controlling Sydney, the situation, the news that Sydney had killed John’s father, the motivation, Sydney declaring that John was like a son? Jimmy demanding the money, the bank, Sydney giving him the money, Jimmy’s wild gambling?
11. The phone calls, Jimmy and Clementine, okay, out of danger? Sydney waiting in Jimmy’s apartment, shooting him, the girl running away in fear, the final image of the blood on Sydney’s cuff and his covering it?
12. The effect of this kind of experience, character studies, portraits? Reflection?
