MISSING

US, 1982, 122 minutes, Colour.
Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek, Melanie Mayron, John Shea, Charles Cioffi, David Clennon, Jerry Hardin, Joe Regalbuto, Janice Rule.
Directed by Costa- Gavras.

Costa- Gavras made many films from the 1960s with strong political content. He received an Oscar for his film about the Greek generals, Z. He also made a number of films with Yves Montand including State of Siege and Special Section.

During the 1980s he continued to focus on a wide range of themes including Hanna’s War and Israel. His film on Latin America, Missing, fits into this period. Among his later films was a version of Rolf Houchuth’s film about Pius XII and his silence concerning the Jews, The Deputy. It was filmed as Amen (and a greater understanding of Pius XII’s situation than was given in the original play.

Jack Lemmon, who received an Oscar nomination for his performance, plays an American businessman whose son disappears in Chile. Sissy Spacek plays his wife. This is a very serious Jack Lemmon performance – though he showed how capable he was of serious roles in such films as Days of Wine and Roses and his Oscar-winning Save the Tiger.

The film is chilling in its presentation of Latin American dictators, secret police, arbitrary arrest and imprisonment, torture. The film was critical of American attitudes towards the Latin American dictators – especially in it support of such right-wing generals as Pinochet of Chile and its (?his?) manipulating the overthrow of Allende in Chile. However, the film shows a criticism of civil wars and persecution in Latin America – which was prevalent during the 1980s including in El Salvador, symbolised by the murder of Archbishop Romero, and the dictatorship of the generals in Argentina leading to the Falklands war.

Missing still remains a powerful film and a critique of American manipulation of overseas powers, still relevant decades after this film.

1. The impact of the work of Costa Gavras? His awards? The acclaim for Missing? As drama, as political viewpoint on Latin America? Human drama? The blend of these?

2. The presentation of Latin American regimes and their lifestyle? American involvement? Business, military, political? Truth and cover-up? Lies? The background of the Nixon administration? The move to expose in the United States in the late '70s? The film's critique of the United States? Its tribute to American freedom ? and the possibility for critique? Audience presuppositions about Latin American regimes?

3. How authentic did the film appear: the use of Mexico City and Acapulco for sets? The cities and their look? Squalor in the capital, wealth? The beach resort? The luxury hotels? Suburban homes, the slums? The contrast of tradition and the aspects of the modern world? Interiors? The focus on the stadium - and its horror?

4. The structure of the film and audience involvement: the introduction to Charlie, the situation, the flashbacks, especially with Charlie's notes? The style of their insertion intruding on the action? The editing of the film, its pace? The impact of the film seeping gradually into audience consciousness rather than their being bludgeoned by points? Visual style - e.g. the witness of the neighbours and the varying testimonies? The musical score?

5. The film based on a true story? audience knowledge of United States policy in the '70s? The Allende regime? The 1973 coup? The changing of some of the facts but nevertheless the film presenting the truth of the situation? The political viewpoint? Moral viewpoint? The intensity of the critique? Its validity?

6. The American viewpoint presented: political interests in Latin America, business interests and protection? The American way of life? AntiCommunist? stances? The background of Kennedy, Cuba and the '60s? Military aid? military and economic advisers? The role of diplomacy? Protection, cover-up? The photos of Nixon and Kissinger and the film's comment on issues? The morality of American collaboration in the coup?

7. Audience knowledge of and response to Chilean political history? The impact of Allende and his socialist changes? American hostility towards him? The preparations for the coup? The film's not giving many explanations but showing what happened to the Chileans, to the surprised Americans? American military personnel and their presence? The Chilean police and soldiers in the streets? The continues shootings? The random arrests? The soldiers cutting the slacks of the women at the bus stop? The focus on the stadium and the trapped people? The body count and death toll? Secrecy? The interrogations, the breaking of rights, brutality? The style in the city with curfews, the military ? the symbol of the white horse galloping through the city square pursued by shooting soldiers?

8. Americans in Chile: living, working, being in danger? Not belonging? The ordinary citizens and their interest in supporting Allende's regime? The average American thinking his son was doing something stupid by living in Chile and working in this way? The American citizens presuming on freedom? Their being detained, being told lies, disillusioned? The question of paranoia about fascist regimes? American presumption that authority is right? The Americans involved in what was unimaginable at home?

9. The introduction to the film and the presentation of Charlie? His observing of the situation, his writing, snooping, taking notes? His belonging to an active and vital generation ? despite his father's dismissing of him and thinking of him as lazy and stupid? His friendship with Terry and taking her around? His love for Beth and his absence from her? His concern? The flashbacks to their happy way of life in Chile, the American television lifestyle adapted to Latin America? Friendly neighbours, the children, ducks, the children's stories? His being arrested? The suggestion it was a stunt for publicity? The gradual reconstruction of the events? by the use of home movies, the notes in his diary, Terry's commentary? The visualising of the flashbacks? Friendship, translation for the Left-Wing? paper, his children's books, sketches? His curiosity, asking questions? His awareness of the truth? The American citizen victimised? The significance of his being missing? The attitudes of Chileans, Americans? Worth searching for?

10. Ray Towers' analogy of a visitor to New York investigating the Mafia, being killed, disappearing and his relatives criticising the police for lack of protection? How valid was this analogy for understanding the Chilean situation?

11. The background of Beth and Terry? Beth as nice, naive, American style? Happy in Chile? Friends, helping Charlie? Her concern with his absence? His return? Her visit and being caught by the curfew? Her sleeping in the streets after being rejected by the shopkeeper? Her seeing the white horse dash through the square? almost a dream? Her arrival home to find the house in shambles? A parallel with Terry, the American on a trip, seeing the sights, discovering the truth, experiencing the curfew, interrogations and being detained? Her participation in the search?

12. Ed and his background: seeing him making inquiries in the United States: with senators, with the congressman on the walk down the corridor? Polite answers and rebuffs? False information? His decision to go to Chile? His arrival and the harassment by the officials? His feeling alienated? His comments on Charlie and his stupidity and flying 16 hours to find him? Age, experience, his not understanding his son? Religious background ? Christian Scientist? His animosity towards Beth? His suspicions of people e.g. Terry having an affair with Charlie? His polite and courteous manner? The gentleman from the United States? His presuppositions about American integrity and supremacy? His condemnation of the younger generation's 'paranoia'? Audiences identifying with him and his attitudes?

13. The characterisation of Ed as he continued his search? His collaboration with the authorities the discussion with the ambassador, the encounters with Putnam? His courtesy and politeness? The meetings, wanting to use any means, wanting to supply lists, especially to Tower? The continued antagonism towards Beth? Hostility, arguments, the condemnation of paranoia? Their questioning the neighbours and getting varying results? The discussions with Kate Noonan and his being warned against her? Following leads, reconstruction of what happened by the notes, discussions with Terry? His tiredness and irritation? Reactions to the shootings? Unable to walk because of the curfew? His anxiety in the taxi with the guns turned on them? His gradually changing, seeing other sides of the picture? His phone call to his wife? Support from the Christian Science Reading Room? His growing to understand Beth? The plea at the stadium for his son? The earthquake and his apology to Beth? The lead with the Ford Foundation and his discovery of the truth? The visit to identify the body among so many? The set-up with the British journalist? His reaction to the truth? Packing up Charlie's things and wanting all to be returned to the United States? Hostility to the ambassador, to Putnam? His demands for the body to be returned? The discussion about costs at the airport? His return, suing but failing to win his case? Writing the book? The quality of Jack Lemmon's award-winning performance - intense, subtle, understated?

14. Beth as the ordinary American wife? Her suspicions and scepticism about American authorities? Her experience of Towers' advances and not giving him the list? Her hostility towards Putnam? Her abrasiveness and its being proven right? The encounters with Ed, her regretting her insults? Keeping him company, helping him with the search? The meetings? Kate Noonan? The stadium plea? Checking the bodies? The earthquake and accepting Ed's apology? Her discovering so much of Charlie in Ed? His discovering Charlie in her?

15. The portrait of Terry? The friend and outsider? Her contribution to the search? The two writers and their friendship, their being arrested, fear in the stadium? Frank's death and the lies told? The discovery of his body?

16. The sketch of the ambassador and his suave politeness? His final talk about American business interests? Towers and his driving Charlie and Terry? Wanting lists? The C.I.A.? His help, continued presence. sinister tone? His analogy about the Mafia? The various aides and their reactions and collaboration? Putnam and his being a bureaucrat. polite. exasperated. naive cover-up? The sketch of the military aides? Babcock and his talk, Patrick and his friendliness and observations about the coup? The military authorities at the embassy? The American clique and the contribution to the coup?

17. Kate Noonan as the tough journalist? Her interviews? Helps? Her going to Bolivia?

18. Missing and the value of its portrait of the '70s? Its plea for compassion? Its protest at fascism? Its protest at American involvement in the name of freedom? The experience of another world and its issues? Freedom, truth, violence?