MARIE

US, 1985, 112 minutes, Colour.
Sissy Spacek, Jeff Daniels, Morgan Freeman, Fred Dalton Thompson.
Directed by Roger Donaldson.

Marie is a fine drama about an ordinary woman who gets the opportunity to be involved in American state politics and expose corruption. It is an excellent star vehicle for Sissy Spacek. She is well supported by Jeff Daniels (the hero of The Purple Pose of Cairo) and lawyer Fred Dalton Thompson as himself.

The film was based upon a book by Peter Maas (The Valachi Papers, Serpico, King of the Gypsies). His books have been turned into film by producer Dino de Laurentiis. The music is by Francis Lai, the screenplay by John Briley (Gandhi) and direction is by Australian-born Roger Donaldson who worked in New Zealand in such films as Sleeping Dogs, Smash Palace and made the international film, The Bounty.

The film highlights the courage of an ordinary woman, the dangers in contemporary political situations with the prevalence of corruption. Excellent and thoughtful entertainment.

1. The impact of the film as entertainment? Based on a true story? A message/entertainment film?

2. The film's giving basic facts and information about Tennessee? About the aftermath of the events portrayed in the film? Its authenticity? 'When one good person does nothing, evil flourishes' - a quotation from the film. The film highlighting the significance of this?

3. The focus on Americana, political corruption, in past decades, in the 1970s and '80s? The widespread information to the public about such corruption? The corruption in groups, individuals? Administration, justice and law?

4. The portrait of Marie? Sissy Spacek and her presence and style? Appearance? Change and growth throughout the film? The opening with her being hard done by, her husband and his buddies playing cards and demanding beer, the child crying, her husband violence and literally throwing her out? The separation? Marie as a Catholic, her going to church, her prayer? The application for an annulment? Her reliance on her faith? Her going to her mother, her mother's support? The children with her mother? Her going to work as a waitress, the pressure? Her studying at the same time? The scene of her being late illustrating the pressure? The film's highlighting of her relationship with her children, the attention to domestic detail? Her passing her exams, the possibility of jobs, the interviews?

5. Her friendship with Ed and getting the job from him? Her interactions with the staff? The legal aspects, her signing documents about extradition? Her going to the jail? The attitude of the prisoners towards her? The encounter with Bill Thompson about his role in politics and connection with criminals? The Christmas party? Her being asked to do favours for Ed? The governor being behind the petitions? Her going onto the Parole Board? The government board and its status? The television coverage of her appointment? The reactions of the various officials? The severity of some sentences, the leniency of others? Her seeking information from interstate District Attorneys? Conventions? Ed discussing things with her, his being placated? Her decision to follow things through? The friendship with Kevin, his continued support? Family support? Her stances, the encounters with the governor and his sacking her? Ed and his anger? The danger with her retrieving the documents from her office? The discussions with Fred Thompson? The interviews? The pathos of Kevin's death? His funeral?

6. The build-up to the court case, the interrogation and charges, the State trying to humiliate her? The appeal to the jury? Her winning the case? Setting a precedent? A triumph for justice? Marie as a person, the sincerity of her work, her naivety and discovery of the truth? Her relationship with her family, with Toni and her friendship, Ed? With her secretary - and discovering she was a spy-and sacking her?

7. Marie and her family, the brutality of her husband, the continued friendship and support of Kevin, the friendship of Ed and people assuming that they were having an affair? Her concern about her children, their health, her son and the pistachio nut, the hospital, getting him to breathe again, the device for relieving phlegm and the pressure on herself and her daughters? The holiday, the emergency on the freeway, the discovery of the truth? A fine portrait of family life?

8. Ed and his smooth style, a student of law, jobs, favours? His casual style, golf etc? The contacts with Bill Thompson? His using Marie? Anger, his spies, the denouncing of Marie, the hostile attitude in court?

9. The governor and his style, friendliness, talk, handling the media, interviews with Marie, anger with her, sacking her and calling the TV conference, in court, his prison sentence?

10. Fred Thompson and his support of Marie, listening, handling of the case, evidence and its use, the comparison with the government lawyers and their arranging things? The authenticity of Fred Thompson performing his own role?

11. Bill Thompson and the criminal connections, robberies and violence, murders and the jogger, Marie's visit to the prisons, the Parole Board and the buying of passes, the Parole Board meetings and the interviews, the expectations of the prisoners to be freed? Threats? The members of the board and evidence? Charles Traugher and his suspicions of Marie, hostility towards her especially in the court?

12. Kevin and his work in the office, sociable, jokes, friendship with Marie? His signing the letter against her and its being used after his death in court? His deciding to support Marie? The ugliness of his death and the rumours about it? A martyr for truth, his name blackened by the homosexuality accusation?

13. Toni, the friendship with Marie, support? Marie's mother?

14. A strong drama? The portrait of a person and a personality? An exploration of contemporary American political issues?