SEMI-TOUGH

US, 1977, 107 minutes, Colour.
Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Jill Clayburgh, Robert Preston, Burt Convy.
Directed by Michael Ritchie.

Semi-Tough looks like Slapshot (sports themes and language) meets Bob And Carol And Ted And Alice in an oddball satirical poke at contemporary America. Director Michael Ritchie continues his jibes at U.S. blah (Candidate, Smile) especially via sport (Downhill Racer, Bad News Bears). What might be hilarious and telling there loses immediacy and reference outisde the U.S. so that, while there are some very funny tongue-in-cheek lines and psychology and encounter parody, it is difficult to be entirely involved. Burt Reynolds and Kris Kristofferson, both genial, and Jill Clayburgh boisterously attractive (plus Robert Preston), are bright and Burt Convy is perfect as a mod-guru with free thinking and feeling overtones. Much is good, but very American.

1. An interesting, entertaining film? The film was acclaimed widely in the United States. The reason for its reputation and admiration there? How well does the film travel? How particularly American in content, style and themes?

2. The film's use of sports genres? The authentic atmosphere of American football? The realism, parody, mocking satire? The fantasy world of American football? The presentation of the matches, the comradeship with the team, the coach, the owner? Success and its overriding value? Interviews and the American public's response to sport?

3. The background of football and its techniques, tactics and strategies? How well were these presented? The roughness of the game, semi-tough? The importance of football promotion? The media and interviews especially those before big matches - the realism as well as the satire of the interviews with the two captains prior to the final match, manner, humour, content of the speeches? The commentaries and the commentators? The formulas for success?

4. The interweaving of contemporary psychological issues with the sports atmosphere? How well did they blend? The psychology trends in the United States in the '60s and '70s? The popularity of therapy, various methods? The language of psychology, its jargon? Hopes from treatment and therapies? The psychology mentality? The effect on a differing range of people? How much authentic help? How much genuine therapy? The presentation of sessions? The satire at the expense of various types of therapy?

5. The significance of the title, its American tone and style? The use of send in front of so many adjectives throughout the film? The way that it was used by the main characters?

6. The starring of Burt Reynolds and Kris Kristofferson? How well did they work together, complement each other? Two popular American types of the '70s? The masculine American? The macho American? The symbolism of using these two actors? The comparisons, similarities, contrasts? Their role in professional football and their skills? Their interest in psychology and participation in it? The strengths and weaknesses of their styles? As American men interes-ted in psychology and self-development, relationships? Themes of love and marriage?

7. The film as a microcosm on the wider United States scene? The range of people - Barbara Jane, Big Ed, the various personalities in the team, the people encountered during travel, the people who work hotels, the sporting public? The entertainers on a social level? The range of things American -e.g. the writing of the book, its promotion, newspapers, television? What did the film have to say about the quality of American society and its way of life in the '70s?

8. Burt Reynolds' style as Billy Clyde? As an attractive character, strengths and weaknesses of character, his role in sport, captaining the team, the extrovert? His age and his comments about ageing? Mr. Nice Guy? His way of life, love for Barbara Jane? His not committing himself to her - and his memories of loving her? The moral stances that he took? The experience with the big prostitute in the hotel? His comments on writing his story -and its turning to satire? His dependence on Barbara Jane? Friendship with Shake? The interest in the psychology and the therapy? The humour of his participation in the process and his mocking it? The build-up to the wedding and his turning anti~wedding and his ruining it - with sly humour and irony? The success of his commitment to Barbara Jane and their final walk along the beach? A presentation of an American man - American commonsensed, semi-tough?

9. The contrast with Shake? As a man, introvert, success as a football player, age and ageing, success? His interest in his identity? His use of the psychological jargon, love for Barbara Jane? His belief in the therapy? The relationship with Barbara Jane and marriage? Joy, hesitation at Billy Clyde's suggestion, his losing Barbara Jane? The comment on the semi-tough American male - who loses?

10. Jill Clayburgh's style as Barbara Jane? A vigorous type, extrovert, her marriages, divorces, her travelling and souvenirs? Meeting her at the airport? Her being Big Ed's daughter and the influence of sport? Her friendship with Billy Clyde and Shake - platonic and the prospects of marriage? The quality of the bonds of friendship between the three? Her language, robustness? Her loving Shake and the preparations for marriage? Her part~ icipation in the weekend and encounter with Frederick? Trying to trust him, her participation in the therapy and her being worn out and its failing? Talking things over with her father, with Billy Clude? Preparations for the marriage, her final walk along the beach with Billy?

11. Big Ed as the loud-mouthed American father? What did he stand for in American values? Money, business, owning the team, his pep talks? His double standards especially about sex, marriage, public reputation? His own form of craw therapy and the satire on therapy? His prayer and his relationship with God? The satire on the older generation of Americans?

12. The contrast with Frederick as a person, type? How authentic at all? His therapy and its fascist style, rules, language towards people participating, his setting~up of the rules because he said so? The film's ridiculing him? His reaction to Shake, to Billy Clyde? To Barbara Jane? His preparation for the marriage ceremony and the satire on the way he wanted to conduct it? His finally being punched - the verdict of the film?

13. The personalities in the football team - T.i. and his ability to see the truth, his holding the girl from the roof and Billy Clyde's ability to talk him out of it? The team during the credits, the practices, the matches, the Russian and his kicking and the contracts for sportsmen, travelling, the way of life in the hotels, the media and interviews, the glamorous and unreal world of professional football?

14. The contrast with the people at the psychology weekend, their behaviour, testimonies? Barbara Jane and her explanation to her father - and the satire at his therapy?

15. How much did the film rely on various incidents and particular humorous and satirical sequences e.g. the fat prostitute in the hotel and her reaction to Billy Clyde, his reaction to her? Mrs. Pelf and her massaging Billy Clyde, the agent etc.?

16. The themes of general relationships as illustrated by the men welcoming Barbara Jane at the airport, the presentation of them at how, and tidiness and lack of tidiness, at the games, watching the girls, television, the various memories?

17. The background of the theme of marriage, Barbara Jane's marriages, friendships, working out what love was? Her announcing the marriage? Finishing with Billy Clyde and the prospects for the future?

18. Sports, ageing, success - Billy Clyde and the prospects of the book? The humour of the toilet sequence? Billy Clyde and his devotion to Gene Autry?

19. The zany humour of the wedding rehearsal, the wedding ceremony itself and the attention to detail, the religious background, psychologIcal background? Sacristy talks? The degeneration of the wedding into a fight and all-in? How appropriate a humorous ending?

20. The significance of the final walk along the beach and its summing up of themes as well as indication of the future?

21. How successful a comic view of American way of life, a farcical view? Verbal humour, visual humour? How successful the use of sport and psychology as a way of understanding the American way of life?