THE LAST DETAIL
US, 1973, 104 Minutes, Colour.
Jack Nicholson, Otis Young, Randy Quaid, Clifton James, Carol Kane.
Directed by Hal Ashby.
If it were not for the constant swearing, this film might have rated a lesser classification and been seen by a wider audience. A plain story of two sailors accompanying another, under arrest, from one Navy base to another (via Washington, New York, Boston) is made into a fairly moving experience of growth in human relationship. The two guards (Oscar nominee and Cannes winner Jack Nicholson at his best, and black actor Otis Young) are very well observed, often annoying, then with unexpectedly generous traits. Randy Quaid as the unfortunate prisoner is outstanding. It is in the details of the incidents and the nuances of the characterisations that this film achieves success and excellence.
1. What was your overall impression of this film? Why did critics so praise it? Was it a good film? What were its best features? How human a film was it? How humane? How valuable a study of human relationships was this film? How did it best communicate the relationships?
2. How well did it present a sailor's world? The buildings and the style of life? The lurks? The language - was it overdone? Realistic? How much did the film rely on small detail to communicate its atmosphere and message? Which were the best sequences to illustrate this?
3. Was Buddusky a sympathetic character? Was he likeable? Our first seeing of him and his trying to get out of things? His throwing his weight around? His professionalism in doing his job? His pride in his abilities? What was his basic attitude towards Meadows? How did Meadows change him? His relationship with Mule? What were the best human qualities of Buddusky that emerged during the film? How really good-natured and soft was he? How tough? What good did he do Meadows? Did he teach him much? How severe was he?
4. Mule: as a black contrasting with Buddusky's white? How like Buddusky was Mule? Our first seeing of Mule? His relating to Buddusky? His pride in his work? How well did he like Meadows? What good did he do meadows? How sympathetic was he towards him? What were his most likable qualities? Where were his limitations? How did Meadows change him during the trip?
5. How were the themes of kindness and understanding, selfishness and self centeredness, professionalism explored?
6. How well did Randy Quaid portray meadows? Did he portray him as a rounded character and as realistic? How? Did the film give sufficient background to Meadow's life and to his crime? The irony of the small crime of which he was convicted? How much was he a victim? How much was the audiences meant to see him as a victim and to sympathize with him?
7. Trace the development in Meadows throughout the film: as a small time criminal, with his past career in the navy, his feeling of abject respect for his guards. his quietness on the train ride, his eating, the change on the bus and his coming to life? His entering into the spirit of things with his guards? The encounter with the man at the hamburger bar and throwing the weight around? Drinking and laughing? The impact of the evening in the room at Washington? The experience of New York? His naivety and inexperience e.g. with the whores? The significance of his watching the chanting? Why was he so impressed with the chanting and the people who chanted? Especially the girl? What happened to him at the party? The significance and poignancy of his visit home? What effect did this have on him? (what effect did it have on the guards?) How had he changed by the time he reached Boston? Why did he want the picnic? How visually symbolic was the picnic in the snow? How desperate was he when he ran away? Did you sympathize with him in his running away? Why were Buddusky and Mule so quick to bring him back? What emotional atmosphere was there in the audience and in the guards when they arrived finally at the base? Why? What had the film done to the audience by this time?
8. The significance of the handing over of Meadows and the two men being ticked off by the sailor? Their proving their professionalism by getting the best of him? Our attitudes towards them as they were made victims of bureaucracy?
9. What insight into human nature did the film give? How optimistic a film was it? How realistic in showing the ups and downs of human behaviour and situations?
