LAST EMBRACE
US, 1979, 101 minutes, Colour.
Roy Scheider, Janet Margolin, John Glover, Sam Levene, Christopher Walken.
Directed by Jonathan Demme.
Despite its glossy look, an old fashioned thriller, cousin to Hammett and Chandler in tough individualist heroes and ambiguous ladies and somewhat exotic airs of mystery. Roy Scheider is an expertly tense and nervous hero. Janet Margolin a Jekyll/Hyde leading lady. There are several quirky sidekicks and villains, attractive New York settings, visits to Princeton and Niagara. The film (scored by Miklos Rosza, who worked for Spellbound) echoes and pays homage to Hitchcock - even to 'spot the reference' (Psycho showers, Saboteur heights, Foreign Correspondent raincoats, Dial M scissors). Themes of appearance and reality, love and guilt echo Hitchcock. If you are prepared to accept the conventions and dialogue of particularly American thrillers, enjoyable.
1. Thee popularity of the American thriller? The genre of the private eye? Popularity over the decades, literature, cinema? The title and the overtones of Chandler - love, death, betrayal?
2. The film as a homage to the work of Chandler and the other specialists in private eye stories? The references to Hitchcock both in theme, visual imagery, imitation? A satisfying derivative of Hitchcock's style?
3. Audience acceptance of the genre and its contrivances? The artificiality and. its enjoyment? The blend of realism with the conventions? How much did this film rely on the conventions?
4. The gaining of audience interest the atmosphere of the puzzle and mystery, identifying with Harry? Black comedy, social comment, romance? Ironic comment on American society, characters, corruption? Justice prevailing? Betrayal underlying the finding of justice?
5. Roy Scheider's style as Harry? The tough private eye type? The atmosphere of the opening, the restaurant, the shooting, Dorothy's death and Harry's grief? Seeing him as he recovered, his release? The immediate attempt on his life? his interview with the agency, his rejection, the cold calm of the head of the agency, the orders for Harry to be killed?
6. The quick picture of intelligence agencies - personnel, impersonal approach, presumption of right, playing God with people's lives? To what purpose? In the name of justice?
7. The introduction to Ellie? The sub-letting of the flat, the puzzle at her presence? The attraction? Student? The atmosphere of ease with her, overtones of mystery? The build-up of the relationship between Harry and Ellie? The irony when the truth was revealed - expected because of the Chandler examples?
8. The notes, threats? The background of information and research? Books and libraries? Universities? The buildings? Books and photos? The Hebrew background?
9. Dave and his working for the agency, his motivation, the attack in the bell tower? A deadly and dramatic interlude in the development of the plot?
10. Sam as the friend of the private eye, straight out of thirties and forties books and films? His contacts? The discovery of the truth about the brothel?
12. The picture of Ellie at Niagara, disguised as a prostitute, the lurid and vivid presentation of her sexual relationship and murder? The influence of her grandmother and the brothel? -Revenge? Credible motivation?
13. Harry and his intensity, worry, the effect of the attempts on his life, the puzzle, friendship with Sam, relationship with Ellie, their becoming lovers? The discovery of the truth and Ellie's part in it?
14. The build-up to the confrontation at Niagara Falls: its length, drama, Ellie and the truth, trying to save herself, Harry and his disillusionment and disgust? Her death?
15. The private eye film seventies' style - cinema recognition of the tradition, paying homage to it, using it? The director calling his film a dark romance - a picture of individuals in society, American society and its hypocrisy, origins, cover-ups? The value of this kind of contrived film as entertainment, as social comment?
