LARGER THAN LIFE

US, 1996, 89 minutes, Colour.
Bill Murray, Janeane Garofolo, Matthew Mc Conaughy, Linda Fiorentino, Pat Hingle.
Directed by Howard Franklin.

Larger Than Life did not receive a large cinema release. Directed by Howard Franklin who collaborated with Bill Murray on the comedy caper Quick Change, the film is an extended elephant joke. Murray appears as a motivational speaker, dominated by his mother, suddenly discovering that his absent father had just died and was a clown in a circus, leaving him an elephant.

1. The popularity of Bill Murray? In the situation of a motivational speaker landed with an elephant and having to cope, getting it from Maryland to California?

2. The range of locations, from the east coast to the west coast, middle America? A road movie with a difference? The musical score?

3. The credibility of the plot, the absent father, the mother's deception, the clown father and his bequest to his son? The means to get the elephant from one side of the United States to the other in a set time?

4. Jack Corcoran and Bill Murray's screen personality? Limbering up for his motivational speech, his getting people involved in building the pyramid, humorous style? His going home, his fiancée and mother dominating him? The social, the telegrams, finding out about his father? His mother's explanation about her walking out with him and his father being irresponsible? The lawyer, the quick signing of papers, getting rid of the elephant? The elephant running down the street, the shopkeepers and people asking him to take the elephant away? People and their exorbitant money demands for the elephant? In the used car lot, the rain, the phone calls to the zoo, to the circus? The phone calls and the phone manner? The effect on Jack? In Kansas City, going to see Blockhead, being well received, the photos, the scrapbook, Blockhead and his wife's memories? Taking him along the road? Stranded, trying to hitchhike, the trucker, cancelling his load, the mad reaction to the trucker, his incessant talking, the fight on the mountain-top, the elephant taking over? Jack and his having to ride the elephant, through the rivers, across the desert, into the rain, the Indian village and the flood and the elephant able to hold up the wall? The Indians putting him on the train, his arrival at the circus, Jack's reaction to Terri, the electric prod? Taking the elephant to the plane, the commotion in the airport, the mad trucker arriving? The happy ending and farewelling the elephant? Elephants never forget, one never forgets elephants! How well did Bill Murray sustain this character in these situations?

5. The impact of the elephant itself, Vera? The initial meeting, running along the street, the various tricks, the word codes, the whistling? The travelling? The sustaining of the flooded wall? On the train? At the airport, going happily onto the plane - and the farewell to Jack?

6. Mo and her abrupt manner at the zoo, hanging up on Jack, his not wanting to bring the elephant to the zoo? The contrast with Terri on the phone, suave manner, her work in the circus, wanting him to sign the contract, his refusal because of the cruelty?

7. Jack's mother, dominant, walking out on her husband because he was irresponsible, concealing the fact that he was alive? Jack and his phone calls? The fiancée - and his breaking up?

8. The lawyer, the shoddy deals, the pressure on Jack, the demands for money? The railway chief and his wanting money, paying for the late night meal?

9. Vernon, his wife, the old circus tradition, their pride, their stories?

10. An enjoyable film - but very light?