TOWN AND COUNTRY
US, 2001, 100 minutes, Colour.
Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Andie McDowall?, Goldie Hawn, Gary Shandling, Jenna Elfman, Nastassja Kinsky, Joshua Hartnett, Charlton Heston, Marian Seldes, Buck Henry, Ian McNiece?, Holland Taylor.
Directed by Peter Chelsom.
American commentators have been holding this film up to ridicule, accusing it of being controlled by its star, Warren Beatty, and of being a vanity piece that went way over budget. And they did not enjoy it.
It's a pity that the project became so mammoth. In itself, it should have been a short and light farce, a comedy of
relationships and failed marriages. The screenplay is by Beatty's friend, Buck Henry, who worked with Beatty on Heaven Can Wait. (Henry also appears as the harassed lawyer.) The cast is stellar - almost too stellar for the size and scope of the film. There is Diane Keaton as Beatty's wife, Nastassia Kinski as his girlfriend, Goldie Hawn as a long-time friend and Gary Shandling as her husband. Add Andie MacDowall? and Jena Elfman, Josh Hartnett and Charlton Heston parodying himself as a gun-toting conservative. There are some good moments, of course, but it looks like huge ingredients for something which is fairly inconsequential.
1. The reputation of the film? As an extravagant piece of film-making? The poor reception? Audience response without knowledge of this background? How entertaining and interesting a film?
2. In itself, comedy and drama, comedy of affluent people, fidelity and infidelity? Reconciliation?
3. The New York settings, the affluent city? Long Island, the country? Homes? The town and country as characters and atmosphere?
4. The prologue and Porter's voice-over, Porter and the cellist, sexual relationship, listening, giving it up? The transition to Paris, the 25th anniversary party, Elly, Mona and Griffin, the celebration? The plane ride home?
5. Porter and Elly, their work, architects and designers, the discussions about their work? At home, the meal table, the relationship to their children? Omar and his not speaking English? Aleyandro, his relationship to the cook, no shirt, carrying the cases? The visiting Japanese? Porter and his falling from the roof?
6. Griffin and Mona, the discovery of Griffin's affair, Mona following him? The reality of the man disguised as a woman? Mona going to the golf course, trying to get Porter to help? The party and the confrontation, Mona and Griffin driving in the car, his guilt, her determination?
7. The film showing men talking together, the night and Porter going to the kitchen, Omar, Aleyandro, Tommy? Griffin and Porter talking throughout the film, men and their confiding in one another, help?
8. The comparisons and contrasts with women talking together, Elly and Mona, relationships, fidelity, intuitions? Elly and her intuition about the affair? Her never guessing that Porter had a relationship with Mona, even though she thought they were attracted? The scene in the bathroom where the four women met each other before the award function?
9. Porter and Elly, his being seen as a rock, yet the audience knowing that he was a liar, his continued relationship with Alex, Elly urging him to go to Mississippi to help Mona, his helping her, meeting Eugenie on the plane, Elly's trust, Mona and the outing, the young man and her dancing, the sexual relationship, Mona leaving early? His being caught out by Elly, his lying? Alex and her pregnancy, his assuming that the child was his, his reactions? His later seeing her - and the discovery that another man was the father? Griff and their going to Sun Valley, skiing, being away from the family? Going to the Halloween party, Tommy and his sister arriving and their reaction to their father and the girl?
10. Mona and Griffin going to the lawyer, the lawyer and his advice, Mona going to Mississippi, the dance, being young again, Porter and the sexual relationship? At her home, Elly arriving and their discussions, Elly worried about Porter, Griffin arriving, the farcical situation with Mona trying to deceive him?
11. Eugenie, on the plane, meeting them at the skating, on the chair lift? The skating and her telling stories? Taking Porter home, the encounter with her parents, her devotion to them, her coming into Porter's room, the dolls, the cuddling? Her father coming in? Her going to the function and her father arriving with the gun?
12. Alex, playing the cello, the relationship, the pregnancy, her joy, meeting Porter, talking about the father, meeting the women in the ladies' room, waving to him while playing the cello?
13. Griffin and Porter, their talking, Porter lying, confessing, going to Sun Valley together? The young woman at the shop, the party? Griffin and his trying to tell Porter that he was gay, awkward, the taxi, the proclamation in the function?
14. The young woman in the shop, dressed as Marilyn Monroe, Porter as the bear, Griffin as Elvis? The aftermath of the party? Her going to New York to tell Tom the truth, her telling Elly the truth?
15. Eugenie's parents, the house, the father being a champion in skiing and shooting? The mother and her swearing and vulgar language, sexual innuendo? The father, his protectiveness of his daughter, going to the bedroom, threatening Porter, howling like a wolf, calling himself the dragon? Shooting the bear, burning the house down? Arriving at the function with the gun, demanding an apology? The parody of Charlton Heston's stances in real life?
16. The five women in the bathroom, the function, Griffin's proclamation, Griffin and Porter being ousted, Porter getting back in, taking Elly's award, discussions? All the women on the staircase? Eugenie's father and the gun?
17. The finale, Porter and Elly with the lawyer, the dividing of things? Mona going to Griffin's shop and reconciling? Porter's strong speech about love, his voice-over about his situation? The happy ending and reconciliation?
