TUCKER: THE MAN AND HIS DREAMS

US, 1988, 110 minutes, Colour.
Jeff Bridges, Joan Allen, Martin Landau, Frederic Forrest, Mako, Christian Slater, Nina Siemaszko, Elias Koteas.
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Tucker: The Man and His Dreams is a piece of enthusiastic Americana directed by Francis Ford Coppola (Godfather, Apocalypse Now). It is based on the true story of Preston Tucker, a self-promoting inventor full of ideas about the car of the future. After producing fifty cars in the mid-'40s, he was thwarted by the big three manufacturers from Detroit as well as Senate and political pressure.

The film is in the vein of Frank Capra's enthusiastic pieces of the '30s like Mr Deeds Goes to Town and Mr Smith Goes to Washington. Jeff Bridges is excellent as Tucker but is more of a promotion man than the sincere and naive Mr Deeds or Mr Smith. There is a good supporting cast but the film has the added bonus of an excellent perforimiance by Martin Landau as Tucker's business associate, Abe. Regular Coppola star Frederic Forrest is one of the engineers. Christian Slater (Name of the Rose) is Tucker's eldest son. There is an uncredited appearance by Lloyd Bridges as the hostile senator.

The film is made with the verve of Tucker himself - and is a film of the 80s, highlighting the American Dream, the potential of individual dreamers, thile heavy pressure of politics and bureaucracy thwarting the dream.

1. An interesting and enjoyable piece of Americana, 1940s? The end of the Reagan era? The focus on the individual, the American Dream, free enterprise? Conspiracy, politics and bureacracy? The position of Americans in the 40s as regards inventions, trade, Germany and Japan?

2. The work of Francis Coppola - and its place in his group of filins? His re-creation of the '40s, period, the U.S., Michigan, Chicago, Washington? The world of car-manufacturers? Panavision, split-screen techniques, forward editing (from one scene into the next)? Musical score, 'Hold That Tiger'?

3. The title and its focus on the person of Tucker, his dreams? Repercussions for the U.S.? The car industry?

4. The use of the promotional style, captions? The family album, the voiceover? The pre-credits sequences and the black and white photography, newsreels? Tucker's love of cars, his war tank and its rejection? (And the humorous use of its speeding down the road later?)

5. Jeff Bridges and his verve: the W.S. man, full of ideas and dreams, his past? Vera and his love for her, the children? The all-American? Extrovert, promoter, fighter? Arrival home, the plan of the car, trying to persuade Abe, going to the ice cream parlour? The idea about the magazine article, the article and the letters, the map and the origins of the lotters? Pre-sales? interviews? Filming, promotion? The beef dinner and his accident slides? The factory in Chicago? interviews in Washington? Bennington as the president of the board? Sixty days to make the car? Conman or dreamer - some of both?

6. Vera and Preston's love for her, interest in his work, help, phone calls, challenging of Bennington? The children: Junior and his going to college, staying to work for his father, sharing the enterprise? His energy, devotion (and the scene with Abe's dress)? The younger boy and his going to visit Howard Hughes? Getting his family on stage? Their support in court? The family emphasis?

7. Martin Landau's portrait of Abe: his appearance, arrival at the home, wanting to drink coffee in the city? His talks with Preston? Visits, the beef dinner, pessimistic outlook, the contracts, the gaining of the factory, his gaining of pre-sales? Frank and the movie promotion? Anxiety at the opening? Continued support, getting close to the family, presents? His offering his resignation, the truth about his being in prison? The warning phone calls? In court, admitting his responsibility, trust in Tucker? The final triumph? His memories of the old country, ambitions, getting close to people?

8. Maddie and his loyalty, capacity for work, angers, humour, success? The airman and his interview, streamlining the model, continued improvements, challenge by Tucker? Head of the department? Loyalty? his Japanese background, friendship, skills? The other workers and their contribution? Junior and his work? Getting the car from the scrap heaps, the preparation at the expo, final touches for the car, the assembly line and producing the last three, driving them to the court?

9. The building of the car: the plans, the changes, not having the car? Speed, the various scrap heaps and the parts, the delays at the opening, success? The safety features - and their being used in successive decades?

10. Senator Ferguson and his spies, the interview with Preston and Abe, his remarks about comedies and yet his menacing warning? Attitudes, not shaking hands, Preston- presence in the court, lawyers, his losing face?

11. Preston and the promotion, the newsreels and the films, travels, the presentation of the car and its razzamatazz, the girls, his slogan song Hold That Tiger? His morale-boosting for all and his clowning?

12. Bennington and his background, going on the board, contracts, changing plans, pressure from the big three in Washington? Preston's clashes? Vera going to the meeting, his resignation?

13. The development of the cars, the 24-hour test and the crash, the last three jurors and the judge impressed?

14. The court case, accusations of fraud, leaking of documents to the papers, conspiracies, the accusations by the lawyers, the witnesses, the political manoeuvres?

15. Preston and the factory going, producing the fifty cars, his final speech in anger to the jury, wanting the evidence of the cars, giving his life story in the vein of Mr Deeds and Mr Smith? The jurors concerned for him, his vindication? The visit to Howard Eughes, Hughes and Senator Ferguson, Hughes and his dreams and ambitions, interest in mechanics - and the suggestions of his health, idiosyncrasies and privacy?

17. An interesting and enjoyable humane story, American values, universal values? A film of the '80s?