A TIME OF DESTINY

US, 1988, 118 minutes, Colour.
William Hurt, Timothy Hutton, Stockard Channing, Melissa Leo, Francisco Rabal, Megan Followes.
Directed by Gregory Nava.

A Time of Destiny seems a grandiose name for this film. It focuses on soldiers in Italy at the end of World War Two and then goes back to their background in San Diego, California. It portrays a Spanish family, a strong-minded father (Francisco Rabal), a weak and disinherited son (William Hurt) and strong daughter. The daughter decides to elope with a soldier, sympathetically played by Timothy Hutton. Megan Followes (Anne of Green Gables) and Stockard Channing appear as two sisters. The plot is complex as the disinherited son is angry at the death of his father, blaming the Timothy Hutton character. He enlists in the army and gets permission to go to the same unit, intending to kill him. By irony and destiny, they save each other's lives and become friends. However, the vendetta rekindles at the end of the war and leads to a melodramatic (Vertigo-like) climax. The film was written and directed by Gregory Nava and has a score by Ennio Morricone.

With the strength of the cast, it was perhaps intended that this be an epic entertainment. However, the performances are good, but the material seems to be of the miniseries type blended with the soap opera, enjoyable-to watch while on screen nonetheless.

1. War saga, family saga? The title and its tone?

2. California in the '40s, the home, the ranch, the roads, the church, hotels? The contrast with Italy and the war action sequences? Ennio Morricone's score?

3. The mood and the war, explosions, dangers, buddies, Martin and Jack together, Jack's memories of his wife, the flashback to his wife reading his letters, expectations?

4. 1943: the family saga, the patriarch of the family and his influence, dominance? The Spanish background, his building up the ranch, his home, the hold over his wife and daughters? His obsession with his dead son George and seeing him as hero? His disinheriting Martin, Martin's absence? Margaret and her husband and the visit? His love for Irene and Josie? Josie's being the favourite of her father, the irony of the plan for eloping, her having to get her father his drink, dressing, being seen by Margaret, leaving? The setting for the destiny?

5. Jack and Josie eloping, Jack waiting, the policeman talking with him, the rain, Josie and the delay, their leaving, the wedding, happiness, going to the hotel? Margaret and Irene and their talking, the husband, the father? His anger, going to the hotel? Confronting Josie with her options, taking her away? Jack driving after them, the accident, Jack trying to save them both? Destiny?

6. The father's death and Its repercussions? The family's grief, Martin's arrival, his seeing Jack, the glint and the hatred, the plan and the vendetta? The consequences with his army career, his going to volunteer, his getting his wish?

7. Josie and the farewell, the family and their blaming her, coming to terms With the death? The reading of the will and Margaret's disappointment? Josie's decision to give the ranch to Martin? Wise and unwise? Waiting for the two years, the letters to Jack reading them, the plans for after the war?

8. The portrait of Jack: decent, love for Josie, going to the war, service, mission, the shooting, being saved by Martin, saving him? The hospital, the decoration? The irony of thelr becoming buddies, lucky for each other? The bond between the two? growing through the war, their friendship? The ending of the war and the excitement? Martin's turning, the irony of Jack discovering the truth, their struggle? Jack's determining to return? Martin and his madness, his father and his dreams, guilt, his grief at his father's death, the desire for vendetta? His relationship with his sisters? Volunteering? In Italy with Jack, the attempt to shoot Jack, killing the German? The hospital, their decoration? Sharing with Jack, a mad friendship? The end of the war, seeing Jack as George and all his jealousies surfacing? His going home, the confrontation of the family, the ranch? The hatred?

10. The scenes of war, the soldiers, the celebration at the end of the war?

11. Martin's return, determination, the family party, his spying, Josie talking about the will, his going to the ranch, seeing it and deciding to sell it? His cruelty, talking with his mother and her rejection of him? Knowing about Jack's return, the decision to go to the hotel, following them, caught by the traffic, delayed?

12. Josie and Jack, the emotion at the railway station, the return, their seeing each other? Going to the church, going to the hotel? Re-dedication, the ring?

13. The confrontation, the church, the fight, the protracted struggle, the steeple, Martin's hatred, final plea to Jack, Jack's holding out his hand, Martin's death?

14. The reconciliation, Jack and Josie, their mother?

15. Themes of dynasty, pressure and expectations, influence? Decisions and consequences? Control and destinies?