BRUBAKER

US, 1980, 130 minutes, Colour.
Robert Redford, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Alexander. Murray Hamilton. Matt Clark, Tim Mc Intire, Richard Ward, Albert Salmi, Linda Haynes, John Mc Martin.
Directed by Stuart Rosenberg.

Brubaker is earnest, an entertainment that has high and strong moral purpose. While it utilizes well so much conventional prison film material (always interesting, dramatic and depressing), the focus is on the need for reform and the probe elms in achieving it. If all depended solely on the reforming warden, Harry Brubaker (played with quiet authority by Robert Redford), much would have been achieved. However, there are hostile prisoners, local corruption and the obtuseness of officials and politicians who see reform as a threat or only in terms of furthering their own careers. These characters are well delineated and frustrating for Brubaker and the audience. Based on facts, well made and involving, with telling points and, ultimately, not hopeful. Direction is by Stuart Rosenberg who made the significant prison film Cool Hand Luke (1967) with Paul Newman. This film has been considered a companion piece to Brubaker.

1. Audience response to prison films? Expectations of plot, characters, situations, message? How much of the expected material in this film? The quality of its presentation? The emotional impact for audiences?

2. A 1980 version of prison problems in the United States? The technical aspects: colour, Panavision photography, the Ohio prisons especially Wakefield? Exteriors in the fields, the yards? Interiors? The contrast of modern buildings e.g. the Hilton? The editing? The style of music?

3. The film as a Robert Redford vehicle? His screen presence, authority, audience identifying with him? His own personal interest in the project and communicating aspects of prison reform to a wide audience?

4. The atmosphere of realism - the film's being based on facts, the work of Thomas Murton and his attempts at prison reform and his failure? His technical advice on the film? The points made realistically about the details of prison life, administration, abuses and corruption? Violence? Humiliation? The contriving of so many issues within the space of the film's time? The highlighting of issues in realistic as well as contrived tones?

5. Basic prison issues of law and order, crime and guilt, punishment and debt to society? The status of criminals? Their right to livelihood and respect after crime? The role of government in the prison? Prisoners participating in their own lives and administration of prison? The importance of rehabilitation, dignity? Prisons and the treatment of prisoners being an image of the stances and values of free society? The film's comment on American values?

6. The impact of the opening, the usual arrival of criminals at the prison, the great attention to detail in the prisoners arriving, haircuts, clothes etc.? Humiliations, bribes? The physical conditions of the prison? The role of the trusty? The warden? The building, the dormitory, the dining room? Work situation? The old building at Wakefield? The worst aspects of its way of life? Violence, abuse, sexual abuse? The way these were suggested?

7. Robert Redford arriving as Stan Collins, the prisoner, the audience watching Redford go through these initial procedures? The audience observing the abuses with him? Experiencing things with him? His handling of the situations? His interventions? The berserk prisoner in solitary? The taking over of Dickie Coombes? His going to the prison warden and announcing his real identity? The surprise value of this move for the audience?

8. The impact Robert Redford made as Brubaker? The explanations of his background, prison reform, teaching? His handling of the men in detail? His relationship with Lilian and her backing of him? Lilian and her backing by Deach, head of the prison board? The trusties and their suspicions? The sequences of Redford in his private apartment, the human touches? The atmosphere of hostility? The disasters - especially the roof falling in? The confrontation with the carpenter and his dealings? The meals and Brubaker joining the men? The games and people laughing, the visitors enjoying the polo? Brubaker's participation? His earnestness, his confrontation, especially with the builder and his sitting behind the desk, the doctor and his selling the prisoners' blood, the demand for the ambulance after the roof coming in?

9. The portrait of the board and the variety of attitudes? The personalities, their preoccupation with money, attitudes towards criminals, towards crime, towards prison reform? A self-centred view of society? Budgeting, careers? The hostility towards Brubaker? Lillian’s attempts at mediation? The senator and his initial silence? The later meeting and his threats, his wanting to use Brubaker's reforms for his own career? The use of self-governing prisons as part of the American way of life? The threat to give Brubaker the sack? The various personalities and the realistic characteristics?

10. The group of trusties and their role in the prison, their exploitation of the prisoners? Calwell and his severity? The beatings? Birdwell and his sharing the room with Huey? The privileges of the trusties, their recreation centre? Huey and his girlfriend and the separate house? The visits to her father's shop and the meat deals? The storage of food, the reselling to supermarkets? The role of Purcell and his subservience, his explaining himself to Brubaker, Brubaker's keeping him on? His wheedling attitude? His connivance in Abraham's death?

11. Coombes and his place in the prison, his observations of Brubaker, the visit to Brubaker's apartment? His own story? Bouncing off Brubaker - sceptical about his reforms? His collaboration? His presence on the council? His attitude at the end and change of heart, the applause for Brubaker?

12. Larry Lee Bullen and his place in the prison, his tough attitudes, Brubaker's helping him after punishment, his proposition about the cars, his response? His life story and the lack of chances? His role in the prison, presence on the council, telling Purcell to get away from the council? His helping in the final chase of Huey? The pathos of his death?

13. Abraham and his work, his life story, work around the prison, his staying after his freedom to go? His telling the story to Brubaker? The story of the buried men? The ugliness of his death and the electric shock, his hanging from the post? The consequences for Coombes? For Brubaker and the squad's digging up the corpses? Despite the opposition of the board? The corpses and the discovery, the doctor and his analyses, the board's doctor denying the testimony? The legal implications? The risk Brubaker was taking in digging up the corpses?

14. The council, the election, the conditions? The campaigning and its humour? The election day and ballot? The meeting and the hesitation, Brubaker's allowing the group to work?

15. The encounter with the prison board at the Hilton, Lillian and Brubaker's attacking her for her stances? The meeting with the senator in the morning? The clash with Lillian and breaking with her?

16. The confrontation with Huey, his having killed Abraham, in the house with the girlfriend? The ugliness of the shooting and his death? The reaction of the girl, her father?

17. The build-up to Brubaker's being sacked? The new warden and his previous attitudes? Tough line? The long leave-taking by Brubaker? Coombes and the applause. the prisoners joining in?

18. The sense of frustration for the audience in the lack of possibility for reform? The frustration for Brubaker? What was the audience left with in terms of hope. hopelessness?

19. The perennial interest of prison films? How did this film differ from the average prison film? The blend of entertainment and message?