BUTTERFLY

US, 1982, 103 minutes, Colour.
Pia Zadora, Stacy Keach, Orson Welles, Lois Nettleton, Edward Albert, James Franciscus, Stuart Whitman.
Directed by Matt Cimber.

Butterfly is based on one of James N. Cain's lesser-known short novels. He achieved great reputation with The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity. These have been filmed a number of times. Butterfly is in the vein of Bob Rafaelson's version of Postman with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. It is set on the Nevada/Arizona border in the late 1930s. There is a great deal of atmosphere about the desert mining community. Stacey Keach is excellent brooding as the central character and sex symbol Pia Zadora is effective enough as the tantalising, Lolita figure.

There is a good supporting cast of stars headed by Lois Nettleton as Belle and Orson Welles with a caricature of a judge. Themes of community, relationships, conscience, legality and morality are to the fore. As with Cain's other stories, there is a court sequence and the irony for the audience is that the accused are not necessarily guilty of the legal accusation but nevertheless are morally guilty. There is a sombre ending. The heroine also sings a theme song for the final credits. An offbeat film, especially since the moral focus is ultimately on incest. It does not compare with other versions of Cain's novels, but it is nevertheless interesting and worth reflecting on.

1. The popularity of the work of James M. Cain? As representing facets of American lifestyle, moral issues, conscience and guilt? His representing the '30s? His isolated communities, the relationships between men and women, basic experiences, conscience, religion, passion and violence? The law, morality and guilt?

2. Critics comment on the Greek tragedy style of Cain's work. The basic tragic patterns in this story? Fate, freedom? Passion and violence, religious values? The embodiment of Greek tragic issues in the American '30s?

3. The background of the Nevada/Arizona border in the '30s? Visual impact, landscapes, the hills, the deserts, the roads, mines? Isolation? The town, the church, the court, the shops and bars? A microcosm of the United States?

4. Men and women in this isolated society? Their lifestyle, values? Drives, motivation? Love and marriage, greed, desertion, selfishness? The repercussions for the next generation? The guilt of the parents affecting their children? Change, revenge? Seduction? Men and women using one another, deadly games? Freedom, control or fate?

5. The significance of the title - obvious reference to Kady? The birthmark on Moke, Lamey, Danny? The impact of the revelation of the birthmark for Jessie? For the Gillespies? For Kady? For the judge? The butterfly as symbol, fact?

6. The stances of the film on morals and law? The law as represented by the judge? His administration, venal aspects, lustful, especially when eyeing Kady? His judgments on the brawl, prison or fines? His attitude towards incest? Quoting the Bible, public opinion? His expectations for judgment on incest? The way the law was used? Legal guilt not admitting personal issues and circumstances? The breaking of the law to be equated or not with breaking moral codes? The audience being asked to judge Jesse and Kady?

7. The portrait of Kady: her appearance, dress, age, her getting a lift, tantalising the driver and then humiliating him, encountering Jesse, teasing him? Her talking and then revealing she was his daughter? His explanation of things to her? Her continual provocation, how intentional: her looks, clothes, dressing and undressing, the bath and the soap, physical contact? Her awareness of the repercussions on Jesse? Audience response to the suggestions of an incestuous relationship? Her mother and her relationship with her, her bringing up? Her dislike for Moke? Her love for Wash and the resentment against him after his not marrying her? Her reliance on Janey looking after the baby? Her support? Her hostility towards the Gillespies - wanting to mine the silver, making Jesse take the silver - the first step in seduction? Her enjoyment of the shopping for the dress, the dancing in the cafe, the brawl, the court case? The reconciliation with Wash? The build-up to the marriage and her exhilaration? A girlish kind of joy? Belle and her death? The repercussions for Kady? Her disappointment with Wash not turning up for the marriage? Her determination to avenge herself? The build-up to the incest sequence - credibility, motivation, passion and feeling? The transition to the court case? Her behaviour, attitude? The truth? The discovery about the identity of her father? Her going with Wash ? the right decision? Her resentment towards Jesse, love for him? The butterfly as symbol of Kady?

8. Jesse and Stacey Keach's performance? Domination of the film? His lonely life, the mine and his sense of responsibility in guarding it? His caution at Kady's arrival? Telling her the story, discovering the truth? His attitudes towards the law, loyalty to the Gillespies? His religious background and churchgoing? The sexual attraction to Kady? His caution? Intimate scenes between them. a certain voyeurism? His treatment of her? The coming of Janey with the baby? His attitude towards the Gillespies and his being seduced by Kady to mine the silver? The innuendo for incest? The sequence in the town, the buying of the dress, dancing in the cafe. the brawl? The court scene and the penalty? The importance of Belle's coming, his seeing her after so many years, clash and antagonism, love and memories? The reaction to Moke? Her death and the puzzle of her stabbing Moke? The funeral and his realising that Moke was robbing the mine? The confrontation, Moke's provocation of cowardice, seeing the butterfly emblem, anger and murder? The irony of Lamey knowing this? His guilt and his unwillingness to face it? His unwillingness for the marriage to go ahead? Possessiveness? His visit to the Gillespies and the lies? His return home, the sexual encounter with Kady? The irony of Lamey being responsible for the arrest? The interrogation in the court? The legal issues and the judge's attitude? moral issues? His trying to protect Kady? Telling her the truth? Her discovery that he was not her father? Her choosing to go with Wash? His farewell? The irony of Lamey following him - to kill him? How well developed a character? In his context? Principles, passion, values? Their being challenged? His hurting and exploiting others? The eruption of violence? Guilt and atonement for guilt?

9. The characterisation of Belle: the discussion about her, love for Jesse. leaving with Moke, bringing up the children, her bad example? Kady like her mother? Her arrival, illness, drinking? Collapse? Clashes? Wanting to tell Jesse the truth? Stabbing Moke? Her reasons for this? Her funeral - the occasion for Moke to rob the mine? An effective character sketch?

10. Moke as Jesse's rival. taking Belle away, his arrogance and swagger? His being stabbed by Belle as she died? His greed? Confrontation with Jesse? Taunting him with having no guts? The discovery of the birthmark? Jesse's anger and his death? The sketch of Lamey and his snooping on Jesse and Kady? Knowing about the death of Moke? His testimony in court? His having the birthmark? His driving after Jesse to kill him?

11. The Gillespies and their wealth? Wash and his weakness? Abandoning Kady? Change of heart? His sharing experience at Jesse's home? The plan to marry Kady? Jesse's story? Wash's weakness and not going to Kady? The sketch of the parents and their disdain of the situation? Making the best of it? Glad at hearing the truth? Wash's final decision to act, taking Kady and the baby away? What future?

12. Janey and her resembling her father, her devotion to Kady and the baby, her mother's death?

13. The sketch of the town: the shops, cafe, dances, fights, the court?

14. The sketch of the judge, Orson Welles caricature? His administration of justice, his leering at Kady, his administration of the court? His stating the law? His attitudes towards the incest? The confusion? His statement of attitudes?

15. The theme of incest? A traditional taboo? Scripture references? The reasons in society for condemning incest? The explanation? The moral situation, legal situation. Audiences judging the situation, judging the characters?

16. The film as presenting a microcosm of the United States? James M. Cain's tragic issues Americanised?