BUSTIN' LOOSE

US, 1981, 88 minutes, Colour.
Richard Pryor, Cicely Tyson.
Directed by Oz Scott.

Bustin' Loose is a Richard Pryor comedy. He produced the film, wrote the original story and stars in a mixture of his clowning style and Sidney Poitier in To Sir With Love. The film (echoing Pryor in Stir Crazy) is about a conman criminal who is asked to exercise his parole driving a bus of misfit children across America. He is in the company of a rather prim social worker played by Cicely Tyson. The inevitable happens: they fall in love, they charm the children, they get to their destination which is more than they hoped for, they get the money needed for their farm by tricking confidence men and money schemes. It is all too good to be true but quite entertaining in its way. The film has all the ingredients of humorous/sentimental liberalism and relies on this for its charm. On a popular level, it works quite well.

1. An enjoyable comedy? Human interest? A piece of Americana?

2. The film as a Richard Pryor vehicle? His frantic comic style, blended with more quiet touches and sentiment? Pryor's involvement in the whole film? His standard routines? His being matched with Cicely Tyson to give the film a romantic touch?

3. The tradition of the road film: the bus touring America, the cross-section of states, of people, situations, locations? The possibilities for comic touches? The panorama of America?

4. The introduction to Pryor's character: Joe - robberies and the elaborate failure of stealing the television sets? His going to court and his frantic behaviour and acting up to the judge? The reaction of his parole officer? The parole officer putting pressure on him ? the fixing of the bus? The introduction to Vivienne and the kids?

5. The contrast with Vivienne and her teaching, her care for the handicapped and the maladjusted children? Lack of funds, the threat of closure? The getting of the bus? Her invincible determination to get to Washington State? Her personal style and manner compared with that of Joe? Her relationship with Donald and his suspicions throughout the film?

6. Joe facing the situation: initial introduction to the kids and their range of difficulties and disabilities? The bus and its chugging along? The variety of stops and the squabbles about motels, rooms. supervision and the difficulties with the kids? The kids running away and Vivienne's desperation? Ice's gradually charming the kids and getting to know them, affirming them? The fishing sequences and the falling in the lake? The sticking in the mud and the help given by the Ku Klux Klansmen? The playing of strip poker? Ice gradually learning of the problems? The kiddie who wanted to drive the bus and crashing it? Donald's pursuit of Joe and his growing suspicions and antagonism?

7. The film's sentiment: relating to each of the children? Vivienne's change and learning to like Joe. fall in love with him?

8. Cicely Tyson and her stuffy style? Determination, pushing Joe and making demands of him e.g. at the motels? Her falling into the mud and into the lake and being able to laugh at herself?

9. The passing through the range of locations, through the mountains, the arrival in Seattle? The pleasant situation of the farm? The discovery of the difficulties about the bank? Vivienne trying to raise the money?

10. The humour of the encounter with Dr. Wilson T. Renfrew and his assistant? Their confidence tricksterism about raising money? Richard Pryor's comedy routine in Joining, seeming to help them and rob them? The elaborate chase and smash-up of the shop?

11. Donald pursuing Joe, demanding him back, the confrontation with Vivienne? His giving in and the happy ending? How well did the film sketch in Joe and Vivienne and their relationship with each of the children?

12. The emphasis on the children and their disabilities, learning to cope, what they taught each other, what they taught Joe, what he taught them? The popular ingredients for sentiment and comedy?