THE TEMP
US, 1993, 99 minutes, Colour.
Timothy Hutton, Lara Flynn Boyle, Dwight Schultz, Oliver Platt, Steven Weber, Faye Dunaway, Maura Tierney, Lin Shaye, Jesse Vint.
Directed by Tom Holland.
The Temp takes up a theme that was popular in some films of the 1990s, for example Disclosure, with the conflict between Michael Douglas and Demi Moore, or the more famous conflict between Glenn Close and Michael Douglas in Fatal Attraction.
Timothy Hutton is an executive in a biscuit company. He has problems, is seeing a psychiatrist, separated from his wife, concerned about promotions. There are rivalries within the company – embodied in such people as Oliver Platt and Faye Dunaway. He is given a temp to help him through difficulties. She is played by Lara Flynn Boyle, very efficient, glamorous, dangerous. As the film proceeds she becomes even more dangerous, with a confrontation between herself and Faye Dunaway.
The film shows the atmosphere of big business as well as its tensions. It also is a drama on the sexual politics and discussions of the 1990s. It was directed by Tom Holland who made an impact with Fright Night and the first of the Child’s Play films.
1. An interesting thriller? The corporate world? The 1990s? The state of play in the competitiveness between men and women in corporations?
2. The Boston settings, the city, the corporations and stores, homes, the musical score and its mood?
3. The title, the focus on Kris?
4. Peter Derns, in therapy, his paranoid attitudes and behaviour, the response to the doctor, becoming better, his wife and son, the meetings? Sport? The phone calls? Peter as a victim? Going to meetings, the issues of promotions, Jack and his sneering? Sara and her role in the company? Roger and his talk? The project, promotion, ideas, Charlene and her dominance? Peter as busy, work, needing an assistant, his assistant pregnant and going for the child’s birth?
5. Kris, her work, the sultry attitude, the femme fatale, efficiency, her decisions, decorating the office, pushing forward the projects, the work, problems with the photocopier, impressing everyone, Peter and the attraction?
6. Her personality, Stanford, lies about her past, the bank, the issue of deaths, her temporary positions? Jack and promotions? The assistant and his hand? Jack, the wasp and his death? Kris always plausible, ingratiating herself, the wife and the date with Peter and the ambiguities, her seeing the kiss, the account, the gifts, compromise?
7. Kris, Brad, the explanations?
8. Roger, his role, attitude towards Peter, death?
9. The build-up to the cookies, the glass in the cookies, the media demonstration, the mayhem with the people, the importance of this event?
10. Peter, his warnings, alert to Kris, the alienation, the picnic, the swim?
11. The meeting, going to the factory, the murder? Charlene, her presence, the attack, the fall? The police? Kris framing Peter? His paranoia contributing to his testimony?
12. Peter as chosen, office, success?
13. The contribution of Faye Dunaway and her presence as Charlene? The background of such films as Network? The clash between Kris and Charlene? The truth, murder?
14. The investigation, unmasking of Kris? Her future? The happy ending and the new temp for Peter?
