CAST AWAY
US, 2000, 145 minutes, Colour.
Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis.
Chuck Roland works for Fed Ex. He is a time and efficiency expert, who keeps his staff on their toes. He works at international level and helps to establish his company in Moscow.
He returns home to Memphis for Christmas intending to propose to his girlfriend, Kelly. He is called away suddenly to fill in for a training instructor and promises to be back for New Year's Eve.
Returning from the session, his plane crashes in the Pacific and he is marooned on a tropical island. Tides prevent his sailing away. He has to cope with finding food and making a shelter. He is able to retrieves packages that are washed ashore. One of his greatest challenges is trying to light a fire.
One of the packages contains a volleyball. He paints a face on it. Over the years, Wilson (from the name of the company who produced the ball) becomes his companion and confidant. He adapts to his timeless existence although sometimes he is profoundly tempted to despair.
After four years of isolation, some corrugated plastic washes up on the beach. He is able to build a raft. He sets off but drifts on the ocean. He is particularly distressed when he loses Wilson who floats away.
Rescued by a freighter, he returns home to find that Kelly, presuming that he was dead, has married and has a child. Chuck realises that he must leave her to her new life. He goes to the midwest to deliver a parcel, with an angel design on its packaging. He had never opened it on the island.
Cast Away is rather predictable, though what else can you do to survive except collect rainwater, spear fish, try to get a fire going? And write 'Help' as largely as you can on the sand? Yet the enjoyment of the predictable is to see how the movie fulfils what you are expecting. Cast Away is enjoyable, not 'what if...?' but 'how?'.
Chuck is a hands-on officer for Fed Ex, the organiser par excellence. Duty and loyalty to the company are important and prevail over personal relationships, even marriage proposals. The Oscar-nominated Tom Hanks is persuasive as Chuck.
Chuck is transformed by being alone and having to cope. His girlfriend's picture sustains his emotional strength. The blood from a deep gash in his palm, smeared on a volleyball, makes a face and 'Wilson' becomes his friend. The sequence where he finally sails to freedom and Wilson is dislodged and floats away is very emotional. Chuck weeps disconsolately at the loss of his 'companion'.
The final twenty minutes show Chuck as a man changed by his experience. He has become a quiet, hesitant, open man. This is especially true as he faces Kelly and appreciates her situation. She had been urged to let go of him four years earlier start a new life.
Cast Away begins on an isolated and deserted southwest American road. The camera pans to a crossroads. Cast Away ends at the same cross roads but with Chuck standing there studying a map. He has asked directions. He knows the options. He smiles gently to himself about the road he will choose.
1. The impact of the film? A favourable reviews? The audience identifying with Chuck? With Kelly? With his friends?
2. The crossroads at the beginning and end of the film? The issue of fate? The issue of choices?
3. The title, the shipwreck, Chuck being cast away by people?
4. Chuck as a person, his work with Fed Ex? Devoting his time and energy, his commitment, parcels on the move, being delivered? The audience seeing the process in action?
5. The work in Russia, the personnel, introducing reform?
6. His being single, his range of friends, especially within the company? The meal, the chatter?
7. His relationship with Kelly, her background, the studies, her love for Chuck, the meal, people wanting the proposal, going to the airport, talk, the gift of the watch with her photo, her watching him go?
8. The crash, the deaths, the wreckage, the Pacific Ocean?
9. His survival, the ordeal, the visual experience for the audience, the water, waves, fierce, his being near to drowning, the raft, floating?
10. On land, his attitude, exhaustion, searching for people, no wonder there, the sign for “Help Me”, the attempts to make fire and his ultimate success? The coconut falling, the sound, his fear?
11. The isolation, the sense of abandonment? The importance of the watch and the photo of Kelly?
12. Chuck‘s managing, saving the material, the fed ex parcels, material for the tent, his clothes, spearing the fish, the coconuts and the difficulties opening them, moisture? The range of the weather, climbing the cliff, the packages and the sentimental contents?
13. Wilson, the volleyball, his making the face, Wilson’s presence throughout the years, playing with Wilson, talking, losing Wilson, rescuing him? The final loss at sea?
14. The four years passing? The decision to build the raft, the time taken, the material, climbing to get the rope? His keeping fit, the beard and wild hair? The effect on his psychological condition?
15. His going to sea, getting over the reef, losing Wilson, his exhaustion, lying on the raft, passing the container ship? His being rescued, the flight home, changed appearance, the preparation for his return?
16. The ceremony on his return, the reassurance of his friends, of the company, his trying to cope, news about his burial, the concern about Kelly, her husband coming to talk to him?
17. Chuck’s decision to visit Kelly, her lying awake, answering the door, his returning the watch, the sentiment that he had, wanting it to be in her family? Going in the car, the talk about the relationship, what had happened, Kelly trying to cope, the urging of friends, her marriage, her child? The love, but Chuck wanting her to stay in her own life?
18. Chuck and his love, but the opportunity to begin life again?
