CARRIED AWAY

US, 1996, 108 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Hopper, Amy Irving, Amy Locane, Julie Harris, Gary Busey, Hal Holbrook, Priscilla Pointer, Christopher Pettiet.
Directed by the Bruno Barretto.

Carried Away is based on the story by Jim Harrison, author of Wolf and Legends of the Fall. It is a Texas story, a story of a middle-aged man, Joseph, who had an accident falling from a tractor when he was young and now walks with a limp and with a stick, who teaches at the local school. It is also the story of Rosealee, played by Amy Irving, a widow with a son in the school but who is in love with Joseph.

The title refers to the experience of Joseph when a rather precocious teenage girl from the city (Amy Locane) is enrolled in the school and makes a play for him. He hesitates, and then succumbs, feeling something he has never felt in his life before. When he thinks he should break the relationship, the girl gets angry and sets fire to his barn, even killing her horse in the flames. Her father, ex-army, played by Gary Busey, is a decent man and discusses the situation with Joseph, rather than taking any vindictive action.

This means that Joseph has to re-assess his life, and commit himself to the relationship with Rosalie. There is a good supporting cast including Julie Harris as his mother, Hal Holbrook as the local doctor.

This is one of Dennis Hopper’s best performances, a restrained and emotional performance.

Direction is by Bruno Barreto, a Brazilian director who made a wide range of films but made his mark with Donna floor and her Husband’s.


1. A Texas drama? The title? In reference to Joseph’s behaviour? The title of the original story, The Farmer? The work of James Harrison?

2. The Brazilian director, his perspective? The strong cast?

3. The Texas landscapes, the farm, the barns, the house? The town, homes, school? The farmlands? The musical score?

4. The prologue? Joseph at work on the tractor, his fall, the accident, the consequences for his leg?

5. Joseph as adult, waking up, caring for his mother, living with her? His going to school, meeting Rosealee and the students, teaching literature, self-taught? Rosealee and her students, the supervision? The passing of the years, the routines, their relationship? Her being a widow, her son in the class?

6. Catherine, coming to the town with her father, his being an ex-major? His wife and her mental health? Coming to the school, Catherine enrolled? Coming from the city, her father bringing her because she was wild, hoping for her to settle down in the country? Her interest in the horse? Coming to see Joseph? Riding the horse and the agistment?

7. Catherine, her age, sexuality, approaching Joseph in the barn, seductive, her motivation, Joseph leaving, re-considering, his return? The frank depiction of the sequences?

8. The year passing, Joseph and his teaching, the relationship with Catherine? With Rosealee? The effect?

9. His being reported as not being authenticated as a teacher? The interview with the panel, their observations, strict perspective, his frank responses? The closing of the school and the children having to travel long distances? The difficulties for Texas country education?

10. Joseph his mother, the bonds, her death, funeral?

11. Joseph and Rosealee, the perspectives of her mother and her blunt expression?

12. Joseph, friendship with the doctor, his visits, his finding Joseph and Catherine, his views, advice?

13. Joseph and the breaking off of the relationship, Catherine and her provocation, nudity, her being hurt, burning down the barn? The horse in flames?
Death?

14. Catherine’s father, Joseph with the gun, talking with the father, both decent men, the situation with the affair, Joseph’s expression, the father’s
response, the mother and her being out of it, slapping him? The explanation for Catherine’s behaviour?

15. Rosealee and her being hurt, the discussions with Joseph? Their mutual needs, their love, her concern about her son, his observations on the relationship? The couple, middle- age, a future?