RADIO FLYER

US, 1992, 128 minutes, Colour.
Tom Hanks, Elijah Wood, Joseph Mazello, Lorraine Bracco, Adam Baldwin, John Heard.
Directed by Richard Donner.

At the opening of Radio Flyer, Tom Hanks is a father talking with his young son and telling him the story, urging him always to tell the truth. The film then goes into flashback, Hanks still narrating the story, about himself and his younger brother and their being harshly treated by their mother’s partner, The King (Adam Baldwin, always filmed in shadow rather than directly indicating the sinister presence in the house).

The boys are played by the up and coming young actors, Elijah Wood and Joseph Mazello. It would appear that the younger brother, Mazello, was being physically abused by The King. Ultimately, their mother, played by Lorraine Bracco, is horrified and tries to protect them. However, their cart, the Radio Flyer, which they had used to do deliveries for people building up a little cash reserve, is transformed into a plane in which the younger boy flies off to escape his home.

The question is whether the father is telling the story about himself and his brother or just simply himself and the self that was tormented by the stepfather. That the whole thing is a fantasy interpretation of a grim situation.

Radio Flyer was directed by Richard Donner, whose films were wide-ranging, including Superman the Movie, Conspiracy Theory, Maverick.

1. The title? Expectations? Planes, the boy’s trolley, the boys and their relationship to the trolley? Relationship with flying?

2. The California story, the town, the overview from the hill, streets, homes, countryside and surroundings? A sense of realism? The musical score?

3. The realism in the story, but a child’s view, especially of King and his presence in the house, relationship with Mary, violent treatment of the boys, his drinking? Mikey and his dreams? Fantasies? The buffalo?

4. The speculation by viewers about the film, whether there were really two boys not, just the one boy, Mikey as the narrator, going into his imagination, his telling the story, his point to the boys about the truth being in the telling of the story? His telling the story as a way of coping with abuse and violence?

5. The introduction, Mikey as an adult, with his son, the boys playing, with planes, the clash, asking him about the past, his explaining about fidelity and promises, storytelling and truth? The strength of the narrative from Tom Hanks?

6. The story of the young boys, Asher and his wanting to fly? The group, the bike, their urging him on, going downhill, the ramp, the take-off, his flying, hitting the plane, falling, injuring himself? The boys later encountering him at the gas station, his advice?

7. Mary, her character, the failure of the marriage, driving the boys west, the journey, the peanut butter, the lack of money? Introducing the boys and their characters? Arriving at the show, Geronimo Bill, his welcome, not charging them, the boys and the looking at the buffalo and their amazement? The lone buffalo and its theme?

8. Arriving at the home, settling down, their rooms, Mary going to work, meeting King, falling in love, his treatment of her, Mary happy, his drinking, the toolshed? The boys happy for their mother to be happy?

9. The visual device for photographing King? From the child’s point of view? In the shadows, no head or shaded, his seeming like a monster? The visuals of the abuse, his words, the beatings, always for Bobby? The police chief and his driving past, welcoming the boys, noticing something wrong, the arrest of King? King’s return, more drinking, his failure despite his promises? Mary and her disillusionment? Pain for her boys?

10. The boys, the strong bonding, complementary? Like one child? With the buffalo dream? The buffalo’s tears? Mikey discovering Bobby’s back and the wounds, caring for him, not telling their mother, his improvising with the bath so that she would not see the wounds?

11. The boys at play, exploring, the myth of Asher, going to the rock, the lookout, hopes and desires? The gift of the Flyer? The local boys, the clashes, fights, their changing and welcoming Mikey, his playing football with them, the tough challenges, his winning through?

12. Mikey aware of Bobby’s mystical aspect, knowing more than others?

13. The details of their life at home, play, on the hill? The collecting of the bottles? Making some money? The golf balls and their finding them, selling them? Keeping the money, hiding it, not spending it until the right time?

14. The plan, Bobby and his leaving, their building the plane within a week, fuelling and meeting Asher?

15. Bobby, the radio contact with Mikey, going down the hill, the ramp, missing the plane, flying into the distance? Mikey trying to show his mother? The later cards and the story of Bobby’s life and travels? The speculation that this was Mikey’s way of telling the story, of Bobby’s death?

16. Mary, at work, the news, the police chief and his help, watching?

17. The return to the adult Mikey, and the moral of his tale, promises, and truth in the telling of the tale?