PEACOCK

US, 2010, 90 minutes, Colour.
Cillian Murphy, Ellen Page, Susan Sarandon, Josh Lucas, Bill Pullman, Graham Beckel, Keith Carradine.
Directed by Michael Lander.

Peacock is a somewhat misleading name for the film. It is the name of a town in Nebraska where the action takes place in the 1950s. It is our portrait of a small American town, the people who work at the bank, people who work at the diner, the local senator and his wife, the campaign efforts, the local policeman and his concern.

However, the main focus is on the character played by Cillian Murphy who had played a cross dresser in Neil Jordan’s Breakfast on Pluto. We first see him as Emma, putting out the washing, preparing breakfast, the train passing by the backyard of their house. Then we see him as John, getting ready for work, eating the breakfast, riding his bike to work, getting a workload from his boss (Bill Pullman) and diligently working.

He might have been able to live this double life but a train is derailed and crashes into the backyard of his house while Emma is working with the washing. A photo is taken of her rescuing a child and she become something of a celebrity. This means that John has to work harder to separate the identities of his two personalities, especially when Emma is in favour of using the train as a venue for a political rally while John is not and pays for the removal of the train.
Also complicating matters is Maggie (Ellen Page) a young unmarried mother who comes to John for financial support to leave the town. Emma, on the other hand, wants Maggie to go to the local refuge run by the Senator’s wife (Susan Sarandon).

Audiences may be reminded of Psycho, but this is a more gentle treatment of this kind are subject, even though a death and false identity are key to the plot.

1. The title? The name of the town? Nebraska in the 1950s? The focus on the town, homes, the bank, the diner, trailer way of life, the passing train? The musical score?

2. Atmosphere, costumes and decor? The period?

3. The political background, the Senate campaign, people at the rallies, the preparation for the rally at the derailed train?

4. The introduction to Emma, the washing on the line, the train passing, preparing the breakfast? The introduction to John, waking, dressing, the breakfast, riding his bike, his job at the bank, the discussions with his boss, the workload? His bosses later complaints?

5. At which point in the film did the audience realise that John and Emma were the same person? The opening credits with the background of the mother’s voice, the picture of John, her criticising him, saying she did not love him any more? His mother and her death? The arrival of Emma? Different from John’s mother? (Audiences and their thinking of echoes of Hitchcock’s Psycho?)

6. The train passing, the crash, the effect? Emma and her presence? Saving the child? The picture in the papers? The press? The Senator and his wife, her visits, the plan for the rally? The local police officer and his visits, trying to meet John but meeting Emma? Trying to help?

7. Emma in favour of the rally? John against it? The clashes? The effect on John, at home, going out, covering and making excuses for Emma? His going to the man to pay for the removal of the train, and the man coming, demanding the money from Emma?

8. Maggie, relationship with John, her child, asking for money? Wanting to leave the town? Her working at the diner, the violent treatment from the owner? Going to the house of refuge at Emma’s insistence? The shelter, her resistance, being persuaded? Maggie being confused because of the two?

9. Fanny, the Senator’s wife, political intentions, her care, interest in women, the refuge? Visiting Emma? Emma and hesitant driving the car? The shelter, the visits? The difficulties in dealing with Emma, the reaction of John?, And his accompanying the Senator’s wife, his insensitivity to women?

10. John, his anger, his work at the job, diligent, his lunch being packed, quietly eating it? The box in the bank, his depositing the money? His offering to give Maggie the money to go? His wanting to pay for the removal of the train? His going to the motel? Emma, dressing up, going dancing, taking the man she danced with into the room, setting the fire and Maggie identifying the dead body as John’s?

11. Maggie, final, going? The rally? And John being forever Emma?