POINT OF ORIGIN
US, 2002, 86 minutes, Colour.
Ray Liotta, John Leguizamo, Colm Feore, Cliff Curtis, Bai Ling, Illeana Douglas, Ronny Cox.
Directed by Thomas Newton Sigel.
Point of Origin is an HBO television film from the early 2000’s, recreating a story from the 1980s.
American audiences of the time may have remembered the character and the episodes. However, those not in the know will be astonished as the film goes on to find that it is based on actual events and characters and that the hero with whom they could identify is actually the guilty party.
This is a film about arson and many fires in the Los Angeles area during the 1980s. The special effects for the fires and their ferocity make quite an impact.
However, it is the human drama that is important, a focus on John Orr, a seemingly respectable role for Ray Liotta – but not for the extent of the whole film. He is a chief arson expert, giving lectures, giving advice to investigators, a man very much admired. He also has a theory about the suspect and is able to provide witness sketches of him.
As the film progresses, and John Orr is seen writing a novel about arson, the audience realises that he himself is the arsonist and is dramatising his exploits in his novel – many of which are visualised. He is married with a family, rather strict, but is also having an affair with a local policewoman.
The film has a strong supporting cast with John Leguizamo as his support and admirer, Colm Fiore as the Chief Inspector, Ronny Cox as the fire chief, by Ling as his wife, Ilieana Douglas as the policewoman.
John Orr tools tells his squad that ego is the main motivation behind arson is ego – and the whole story illustrates the ego of a mentally disturbed man and the consequences of his action.
1. A true story? The character, his behaviour, fires in California, the 1980s? The credibility of the character and his story?
2. Los Angeles, the various city locations, homes, fire stations, investigation offices, the streets, homes? The musical score?
3. The fires, the special effects for the fires, the devastation, the rescues?
4. The introduction to John Orr, his sober appearance, moustache, credible? His background, as a firefighter, his expertise, lectures, finding the point of origin for each fire? His attendance on the fires, observing, commenting? His contributing to the investigations?
5. Keith, the assistant, earnest, learning from John, supporting him, against criticisms? His being part of the team of investigation? Suspicions of John, his scepticism? Following John, seeing him and his having the affair? Ultimately having to give in? His dismay at what happened?
6. John, at home, his wife and children, devoted to his work? Audience surprise at his having the affair? His double behaviour, declarations to his wife? His writing the novel, the wife discovering it? His reaction?
7. The visualising of the suspect, Keith and John with the witness, John feeding her the description and her saying what they wanted? The sketches? The film visualising the suspect, setting the fire in the shop, observing, rejection by the girl, going to apartment, the assault, setting the fire, her death? His planting the fingerprints for John’s guilt?
8. The extent of the fires, the number, the investigations, checking with people at seminars, crosschecking? The fingerprint and John’s identity?
9. John, continuing his work, consulting? The domestic scenes, his daughter, threatening her boyfriend?
10. The novel, the authorities getting it? John’s theory of arson being a matter of ego? His arrest – and his imagination turning him into a shooting hero with all the corpses? The contents of his kit? The contrast with the reality?
11. Case, the trial, in prison? An extraordinary ego?
