LOSING CHASE
US, 1996, 98 minutes, Colour.
Helen Mirren, Kyra Sedgwick, Beau Bridges, Michael Yarmush, Lucas Denton.
Directed by Kevin Bacon.
Losing Chase was made for television, very much a woman’s film in the best sense, written by Anne Meredith, with two very striking performances, by Helen Mirren, winning a Golden Globe for this performance, and Kyra Sedgwick who executive produced. The film was directed by actor, Kevin Bacon, married to Kyra Sedgwick.
The setting is Martha’s Vineyard, capitalising on the summer beauty of the town, the coast, the beaches and the sea.
Helen Mirren portrays Chase, married to Beau Bridges, but having suffered a mental collapse, losing control and dancing on a lighthouse in the midst of the storm. She has been institutionalised but allowed to return home where she languishes, tired, sitting on the porch. Her husband is devoted to her, her younger son very affectionate for his mother, her older son, very critical.
The husband decides to hire a companion for Chase during the summer. She is Elizabeth, a college graduate, played by Kyra Sedgwick who has had a bad experience in the past with her mother’s mental breakdown and death and her sister is in an institution, Elizabeth visiting her during the summer.
At first, things are very difficult, Chase being very acerbic in her comments, playing mental games. There is a change after Elizabeth has visited her sister and finds Chase in the rain in the vegetable garden, imagines her as her mother and has quite an emotional outburst, Chase consoling her and a bond created between the two women.
As the summer continues and the husband returns to work, the two women bond, the two sons relate much better and there is a lot of summer activity, on the water, drives, on the beach.
The emotional twist at the end is that Chase comes to realise that she loves Elizabeth, that she has not fully loved her husband. This has quite an impact on Elizabeth who feels she must leave. In the confrontation between Chase and her husband, she is able to tell him that Elizabeth has brought her to life in a way that he could never have done, which leads to a separation, Elizabeth out of their lives except in memories, and a more peaceful coexistence in future.
1. A drama about breakdown, mental conditions, companionship, healing?
2. The Martha’s Vineyard setting, the island and its beauty, homes, the town, streets, the water and peaches, the cliffs? The beaches and walks? The drives? The feel of the place? The musical score?
3. The title, the focus on Chase, her mental situation, institutions, deterioration, at home? Her relationship with her husband, with her sons? With Elizabeth? Her recovery – but her husband losing her?
4. Helen Mirren as Chase, awards? Her screen presence? Her voice-over, the words to describe her breakdown and collapse? Her observations about the institution? Her return home? Her relationship with her husband, accepting him, love? Her children, Jason and his devotion, Richard and his hostility? Her husband getting her the gift of a companion?
5. Chase, her attitudes, being tired, lying down, on the porch, the reaction to Elizabeth, testing her, playing mental games, verbal? Calling her a slave? Golden retriever? Her behaviour on the porch, in her room, at the meals?
6. Richard, his character, love for Chase, supporting her, the sons, with Elizabeth, Chase’s insinuations? An honourable man? Going back to work? His son phoning him, his return, his attitudes towards Chase and the relationship with Elizabeth? Accusations? Chase and her frank comments to her husband, her appreciation of Elizabeth, bringing her back to health, bring her back to life? In a way that her husband never could? Leaving him?
7. Elizabeth, her studies, the summer, responding to the job? Her background, her mother and her mental instability, death? Her sister in the institution, the visits, the comparisons between the two, the hostile attitude of her sister? The return from the visit, seeing Chase in the rain, at the vegetable garden, her outburst, talking to her as if she were her mother, the breaking point, the two women bonding?
8. Elizabeth and her reactions to Chase, preparing the meals, taking the boys out, boating, at the club, the attention of the barman, the women and their gossip? Her role in putting up with Chase? With Richard? With the boys?
9. The import of her visit to her sister, the audience understanding her better? Her return and the confrontation with Chase?
10. Things improving, the vegetable garden, Richard’s absence, Chase and the drive, the gift of the car, with the boys, on the beach? Things improving with the boys?
11. Elizabeth swimming, Chase drowsy, thinking that Elizabeth had drowned, becoming frantic, the reaction of her sons, Richard denouncing her as mad? Finding Elizabeth, the passionate kiss, her reaction?
12. The son, observing his mother, the storm, Chase closing the window, falling on the bed, the boy seeing this and phoning his father?
13. The effect on Elizabeth, her own affections, sexuality? The decision to leave? Chase coming to the wharf, the gift of the car? The impact of Chase on Elizabeth’s life?
14. Chase, sleeping, finding that Elizabeth had gone, the boys giving her the car keys, driving, the wharf, confronting Richard, the farewell to Elizabeth, the gift of the car?
15. The aftermath, the separation, Richard bringing the boys, Chase’s life – and her comments about her experience, her memories, thinking of Elizabeth…?
