A WALK ON THE MOON
US, 1999, 100 minutes, Colour.
Diane Lane, Liev Schreiber, Viggo Mortensen, Tova Feldshuh, Anna Paquin. Voice of Julie Kavner.
Directed by Tony Goldwyn.
The setting for this film about an American family, an average American family, is the summer of 1969, the time of the first moon landing, an atmosphere of excitement – and the period of Woodstock.
This is a very ordinary American family, the father, Liev Schreiber, hard-working, the mother, Diane Lane, pregnant at 17, then marrying, not able to fulfil any of her hopes and dreams. Viggo Mortensen is a travelling salesman with whom she has an affair. Tova Feldshuh is the rather all-knowing grandmother. And Anna Paquin is the teenage daughter. The voice of Julie Kavner recurs throughout the film giving announcements on the PA system at the camp.
The film is something of a portrait of family, marriage intense relationships, infidelity, difficulties in bringing up rebellious teenagers. There is also the hurt to the injured husband, how the wife will cope, the possibilities for a solution in some kind of talking and listening.
The film was directed by actor Tony Goldwyn.
1. A 20th-century family drama? Marriage, fidelity and infidelity?
2. 1969, the summer? The US, politics, the Vietnam war, the walk on the moon? The excitement? The summer camp, work and fixing television sets? The film as a 30 years look in retrospect?
3. The period, the look, clothes, the camp, activities, the house, the salesman and his caravan, the celebration at Woodstock? The score, the range of contemporary songs?
4. The family, gathering, the travel, holidays? Marty, his having to go to work? Love for his family? Pearl, her love, her life and lack of fulfilment? Alison, her age, adolescent, puberty? Rebellious? Her period? Danny, the youngster, playing and enjoying the holiday? The grandmother, her presence, cheerful, her knowing what was going on?
5. The device of the voice, the announcements, all the activities and style of the camp?
6. The salesman, personal, his caravan, selling clothes and other goods, the customers at the camp, Pearl giving advice, his visits, the gift of the blouse, the attraction, the beginning of the affair, her response, his responsibility? Her telling him the truth, continuing the relationship?
7. The grandmother, her aware of being aware of what was happening? Asking Pearl? Contacting her son?
8. Marty, his work, having to travel, enjoying the weekends with the family, the various visits, his mother’s warning, and Pearl’s return from Woodstock, their talk, her confession, his being hurt? Having to make a decision? The later talk, her explanation, the issue of her not being able to talk properly, of his listening and not listening?
9. Danny, his injury, Pearl going to help get help from the salesman, his coming, able to provide the help? Marty, his arrival, apprehensive, the salesman staying in the background, leaving after being thanked?
10. Alison as a rebel, the boyfriend, the issue about going all the way or not? Her mother’s apprehensiveness? Her period, the celebration, her mother and grandmother, buying the dress? The teenager of the era?
11. Alison, the serious talk with her mother? Hearing she was a mistaken birth? Her mother reassured her, telling the story of her relationship with Marty, meeting him, the charm, in the car, her pregnancy, giving birth? Marriage? Her love?
12. The resolution, the possibility for Pearl and Marty to talk, appreciate each other? The symbolism of the dancing?
