SPEECHLESS

US, 1994, 99 minutes, Colour.
Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Christopher Reeve, Bonnie Bedelia, Ernie Hudson, Charles Martin Smith, Gaillard Sartain, Ray Baker, Mitchell Ryan, Harry Shearer, Steven Wright.
Directed by Ron Underwood.

Speechless has the genial presence of Michael Keaton and Geena Davis as the centre of the film. It was made in the Clinton era, a Democrat era in American politics – and is interesting to look at in retrospect, especially from the Bush and Trump administration and behaviour.

The setting is a Senate election and campaigning in New Mexico. Geena Davis as Julia is a seasoned campaigner and speechwriter. Kevin, Michael Keaton, is a sitcom writer but seconded to write speeches for this campaign. They are attracted – but don’t tell each other what they do, and it would be exposed as they talk to students at a school.

There is a lot of attempts at outdoing each other, smart speeches, smooth moves, the naming of the cutting between Mexico and the US (not a wall) is used for campaigning as the Friendship Ditch. There is also a running story about lost cubs which dominates the news instead of the politics. Julia is smart and gets her candidate to rescue the cubs.

Christopher Reeve appears as Julia’s former fiance, rekindling the relationship, but its being broken off, he being very much concerned with himself and his own image. Bonnie Bedelia, on the staff of the Republicans, also has an eye on Kevin.

There are some fallings out, each than helping the other and a final reconciliation – and the possibility for Julia to run for politics in Rhode Island with Kevin as her manager.

1. Romantic comedy? The tradition of the screwball comedies of the 1930s? The title, the jokes about politics and speechwriting?

2. Politics in the Clinton era, later? The status of Democrats? Republicans?

3. The screenplay being pro Democrats, critique of Republicans? Both candidates taking bribes?

4. New Mexico, the election, the Senate? Scenes of the city, hotels, the countryside? Media rooms? Studios? Debate halls? The musical score?

5. Geena Davis and her screen presence? Julia, her age, experience with campaigns, causes? The background of her team? The hotel, not sleeping, buying the Tylenol, the encounter with Kevin, splitting the pills? The drive, the food, the sexual attraction?

6. Michael Keaton and his screen presence? Kevin, age, experience, writing sitcoms, secondment to write political speeches? The background of his divorce?

7. Julia, the members of the team, collaboration, ideas, potential sexual harassment and Julia standing her ground?

8. Each not telling the other what they really did? Both going to the school, the meeting, the discovery, the antagonism and the answers?

9. The attraction, yet on different sides? Their work, the speeches and ideas, the candidates delivering the speeches, the cue cards? The issue of the Friendship Ditch on the border between US and Mexico? Each outdoing the other? The recurring popular story on television about the cubs? Julia having the idea for the candidate to rescue the cubs, the television treatment?

10. Julia and her fiance, his being in Iraq, Christopher Reeve and his smooth style, the engagement, on-again, his vanity, discussing his idea with Kevin about following the speechwriter, but applying it to Julia, the various episodes, the effect on her, calling it off? Calling off the engagement?

11. The two and their meetings, arguments, the meetings about not meeting? Julia communicating the news to Kevin about her engagement, the drinking, the sexual encounter?

12. Kevin knowing that she was to be fired? The scenes of his sitcom? His drinking, her writing the speech for him? His thinking she had betrayed him? The comedians being present, the success?

13. Julia, her being welcomed, the associate being fired? The issue of her standing for politics herself?

14. The election, the Democrat winner, the background of the bribes, his taking bribes? The speeches and his thanks, wanting Julia to come to the stage?

15. Kevin, his change of heart, the microphone, the declaration of love, the two talking frankly, his swinging down from the gallery? The kiss?

16. Julia, her going to Rhode Island, the politics – and Kevin as her manager?