GERALD’S GAME

US, 2017, 103 minutes, Colour.
Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Henry Thomas, Chiara Aurelia, Carel Struycken, Kate Siegel.
Directed by Mike Flanagan.

Stephen King is the author of the book, Gerald’s Game. While it has elements of horror, it is also a story about a marriage, its breakdown, sexual relationships, the touches of sadomasochism.

It is also a tour de force performance by Carla Gugino, the wife who travels with her husband, Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) to a cottage out in the country to try to make something of their marriage – and they are seen packing handcuffs as they leave.

Significant for the horror is that they are stopped on the road by a dog, feeding on roadkill, who later reappears and is fed choice meat by the wife. She leaves the door unlocked, goes into join her husband who handcuffs her to the bed. As they begin the foreplay, she reacts badly. Gerald has a heart seizure, collapses and falls to the floor.

So, a scenario where the wife is handcuffed to the bed, her husband dead and the dog coming in and feeding on the body, no expected contacts or visitors, the phone far away.

The way that this situation is handled is by the wife withdrawing into her inner self and her alter ego, a strong version of herself, appearing and giving her advice. Her husband’s spirit also appears, his alter ego, hostile and tormenting her. So, a complex psychological drama.

There are also flashbacks to explain the wife’s behaviour and attitude, the abuse by her father in the past.

Then there are also the horror elements, the presence of the dog and her husband’s body, her injuries to her hand as she breaks free from the cuffs.

There is also the mysterious appearance, real or ghostly, of a vagrant man who has a bag of jewels, including her wedding ring.

This all comes to a head when the wife has recovered, insurance covering her experience, a court case involving the vagrant man.

Not the usual Stephen King material – although it has some relationship with the superior Dolores Claiborne.

1. A Stephen King story? The popularity of Stephen King, novels, stories, films, television series?

2. This film is a sex and relationship story?

3. The film as a horror story, the horror elements?

4. Jessie and Gerald, their packing, the handcuffs, travelling the countryside, the dog in the middle of the road, eating roadkill, the confrontation, the dog moving away? Jessie, the special meat from the fridge, offering it to the dog, the dog’s approach? Gerald and his criticism?

5. In the house, isolated, preparing for the sexual encounter, Jessie handcuffed? Jessie frigid, the tensions, the memories of her past? Gerald as aggressive? Jessie wanting to stop?

6. Gerald, his heart attack, collapse, death, falling to the floor? Jessie handcuffed? The potential horror?

7. Gerald’s ghost, presence, taunting his wife, talking and mocking? Yet learning about her past and wanting to know it?

8. Jessie and her alter ego, Jessie’s journey into her mind, the alter ego strong, the advice, encouraging, getting the water, making the straw, eventually the bleeding and getting her hand through the cuffs? The alter ego and the interaction with Gerald’s ghost?

9. The role of the dog, the door open, entering, savaging Gerald’s body, threatening? The blood?

10. The passing of time, the night, the dawn, Jessie cutting herself, getting the wrist free? Trying for the phone, her escape, the key, losing her ring?

11. The presence of the stranger, appearance, the bag of jewels, the blood footprint? The later information and explanation, the facts, the stranger in court, Jessie confronting him?

12. Her driving, Gerald and the ghost farewelling, her collapse, rescue?

13. Her recovery, writing the letter, to her younger self? The insurance covering the situation?

14. The theme of facing one’s life in death? The flashbacks to her girlhood, her relationship with her father, with her mother and the other children? The episode of the eclipse, the father and his plausible talk, flattering his daughter, his sexual experience? Later in the room, the extensive discussion, the father completely rationalising what he had done, justifying himself, transferring the responsibility to his daughter?

15. The ending of the film, the reunion between the two selves, reconciliation?

16. Besides the sex games and the horror, a powerful presentation of a father’s abuse of his daughter at his self-justification?