RICHARD JEWELL
US, 2019, 131 minutes, Colour.
Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde.
Directed by Clint Eastwood.
Another interesting and moving film from Clint Eastwood. It was in production when he turned 89. And, it received worldwide release in 2020, half a century after he directed his first film, Play Misty for Me. He has had an extraordinary career as director and producer, a great number of fine films.
The main events in this film take place in 1996 which means that it will be less remembered by the new generations of Americans. And, the story is not well-known in countries outside the United States. However, it proved an interesting test case about FBI action and investigations. They have the wrong man.
Richard Jewell was an American in his 30s, rather large and overweight in build, living at home with his mother, completely devoted to law and order, a great admiration for law enforcement organisations. He was genial to meet – but he also took his various jobs in campus police work, security, extremely seriously. He was a hunter, a collector of guns. He had not paid his taxes for years. These things were all held against him when he was investigated, targeted, by the FBI. Most of the film is about his investigation, his work with his lawyer, Watson Bryant, response to the media and its intrusiveness, concern about the effect of the investigation and intrusion on his mother.
The first part of the film establishes him as a larger than life character. Paul Walter Hauser gives a strongly credible and creditable performance as Richard Jewell. We believe Paul Walter Hauser is Richard Jewell. Kathy Bates, Oscar nominated for this role, plays his mother. Sam Rockwell plays the lawyer who takes a shine to Richard and his small kindnesses and consideration. So, when Richard is charged by the FBI, he contacts Watson Bryant for his defence.
The central episode, also presented vividly, is a series of concerts in Centennial Gardens, Atlanta, Georgia, at the time of the 1996 Olympic Games. A bomb is placed under a bench. An anonymous phone call is made. Richard is part of the security group, discovering the bag, warning bystanders and others, helping in moving the crowds to safer positions, although many were wounded and two were killed when the bomb goes off.
He is immediately hailed as a hero, feted by the media, on shows like the Today Show. However, a campus administrator has let the FBI know about his past over-conscientiousness with students. Profilers then suggest that he fits perfectly the outsider, with ideas about himself, planting the bomb so that he can take all the credit for being the hero in the public eye. And this, reported in the local papers, took off so that Richard and his mother were hounded, their belongings transferred by the FBI, the FBI also pretending to Richard that they were making a training video and using this to cross-examine him.
We are all on side with Sam Rockwell as the lawyer, defending Richard, exasperated and his proneness to embroider all his responses with praise of authorities, confronting the FBI. Jon Hamm is the agent on duty at the time of the explosion, responding to the profile of Richard wanting to be hero, leaking information to a hard-as-enables reporter, Olivia Wilde. The audience is definitely not on side with the agent or the reporter.
The exoneration scene, where Richard does speak for himself confronting the agents, takes place 88 days after the investigation, a pressure on his life and he died of a heart attack in 2007 at the age of 44.
Very interesting piece of Americana, of ordinary characters, of the role of the authorities making mistakes, the pressure of the media, and its toll on the target and his mother.
1. A true story? A piece of Americana? A Clint Eastwood film?
2. Audience knowledge of Jewell himself? In the US? Outside the US?
3. The title, the focus on Jewell himself? Paul Walter Hauser embodying him? The Georgia background? His age and experience, his big build, love of eating? Living with his mother? His ambitions, law and order, uniform, weapons, authority, on the campus, his treatment of the students, the reaction, the campus director and the interview, firing him, the later testimony of the director? Variety of jobs? His personality?
4. His work in the office, the link with Watson, the supplies, the draws in the desk, the packet of Snickers? Computer games, competing with him? The nickname Radar? Richard and his willingness to help? Moving into security? Centennial Park? On guard?
5. The background of the 1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta, the concerts, the Knny Rogers’ concert, the crowds, Richard’s mother enjoying it? His work, the fellow security officers, the police? The young drinkers, calling in the police, the discovery of the bag? Going by the rules, caution, going to the tower for evacuations, the technicians examining the case, the bomb, the background of the phone call and warning, Richard and the group trying to move the evacuation? The explosion, injuries, two deaths?
6. Richard as hero, the ordinary viewer, on television, the Today Show? The book offer? His mother watching the TV, her pride?
7. Agent Shaw, on duty in the park, discontent, his feeling humiliated, the campus report, the profile theory, his pursuing of it, the board meetings and his determination, pretending to stage a case study with the video, interviewing Richard, questioning him, the other agents, getting Richard to voice the phone warning? Shaw and his link with Kate Scruggs?
8. Kate Scruggs, her work, hard journalist, the connection with Shaw, sexual? His giving the information, her using it, the arguments with the editors, the headlines, the result, cheers in the press office?
9. The media, influence, turning against Richard?
10. The FBI, taking possession of everything in the house, his mother being upset?
11. The phone call to Watson, about the book offer, from the interrogation? Nadia, the work for Watson, on side?
12. Watson, his response, visiting Richard, confronting the media, confronting the FBI? His tough stances? Warning Richard not to talk too much – but his incessant talk?
13. Testing the timing and finding it impossible for Richard to make the phone call? Kate Scruggs doing the same test?
14. Watson, submitting Richard to the lie detector, his passing?
15. The humiliation, the suspicions, 88 days passing, the summons to the FBI? Richard shrewd, following Watson’s advice? The meeting, formally dressed, Richard and his strong
stances in response to the questions? The challenge? His being let go?
16. The return of the goods, his mother coming down?
17. His later police job, Watson finding him, the news of the actual culprit?
18. America, law and order, the FBI, investigations, targeting suspects?
