THE POISON ROSE
US, 2019, 98 minutes, Colour.
John Travolta, Morgan Freeman, Brendan Fraser, Famke Janssen, Ella Bleu Travolta, Robert Patrick, Peter Stormare, Kat Graham.
Directed by Francesco Cinquemano, George Gallo.
The Poison Rose is a throwback and something of a homage to the film noir of the past? 21st-century interpretation of the private investigator. Political and social corruption. Drug deals, oil development in the city of Galveston. The setting is 1978. There are echoes of such films as Chinatown, 1977, with its 1930s setting.
We are introduced to a scruffy private investigator by Carson Phillips, played by a bearded John Travolta. He is commissioned to go to Galveston, the city left 20 years earlier after his career as a footballer and a relationship with a woman who subsequently married an oil tycoon (she is played by Famke Janssen). Interestingly, her daughter, Becky, is played by Travolta’s daughter, Ella Bleu Travolta.
Investigating the commission, Carson Phillips goes to an Institute for the elderly, encounters the smarmy doctor (a portly, middle-aged Brendan Fraser). He investigates the doctor’s office, discovers match fixing, as well as drug deals.
Morgan Freeman plays Doc, the power in the city, ever ambitious for power and money. Kat Graham plays his daughter, Rose, a singer in a club which she owns. There is also a football player, a moody man, married to Jane’s daughter. He collapses during a match and dies.
Carson continues investigations despite threats, being pursued by hitmen from Los Angeles, shot at in the football stadium by Doc’s rival drug dealer.
There is something of a twist towards the end in discovering who actually killed the football player.
The film was received well enough as an entertainment but suffered with criticisms by those who felt that John Travolta’s career was coming to an end.
1. A 21st-century film noir? Looking back to the 1970s? The noir of the 40s and 50s? Echoes of films like Chinatown?
2. Los Angeles, the private investigator and offices? Travel to Texas? The city of Galveston? Streets and buildings, the water, the beach? Oil derricks? Clubs? Institution for the elderly? Football stadium? Atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The cast? John Travolta after many years? Morgan Freeman? Brendan Fraser in middle age? John Travolta acting with his daughter?
4. The opening situation, the private investigator, looking ragged, threats? The woman visiting, the open cheque-book, her wanting information about her relation? Carson Phillips reluctant to go to Galveston? His back story?
5. The decision to go? The visit to the Institute, the receptionist and her hesitation, the introduction to Miles Mitchell, his recognising Carson? Carson put off? Waiting? The return, the open spaces, the drug lab? The woman interned and her criticisms? And her later shooting Mitchell? The indications of the buried bodies? Carson and the office, photographing the documents? The hotel, giving the receptionist money, the hitmen also offering money? Cleaning his coat?
6. Going to the club? The introduction to Doc? His daughter, Rose? Her singing in the club? The to-ing and fro-ing between Doc and Carson? The sheriff, Slide? Happy and his surliness? Attacking Carson? Becky outside in the car watching?
7. The football match, Happy and his collapse, death? Carson bribing the coroner and getting the information? Cancer tablets? Seeing Jane, her phone call, their past story, 20 years, her marriage, the death of her husband, oil-rich? The revelation that Becky was his daughter? Her contracting him to protect Becky?
8. The sheriff, controlled by Doc, the past with Carson, pursuing Becky, the only suspect? The motivations – and Happy’s brutal treatment of her? Happy’s liaison with Rose? Carson interviewing Rose? Her affair with Happy? Rose and owning the club, her relationship with Doc?
9. The threats to Carson, the hitmen from LA, the shootout? The sheriff’s attitude?
10. Doc, the interview with Jane, his wanting the oil income, the deal with her? Her not intending to honour it?
11. Lorenzo, the drug deals, the violence, rivalry with Doc? The link with Mitchell? The invitation to the stadium, Lorenzo with the rifle,
being shot by Carson?
12. Slide, the injuries, Carson forcing him to give the information?
13. The initial encounter with Becky, her walking off? Finding out the truth? Coming to him, his protecting her?
14. Memories with Jane, the sexual encounter, the bathroom, the tablets, Jane and her killing Happy? Terminal cancer?
15. Going to the Institute, the confrontation with Miles, the gun, digging up the grave, Carson forcing him to drop the gun, his admiration
for Carson in the past, his telling the truth, his being shot by the woman inmate? Carson, in the drug lab, the shootout, the destruction, the
fire?
16. Carson and Doc telling him he always won? Carson winning? Saying that he was at home, staying with Jane and Becky?
