SHOOT THE MOON

US, 1982, 123 minutes, Colour.
Albert Finney, Diane Keaton, Karen Allen, Peter Weller, Dana Hill, Viveka Davis, Leora Dana.
Directed by Alan Parker.

Shoot the Moon was the first screenplay by writer, Bo Goldman, based on his years of work with married couples and separations. It is a strong portrait of a longtime marriage, a marriage with four daughters, the drifting apart, the husband beginning an affair, the wife discovering the affair and ordering her husband out.

Husband and wife are played forcefully by Albert Finney and Diane Keaton. Karen Allen is the lover.

Audiences who have experienced from the inside or have observed marital disputes will identify with many of the scenes, the dialogue and conversations, the clashes, the passion, the angers. There is also great pathos with the daughters and their relationship to their father, his wanting to give a gift, his daughter who had overheard the phone call with his mistress, refusing, his violence towards her. We see also the effect on the other daughters in their wanting to visit their absent father.

As with break-ups, the wife becomes attracted towards the workman who comes to build a tennis court (Peter Weller). Her daughters do not approve of this relationship.

There are sequences in the court, the preparation of the case, the issue of custody of the children. There is also an unexpected scene afterwards where Faith and George have a meal together, drink, go to hotel and have a sexual encounter.

There is a culmination in the party thrown when the tennis court is finished, George coming and disapproving – and his later returning and destroying the court, subsequently bashed by the builder, consoled by his daughters – and calling out for his wife.

The film was directed by Alan Parker, previously involved in commercials production, moving into cinema with quite a variety of features in the mid to late 1970s, Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Fame.

1. The title? The call during the card game? Risk, danger?

2. The American setting, family life in the 1970s, 1980s? Marital tension? Long years of marriage, children? Affairs and their consequences? Hurt on both sides? Possibilities for reconciliation?

3. George and Faith, the years of marriage, the four daughters, growing apart, George and his work, his award, his relationship with Sandy, the phone call, the daughter overhearing? The resentment?

4. Faith, attitudes towards George, the confrontation, the violence, the chair at the door? Her ordering him away? His living apart? The effect on him? On the relationship with Sandy? His daughter and the gift, wanting to give it to her, being ordered away, the refusal? The other daughters visiting him?

5. The daughters and their relationship with Sandy? Her attitudes towards them? Some resentment?

6. George, his angers, wanting to give the gifts, physical violence towards his daughter?

7. Faith, the encounter with Frank, building the tennis court, the attraction, the relationship? The daughters and their reaction?

8. The court proceedings? Legal advice? Difficulties? Discussions, custody of the children?

9. The aftermath, Faith and George together, talking, drinking, spending the night? The daughters’ reactions?

10. The completion of the tennis court, the party? George arriving, his reaction to Frank? Returning, his car and destroying the tennis court? Frank and his angry reaction? The fight and beating George?

11. George, defeated, with his daughters? His calling out for Faith?