COMING THROUGH THE RYE
US, 2015, 97 minutes, Colour.
Alex Wolff, Stefania Owen, Chris Cooper, Jacob Leinbach, Eric Nelsen, Jacob Rhodes, Adrian Pasdar.
Directed by James Stephen Sadwith.
While Coming Through the Rye has been long a popular song, the word Rye has now been long associated with J.D.Salinger and his classic novel, The Catcher in the Rye, with his teenage central character, Holden Caulfield. This is a film about a young student who resonates with the book, with the character, with his issues, feeling that Salinger in this book truly understand him. He writes a dramatic treatment of the novel, using mostly Salinger’s own words. Then he goes on a quest to find Salinger.
Audiences might like to check on the Wikipedia entry for Salinger to find out details of his more active life, relationships, military service before writing his novels and short stories and his later desire for seclusion. In fact, his being a recluse and antagonistic towards the media (voiced in some of the dialogue in this film) is very well known. After his death in 2010, there was a fine documentary, Salinger, with interviews from a wide range of people. And, he has been portrayed in some films, especially by Nicholas Hoult in Rebel in the Rye, by Tim Post in My Salinger Year, and by Oscar-winner, Chris Cooper, in this film. Salinger is isolated, plagued by people coming to find him, antagonistic towards the media, disliking theatre and cinema and any attempt to transform his work into film or play. He has a gruff manner, especially towards the young man who seeks him out, but shows a more humane and encouraging support of him later in the film.
The young student, Jamie Schwartz, played by Alex Wolff, bonded very much with his brother who went to Vietnam and has been killed, Jamie not being able to accept it. He is transferred to a wealthy school, taunted as being Jewish, ridiculed because of his manner, knowledge, bullied, an attack on his room and possessions. And, with his play and wanting to put it on, and it serving as a graduation assignment, the boys getting a copy of it and reading it mockingly.
Jamie also acts and is seen as Mercutio in a version of Romeo and Juliet. And he is attracted to one of the girls in the play. However, he makes friends with Deedee (Stefania Owen) and persuade her to drive him in his pursuit of Salinger, supporting him, after letters to Salinger and other authorities are not answered, advised by Salinger connections that it is useless to pursue him. However, they drive, are some questions, get some answers and find Salinger. They also stay at hotel, posing as husband and wife, and a scene then of cautious sexual awakening. After the rejection by Salinger, Deedee talks to Jamie’s mother and learns about the death of his brother, and determines to take him back to the school – and, leave him at the gate with “abandon hope all ye who enter here”.
However, he makes an impression on the authorities, urge to speak to the assembled students to explain his story about finding Salinger. The play is performed with one of his antagonists in the central role, the audience applauding, and Jamie deciding to return to Salinger to give him a copy of the play – which Salinger rejects.
A variation on a coming-of-age story, and of interest to fans of Salinger.
- The title? The Rye? Catcher in the Rye? Holden Caulfield? Salinger, the status of his novel, reputation? The reputation of Salinger and his seclusion?
- 1969, atmosphere of the Vietnam war, student protests, the reputation of Salinger’s novel, student identification with Holden Caulfield?
- The US in 1969, homes, schools, students, upmarket college, bullying and prejudice students, the staff, encouragement of students? Theatre performance? Audiences? The travels to find Salinger, the American countryside, the characters in the town and the range, not knowing Salinger, the children and their mother informing Jamie?
- Jamie Schwartz’s story, at home, his mother, bonding with his brother, to Vietnam, his death, Jamie unable to admit his brother’s death? Going to the college, wary, the reception, some friendly, some hostile, anti-Semitic tones? His studies, boys mocking him, the bullying, the disrupting of his room, stealing his letter to Salinger, the edited sequences of different boys reading the letter, their ridicule?
- Jamie and his obsession with Catcher in the Rye, identifying with Holden Caulfield, feeling that he was truly understood? Adapting the novel into a play, keeping Salinger’s words? The discussion with the teachers, his play as a project, that it should be performed?
- Jamie, awkward, age, friendly with the girl in the play? The meeting with a Deedee? Bonding with her? His decision to find Salinger, writing the letters, everything being returned? Deciding to travel, with Deedee, despite her parents? The countryside, the town, the range of people questioned, their not knowing Salinger, or not saying? Three little children, the revelation of his location, the mother? Directions?
- Finding Salinger, audience anticipating his character, gruff, unwelcoming, talking with Jamie, forbidding the play being performed, his antagonism towards theatre and cinema, towards reviewers?
- Jamie and Deedee, the night at the hotel, posing as husband and wife, the intimacy, sexual awareness, Jamie and his reserve? Deedee and her limited experience? His going for the walk, the consequences?
- The return, Deedee ringing Jamie’s mother, the truth about his brother, persuading him to go back to the school? At the gate, abandoning hope…?
- The Chapel, the teachers, the boys, the reading, the teacher summoning him, his being asked to tell his story in the Chapel, the flashbacks prompting him? The performance of the play despite Salinger, the boy in the central role – and an apology and reconciliation, success, applause, success for his graduation?
- The decision to go to Salinger, Deedee and her driving, taking his name off the play, offering it to Salinger, Salinger inviting him in, the serious talk, encouraging him?
- Jamie, his future, abandoning the play?
