THE LAST SUPPER
US, 1995, 92 minutes, Colour.
Cameron Diaz, Ron Eldard, Annabeth Gish, Jonathan Penner, Courtney B. Vance, Bill Paxton, Norah Dunne, Ron Perlman, Charles Durning, Mark Harmon.
Directed by Stacey Title.
Five Iowa university students, automatically convinced of their moral and educational superiority, allow a vicious redneck (Bill Paxton in an impressive cameo) to stay for a meal. Incensed at his attitudes, one of them kills him. Then it seems a good idea to rid the world of bigots and we are treated to a 90s version of Arsenic and Old Lace. Once again, we are dealing with black comedy and moral ambiguities, though this film's dialogue offers quite a deal of pros and cons the actions of the students as well as some guest star bigot turns. It probably goes on too long, but there is enough to tantalise the mind and moral attitudes. Black comedy.
1. Black comedy? America in the 1990s? Young liberals? Conservatives?
2. The Iowa setting, the interior of the house, the backyard, the streets, the airport? The confined space? The musical score, the ironic tones to the different characters?
3. The title, its evocation, the last supper before death? The black comment on the victims?
4. The basic situation, Jude as psychology student, Pete as law student, Paulie and her relationship with Marc, the artist, her social work? Luke and his political science studies? Their age, graduates, their particular fields? Their liberal stances, their sense of superiority, affluence? Their criteria for judging people? Their presumptions about their own rectitude and being right?
5. The supper situation, the rain, Pete being late, getting a lift from Zac? Their inviting Zac in to the meal? The meal itself, Paulie and her preparations?
6. The discussion with Zac, his being in the Gulf War, his redneck stances, his prejudice against Jews, his comments on the Holocaust? His being articulate? Saying Grace, his conservative stances? His listening to the smug comments by the students? Their being horrified by his comments? Their disbelief? Zac and his pushing his statements? Patriotism, in the face of death? Taking the knife, holding it against Marc? Testing him? Pete and his taking a knife, trying to test Zac? Marc’s sudden reaction, being taunted as a Jew, stabbing Zac? His death?
7. The reactions to the killing of Zac, Marc and his being stunned and his anger at being provoked? Luke and his dominating the group, saying that it was a good thing? Jude siding with him? Pete and his fighting with Zac, breaking his arm, wanting to go to the hospital? Paulie and her being horrified? The discussions, the issues, their being persuaded to not say anything, to bury the body?
8. The discussions about what they had done, the theoretical story about going back to 1909 and killing Hitler or not? The responsibility for later suffering? The stances, Luke and his being adamant? Jude being on-side? Paulie and her having to be brought round? The decision to eliminate the people that they disapproved of?
9. The Reverend Gerald coming to the meal, his enjoying the meal, the food, the wine? His talking about homosexuality as the plague(?), his lack of compassion for AIDS sufferers, for their families? The group asking him about Jesus? Compassion? His statement about Jesus being harsh and homosexuals defying God and therefore being punished? Paulie and her talking about dessert, the death warrant?
10. The various other guests, the male chauvinist, the pro-lifer, the young man and his statement about homosexuals, the timid young woman and her being prudish? Their all being varied(?)?
11. The effect on the group, Marc and his second thoughts, Jude and her being more scrupulous? Paulie and her being aggressive, Pete and his being aggressive? Luke and his being ever more determined?
12. The situation of the kidnapped girl, the sheriff and her enquiries, the interview with Pete about the car, showing the photos, coming to the door, with Paulie and Marc, their hesitation about Zac’s photo? The revelation that Zac was a child molester? Her return, looking at the backyard, the confrontation with Luke, his killing her?
13. Norman Arbuthnot and his being seen on the television, his right-wing statements, demagogue? Their meeting him at the airport? The storm, inviting him home for a meal, his enjoying it? Their interrogation, his plausible explanation of everything, the showbiz style and the ratings, dramatising? His entirely reasonable, statements about the situation, about power, influence, politics? The irony of their having to go into a conference, Luke wanting to kill him? His theory about Hitler and 1909, his choice of reasoning with Hitler if possible?
14. His reading the paper, the disappearance of the sheriff, seeing the graves in the backyard, realising that the wine was poisoned? The irony of their all coming back, letting him live, his killing them all with the wine?
15. The paintings, the sketches – especially the ironic final sketch?
16. The moral of the story, the self-righteousness of the liberals and yet their bickering amongst themselves, the domineering attitudes and unrelenting right-wing? The ease of poisoning and killing off your enemies rather than reasoning with them?
