THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH
US, 1990, 90 minutes, Colour.
Adrienne Shelley, Robert Burke.
Directed by Hal Hartley.
The Unbelievable Truth is an interesting and entertaining first feature written and directed by Hal Hartley. The budget was allegedly $200,000. Filming time was said to be ten days. However, the film has the look of greater production values and care.
Hartley has a sardonic view of people and an ability to write what is almost deadpan ironic language (American Harold Pinter style) and reveal characters and tension in situations accordingly. This was used to great effect in his second film, Trust.
The film has a Long Island setting, focuses on a young woman played by Adrienne Shelley (who starred in Trust) as well as an ex-convict played by Robert Burke (after this to be Robocop 3). There is an odd range of characters in the town and they are well portrayed, with the touch of caricature and irony, yet having the truth of their type.
The episodes are sometimes melodramatic, sometimes low-key and domestic, always ironically amusing.
The title itself is ironic - and it is difficult to know what really happened to the characters and their crises (with echoes of Kurosawa's famous Rashomon and the many films that have portrayed similar events with differing perspectives and morality).
Hartley went on to celebrity with such independent features as Trust, Simple Men, Amateur, Flirt, Henry Fool.
1. First feature, quality? Offbeat portrait of human nature? Comedy?
2. Long Island and the atmosphere of the town, New York suburbia, countryside? The New York sequences? Musical score?
3. Small budget, ten days' production time? The impact?
4. The title, reference to the characters, the central situation of Josh and the deaths? Ironies?
5. Josh, on the road, hitch-hiking, young man of mystery? The cars, the drivers, his fixing the cars, his being dumped when it was found out he was in prison? The man whose car he fixed - and later seeing him as a derelict on the streets of New York? Dressed in black, mistaken for a priest? His answer that he was a mechanic?
6. Audrey, young, at home, her relationship with her parents, the atmosphere of her life, interests? Home discussions about college, getting entry into Harvard? Her group, her preoccupation with nuclear war? Love of literature - in preference to communications? The pressures on her to go to college? The question of money, her father's concern? Ambitions? Her relationship with Emmett, walking and talking, two conversations at odds? His not listening, his ambitions - and her breaking it off, to his mystification?
7. Pearl, the encounter with Josh, her fainting, his carrying her into the bar? The reaction of the woman at the bar? The various rumours about Josh? Vic and Mike telling stories, people in the bar - all the details contradictory? The irony of the unbelievable truth? Josh and his encounter with Audrey, the mechanic, her giving her father's address?
8. Vic, at home, his relationship with his wife, with his daughter? His exasperation with Mike and his incompetence? Fixing the cars, allowing Josh to work? Impressed? Giving him the job? Good friendship?
9. Audrey and Josh, talking, the interest in George Washington, lending the book? Friendship, falling in love?
10. Vic and his discussions with Emmett and the break-off? Emmett and his behaviour at the dance - and his picking fights? Todd and his chatting up the women, the photographer's model? The discussions about portfolios and his success? His talking with Vic, with Audrey? The possibility of her modelling, the bargaining about the cost of the portfolio?
11. Vic, his deal with Audrey? Going to college, giving the donation? The money for the portfolio? Audrey and her going off - and the parents seeing her in the advertisement? Their reaction?
12. Audrey and Todd, their going off together, in New York? Josh wanting to see her, Vic paying him to go to New York and take her out, show her a good time? His seeing her with Todd - and throwing the George Washington book in the window?
13. The believable or unbelievable truth about Josh? His relationship with the girl, his drinking (and so later abstaining)? The apology to her father and his death? The irony of Pearl, telling the truth - and his years in prison, his reaction?
14. His throwing the book, Audrey's seeing this, Todd going off? The converging of everybody on Josh's place? Pearl and Josh, Audrey? Mike? The suspicions, the truth?
15. Vic, his wife - family, loving, demands, expectations, quarrels? The mother and the cigarette - and her confiding talks with her daughter? Mike, his love for Pearl, work around the shop, clashes with Josh? Reconciliation?
16. The happy ending - but the ominous sounds of war? Audrey and her fears of nuclear war?
17. The range of characters, the quality of the acting? The ironic and laconic dialogue? Timing in performance?
18. Insight into human nature, strengths and weaknesses, insight into quirks of character and relationships? Justice and the unbelievable truth?
