UNDER THE INFLUENCE

US, 1986, 100 minutes, Colour.
Andy Griffith, Season Hubley, Keanu Reeves, Joyce Van Patten.
Directed by Thomas Carter.

Under the Influence is a strong and persuasive telemovie about alcoholism and its effect on a whole family. Andy Griffith is very good as the genial but hopeless alcoholic father. Joyce van Patten is most credible as the good woman who is his wife but who is unable to face reality. The children are well played by Season Hubley, Keanu Reeves, Paul Provenza.

The film shows the expected sequences of alcoholism and family clash. However, there is originality in the screenplay with the framework of the oldest son as a comic out in California entertaining audiences with jokes about alcoholism and family. The audience laughs - but the character and the audience know how deep is the hurt. The film ends with the comic still presenting his patter - but to an empty hall, the television audience, however, still listening. This makes the drama and the flashbacks to the family most effective. A significant contribution to audience awareness about the illness of alcoholism.

1. Impact of the TV movie? Message film? Alcoholism? Al‑Anon?

2. The Ohio settings, the ordinary town, home, school, shop, hospital? Audiences identifying with the setting and characters? Musical score?

3. The title, alcoholism, its reality? A disease? Its effect on the alcoholic father? On each of the children? The ruining of a family? Patterns of addiction and dependence in each generation?

4. The framework of Stephen as a comic, his skill in presenting his jokes, warming up the audience, getting laughs? The irony of his jokes and their insight? Placed throughout the film? The ending and no audience - except the television audience who have experienced his performance as well as the truth?

5. The portrait of the father: getting him out of jail, driving home, cheerful, Helen and her niceness to her husband, Anne not admitting that he was alcoholic, the others and their presence, trying to care for their father? His demanding attitudes towards their success? Not facing reality, not being present at his job, blaming Eddie and putting on a tantrum? The question of Terri, her art, going to the parents' night, embarrassing her, refusing the scholarship? The fight with Ed? The heart attack, going to hospital, illness, desperation, his harshness on Anne in her story about her raise? His desperate needing of a drink? Eddie refusing him? Getting up, going out, drinking and collapsing alone and dying? The unrelenting picture of the alcoholic? The good man who was sick and destructive?

6. Stephen, his escaping from home, not being able to shoot and hunt, his comedy routines, the others taunting him about making jokes? His coming back, talking things out with Anne, with Eddie, with Terri? The tension with Eddie after the funeral? The reconciliation?

7. Anne, trying to be like a man, success in her job, the raise, perfectionist, the warning of her boss? Her relationship with John, not admitting the truth, his trying to help, confronting her, her slap and his saying that she was driving him away? Her hopes from her father, meeting his standards, telling him about the raise, his putting her down, her pill-taking, the suicide attempt? Facing of the truth? Glad that the ordeal was over? Going into therapy? Explaining to her mother the nature of therapy and sharing her experiences? Her future?

8. Terry as the youngest, trying to be a good girl for her father, her skill in her art, the offer of the scholarship, her mother accusing her of selfishness, trying to find the time to talk, her father's refusal of the scholarship, embarrassing her at the school? Knowing the decision had to be her own? Inviting her mother to Boston, offering her mother new possibilities?

9. Ed, work in the shop, the pressures, not fulfilling orders? His drinking, avoiding issues, the clash with his father? Loving him, showing him the new plans in hospital? Refusing him the drink? Blaming himself for his father's death? Steven and the reminiscences about hunting, his seeing himself in his father? Taking the gun, shooting into the grave? Stephen's story about the bogeyman - in the room, fearing it, being stronger than the bogeyman?

10. Helen, memories of her past, bright and singing, the good woman, not being able to hear, excusing her husband? Amazed at her children growing up, not being able to understand them? Her anger with the doctor, refusal to hear that he was alcoholic? Her discussions after the funeral, the possibility of a new life as she visited Terri?

11. John, his relationship with Anne, sequences at home, her dominance, her strength, brittle and snapping? His trying to persuade her about the truth, her slapping him and his going away?

12. The doctor, his help, trying to persuade the family to face the truth? Mention of Al-Anon?

13. The shop, Mark and his trying to manage it, with Ed? His comments about the funeral and his father's popularity in the town?

14. The end of a life? The good man, weak, ill? Respected - but people not facing the truth? The dramatic impact of this kind of film? Alerting audiences? Possibilities for challenging and coping?