MORGAN’S FERRY

US, 1999, 91 minutes, Colour.
Billy Zane, Kelly Mc Gillis, Henry Rowlands, Johnny Galecki, Roscoe Lee Browne.
Directed by Sam Pillsbury.

Morgan’s Ferry is a routine thriller with a humane touch. It is the type of film that generally goes straight to television and DVD. It was directed by Sam Pillsbury, a veteran director of television movies as well as the New Zealand film, Scarecrow.

Billy Zane shot to fame with his role in Dead Calm and appeared in many films including Titanic. Kelly Mc Gillis made an impact in Top Gun and The Accused. Roscoe Lee Browne is the veteran of many films, especially The Liberation of L.B. Jones.

The film is a story about three escaped convicts who go into the home of a woman recluse. One is a murderer (Henry Rowlands), the other is manic (Johnny Galecki) and the third, we realise, will be the hero of the film (Billy Zane). The woman is unafraid, deals with the escapees, allows them to stay at her home, falls in love with the Billy Zane character and allows him to escape. Roscoe Lee Browne portrays a blind traveller who also assists. The film has the mystical touch in a wild horse which reappears many times – and ultimately runs into the sheriff’s car just in time for the hero to escape.

The film was written by producer Kathy Mc Cormick, a prolific writer and producer for television – the early scenes of the convicts have the macho touch but the development of the relationship between the reclusive woman and the convict are very much presented with the feminine touch.

1.Popular entertainment? Drama? Romance?

2.The southern settings, the river, the farm, the town? The woods? Authentic feel? The musical score? The title and the focus on the ferry, especially for Munro’s death and the climax of the film?

3.The convicts, their escape, the credits and their fleeing through the countryside? Arrival at Vonnie’s house? The confrontation? Their settling in? Vonnie and her resistance, escaping from the closet, working on her vegetable patch? Getting their meals, making them behave, manners?

4.The convicts in themselves: Munro, the killer, brutal, leader, tough? Attitude towards Vonnie? Attempting to assault her? The contrast with Darcy, young, his relationship with Sam, guiding him? His angers, prejudice? His dislike of Vonnie? Her cutting his foot? His becoming ill, the gangrene? His death? Their behaviour, rough? The confrontation with the parson, his preaching to Vonnie, coming in, Munro killing him? The burial? Darcy being buried in the same grave?

5.Sam, his going along with the robbery, his dependence on Darcy? His courtesy towards Vonnie? The room? The work? His falling in love with her, his staying after the deaths of the other two, working on the roof? The sexual encounter and its effect on Vonnie? Her cousin's passing by, seeing him on the roof? Reporting him?

6.The attempted escapes, the arrival of Peabo, the mule and the wagon? Munro and his going, the mule returning to the house? The second attempt, his being pursued by the rednecks, his being killed? The sheriff and his seeing that Vonnie’s father’s clothes were on him?

7.Peabo, friendly, the wise man? Religious? His helping? The return, the burial of Darcy, his words about God and Heaven? His finally taking Sam to the wharf?

8.Vonnie, her background, her oppressive father, her low self-esteem because of him, the open grave ready for her? Living alone, her cousins passing by? Friendship with Peabo? The vegetable garden? Not afraid, confronting the convicts? Helping with their escape? Not giving them away? Sam remaining, working, the relationship with him? Her inability to leave the farm? Taking him in the cart, with Peabo? The discussion with Caleb at the ferry? His not ringing the sheriff?

9.The rednecks, the ferry master? The sheriff and his ticking them off about killing Munro? Caleb and his not betraying Sam?

10.The sheriff, his skills, his second-in-charge, the report by Carleen and her husband? The sheriff and his pursuit, the search of the house? His realising what had happened? The horse crashing into the car?

11.The symbolism of the horse, wild, tame with Vonnie and Sam? Helping Sam escape?

12.Popular themes? The tough style of the convict story? The softer romantic style of Vonnie and Sam’s romance?