CITIZEN RUTH
US, 1996, 106 minutes, Colour.
Laura Dern, Swoozie Kurtz, Kurtwood Smith, Mary Kay Place, Kelly Preston, M.C. Gainey, Kenneth Mars, David Graf, Kathleen Noone, Tippi Hedren, Burt Reynolds.
Directed by Alexander Payne.
Citizen Ruth is quite an extraordinary film for the 1990s. It is in the tradition of American satire, not a strong genre because Americans tend to take things at their face value rather than understanding the satirical elements of the treatment of a serious issue. The serious issue for this film is abortion as well as the clashes between pro-life and pro-choice campaigners. The film was directed by Alexander Payne who co-wrote the script with his writing partner Jim Taylor. They were move on to Election, About Schmidt and Sideways.
Laura Dern won the best actress award at the Montreal film festival for her extraordinary performance as Ruth, a down-and-out young woman who relies on glue and paint to get her highs, has given birth to four children already, is used by men and thrown out, finds herself sitting in the dumpsters in streets, and finds herself pregnant again. She is visited in jail by pro-lifers, called the Baby Savers. They are presented in earnestness as well as caricature by Mary Kay Place and Kurtwood Smith. Smith shows the ambiguity of his motivation by saying that he was a sinner before his conversion but is now the leader of the Baby Savers. Burt Reynolds, hairpiece in place, arrives later in the film as a wealthy sponsor and leader of the Baby Savers.
Ruth is bewildered by the attention that she gets, is absorbed in her own life and needs, seems to have a very low IQ. She doesn’t understand too much of what is going on. The judge criticises her for her drug use and endangering the health of her unborn child. He seems to be suggesting that she get an abortion. She is taken by the Baby Savers to one of their own doctors (Kenneth Mars) and a smiling nurse (Kathleen Noone) who give her pep talks as well as show her horrendous video material.
She is allegedly rescued by another Baby Saver, played by Swoozie Kurtz. However, she is a spy and is in the campaign pro-choice. The second part of the film satirises the pro-choice people and presents caricatures, the lesbian relationship between Swoozie Kurtz and Kelly Preston, their praying to the goddess Moon. M.C. Gainey portrays a Vietnam veteran who offers fifteen thousand dollars to Ruth not to have an abortion. This seems an extraordinary amount of money to her and she is able to change opinions and behaviour all the time.
The film shows the groups, their fanaticism, especially their demonstrations and screaming at each other. They are desperate to send messages to the American public, more concerned about this than the person that they are allegedly concerned with.
There is a twist at the end – insofar as Ruth has a miscarriage and is unable to tell the campaigners. She finally absconds with the money.
Satire is a way of highlighting the idiosyncrasies of society and of individuals. It highlights aspects through caricature – which is potentially offensive to people with strong commitments to a particular cause but is often a salutary challenge for them to rethink their positions or, at least, how they stand for their beliefs and put them into practice.
1.The impact of the film, as entertainment, as satire, its serious issues? The effect of spoofing on the various sides of arguments? Audiences and their own views and how they are affected by the satire on their views?
2.The work of Alexander Payne, his subsequent films and their satiric tone? Incisive dialogue? Characterisation and caricatures?
3.The title, echoes of Citizen Kane, the role of the American and American rights? The strength of Laura Dern’s performance? The credibility of her character?
4.The role of satire, caricature, the kernel of truth, highlighting battle lines, portraits of people, key attacks? Causes, selfishness, do-gooders, righteousness? Sending messages and/or care for persons or not?
5.The introduction to Ruth, indigent, on the margins, low intelligence, highly emotional, her four children, her sniffing glue and paint, the sex encounter with her partner and his immediate brutally throwing her out, throwing the TV at her? Her wandering the town, hungry, going to her family, the rejection, her getting fifteen dollars, buying the glue, sniffing in the streets, her arrest?
6.The audience attitude to Ruth, sympathy or not?
7.Ruth in prison, dreading it, the interview with the doctor, her pregnancy, the issue of abortion, her wanting one, the prayer group?
8.The bailing out of Ruth, the introduction to Norman and Gail, the humorous scene of his getting the money for her bail, Diane present at the bailing? Norman and Gail taking Ruth home, their son and his age, wanting his meal? Their daughter and her sneaking out with her partner, sexual promiscuity? Taking Ruth out in the night? Ruth and her having the bath, late for the meal, there being no TV, the new clothes, the daughter taking her out in the middle of the night, the drugs, her being tired?
9.The interview with the doctor and the nurse, the caricature smiles and enthusiasm, pro-life, the questions, the speculation if she were to give birth, adoption? Showing the video of the abortion and its effect on Ruth?
10.Norman and Gail, their marriage, born-again? Norman and his going to Ruth’s room, the lustful glances? Gail and her doing good? The prayers at the meals? Oblivious of the behaviour of their daughter?
11.Ruth wandering, more glue, the police? Diane and her offering to take her to her home?
12.The revelation of Diane, seeing her campaigning with Gail and Norman, her sweet talk? The truth, the spy? At home, her relationship with Rachel? Her devotion to the cause of pro-choice, fanaticism? Harmon, his experience in Vietnam, his attitude towards the government, towards life? The prayer to the moon and the moon goddess? Their behaviour and their supporters? Paralleling those of the Baby Savers?
13.The various glimpses of the followers, the demonstrations, the vicious shouting, the placards, the pro-life demonstrations at Diane’s house? The pro-choice demonstrations? The causes?
14.Television and the media, intrusive, wanting to interview Ruth, distorting the situation, Norman giving his interview? Ruth watching the television at various times – with dismay?
15.Wayne, his arrival, the plane, Eric as his attendant, audience suspicions about the relationship? His story of saving Eric? Offering the thirty thousand for Ruth? The demonstrations?
16.Ruth’s mother, born-again, pleading with her daughter – and her daughter taunting her about her past partners?
17.Harmon, keeping guard for Diane and Rachel, offering fifteen thousand, no strings attached, knowing that she would spend it? His involvement in helping Ruth? Their discussions? His motivation?
18.Wayne, the thirty thousand, the TV interviews, Ruth watching videos about investing in homes, her imagining that fifteen thousand would cover her home, car?
19.Diane and her pressure, Rachel and her behaviour? The demonstrations at their home? The police coming?
20.Ruth, focused on her immediate needs, on the babies, her drugs?
21.Ruth being smuggled to the helicopter, Jessica coming from Washington, the pro-choice campaigns, the various colleagues? Going to the clinic, the demonstrations outside, the limousine, bullet-proof? The doctor and his interview with Ruth before the procedure?
22.The miscarriage, Ruth not telling anyone, about to tell Diane? The irony of the examination, the procedure? The money in the bag, Ruth counting it? Escaping through the toilet window? Going off on her own, leaving the groups to squabble?
23.The result of watching the film for the audience, emotional issues, intellectual issues, themes of life and choice?
