HIDDEN IN AMERICA
US, 1996, 93 minutes, Colour.
Beau Bridges, Bruce Davison, Shelton Dane, Jena Malone, Alice Krige, Josef Sommer, Frances Mc Dormand, Jeff Bridges.
Directed by Martin Bell.
Hidden in America is a significant telemovie. Aimed at a wide audience, it was an indictment of American society in the 1990s and the hidden poverty amongst ordinary people.
Beau Bridges portrays a man who has lost his job to mechanisation in a factory, had his wife die of cancer, lose his jobs and decide to migrate to Seattle. He has two young children. He is unable to provide well for them, his daughter (Jena Malone) suffers from malnutrition and is exposed to infections. His son (Shelton Dane – a very good actor who decided not to be an actor because he wanted to live a normal life) is the idealistic son who misses his mother, is preparing a time capsule for a hundred years hence, tries to emulate his father and is disillusioned when his father has to go against his principles of accepting charity. The other family in the film is that of Doctor Michael Millerton, a top surgeon (working with another surgeon, played by Jeff Bridges), his wife Dee (Alice Krige) and a son and daughter. The two daughters go to school together and become friends. Doctor Millerton volunteers for work in the clinic and encounters Bill Januson and his daughter.
The film follows the fortunes of Bill, his attempts to find jobs, his interviews with bureaucracies for help and for food.
The film is very sad in its portrayal of this kind of hidden poverty in a city like Seattle. However, it praises the human spirit and is not without hope. It does mean, however, that individuals and families have to accept their difficulties and overcome their pride so that there can be collaboration in assistance.
1.An effective telemovie, wide audience, their interest, for entertainment, message?
2.Audiences identifying with the main characters, their situations? Wealth and poverty? Pride and humility? Oppression, bureaucratic communication with those in need? A film of the US in the 1990s? Valid for earlier periods and later?
3.Filming in Seattle, realism, the apartments, homes, burger diners, restaurants, building sites, bureaucratic offices, hospitals? Score?
4.The title, hidden poverty, the question of why it was hidden, a cry for compassion and justice?
5.The Januson family: Bill, losing his job at the plant, being replaced by a robot, being sacked, his wife and her illness, dying of cancer, lack of insurance, the savings all gone? The decision to move to Seattle? The apartment with his children? Flipping burgers, needing extra hours? The poor pay? Going to the trash, bringing burgers home for the children? Applying for the job at the restaurant, buying the clothes, being told that the place had been filled by the manager’s nephew? The injustice? The handling of the situation by the manager? His going to different offices, the bureaucracies, queues, interviews, the delays in getting money, food? Desperation? His pride and not wanting to go to soup kitchens and have handouts? Willa and her illness, going to the hospital? Michael and his help, Bill refusing? His speeches about his pride and handouts? Robbie and his admiration for his father, losing faith in his father? The portrait of a good man in desperation?
6.Willa and her age, lack of nutrition, at school, playing games with Caroline, in her home, Caroline’s family, taking the food from the fridge? Playing with Robbie? Missing her mother, at home, her love for her father? The poor food? The coughing in the night? Going to the doctor, embarrassment at knowing Michael? Her father giving her gifts, her joy? The barbeque and the happy ending with friends, Bill getting a job?
7.Robbie, his age, his responsibilities, missing his mother, the items put in the time capsule, the photo of their mother, his writing letters for the future? His pride in his father, helping Willa, skipping school, going to work, working with Gus, the discussions, her work ethos? Angela? The notice, motors, fixing the car, wanting to sell it, the urgency, Gus telling him to pace himself, Angela crashing the car and the disappointment? His disillusionment with his father taking charity? Injuring himself? Hospital?
8.Michael and his family, his work as a doctor, the surgery, the discussions with Vincent, the bet, taking his charity work? The criticism of him, his prescribing expensive medication? Meeting Willa, the discussions with Bill, the tests? The issue of malnutrition and explaining it to Bill? The no-show at the second appointment? Bill’s anger, Caroline’s phone call, his visit? Offering to help, offering jobs? At home, his wife, his children, Willa at the meals, his wife wanting to help, wanting to talk about Willa stealing and not knowing what to say? The growing concern of both parents, discussions with Vincent? The invitation to the barbeque? His in-laws and their comments about poverty, infection? His growing awareness of the problems?
9.Gus, work at the garage, tough, her abilities, helping Robbie, exasperation with Angela and her boyfriend? Fixing the car, telling Robbie to pace himself, the crash and her excusing Angela?
10.The various officials, the interviews with Bill, the wrong queue, the wait for coupons, the money, for food? The hospital interview?
11.Work at the burger diner, helping out, the restaurant situation, buying the clothes, losing the job?
12.Going to the pawnbroker, the meagre amount of money for his wife’s watch?
13.A compassionate film about people, needs, society and its response?
