PERFECT

US, 1984, 115 minutes, Colour.
John Travolta, Jamie Lee Curtis, Stefan Gierasch, Anne de Salvo, Kenneth Welsh.
Directed by James Bridges.

Perfect is a film co-written with author Aaron Latham (originator of the articles on which the film is based). The film is one of the few that was not a success in James Bridges’ directorial career. Others of his films included Urban Cowboy, The Baby Maker, The Paper Chase, The China Syndrome, Mike’s Murder.

The film was also a John Travolta vehicle, at a time when he was popular but was about to become unpopular. He plays a journalist investigating the gymnasiums of the 80s with their cult of the body, the amoral background, sexuality, prevalence of drugs. He is matched with Jamie Lee Curtis as one of the trainers at the gymnasium.

The film reflects an atmosphere of the 80s, an amoral attitude, a worldliness, a self-satisfaction in American society during the Reagan years. Perhaps this communicated itself to the audience and the film was not particularly popular – and received quite harsh critical reviews.

1. Audience interest and enjoyment? A popular concoction movie?

2. The title, meaning, treatment of perfection themes: physical, moral, idealism, failure?

3. Production values: Panavision photography, New York, the Rolling Stone offices, the world of journalists - home, affluence? The world of big business and courts? The world of exercise and aerobics? The strip shows? New York State, California? Holidays in the snowfields? The fashionable world of the '80s? The guest stars, Carly Simon, Lauren Hutton? The score, the songs, the rhythms? (Editing and pace for aerobics and the sexual innuendo?)

4. The work of Latham as a Rolling Stone reporter, the autobiographical background of the story, the kind of Rolling Stone's investigations, slick, competent, standards? The film as the visual equivalent of such articles?

5. The film as a John Travolta vehicle - his screen persona, persuasive? Adam and his work, the attack by Carly Simon? The investigations, the big business deals and the government, court cases, tapes and interviews, interviewing associates of the accused? The world of the courts, contempt? The clashes and the difficulties for following up such investigations? Adam as a man of his word, pressures? The transition to the investigation of the Health Clubs? The symbol of the Health Club for the 1980s, the '80s equivalent of the singles bar of the '70s? Looking for Mr Goodbody? The visit to California, the tour of the club, the types encountered? Adam's fascination with Jessie? His quoting Emerson and the seemingly elevated tone of his investigation? Jessie's resistance, contacts, the beginning of the affair? His writing and interviews? Jessie disillusioned with his writing and erasing it from the word processor?

6. The visit to the strip shows? The discussions with the girls? The return to New York, the editor and the pressure? The photos? The changing of the article, his work in Africa, his return home? The clash with Jessie and her hurt? Going to court, keeping to his word, going to prison, coming out and the reconciliations?

7. Jessie and her skill as an athlete, aerobics training, her friends? Resistance to Adam? The story, the background of a journalist betraying her emotional story? Her relationship with her mother, humour, tensions? Her family, the visit to the ski resort? Her pushing herself on Aaron and the beginning of the affair? Disillusionment? Defending her friends? The article and her hostility? Going to court, the reconciliation?

8. The club and its various members? The tour guides, the experts? Roger and his keeping fit, the sequence and showing him in his strip show, the raucous feminine reaction? Sally and Linda and their looking for men, relationships? Sal and her new relationship, reputation? with Roger? Socialising, parties? Linda and the low results all being reported in the article? The photos and the way 'that it was all used?

9. The reputation of Rolling Stone, the real-life editor portraying the editor? Pressures, treatment, investigations, lawyers and court cases? Frankie and her photo-journalism? The journalists and jealousies, changing articles, responsibility?

10. The world of big business, drug-running, financial set-ups, cover-ups?

11. A film of the 1980s, moral and amoral stances, affluence, perfectionism, male sexuality - and the feminine response to the strip? The contrast with the quiet men and the listless woman stripper? Relationships, commitment? The focus on health, exercise and perfection of the body?