PEOPLE I KNOW
US, 2001, 101 minutes, Colour.
Al Pacino, Kim Basinger, Robert Klein, Tea Leoni, Bill Nunn, Ryan O'Neal, Richard Schiff, Mark Webber, David Marshall Grant, Regis and Kathy Lee Philbin.
Directed by Dan Algrant.
Not a US box-office success, this film came and went from theatres very rapidly. A pity. It is a portrait of a truly burnt-out case, a public relations man who has lost the zest for life and who spends his hours covering up scandals for celebrities, pushing plays that he has no interest in and, indeed, loathes, trying to rally guests to go to functions and persuade personalities to attend and speak. He has reduced himself to a workaholic, pill-popping rat in a New York rat-race. He is played by Al Pacino which means that it is worth a look. Pacino (with a fluctuating Georgia accent) communicates the desperation of the man who leaps at a chance to get out and who is just too late.
There is an impressive supporting cast. Ryan O'Neal plays a Hollywood star who has seen better days but who is still a drawcard despite his less than edifying private life - and his late-in-life conviction that he should stand for politics. Tea Leoni plays against type as a starlet who had talent but has become the equivalent of a callgirl. Kim Basinger has some scenes as Pacino's sister-in-law who is not deceived by the glitter and who persuades Pacino to think twice. The West Wing's Richard Schiff is a tycoon pulling political strings and Bill Nunn an ambitious black preacher who can't resist seeking media exposure.
This is not a nice film. It is not about nice people. It is literally a 'de profundis' film, a film where its central character is lost and cries out from the depths.
1. The title, indication of the theme, the publicist, public relations, connections, significant people, celebrities? Using them to promote other celebrities, functions and causes?
2. The New York City setting, the hotels, restaurants, agency offices, prisons? Authentic yet glamorised locations? Musical score?
3. The time-span of the film, just over twenty-four hours? The indications of time, Eli's day and the cumulative effect of the day, the last day of his life?
4. Al Pacino's performance as Eli Wurman? The publicist from the 60s? The collage behind the credits, the photos in his office, the significant politicians an celebrities that he knew? His comment about having sold himself out, gone for the celebrity and being the slave of celebrities rather than for causes? The Nigerian refugees (and the glimpses of them on television) as a cause by which he could do something good for people?
5. Eli's background, his relationship with Cary, his only major client? The possibility of Michael becoming a significant client? His assistant, ringing him at all hours, getting him to do the hard jobs? Sandy as his doctor, ringing him at all times? His failing health, the drug-taking, recreational, to keep him alert? His business, his age, his wanting to change, his wanting to do some good, the suicide of his brother, the meetings with Victoria and discussions about the future? His relationship to Victoria, her visit from Virginia, meeting her at the play, making the appointment for the next day, his being late, her wanting to talk in the room, her coming on to him, his backing down? Their mutual respect? The evening, her presence at the benefit, the possibility of going back to Virginia, of ending the rat-race life and getting some humanity? The irony that this was not to be?
6. The opening of the play, Eli working the foyer of the theatre, talking to the critics, to the producers, doing something for his friends? The negative reviews?
7. His relationship with Cary, the photos? Cary asking him to get Jilli Hopper out of prison? His doing Cary's will? Trying to get Cary to come to his benefit? The episode with the prison, getting Jilli out? Her reaction to him, negative, humiliating him? Her being on drugs? Two-thirty in the morning, his being desperately tired? His having to be Cary's lapdog? Going to get her to the airport, her return to the opium den? His seeing the celebrities, seeing Elliot Sharanski there, the drugs, his dose of opium? Jilli and her search, the owner of the place getting rid of her? Her looking for her toy? His going to the hotel with her, discussions about his life, the meaning of his life, his taking pills? Her being drugged? The frank talk between them, her background, starlet, going to Hollywood, her drug-taking, being the equivalent of a callgirl? His lying in the bath after making the phone call to Sandy? His glimpsing the murder through the open door? His wakening the next morning, not realising what had happened? Coming to his senses, with the photo and the camera?
8. His going back to his office, his having to deal with the people for the benefit, going uptown to Harlem, the meeting with the Reverend Blunt, the committee, Blunt and his tirade against Sharanski, his attack on Eli? Eli pulling out all the stops, powers of persuasion, getting Blunt to come to the meeting? Blunt, modelled on black leaders in Harlem like Al Shipton? Frank, wanting publicity - and Eli able to offer him exposure?
9. Going back to the office, meeting Michael, making the plans for the dinner, the upset at which room they were to be in? Trying to contact Cary to persuade him to come, to get the singer?
10. Going to Sharanski's office, the discussions, persuading him to come to the benefit, to be on the same platform as the Reverend Blunt, to be introduced by Cary? Eli's discovery that Cary was not wanted by this group, Sandy and his presence and wanting Eli to be honest about what had happened with Jilli's death?
11. His trying to lie down, the discussions with his assistant, the personality of his assistant, doing all the phoning and the hard jobs, his wanting to return to Seattle, Eli's comment on the wisdom of this?
12. The fight at the restaurant, the fashion editor and his defeating her? The guests at the benefit, the singer performing, everything seeming normal on the surface, his working the room, meeting everyone? Sharanski not wanting to come in and sitting in his car? Reverend Blunt in the kitchen? Their deals, who would speak first, Cary turning up and the possibility of success? His introductions, the photos, the speeches, the smiles? Cary and his firing Eli, despite their friendship, wanting somebody more dynamic for his political ambitions for the Senate? Sharanski's hostility?
13. Eli and going for the walk with Victoria, seeing her to the hotel, the decision to retire to the country, at the newspaper stand, his being stabbed and not realising it, his going home, sitting and watching the television? His death?
14. Regis Philbin and his wife on television, Eli having wanted them to come, their not being seen at the benefit, their having been there, their judging it a success?
15. The final shot, the long tracking into the air and the camera turning New York and Manhattan upside down?
16. An interesting glimpse of the world of celebrity, of politics, of public relations? Of surface smiles and of deep divisions in the dark side, leading to drug abuse, sexual abuse, political vengeance, murder?
