THE MAN IN THE CHAIR
US, 2007, 107 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Plummer, Michael Angarano, M. Emmet Walsh, Robert Wagner, Joshua Boyd, Ellen Geer, Margaret Bligh.
Directed by Michael Schroeder.
While this pleasing film starts off a little gruffly, it soon moves into an entertainingly sympathetic experience. It is a film which shows the bridging of the generation gap – and could prove popular to both ends of this gap. In fact, the gap is less between parents and children (although that theme is present as well) than between teenagers and the grandparent-aged generation.
The two ends of this spectrum are a young teen, Michael Angarano, something of a tearaway who with a friend has entered a competition for making a short film to get a college scholarship and Christopher Plummer as Flash who used to be an assistant to great Hollywood film-makers, including Orson Welles on Citizen Kane. They both go to old movie theatres which show classic movies – and the boy discovers the cantankerous old man who shouts at the screen. The boy follows the old man and, gradually and reluctantly, they form a bond and together they begin to work on the project.
Both are something of rebels – the boy risking crime while Flash has a passion about rescuing abandoned dogs. They also meet a veteran writer, played by M. Emmett Walsh in a genial performance, who has not written for a long time. The sequence in which the boy introduces him to the internet and shows him the entries about him has a wonderful feeling about it.
In fact, the film is a tribute to the elderly. Many of the cast live in one of those homes around Hollywood for ageing actors and technicians of the industry. As they become more involved in the boy’s project, they come alive as they find a purpose as well as feeling affection for the young. The boy learns a great deal from the experience of the elderly. While there are plenty of references to old movies for the older generation, the contemporary musical score is for the younger.
The cast includes Robert Wagner as a producer.
For writer-director Michael Schroeder, previously a director of straight-to-video actioners, this film was a labour of love. He sold up his possessions in order to be free to make this story which had great appeal for him. It was well worth it.
1.The appeal of the film? To older audiences? To younger? To film buffs? The ability of the film to move across generations?
2.The visual style, straightforward realism? The MTV style of wash and flashes? Distracting or creating an atmosphere? A Los Angeles film, the streets, the studios, old cinemas, homes, residences for the elderly? An authentic feel? The musical score? The lyrics of the songs and their comments on the characters and actions?
3.The old movie clips: His Girl Friday, Citizen Kane – and the flashback to Flash and his mistake while making the film, the glimpse of Orson Welles in action? Touch of Evil, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof? Flash’s wry comments on Charlton Heston and Orson Welles?
4.Christopher Plummer as Flash, his initial work, young, working on Citizen Kane, the mistake, answering about Churchill, Welles’ admiration, the nickname Flash? His age, dishevelled, drinking, shouting at the films, shambling along the streets, in the bus, on the bridge? At the home? His complaints about the films, his arguments with the audience, the initial impact? Cameron watching him, amused?
5.Cameron’s story, home, his stepfather, missing his own father, at school, the bullies, his friend Murphy, at class, the end of the term, the competition for film-making? His being in trouble, the fights, going to jail? Stealing the car and the reference to Christine? Arrested after the car chase? His age, potential? His love of movies, skipping school to go to the old films, hearing Flash, interested in him, following him on his bike?
6.The encounter in the park, Flash’s reaction, his plan, giving him the cigars? Cameron persevering? Gradually getting Flash’s interest? The subject and the skateboarding sequences? Going to motor racing, the change after meeting Mickey Hopkins? Flash taking him to see Mickey, Mickey as old, decrepit, the poor service in the home? As a writer, Cameron Googling him, discovering his credits? Talking, shaking hands, his return? Mickey and going to the library, fly-fishing, seeing his own name immortalised in Google? His delight? The fact that he survived on the internet?
7.Cameron, his family, relationship with his mother, the stepfather and his hard line, not bailing him out? Inviting Flash for the meal, Flash’s talk to the stepfather, the power of his ideas and persuasion, the change? The toast, his being present at the show, shaking hands with Cameron? Cameron promising always to protect his mother?
8.Flash, the lost dogs, seeing them put to sleep, his anger, scaling the fence, letting them loose, Cameron and Murphy helping?
9.The group at the old people’s home, characters, listening, their hopes? Cameron talking to them? Flash drunk, his insulting them all? His return, the apologies? The film on again?
10.Mildred, the glamour girl, flirtatious, weeping into her mirror? Happy to be on the job again? The nurses and their tolerance?
11.Going to Moss, his Oscars, his mansion, the forty-three years and Flash’s wife leaving with him, her death, his success, Flash’s failure, his decision to help with the money? His wanting to edit the film?
12.Mickey, Flash apologising to him, his phoning his daughter? Googling, the information on old people’s homes, writing his script?
13.The collage of the film-making, locations? The editing?
14.Flash’s collapse, in the hospital, his final talking to Cameron, Cameron wanting to be the man in the chair? The deal that he would never rise above himself? Flash revealing the team’s common room, the photos of those below the line, wanting an equality for all those who worked on a film?
15.Cameron missing the prize? The contrast with his own screening, in the old theatre, everybody present, their delight?
