CHANGELING

US, 2008, 141 minutes, Colour.
Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Michael Kelly, Colm Feore, Jason Butler Hana, Amy Ryan.
Directed by Clint Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood turned 78, May 2008. His films made during his 70s have been impressive and award-winning. There will be a positive response to Changeling.

Based on actual characters, including the mother at the centre of an abduction and the mayor of Los Angeles, the Police Chief, police captains, detectives, prominent lawyers, a killer and a Presbyterian minister, Gustav Briegleb, who used the new medium of radio to attack the police for corruption, the film starts domestically, moves to the abduction crisis, police incompetence and brutality, mental institutions, abuse and killing of children to courts, investigations and perspectives on capital punishment. Quite some contents for a film even at two hours twenty minutes.

The setting is LA 1928. Cityscapes, streets and homes, trams, buildings, costumes and décor are all impressively used to create the atmosphere of the times. While the newspaper media play an important role in information, protest (and headline seeking), it is the new media of radio that is making a difference.

The Police chief of the times, James Davis (Colm Feore) ran a tight ship that employed violence against criminals and acted unscrupulously and without warrant against the rights of ordinary citizens. The Reverend Brieglib (John Malkovich) denounces the authorities with names and details every day and takes up the cause of Christine Collins whose 9 year old son, Walter, disappears.

Christine Collins is played convincingly by Angelina Jolie in a very substantial role.

The film’s title indicates what goes wrong. Her son is not found. She persists and the police won’t listen to her, especially the captain who is irritated by her and commits her (Jeffrey Donovan).

Another detective, sent on a routine enquiry to a ranch outside Los Angeles, eventually discovers a series of killings.

As Christine, with the help of the Reverend and a growing number of sympathisers and protestors in the streets, mounts civil suits against the police, the film deals with the trial of the killer and the cross-examination of the police.

Just when we are thinking the film will end, there are additions. This happens several times. Eventually, the fine screenplay by Michael Straczynski, the ever skilful and unobtrusive direction of Clint Eastwood and the fine performances bring the film to a satisfying end. (And, then one remembers that only 20 years later there was the Black Dahlia murder and 25 years later the world of LA Confidential – and in the 90s, the Rodney King event…)

1.The work of Clint Eastwood, his range of interests? The history of Los Angeles?

2.1928, Los Angeles city, the streets, cars, trams, city hall and the precincts, the phone company, the mental asylum, the interiors of the asylum, the court hearings?

3.The countryside, the desert, California, the ranch, the site of the farm and the killings?

4.The variety of moods, the personal story, the social story, Clint Eastwood’s reticent score?

5.The title, children, the abduction, the cases, tracing the children, the abuse, the deaths, the killers? The role of the police?

6.Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins, at home, her love for her son, waking, the bonds, the father absent and her story of the box of responsibility and his inability to accept, taking Walter to school, working overtime, Walter and his self-confidence, Christine at work, the supervision, the skates, her skills? Ben and his offer of promotion? Her missing the tram, late, her dismay, the search for Walter, the police and the twenty-four hours delay in report, her checking interstate agencies, her sadness and her strength?

7.The Reverend Gustav Briegleb, his church, congregation, the broadcasts, prayer for Christine, the media and its being new, the radio, the attack on Davis and the corrupt police, the violence, his gun squad, killing criminals? His later interest in Christine, the newspaper interviews, helping her, the search for Christine, the confrontation of Jones, going to the asylum, her release, hearing the information about the deaths, her collapse? The doctor and the release of the women from the asylum? His getting the lawyer? His help in the court, his subsequent career? The role of the media, press and radio?

8.The incident in Der Kelb, the vagrant, not paying for his meal, the boy with him, the boy and the police, the information to Los Angeles, the train journey, the journalists at the station, the photo opportunity, Christine’s reaction, Jones persuading her to be photographed – and its later use against her? The testimonies, her reaction, the boy and his statements? Christine and seeing that he was shorter, circumcised, the dentist with the information about his teeth, the teacher and the wrong seat in the class, Christine and the press, talking to Jones, his sudden using Code Twelve and interning her in the institution?

9.Christine in the asylum, escorted not thrown? In the cell, the woman talking incessantly? The doctor and his pressure? The attitudes of the staff? The breakfast, the encounter with Carol Dexter? Carol and her warnings, her own history? The medication? Carol and her attack on the doctor, electric shock therapy? Christine and the discussions with the doctor, her refusing to sign, his offer of the easy way out, treating her for hysteria, the medication, wanting to start shock treatment? Her getting out?

10.The information about the ranch, Ybarra and his going, seeing the killer with the car, the boy at the ranch, his attack, the issue of deportation, the boy and his nervousness, his memories, wanting to talk to Ybarra? His explanations, identifying the photos? The farm and the axes? The summons to Ybarra to come back by Jones? His obedience? Yet his concern, taking the boy, taking detectives, their going to the ranch, the boy digging the hole, finding the bodies? Calling the coroner? The media reports?

11.Davis and his reputation, at the train to meet the boy, trying to persuade the media to support the police? The crisis, his interview with Jones, urging him to fall on his sword? Christine and the situations, her lawsuits, the reports, the mayor and his visit? The boy and the truth about his identity? Reunited with his mother – Davis and the press opportunity?

12.The boy, with Christine, keeping up the pretence? Ybarra threatening him with prison, his telling the truth, liking Tom Mix and wanting to come to Hollywood, his pretence, reunited with his mother? Saying the police told him to identify himself as Walter?

13.The portrait of the killer, first seen at the car, buying the ticket to Seattle, going to his sister’s house, her organising his arrest? His reaction? His madness? Prison, going to court, his not guilty plea, the evidence, the cross-examinations? The verdict and his outburst, especially praising Christine, likening himself to her? Saying Walter was an angel? The two years before his execution? The reaction of the judge? In San Quentin, sending the telegram, Christine going? His refusing to tell her the truth? Her attack on him, wanting him to go to Hell? His own talk of salvation and not wanting to go to Hell? The execution, confessing, praying, his death?

14.Clint Eastwood and the portrayal of capital punishment – and audience response for or against?

15.The investigations, the hearings, the popular protests and the people in the street? The president? Hahn and his prestige as a lawyer, getting the women out of the asylum, his cross-examination, especially of Jones? Jones and his rationalising of his behaviour?

16.Jones as a character, seemingly decent, his subservience to Davis, refusing to listen to Christine, irritated by her, above the law, no warrant, consigning her to the institution? His being condemned – and the court applause?

17.The role of Briegleb and his denunciations of corruption, naming the mayor, naming Davis? Davis’s condemnation?

18.Christine and her continued obsession, that Walter was alive? Briegleb and the others and their advice to get on with her life?

19.1935, at work, her skills, Ben and his praise of her, the Oscars and her bet on It Happened One Night? The Clays’ phone call, the interview with the boy, his reappearing after seven years, the flashbacks, Walter helping him to escape? Her telling Ybarra that this interview gave her hope?

20.The aftermath, her continuing to search? Police corruption continuing in Los Angeles? The film as an interesting piece of 1920s Americana?