MY FELLOW AMERICANS
US, 1996, 101 minutes, Colour.
Jack Lemmon, James Garner, Dan Aykroyd, John Heard, Wilford Brimley, Lauren Bacall, Sela Ward, Everett Mc Gill, Bradley Whitford, James Rebhorn, Esther Rolle, Conchata Ferrell, Marg Helgenberger, Michael Pena.
Directed by Peter Segal.
For audiences who admire Jack Lemmon (who in later films has been playing grumpy old men rather grumpily) and James Garner, who reminds us here of what an understated but successful comedian he is. However, it needs to be said that some older audiences might find a number of vulgarisms in the dialogue not to their taste.
This is partly comedy, partly conspiracy drama, partly road movie. The comedians have many good lines of repartee and their are some funny sequences. The conspiracy drama is of the kind that Jeffrey Archer might write if he put his mind to an American best-seller: two extremely antagonistic former presidents of the US (Lemmon Republican and crusty, Garner Democratic and liberal) are chased by the secret service because they know of a financial coverup. This means that they spend a lot of the film on the road - and meeting a range of ordinary Americans who make some sound points about contemporary politics and the people's actual needs. Not a great movie but, for the over-40s, entertaining.
1.The blend of comedy, thriller, political drama, satire? How well combined?
2.The United States and the presidency, American admiration for the presidency, no matter what? Revelations about the presidency? Criticism? Presidents exploiting their presidency?
3.The Washington atmosphere, the White House, inside and out? The Secret Service officers? The corridors of power, the secret passage? The contrast with the North Carolina countryside, West Virginia, the Kramer Library? The musical score?
4.The strong cast, the two presidents, Dan Aykroyd and Lauren Bacall? Tongue-in-cheek? The language more explicit and blunt, innuendo? Comic style?
5.The introduction, the presidents? President Kramer, his ‘Dreams are like children’ speech (and recurring throughout the film), President Douglas defeating him, President Haney defeating him? The overview of each of the four-year periods? The three years of President Haney? The careers, the votes against the presidents, their being out of office and the effect?
6.Russell Kramer, Jack Lemmon’s presence and performance, his age, writing books, his love of cooking, mean and money-grabbing? People’s comments about him? His relationship with Margaret? His disliking Matt Douglas? The Republican perspective?
7.Matt Douglas, James Garner’s screen presence and style, younger? His being genial, the ladies’ man (echoes of Kennedy and Clinton)? The jokes about him? His writing his memoirs, his relationship with his editor, the discussion about the quality of the book? Giving kisses to his fans? His disliking Russell? The Democrat perspective? His relationship with Joe Hollis? The possibility of his standing again?
8.President Haney, the deals, the sleaze? His dim-witted vice-president? Carl Witnauer and his advice? The plan, the framing of kickbacks, deleting the information from the archives? The press leaks? Haney and his golf, the vice-president, his wanting to win?
9.The vice-president, awkward, his reciting the lyrics at the funeral, his gaffes about African Americans, pronunciations of words, Facade? The irony that he was working behind the scenes, the manipulation of Paul Tanner? The irony of his power-seeking? Matt Douglas taping him? His imprisonment?
10.Charlie Reynolds, the visits of each of the presidents, his lies, his being the witness against Kramer? Meeting Douglas, his death? The flip aspects of his death, Douglas’s discovery of the body, Kramer turning up? The removal of the body?
11.The presidents and the plot? Finding out, in the helicopter, the abduction, the grandchild’s gun and their using it, getting out of the helicopter, the explosion, on the road together as an odd couple, their arguments, conversation, reminiscences, their lyrics to ‘Hail to the Chief’?
12.Tanner in himself, following orders, audience presumption that he was in the pay of Haney? His staff, the helicopter and the explosion? The murder of Reynolds? Communicating with his officers, the chase, in the train, at the library, at the White House? The orders to shoot?
13.The presidents on the road, the man in the toilet and his admiration for the presidents, the Elvis lookalike, the presumption that they were lookalike presidents, on the rain, hearing bad stories about themselves, getting off, Douglas pushing Kramer? Hungry, the issue of money, Kramer and his loans? The family, the car, the home truths that the family told about unemployment? The lady with the truck, the illegals and their escape, the presidents hiding in the channel with the illegals, Ernesto, his enthusiasm, the gift of the compass – and its later influence on Matt Douglas? Their going on the parade, discovering it was the gay parade, the Dorothys? Getting a lift with the lesbian bikies?
14.Going to the library, discovering the document had been tampered with? The arrival of the Secret Service? Getting to Washington DC, going on the tour of the White House, the people following, getting out through the secret passage, getting on the horses, making themselves known to the press, the success of their mission?
15.Kay, journalist, discussions with Joe, the deals for news?
16.Joe, the Democrats, putting off Kay, talking with Matt Douglas about re-election?
17.Margaret, her loyalty to Russell, standing by him?
18.The gay Secret Service man, his decision to shoot Tanner, recognising the genuine presidents?
19.The final stand for re-election, which one would be president and which vice-president, Matt Douglas’s Democratic trick with the money, the Republican stooping to pick it up – and losing?
