A PAINTED HOUSE
US, 2003, 97 minutes, Colour.
Scott Glenn, Arija Bareikis, Robert Sean Leonard, Melinda Dillon, Logan Lerman, Geoffrey Lewis, Pablo Schreiber.
Directed by Alfonso Arau.
A Painted House is a television movie version of John Grisham’s novel. While Grisham is best known for his thrillers, this is more of a memoir about Arkansas farming families in the 1950s. It also includes some references to Grisham’s enthusiasm for baseball.
The film recreates the past, the cotton farms, the hard lives of people on the farms and in the towns. Scott Glenn portrays the grandfather with Robert Sean Leonard as his son. The story is told from the point of view of the old-age Luke Chandler (played, with anachronistic long hair, as a ten-year-old by Logan Leman). Geoffrey Lewis portrays the father of the hill people who come to help out in the harvesting season. Arija Bareikis is the mother, Melinda Dillon the grandmother.
The film is very much the Hallmark kind of film, suitable for most of the family (though there are two fight scenes and a killing). It portrays the period but does not grip the emotions of the audience in the way that it might have. There are scenes of work, clashes between the Mexican workers and the people from the hills. There are scenes in the town, concern about a son absent in the Korean War.
The film serves as a version of Grisham’s memoirs as well as a re-creation of the period.
The film was written by Patrick Sheane Duncan who, in the 1990s, wrote such films as Nick of Time, Mr Holland’s Opus, Courage Under Fire. It was directed by Mexican actor-director Alfonso Arau who made such films as A Walk in the Clouds and the celebrated Like Water for Chocolate.
1.The popularity of John Grisham’s writings? The memoir in A Painted House? Film versions of his books?
2.The title, the fact that the farmhouse was not painted, the taunts of the people from the hills? The buying of the paint, Luke and his wanting the house to be painted, buying the paint with his own money, the painting of the house – and the completion?
3.Life in 1952, Arkansas? The poor families on the farms, the cotton harvest? The scenes of work in the fields, harvesting? The floods, the ruining of the crop? The consequences?
4.Luke Chandler, his age, his perspective? Love for his mother and father? His devotion to his grandfather, sharing the work with him? His grandmother? The people from the hills? The Mexicans? Life on the farm, in the town, going to the movies? The fight and seeing the clash between Hank and Cowboy? The later fight, Hank’s death, Cowboy’s leaving with his sister?
5.The character of Eli Chandler, the wise patriarch, work, hardships, decisions? Concern about his children, grandchildren? Love for his wife? His taking people in? Kindly? Concern about the violence, the police investigation, Luke telling him the truth, his reasons for keeping it secret? His regret for the family having to leave to get a job to send money? The character of his wife, a good woman, her concern?
6.The hill people, Mr Spruill, Hank, his surliness, his criticisms of Luke, the painted house? The clash with the Mexicans? The fight with Cowboy? His death?
7.The Mexicans, poor, Eli trying to get them work after the failure of the crop? Cowboy, the death, his leaving for Chicago with the daughter?
8.The Mexicans, hard work, needing to move on for jobs?
9.Korea, the absent son? The girl, her pregnancy, discussions with Luke? Waiting for the boy to come home?
10.The picture of the police, dealing with the situation?
11.A portrait of people, hardship, the times?
