EUREKA

UK, 1982, 123 minutes, Colour.
Gene Hackman, Theresa Russell, Mickey Rourke, Rutger Hauer, Jane Laportaire, Ed Lauter, Joe Pesci, Corin Redgrave.
Directed by Nicolas Roeg.

Eureka is an ambitious film which did little at the box office and was scarcely seen. It was written by Paul Mayersberg (Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence) and produced by Jeremy Thomas (Mad Dog Morgan, The Shout, Bad Timing, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, Insignificance). It was directed by former cinematographer Nicolas Roeg (Performance, Walkabout, Don't Look Now, Man Who Fell to Earth, Bad Timing, Insignificance). Eureka is an extraordinarily complex film. Like Roeg's other films, it has a linear synopsis but works at many levels, with many threads and meanings continually opening up. The characters act as alter egos of the other. The film takes its title from the discovery of gold, the recorded words of discovery by Archimedes of physics principles, from an essay by Edgar Allen Poe in which he poetically explores the 'Big Bang' theory of the origin of the universe and the return of all energy into a final Oneness. The film is also reminiscent of Orson Welles' Citizen Kane with Eureka as the name of Jack Mc Cann's home. Like Kane, Mc Cann is a self-made man, a man of myths who is being investigated throughout the film.

The film is brilliantly photographed with amazing opening sequences in Alaska making a transition to the Bahamas at the time of World War Two. The film has a very strong cast led by Gene Hackman and with Roeg's favourite actress Teresa Russell (Bad Timing, Insignificance). Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner, Ladyhawke, Nighthawk) gives a distinctive performance. A rich cinema experience.

1. The significance and focuses of the title: gold and the discovery of gold, the discovery of insight into the laws of nature, the essay by Edgar Allen Poe on cosmic harmony? The gold rush, gold fortunes, the house as symbol of Jack McCann?

2. The film as based on true stories? Of gold rushes? Of a murder in the Caribbean? The adaptation of the facts for a film?

3. The cinematic style of the film: reality fantasy? The Arctic and the ice, the cosmic vision of the opening, snow storms, desolation, mountains, mines and caves? (Yet even with the echo of Chaplin's The Gold Rush?) The Alaskan town, the brothel and its decor? The transitions to the cosmic touches, surreal: the moon, the gold and the glitter? The contrast with the Caribbean: islands, sun, wealth, the '40s, yachts? The voodoo sequences? The courtrooms? The realistic treatment touched with unreality? Violence and death? The court and the lights? Special effects? The musical score and its atmosphere?

4. The meaning of the opening: Jack's story as told to Tracey, the gap of 15 years? The moon. the three and the fight, no other man's sweat? Working by himself, suffering, the snow, the three wolves lurking, the cave, surviving? His scenes with Freda? His loving her or not? The lodestone and its symbolism? The magical implications? Fate? His relationship with Freda, her willing him to find the gold, her self sacrifice? Going out, the trek, the caves, drawn to the gold, finding it, the deluge, the glitter, surface? Fate, the moon, meaning? Freda's vision, the stone, glass, death? Real and a memoir?

5. The meaning of Jack's life, the meaning of 15 years, the discovery and its importance, Freda's death - all achieved? Her death and the formalising of his discovery: Eureka? Fate, the moon, the cosmic implications, alter egos, the giving of life, taking a life? Cards, fate, voodoo? The justice of the jury? The relationship with Jack and his discovery of the gold and Claude and his discovery? Each the alter ego of the other? Jack's story: the discovery of the money, his wealth in the Bahamas, one of the richest men in the world (having everything - when before. he had it all)? His wife, her drinking, his love for Tracey (and the incestuous undertones)? His retirement, the aftermath of the thrill of discovery - nothing quite matching it? The letter from Tracey, the hurt, his hostility towards Claude and the attacks, his business partner and the deals, prejudices, his inability to listen to sound advice? His relationship with Charles Perkins? The visit of Aurelio D'Amato? His refusal, consumed with ambition? The circling of the house by the thugs, Claude's presence in the shadows, his return to Eureka, the murder and the horror of it - the suggested violence, visual violence? Claude and the feathers? 'I knew it would be you'? The theories about his death, murder, death wish, suicide? The death - what doth it profit a man to gain the whole world ... ? The violence of Jack's death (and comparisons with Freda)? The experience of visual horror, the decapitation? The pursuit? The comparison between the thugs killing Jack and the wolves circling him? The man shooting himself at the Claims Office? The interplay of death images? Helen and her life, relationship with Jack, drink, support, the letter, hurt, death? The court and everything coming out into the open? The comparison of Jack's relationship with Helen and with Freda?

6. The portrait of Tracey - spoilt heiress? Her love for her father? Having everything? Fashionable? The decision to marry Claude? Her choice, her fascination with him? The yacht? (The Flying Dutchman and the themes of elusiveness?) The relationship of the two, sexual relationship, passion? Meals? Argument? Tracey's response to her father and his wealth, the gold, her wanting to touch flesh instead of gold? Freedom, the letter? The phone, the visit, jail? Her love for her husband? The court case? His defending himself? Her wanting to help him? Her liaison with the lawyer? Her not being allowed in? The significance of the interrogation? Truth, love? Permanence and impermanence? The verdict, the banquet, Claude's leaving? Fate? Tracey like her father - the exhilaration of discovery rather than the joy of possession?

7. Claude as playboy, the yacht, with Tracey, teaching her, the sexual relationship and its passion, sharing, the relationship with Jack, the meals, the violence? The marriage? Voodoo? The cards and clothes? His presence at Jack's death? What did he want? The court scenes? The arrest? The experience of prison? Trust and distrust of Tracey? The lawyer and his self-defence? Coping, the testimony? His being disliked? Speeches? His attitude towards Tracey's adultery - her being human like him? The dinner, his looking in the mirror -'I thought it would be you!' - his sailing away? His not being the gold that he wanted, that Tracey wanted?

8. Charles Perkins and his partnership with Jack, friendship, loud American style, money talk, the visits, the scheme about the casino, his powers of persuasion, the visit to Miami, desperation, the thugs, present at Jack's death, lurking? The case, testimony and perjury?

9. The Mafia-style connections? The Jewish gangster? Jewish prayers? The small criminal and his ambitions to build on Jack's island? The Italians and their sureness, plans, needs? The evocation of '40s American gangsters? Respectable but cruel? The lawyer and his smooth talk, the visit, powers of persuasion, meal, tough, murder? His affair with Tracey?

10. The thugs and the real Mafia? The rain, the dock4 the dark house, cruelty, torching and decapitation?

11. The court case and its particularly British style, the behaviour of the lawyers, the judge? Testimony - truth and lies? The exposure of Claude and Tracey and the family, the tensions? The verdict?

12. The background of World War Two - real and unreal? The reference to the real world and history yet the characters in a world and time of their own?

13. The aftermath of the court case - peace but no Eureka?

14. The experience of the 20th century, the American dream, ambitions and wealth, the self-made man? The aftermath and the ugliness, emptiness, cruelty? A powerful parable?