EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE

US, 1978, 114 Minutes, Colour.
Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Ruth Gordon, Geoffrey Lewis.
Directed by James Fargo.

There are two screen Clint Eastwood's: the one who directs symbolic and thoughtful movies and the other who appears in slam-bang action films for his myriad fans - literally knockabout good-hearted underdog - in fact, the film looks like a Burt Reynolds’s action movie, though Eastwood's frequent smiles are exceedingly milder. There are fights galore, an orang outang pet, a buddy, a fickle country and western singer, the most has-been ageing bikie, cops, Ruth Gordon's tough mouthed ma, a scenic Colorado climax. Box-office will predict a sequel or not. (It did!) A must for Extraverts Anonymous only.

1. The meaning and tone of the title? Its appeal? The film as a Clint Eastwood film - expectations of his style, characters, seriousness, comedy? For Clint Eastwood fans?

2. An action film, comedy film, film for extroverts? The impact for American audiences, non-American audiences?

3. How did the film use the main trends of the 70s - the pleasant hero, tough, but not too outstanding, the bond with his buddy, relationship with the girls, the use of Country and Western songs and musical background, comedy situations with the orang-outang, the picturing of the fights, the baiting of the police, the chases? A satisfying blend of these elements?

4. The backgrounds of Los Angeles, the American roads, Texas and New Mexico, the roads to Colorado and the climax there, the mountain scenery? An authentic American atmosphere for this kind of story, characters and issues?

5. The title song and its lyrics and tone, Indication of themes, the songs sung especially by Linda? The appearance of Charlie Rich?

6. Clint Eastwood's impact and appeal? How did he use it here? A serious character, comic character? Especially in his scenes with the orang-outang? Philo as a character in himself, ordinary workman, trucks, fighting and winning, winning the orang-outang in a bet, his relationship with Ma, the nights out with his friend, the relationship between the two, dating the girl and the discussion about sociology and putting the false teeth in her soup, linking up with the singer? An ordinary hero that the average audience could identify with? The strengths of his character, weaknesses?

7. His friend - his slowness, devotion to Philo, the bets at the fight, his regard for Ma? Fixing the car and the scenes with Clyde? His decision to go with Philo? The encounter with Ecco and his falling in love with her and the bond between the two?

8. The presence of the police - the irony of the fight and Philo calling the police and finding out who they were? The relentlessness of the police following Philo? Seeking out the information from the caravan park, having their holidays, the fishing and helping Philo, the fights, the submerging of the car, their come-uppance at the end?

9. The picture of the bikie group - their continual fighting, the car chase, their age, weakness, dirtiness, ugliness, cowardice? The leader and his pushing the others and avoiding the issues - till the final falls in the mud? Their decision to pursue Philo, the caravan park man and his frightening them all in the car? The point of showing these bikies - the ageing bikie in modern America?

10. The first impact of the singer, her songs, appearance, work with the group, appearance in the club? Leading Philo on? Yet the hints, the boyfriend, the gun, putting him off? Her leading him on and leaving him? His decision to pursue her? Finding her, her agreements and yet running away? The pain in telling him off and him seeing her with the other man? The appearance of her friend? The songs and the attraction of the audience - sharing Philo's attraction for her? Sharing his disillusionment? The strength of this character and the way she was drawn? The meaning of this disillusionment?

11. The impression that Ma made? Age, presence, look and manner, language, the humour of her getting her licence, her reactions to the orang-outang, the shooting of the bikies and feeling an unprotected old lady, her flirting with the eye doctor at the end?

12. The incidental characters and their contribution - the man at the caravan park, the eye tester, the people at the clubs etc.?

13. The impact of the action sequences and the audience response to them.. the initial fights, the clashes with the bikies, with the police, the car chase, the breaking of the bikes, putting them in the garbage truck, the fishing incidents, the Georgetown clash?

14. The importance of the final fight with the champion at Denver for a climax to the film? Filo's capacity to beat him, his decision to let him win? Sentiment and the point being made - about Filo?

15. A piece of Americana of the 70s for Americans, non-Americans?