THE EXECUTIONER'S SONG

US, 1982, 157 minutes, Colour.
Tommy Lee Jones, Rosanna Arquette, Eli Wallach, Christine Lahti, Jenny Wright, Steven Keats.
Directed by Lawrence Schiller.

The Executioner's Song is based on the long study of criminal Gary Gilmour by author Norman Mailer. Mailer has written the screenplay from his book. He was attempting to do with Gilmour what Truman Capote had successfully done with his portrait of two murderers in In Cold Blood.

The material was made as a telemovie/mini-series with a shorter adaptation for cinema screens. It was produced and directed by Lawrence Schiller, the media man who focused on the case, reported it and negotiated it with Mailer for the book and the film.

The film was made on authentic locations with photography by British cinematographer Freddie Francis. It also uses much contemporary music of the '70s as background including work by Waylon Jennings, Neil Young.

Tommy Lee Jones (Jackson County Jail, The Coalminer's Daughter, The Betsy) gives a nervy performance as Gilmour - showing him as a human being though not eliciting much sympathy for him. Christine Lahti (Swing Shift, And Justice for All) is very good as Gilmour's cousin and Rosanna Arquette (Baby It's You, Desperately Seeking Susan) is his oddball girlfriend Nicole.

The film is a social portrait of an unsympathetic criminal and the legal issues concerning his crimes and execution - on January 17, 1977. It fails to capture the imagination and understanding in the way that Richard Brooks' film of Capote's In Cold Blood does.

1. Audience knowledge and reaction to Gary Gilmour? As a character, symbol? American man, crimes, prison experience, death penalty? The comment on American society?

2. The film/mini-series - length, the amount of cinema and television attention to a person like Gary Gilmour? Public reaction? observation, exploitation, message? The style of the film - telemovie for the home audience?

3. The work of Lawrence Schiller and the reporter, Larry Samuel, representing him - exploitive and a go-getter? Schiller's reporting involvement, the direction of the film, collaborating with Norman Mailer? His aim? Norman Mailer's contribution - his reputation, writings, observations on America, capacity for insight? The parallel with Truman Capote and In Cold Blood? The quality of Mailer's screenplay?

4. The title of the film and its reference to an 'old prison rhyme': Deep in my dungeon I welcome you here Deep in my dungeon I worship your fear. Verses actually composed by Mailer himself? Reality and fiction?

5. The structure of the film and its two parts: the character study and drama then the court and the administration of justice? The relative importance of each part? Their interplay?

6. The portrait of Gary Gilmour: Tommy Lee Jones' appearance and style? Gilmour’s background, family, upbringing, crimes, armed robbery, prison sentence, the experience of twelve years locked away? Type? His travelling home? The reunion with Brenda and Johnny? Living with them? The relationship with Vern and Ida? The relationship. tensions, happiness? His going to work for Vern? His not fitting in, his personal needs? Womanising? The friendship with Spencer Mc Grath, working for him, buying the Mustang? The meeting with Nicole, sharing ideas with her, reincarnation? The affair, living with her and her children? Her neuroses? Living on the edge, frustration? Taking to petty robberies again? Trading in the truck? The argument with Nicole, her leaving, his search for her? April and her drug addiction? The service station episode, the confrontation with the attendant - Gilmour's killing him? Reason or no? The motel situation and the killing of the manager? His being wounded? The contact with Brenda, the ambulance? Imprisonment?

7. The film explaining Gilmour or merely observing him? imprisonment, the court case, situations, circumstances, his responsibility? The contacts with the lawyers? With Larry Samuel and the publicity? The appeals for the commuting of the sentence? Nicole's visit? The setting up of the suicide attempt - and its failure? Gilmour's execution - its reality, dramatic impact? Audience response to the execution scenes?

8. What kind of man was Gilmour - victim, victimiser? Audience interest. sympathy? The proportionate sympathy for his victims?

9. The sketch of Brenda and Johnny - their way of life. friendship with Gary. the details of their lifestyle? Brenda coming to his help?

10. Nicole and her age, marriages, the children? Instability? The friendship with Gary. the affair. their living together? Sharing views? Reincarnation? Clashes, frustrations, her leaving? Her visiting him in prison? The unsuccessful suicide attempt?

11. Spencer and his friendship, working with Gary, the buying of the car? The truck?

12. Vern and Ida and their wariness about Cary, their helping as best they could, the shop?

13. The details of American life in the Central and Mid- West, the range of characters? Ordinary life, its ugliness, seeming meaninglessness? The victims and their ordinary way of life, the tragic killings?

14. Themes of justice, imprisonment, the place of capital punishment? The film offering arguments for or against capital punishment?