EARTHLY POSSESSIONS

US, 1999, 105 minutes, Colour.
Susan Sarandon, Stephen Dorff, Elizabeth Moss, Jay O. Sanders, William Duell, Alice Drummond.
Directed by James Lapine.

Earthly Possessions is based on a novel by Anne Tyler (Accidental Tourist). It was written for television and directed by James Lapine, better known as a Broadway director whose films include Impromptu, Life With Mikey and television versions of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods and Passion.

The film is a star vehicle for Susan Sarandon who appears as a rather bored wife of a man who has become a minister (Jay O. Sanders). When she unwittingly encounters a bank robber (Stephen Dorff), she is taken as a hostage and they travel the road together. The road journey structure means a change of attitude in the woman, reassessing her marriage, discovering new relationships with the young bank robber. It also means a journey of awareness for the young man, inept, escaping from jail, wanting to see his pregnant girlfriend, encountering an older woman in Charlotte, encountering an odd group of people along the road – and finally coming to some kind of awareness of himself.

The film has an entertaining supporting cast, especially William Duell and Alice Drummond as an eccentric old couple they meet along the road.

1.The credentials for the film? The novel and Anne Tyler’s writing, the director and his theatre background, the strong cast? Made for television?

2.A piece of Americana: the variety of towns, the homes, the open road, the variety of landscapes and countryside? The musical score?

3.The title, the biblical overtones, the plot, the reference to each of the characters?

4.The focus on Charlotte, her life, character, marrying young, her relationship with Zac, her not being able to have any children? Her relationship with her husband – and the flashbacks? The boring life, her wanting to run away, her husband as a minister, his conversion? Bored, wanting to leave, age, experience, hopes? An ordinary woman?

5.The bank, an ordinary day, ordinary people, chatting in the queue, the woman next to Charlotte and her later television quotes? The sudden robbery, the hostage situation, Charlotte, going, running with Jake, confronting him?

6.Jake, his age, experience and lack of experience, in jail, the flashbacks to his early life? His motivations, wanting to find Mindy, her pregnancy, getting only three hundred dollars?

7.The old couple on the road, the vehicles, changing vehicles, the range of people they met, the old couple, the waitress, the house where they stole the clothes, the motels? Finding Mindy?

8.The interaction between the younger man and the older woman? The effect on each? Charlotte’s experience, being a hostage, watching the television, seeing her husband on television and complaining about the photo, the phone call to him? Her motherly attitude towards Jake? Their discussions, insight, support? Charlotte becoming freer? Her going by herself, the attack, the rescue by Jake? The relationship, sexual? Her being cautious, the effect and her openness?

9.Jake, his trying to cope, trying to think, not coping, the various stances he took, his values? The relationship with Charlotte, his sexual approach, the actual relationship, the aftermath and the effect?

10.The decision to separate, Charlotte and her walking, the bar, the attack in the bar, Jake and his rescue, his violence and her surprise?

11.Mindy, pregnant, in the home, her escaping? Her interactions with Charlotte, resenting her? Talk, fears? Her demands? Jake’s reaction? His wanting to abandon her?

12.The final chase, Jake pursuing Charlotte? Jake with the gun? Audience expectations – that he use it?

13.The range of people along the road, the comedy with the old couple? The insights from the waitress? At the motel?

14.The aftermath, Charlotte and the effect of the journey, going home to her husband? Receiving the letter from Jake? Seeing Jake, his relationship with Mindy – and the happy ending?

15.A film of insight, a range of ordinary people, limited people, the experience of crises, the effects, interactions, coping and learning?