MAD CITY

U.S., 1997, 114 minutes, Colour.
John Travolta, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Alda, Mia Kirshner, Blythe Danner, Ted Levine, Raymond J.Barry, Bill Nunn.
Directed by Costa- Gavras

Max Bracket is a tough television reporter who has been ousted from the top studios. While covering a financial crisis at a museum, he is present when Sam Bailey, a sacked security guard takes over the museum with a rifle and explosives. He holds a children and their teacher as hostages. Sam wants to speak to the director about getting his job back. In the initial scuffles, his rifle accidentally, but fatally, wounds his fellow security guard.

Max takes charge of the crisis, persuading Sam to go on TV to plead his cause and gain public sympathy. Max negotiates with the networks and with the police. Later the FBI arrive intent on bringing the siege to a quick and, if necessary, violent end. Kevin Hollander, star news presenter also arrives to take over from Max and to manipulate interviews and footage of relatives and friends as he adapts to any change in media opinion polls concerning Sam.

Three days pass and the parents of the children and talk shows turn public opinion away from the previous sympathy towards Sam. Max continues to assist him as well as promote his own return to the networks. In the past he has clashed with Hollander and they each try to outmanoeuvre the other. However, Max comes to admire Sam and his cause and wants to protect him from the violence.

Sam speaks to Larry King live but continues to lose television audience support. The FBI demand the children be released. Sam does this and promises to come out. He then locks the doors and sets off the dynamite. Max accuses the media and the crowds of killing Sam.

Costa Gavras began directing strong social-minded movies in the 60s, coming to international recognition and an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1969 for Z. It was a powerful drama about the dictatorship of the generals in Greece. He followed this with several movies set in France like The Confession or Latin America like State of Siege. Though making fewer movies in the 70s and 80s, his attention was turned to a wider world: Missing (Chile), (Israel) and with Mad City to the United States. In 2002, he raised controversy with his version of Rolf Hochhutz's play, The Deputy, which was critical of the silence of Pius XII concerning the fate of the Jews. The movie was called Amen.

Mad City appeared the year before a number of movies were released with media, especially television as their theme and the subject of their critique: The Truman Show, Ed TV, Holy Man, Pleasantville. Mad City dramatises the manipulation of the media and the manipulation of the public by the media.

John Travolta gives one of his most persuasive performances as Sam Bailey, an average sort of man who was refused permission to remain in the air force to be trained as a pilot because of his lack of education (which resulted from his parents' poverty). He worked for five years as a museum security guard and was then let go. This role compares with Travolta's character in the little-seen White Man's Burden where he is, again, a man who has been sacked and who seeks justice.

Dustin Hoffman is also excellent as the manipulative reporter who gradually learns to respect Sam. The supporting cast is led by Alan Alda as a suave but relentlessly ambitious anchorman.

While the story may not be new, the treatment is stirring.

1.Impact? The gun culture of America? Paranoia? The role of the media? American perspectives? The director as an outsider? His social conscience background? From the perspective of the political left?

2.The Californian settings, the city of Los Angeles, the museum, the exteriors, the interiors, the crowds, the carnival atmosphere, sense of fear, the police presence, the FBI?

3.The title?

4.The realism of the plot and action, the plausibility, an exaggerated story or not? The film as a fable on the media and the gun culture?

5.The introduction of the media via Max Brackett, Dustin Hoffman’s presence and style? The media pressures, the discussions with Lou? Laurie as his assistant? His ambitions, the ratings, career, the past clash with Kevin Hollander? The tone of the film with the background of media manipulation? (And his going out to do the ordinary job?)

6.John Travolta as Sam, Sam’s situation, wife and children, his background story, the air force, the security guard, friendship with Cliff? His being sacked? His going out every day, getting desperate, going to the museum, the gun and the dynamite, the confrontation with Mrs Banks? Her not listening to him? His getting desperate, the gun, the accident in shooting Cliff? His decision, the children as hostages, the teachers, Mrs Banks? Creating the situation? Max and his assistant being there, her helping Cliff? Involvement in the situation?

7.The role of the police, the chief, his contact with Sam, the phone, the loudspeakers, handling the hostage situation? Contacts, publicity, the television, Max and his discussions with Chief Lemke? The deals? The arrival of the FBI and their controlling Lemke? Special Agent Dobbins and his relentlessness?

8.The FBI, superior to the local police, their assessment? Clash of personalities and authority? Aggressive, wanting to take Sam out, the snipers, the attempts to intrude on the museum roof?

9.Sam, his personality, handling the situation, responding to the accidental shooting of Cliff? The children? With Max, their discussions, the contact with his wife, the use of the television set (and the kids watching themselves on television)? The phone? Max, taking charge of the situation, seeing the opportunities? Rehearsing Sam for his television interview? The actual interview, Sam as desperate, finally taking off his tie? Growing more tired without sleep over the days? Playing with the kids, providing them with the food from the machines? The Indian tableau, his telling the story of the Indians, owning the land – and the irony of the sniper shooting the Indian statue? His confrontations with Mrs Banks, discussions with her? Her response, saying that it was wider than themselves with the situation and the children? His wife and her desperation? His interest in Kevin Hollander, wanting to do the interview with him? Seeing Jay Leno making jokes on late-night television? The interview with Larry King, the callers-in, their antagonism towards him? His wanting to be interviewed by Kevin? His growing bewilderment, public opinion in favour, turning against him, not realising that his antagonistic behaviour would alienate people? The build-up to the finale, his growing desperation, letting the children go, the last words to Max, trying to shoot himself and the gun failing, the dynamite and the explosion?

10.Max Brackett in himself, the flashbacks and his more humane dealing with the air tragedy than Kevin Hollander, Kevin Hollander and his gruesome insistence on detail? His clash, his being out in the sticks for two years? His ambitions, wanting to be on the network, national? Discussions with Lou? His relationship with Laurie – and her going over to Kevin Hollander when she saw the opportunities? His taking advantage of the situation in the museum, his coaching of Sam, manipulating him, contact with Lou and the authorities? The clash with Kevin Hollander, Hollander and his exploitation? Max’s shrewdness, the police, the FBI, discussions with Sam’s wife, the interviews, public opinion? Going in and out? His being ousted? The change, Laurie, Kevin and his biased program, Max going back, regretting leaving Sam? His final claim: “We killed him”?

11.Sam’s wife, the children, her seeing Sam in some ways as one of her children, her love for him, the TV interviews, the way they were edited? Her concern, the phone calls? Watching the TV, the children watching the TV? The other people claiming to know Sam – especially the alleged best friend who conceded that he was violent? The interview with Sam’s mother, at the clothesline, her compassionate talk – and Hollander editing a small clip?

12.Cliff and his wife, Cliff in hospital, forgiving Sam, acknowledging their friendship, the intrusive television interviewers, his wife needing the money, the pathos of the sudden news of his death, Sam seeing himself as a killer? The wife’s final interview and condemnation?

13.Kevin Hollander, his background, anchor, flying in to Los Angeles, his discussion with the executives? Ambitious, taking on Laurie, his editing his own program, wanting the interview, it being on the Long Finger, the reaction of the New York authorities? His finally standing in the crowd after Sam’s death?

14.The range of ordinary people, the interviews and their sympathy towards Sam and his plight? The phone callers to Larry King? The fact that he was in the middle of a felony? The carnival atmosphere, balloons and T-shirts? The fear when shots rang out?

15.The parents of the children, their antagonism, Max holding them back? The phone calls?

16.The change in Max, the touches of integrity? Lou’s judgment on the situation? Laurie and her betrayal? Hollander and his exploitive mentality?

17.The background of the social issues, the ordinary citizen, the difficulties, lack of income, inability to hold down jobs, the effect of being fired – and desperation and not knowing what to do?