LAND OF PLENTY
US, 2004, 116 minutes, Colour.
Michelle Williams, John Diehl, Shaun Toub, Wendell Pierce, Richard Edson, Burt Young, Bernard White, Gloria Stuart.
Directed by Wim Wenders.
German director Wim Wenders has had a varied career for almost forty years. Beginning in his native Germany, he made a number of small-budget black and white features, He also made a version of Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter as well as an epic road movie, Kings of the Road. He then went more up-market with The American Friend and moved to the United States and made such films as Hammett. He reached his peak in the mid-80s with the award-winning Paris Texas as well as the popular cult film, Wings of Desire. His career during the 90s was mixed, both in Europe and in the United States. Here is something of a return to his earlier form.
The film was made in sixteen days plus a five-days’ trip across the United States. It is a response to the atmosphere in the United States after September 11, 2001. The film has two central characters: one a Vietnam veteran who probably experienced poisoning, has come home convinced that America won in Vietnam, is paranoid about terrorists and works as a security guard. He has also cut himself off from his family. The other character is his niece, daughter of missionaries who worked in Africa, who is returning home to the United States after ten years, having worked in Israel and with the Palestinians. She is a devout Christian, not afraid to pray openly. She works in a refuge in Los Angeles, Bread of Life, allegedly in the hunger capital of the United States.
The film shows a drive-by killing of a man from Pakistan whom the security officer suspects of being a terrorist but who is known to the young girl who seeks out his brother and finds out the very ordinary truth about this vagrant man on the streets.
The film then shows the challenge between people of faith in human nature, faith in God and those who are caught up in the paranoia of the war on terrorism.
John Diehl, veteran of many films, is excellent as the security officer. Michelle Williams is the young woman. There is a good supporting cast. The film is interestingly shot, digital camera work, the contemporary musical score, finishing with a Leonard Cohen song.
The film was released in the same year as Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 911. It was the year for the election of the American president – and these films contributed to American consciousness about what had happened during the years of the George W. Bush administration.
1.A film of 2004? The perspective on the United States, post-Vietnam, post-September 11? The war on terrorism? A European film director with an American interest observing from the outside and from the inside?
2.The context of terror, the war on Iraq, 2004 as an election year? The impact of President Bush?
3.The background of American history, the Vietnam war, the loss of Vietnam, Paul thinking America had won the war? The history of terror, the actions of George W. Bush? The consequences, the war on Iraq? The veterans and their being poisoned in Vietnam, physically and psychologically, paranoia, bigotry, racism, American supremacists? Violence?
4.Wenders and his interest in Christianity, the gospel, religion and love? Service? Lana as the daughter of missionaries? Her complete dedication? Her life, working in Israel, understanding Israel and the Palestinians, the political dimensions of service? Her praying, her interior prayer? Serving at the Bread of Life? The hunger capital of America? The influence of her personality, her prayer, her goodness?
5.The introduction to Lana, her flight? Henry meeting her at the airport, their discussions, Bread of Life, the house itself, the hunger capital, the squalor of the streets, the homeless? Her room, settling in? The phone call to Paul? Listening to Henry’s sermons, the gospel message? Serving the meals, Charles and his name? Meeting Hassan? Working with Sherman? The other members of staff?
6.The introduction to Paul, his surveillance work, his vehicle? The background of Vietnam, his relationship with Jimmy, security and surveillance, recording, filming, light on the car, going to the small airport, condemning its lack of security, his suspicions, listening to the radio, the right-wing ridiculing of the liberals, his mobile phone and its playing The Stars and Stripes? His own views? His trauma, injuries, poison in Vietnam? His believing in the might of the land of plenty and freedom? His recurring dream, its gradually diminishing, recurring after September 11? Lana experiencing the torment of his dream?
7.Paul and his suspicions of Hassan, dressed in Muslim and Eastern way? The factory, the borax boxes, following him, suspicion about chemicals, the possibilities of bombs? His disappearance? His being at the Bread of Life, Lana knowing his name? Paul watching, his being shot – the irony of its being white killers, with their parents’ guns, on drugs, in a wealthy car? Going to visit the brother, his explanation of Hassan, his love for his brother, the borax and the factory and earning some dollars, the boxes going to the old lady for her removalist?
8.Lana, her selflessness, her skill in detection, making phone calls, finding out about the brother in Trona? Trona as Hassan’s final word? The visit to the brother, her concern about Paul, the phone calls to him, his coming to the centre, her involvement, his wariness, allowing it? Going to visit Hassan’s brother, taking the body? The funeral?
9.Paul and the effect of the quest, finding out about Hassan, visiting the old lady, the explanation of the boxes? The difficulty in having to reassess his whole paranoia? His return and Lana’s support?
10.Jimmy, the constant phone calls, his information skills, ringing back, Vietnam loyalties?
11.The aftermath of the funeral, his reading the letter from Lana’s mother, his having cut himself off from the family, her explanation of herself, her hopes that he would care for Lana? The effect on him?
12.The decision to travel across America, the visual overview of the range of American landscapes, especially the Grand Canyon, the fields of the midwest, the eastern seaboard, New York City?
13.The visit to Ground Zero, a construction site, contemplating it, remembering the victims, trying to get into the minds of the victims, their attitudes for vengeance, charity, atonement? The future for Paul and Lana? For the United States?
14.The final song by Leonard Cohen, 'The Land of Plenty’, the letters and the perspective on America?
