THE RAINMAKER
US, 1997, 135 minutes, Colour.
Matt Damon, Danny de Vito, Clare Danes, John Voight, Mary Kay Place, Dean Stockwell, Teresa Wright, Virginia Madsen, Mickey Rourke, Andrew Shue, Johnny Whitworth, Roy Scheider, Randy Travis.
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
The film version has kept the core of the novel and is faithful to the key aspects of the characters. This is the sixth Grisham novel to be filmed so most audiences know that they are in for a law story and an expose of an organisation and/or some bigotry. This time it is unscrupulous health insurance companies who prey on poor customers and have no intention of answering their claims.
Not that the law is perfect. Indeed, we have quite a range of lawyers here, all excellently played: Jon Voight at his best as the smart defence lawyer, Danny de Vito also at this best as a clever (often funny) ambulance chaser, Mickey Rourke as a gangster lawyer - and the hero, Matt Damon as the clean-cut hopeful who gets the case of a lifetime and who could lose it through inexperience.
The supporting cast includes Danny Glover as a judge, Claire Danes, Virginia Madsen, Mary Kay Place and veteran, Teresa Wright. In fact, they are excellent too. Which means that writer-director, Francis Ford Coppola, has crafted an intelligent drama that interests with its themes, catches us emotionally - and has some humour
1.The popularity of John Grisham’s stories? The law, underdogs, corporations? Money and compensation?
2.The tradition of the John Grisham films and this film in line?
3.The work of Francis Ford Coppola, his decision to make a John Grisham film? Screenwriting and direction?
4.The strong cast and bringing to life the characters and actions and issues?
5.The location photography, the south, the city? The sleazy offices, the contrast with the wealthy offices? The world of the poor? Ordinary people, cross-section of people from the south? The musical score and songs?
6.The title, Deck and his explaining it? Drumming up business?
7.Rudy Baylor and Matt Damon’s style? A John Grisham hero? His age, experience and lack of experience, from the south, his studies, wanting a job, meeting Bruiser Stone and his associate? Meeting Deck? The opportunities, meeting the clients, knocking from door to door, the possibilities of commissions, success? Seeing him in action, wary? His wanting to make a difference? The world of the sleazy – and his trying to go beyond?
8.Bruiser Stone and his style, knowledge, his work, commissions, range of lawyers, supporting Deck? The law and his being exposed? Fleeing? Deck ringing him for advice, his knowledge of the law, in exile in the Caribbean?
9.Danny de Vito as Deck, his inability to pass his bar exam, his studies, knowledge? Friendship with Rudy? Making the contacts, the visits, giving advice, knowledge of the law, researching the law, involved in the case, speaking in the courts? His phone call to Bruiser? The ultimate success?
10.Rudy and his visit the Black family? The meeting with Dot, the discussions with her? His meeting with Donnie Ray? His sympathy? The father sitting outside in the car? The background of the story, Dot and her explanation, the insurance firm and calling her stupid? The number of letters? The needs for Donnie Ray, the possibilities for an operation? The money? Doctors’ opinions? The role of the insurance company? Dot and her strong personality, her wanting to get the results from the insurance company, not wanting to deal, refusing the small amount of money, wanting to give whatever money came to charity, for research? Donnie Ray, his suffering, friendship with Rudy? The pathos of his death? The funeral and family grief?
11.The encounter with Kelly? Her boyfriend, defending herself, his brutality? Her being hurt, the hospital, the mutual attraction? Her story, the dangers, the danger for Rudy? In the house, the boyfriend wanting to make her pregnant? Love, fighting? Rudy and his relationship with Kelly? In the house? Cliff and his intrusion, the battering, his death? Kelly and her arrest, in jail, Rudy contacting her, acting as her lawyer? Their future?
12.Miss Birdie, a good old woman, her situation, the avaricious relations and their visit, the intrusion into Rudy’s room? His giving them tips? Her friendship with Rudy, his moving in, Kelly given a refuge? Her capacity for entertaining? An old lady of the south?
13.Judge Harvey Hale, hard, crusty, his attack on Rudy? Leo Drummond and his accepting Rudy in the court? The initial hearing? The irony of his sudden death?
14.Judge Kippler, African American, different? His understanding of the law? His being prepared to help Rudy, give him advice as to procedures? The deposition and his visiting the family, the outside hearing? Leo Drummond present? His behaviour in the court, having the lawyers approach? His hearing the testimony of the woman from the office? His having to rule that it was unacceptable?
15.Rudy and his knowledge, winging it? His visit to the north, to visit the office, confronting Leo Drummond, Drummond humiliating him, his standing his ground, his confrontation with the other members of the staff? The search for Jackie Lemancyzk and her being fired? His return to the court? His spending time with Kelly? Being late, Deck filling in for him? His devotion to the cause, visits to Donnie Ray and Dot, his shrewdness, points of law?
16.His finding his way in the court, his lack of experience, Leo Drummond and his arrogance, style, presumptions? Wiping the floor with him? The witnesses, the cross-examination of Dot? The cross-examination of the officials, getting them to read out aloud the letters? The video of Donnie Ray’s last testament? Jackie Lemancyzk being found by Deck, her coming to the court, her testimony, her being humiliated in the dock, her attempts to help? Her denunciation of the insurance company and the behaviour of the officials?
17.Bugs in the office, manufacturing the false phone call to test whether Drummond and others were listening in, Drummond and his attack on the juror, the juror’s physical violence against him? Realising that he had been exposed?
18.The insurance officials, their manner, behaviour, firing Jackie Lemancyzk? Sexual liaisons with her?
19.Jackie Lemancyzk, found, the accounts, her stories about the office, the reasons for her being fired? Her being in an institution? Her being humiliated? Deck and his getting the manual, the issues about the manual and the missing sections? The judge having to reject the testimony?
20.The managing director, Wilfred Kiely, his arrogance, his discussion of the rules, the manuals, the different versions? The routines for denying claims? The various letters, the involvement of the company in some of the hospitals and operations?
21.The jury and the verdict, the damages for Dot Black, the huge damages against the company? The postscript, the various financial deals, the company being bankrupt? Leo Drummond ringing Rudy to tell him that there was no money? The discussion with Deck – with the satisfaction of having done good work?
22.The role of insurance companies, their treatment of people, in the face of the law, America as a litigious society? Issues of justice and integrity?
