IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY

US, 2003, 109 minutes, Colour.
Michael Douglas, Kirk Douglas, Cameron Douglas, Diana Douglas, Rory Culkin, Michelle Monaghan, Bernadette Peters, Sarita Choudhury.
Directed by Fred Schepisi.

It Runs in the Family is a family affair. Written by screenwriter Jesse Wigutow, it was directed by Australian Fred Schepisi (The Devil’s Playground, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Barbarossa, The Russia House, Roxanne).

The cast, however, is the Douglas family. Kirk Douglas plays the patriarch and his former wife, the mother of Michael Douglas, Diana Douglas plays his wife. Michael Douglas, of course, plays the son. Cameron Douglas, Michael’s son, plays his son. The rest of the family is rounded out by Bernadette Peters as Michael Douglas’s wife and Rory Culkin as the younger son. Michelle Monaghan is the younger Douglas’s girlfriend and Sarita Choudhury is a worker at a charity centre who comes on to Michael.

However, the film focuses on the different generations, the tensions between the generations, the problems of young people as well as infidelity, love, work, pro bono work, death.

The dialogue has echoes of the Douglas clan’s life – and audiences will be attentive to some of the comments. It can be noted that Kirk Douglas divorced Diana Douglas in the early 1950s and married his second wife to whom he has remained married since 1954.

The film is slight, somewhat self-indulgent in terms of a vanity vehicle for the Douglases – but of interest, nonetheless.

1.An enjoyable film? Interest? Families, generations, family values, crises?

2.The cast of the Douglas family, their cinema history, relationships, family in real life, marriages and divorce …?

3.The New York setting, the cityscapes, homes, streets, workplaces, charity centres? Schools? Authentic feel? The musical score?

4.The screenplay and the introduction to all the characters? The different generations and their interests, concerns? The meetings, the meals? The interactions? The crises? Death and the funeral? Aftermath of the funeral and the need for reconciliation and hope?

5.Alex Gromberg, his age, twenty-plus years of marriage, his two sons? His love for his wife? At work, workaholic? His charity work, the encounter with Suzie, her coming on to him, his almost giving in, their being caught? Her panties in his pocket and caught by his wife? At home, the meal, genial? The tensions with his father? Love for his mother? The puzzle about his sons? His being asked by his secretary to do pro bono work? His going to the Hispanic site, his speech, the offenders not knowing what he said, the applause of the Hispanics? His partner and the threat to his work? His decision to give up his work? His father’s applause? His attempts to reach out to his sons, telling them they could speak to him about anything, taking Eli to the game? Asher not going? His mother’s death, his speech at the funeral? The tensions with Rebecca? Her holding back? His confessing the truth to her? Going fishing, trying to talk with his father? The reminiscences, his father’s treatment of him, his own attitudes towards his sons? The option for the house, his father giving it to him? Going for a drive in the car? The final reconciliation?

6.Mitch Gromberg, Kirk Douglas, his age when performing, the aftermath of his stroke? His difficulty of speech? Yet his vigorous acting? His concern about his brother, going to visit him in the home? His relationship with his wife? The medical check-up? The dinner, his enthusiasm, dominating the table? Prayer and the Jewish rituals? His love for his wife, discussions with her, the television, her teaching him to dance? The sadness of her death? The funeral, the aftermath, fishing, the entanglements with his son, the driving of the car, the house? The frank talking? The resolution?

7.Evelyn Gromberg, as played by Diana Douglas, her love for her husband, the medical check-up, the dinner, her love for her grandchildren? Her meal with her husband, ordering, having the usual? The dancing? At home, the final dance, her death? Her son’s tribute to her in grace and stature?

8.Eli, at school, shy, pottery work, being bullied? Abby and the friendship? His later meeting her? The looking at the sex magazine with the kids, being bullied by the older kids? Going to the game with his father? Reticent except for sex questions? At school, the dance, confronting the assailants, defending Abby, the background of his martial arts and his winning the competition and the statue? His fight? Going home satisfied?

9.Asher, his age, drugs, not doing well at school? At the family gatherings? With his girlfriend? The encounter with Peg, discussions? The relationship with Peg, the drug bust, her being ashamed, his having to change his way of life, his parents coming to get him?

10.Peg, nice, friendship with Asher, being caught with the drugs?

11.Suzy, at the charity centre, coming on to Alex? Not taking no for an answer?

12.Stephen, his age, his relationship with his brother, coming to the dinner, his loss of memories? His death?

13.A portrait of New York Americans, their Jewish background, audiences identifying with the universal themes of their problems and resolutions?