KINGPIN
US, 1996, 117 minutes, Colour.
Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, Bill Murray, Chris Elliott, Richard Tyson, Lin Shaye.
Directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly.
Kingpin is the second film by the Farrelly brothers, after Dumb and Dumber. It sets in place a style for the brothers, broad comedy, the ability to poke fun at all kinds of human experience, risky and risqué episodes, indulgences at times in crass material. They were to go on to make There’s Something About Mary which was a great success commercially as well as films like Me, Myself and Irene and Stuck On You.
This is a film about tenpin bowling. Woody Harrelson does his usual style as a champion who falls on bad times because of being exploited by the champion, played by Bill Murray in a very self-satisfied and smug character. He spends years drinking but eventually comes across an Amish man who has the potential to be a strong player. He is portrayed with humour and naivety by Randy Quaid. He also encounters the girlfriend of a gangster, Vanessa Angel, who joins the troupe in order to win a million-dollar competition. Everything does not work out quite as expected.
The film is a broad comedy – with more than a touch of sentiment as well.
1.The popularity of the Farrelly brothers’ comedies? Their broad approach? Dumb and Dumber humour? Risqué humour? Offbeat and crass?
2.Middle America, the various states, the travels, the bowling alleys, the clubs? The culmination in Las Vegas? The contrast with Amish territory and the farms? The songs and the musical score?
3.Audience interest in tenpin bowling? The skills? The competitions? The sport? Competitions?
4.Roy as a boy, his skills, his father training him? Growing up? His skill at bowling? Going to the competition, winning? The encounter with Ernie McCracken? His naivety and innocence? Mc Cracken putting the sugar in his car? His need for money? His father’s watch as standby? McCracken? making him the offer? Their going on the road, the variety of hustles? The final hustle with the man in clerical collar, the group of men, their pursuing Ernie and Roy? Catching Roy? Their brutality? Losing his hand? Mc Cracken’s disappearance?
5.Roy and his disappointment in life, the fact that he could have been a champion? His suspicions of Ernie, but going along with him? His skills, the hustles? His hand? The rubber hand? His champion’s ring? Spending the 80s and the early 90s drinking?
6.His chance meeting with Ishmael? Hearing his skill, explaining it to him? Ishmael and his Amish background? Roy hustling him? Trying to persuade him to be a champion?
7.Ishmael, personality? Audience understanding of the Amish and their traditions? Shunning worldly things? The farms, their dress, meals? The religious background? Roy and his infiltrating, the false beard? Confronting Ishmael again? Joining in the life, helping with the barn-raising – but rushing off at the dinner bell? His milking the bull? His being able to cope despite making a fool of himself? The situation with the Amish, the need for money? Ishmael and his wanting to go to the competition? His stern brother and his reprimands?
8.Going on the road with Roy? The various hustles? The barman seeing through him? Going with the thug? Meeting Claudia? The confrontation? The violence? Claudia going off with them?
9.Ishmael and his adjusting to worldly life, drinking, smoking? The issue of forgiveness? The Bible? His being hurt – and going to the pole-dancing? His being rescued?
10.The competition, Ernie Mc Cracken reappearing? The different hair? With the women? The commercials for his charity? The radio commentators saying what a fine person he was? His play, his ridiculing of Roy? His response to his success?
11.Ishmael suggesting that Roy go in the competition? To earn the money? Claudia going off with the thug and the money? The irony of the bet and her bringing back twice as much? Her watching Roy on the television?
12.Roy, his nervousness? His imagining the landlady (and the story of setting up the snatcher and the revelation that he was conning her)? The sexual encounter?
13.Roy, his achievement, Ishmael being taken back home by his brother, Claudia disappearing? Ernie putting the false message up in lights? His success – but not winning?
14.Claudia’s return, the reconciliation? Ishmael being taken home by his brother? Finding Roy and Claudia with the family? The story they spun about how good Ishmael was? Giving the money? A happy ending for all?
