THE MERRY GENTLEMAN
US, 2009, 110 minutes, Colour.
Michael Keaton, Kelly Macdonald, Tom Bastounes, Darlene Hunt, Bobby Cannavale.
Directed by Michael Keaton.
A fine film but one which requires some patience and attention from an audience which usually prefers something faster-paced with more action. The title is also misleading – the initial setting is Christmas but the lead, Frank Logan, a seedy and unwell hitman, is not a merry gentleman at all.
Michael Keaton has directed this film with great attention to detail and visual style. It is set in Chicago, not the city we might immediately recognise, but the city of streets and offices, apartments and restaurants – and in winter. Keaton also appears as Frank Logan, a serious, even low-key, performance without any reminder of what a comic actor he has been in the past.
The somewhat improbably plot (with quite a number of coincidences) is carried by Keaton's sensitivity and the fine and sympathetic acting of Scot Kelly Macdonald. Katie, a battered wife, escapes to Chicago and a receptionist's job and a chance to begin again. When Katie sees Logan contemplating suicide on a building ledge, she screams and he falls backwards instead of to his death. Logan goes about his work but makes contact with Katie. And, on a level of friendship, they click. One of the detectives investigating Logan's crime (Tom Bastounes) is attracted to Katie and pursues the case to a revelation.
There are many conversation sequences, quietly spoken with many pauses, but quite intensely felt.
There are also a number of religious motifs throughout the film, Katie's finding sanctuary in a local Catholic Church, a moving explanation to her non-religious co-receptionist about the effect of the statue of Jesus reaching out and demonstrating this just as Logan is about to kill himself, a later visit to the Church for the final meeting between Logan and Katie. The abusive husband (Bobby Cannavale) also goes though a rather charismatic conversion to Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. And there are some God discussions.
A pleasing film that is not necessary to see but, if one surrenders to it with patience, a rewarding film.
1.Michael Keaton and the quality of this film, his work as director, performer? His past image, The contrast with this low-key and effective presentation?
2.The Chicago settings, workplaces, the outskirts, streets and buildings, apartments and interiors, restaurants? Realistic? The score?
3.The leisurely pace, low-key style, the intensity, audiences being invited to observe, be involved, contemplate? (The lack of popularity of the film and commentators saying they were bored and confused?)
4.The title, the use of the Christmas season, Valentine’s Day? Times of celebration and love? The focus on people alone and lonely?
5.The introduction to Frank Logan, a vagrant, wandering the streets, alone, winter? Going up to the vehicle – and the execution?
6.The introduction to Katie, the police, in bed, battered, Michael and his getting ready to go to work, a policeman? Her decision to leave, secretly?
7.Christmas week, Katie at work, friends with the receptionist, chatting? The audience seeing her in close-up? Frank and his looking through the ’scope? The shot? His looking at Katie demonstrating the hands of Jesus? Her leaving the building, screaming, Frank falling back? The police, Katie giving them information, the friendly police? Taking her home?
8.The two policemen, their work as detectives, partners, talking with each other, the investigation? The policeman wanting to organise a date? Saying he was alcoholic and fat? The partner and his Jewish background? The phone call, going out with Katie, the restaurant, the awkwardness, her leaving? The two men on the job, outside the tailor’s shop, frightening the suspect – and his later hanging himself, their reactions?
9.Katie, going into the church, sitting and praying, explaining to her friend the attractiveness of Jesus, his hands outstretched? The secretary saying that Jesus was the ultimate cute? The moment of Frank shooting his target? The religious themes, Michael and his conversion, the personal saviour in Jesus, the background of the television evangelists, the charismatic and Pentecostalist style? Katie and her return to the church, the final encounter with Frank? Bewildered? Frank, the audience thinking he had killed himself, yet surviving – some suggesting a kind of resurrection?
10.Frank and Katie, her buying the Christmas tree, the taxi, trying to get it into the house, falling, Frank arriving, helping her? The friendship, going out, the meals, Frank’s courtesy? The ability to talk to each other? His secret?
11.Michael finding Katie, her fear, the knife? His trying to reassure her? The religious conversion, his speech about meeting the priest, touching his life, the religious language? Frank arriving, seeing his address? The off-screen murder? The police, examining the body? Going to the morgue and Katie identifying her husband? The detective and his decision to follow Frank, taking him back to the tailor’s shop, his going in, looking at the clothes, the reaction of the attendants, his discussions with Frank and warning him?
12.The Christmas party, talk, Katie feeling alone, the girlfriend and the sexual encounter, her later explanations? Katie, the tree, going to the movie, alone?
13.Katie frightened by Michael, staying with her friend?
14.The detective and the second date? Seeming to go better? His giving up drinking and smoking? His insinuating the truth about Frank? Her leaving the table, going from the restaurant? Going into the church, meeting Frank?
15.Frank, the bridge, the cap falling into the river – the river close-up, his retrieving his cap, walking away?
16.The portraits of two lonely people? Fate and Providence? Friendship and separation?
17.The future for each – Katie in the city, possibilities with the detective? Frank and the unknown?
