THE LAST DANCE
US, 2000, 105 minutes, Colour.
Maureen O’ Hara, Eric Stoltz, Trini Alvarado, Charles Robinson, Paul Johansson, Deirdre Quinn, Matt Weinberg, Jane Carson.
Directed by Kevin Dowling.
The Last Dance is a moving film made for television. Irrespective of its quality, it is a wonderful opportunity to see Maureen O’ Hara in the year that she turned eighty. This was sixty years after she appeared in Jamaica Inn and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She made many films during the 40s and 50s and some domestic comedies during the 1960s. However, she was away from the screen from 1973 to 1990, reappearing with John Candy in John Hughes’ Only the Lonely. She still looks very beautiful in this film, speaks beautifully and offers a strong but warm performance.
She is well matched by Eric Stoltz as a young nurse whom she encounters in hospital and had taught Latin in school. He warms to her and looks after her well, introducing his teacher wife, Trini Alvarado, also warm and sympathetic, and their two children.
The film is a wonderful story about friendship, the role of a grandmother figure for little children, the role of a mother figure for adults.
The film is also a tribute to teachers and their transforming power in adolescent lives, even if it seems the adolescents do not respond at the time.
The film also has strong flashbacks with Deirdre Quinn and Paul Johansson as the younger Maureen O’ Hara and her husband – and the audience wait throughout the film to know the fate of the husband, a sad one. This is a very moving film, entertaining, very strong on family values, love and friendship – and a beautiful preparation for death, and the ability to let things go but cherish the value of people, love and life.
1.The impact of the film? For adult audiences? Younger audiences?
2.The setting, the town, the school, the hospital, homes, outings, the seaside? Authentic? The musical score?
3.The story, emotion, understanding of the elderly, family values, friendship?
4.Helen, her age, Maureen O’ Hara’s presence? Her wandering along, her collapse, in hospital, the encounter with Todd? Her remembering Todd and his essay, his knowledge of Latin? The friendship between the two? Her continually challenging him, especially about his being too busy? Their discussions, friendship, calling her by her name? At home, the visit of the children, going to the school to see Denise, remembering the past, making comparisons? Her telling her life story, the flashbacks to her meeting Charlie, the dance, their courtship, her father’s forbidding her to marry, getting her to get a teaching degree, for after the war, the wedding, the house, the hopes for children, standing in the snow, his not coming, the crash, her later life, people wanting to marry her, her perpetual love for Charlie? Her outing, going in the bus, looking for the landmarks and their being gone, the gift of the ball to the young couple, her friendship with the bus driver? Giving away all her possessions, the gifts to Todd and Denise, to the children? As a grandmother to the children? Their response to her? In the spacecraft and going to the moon? Her preparing for death, her teaching Todd the values of life? The request that he give her eulogy? His gathering the people together, the tribute to her, the memorial library? Her death? Her remembering Charlie? Her wisdom, advice?
5.The film’s theme about teachers, their influence, Denise finding it so hard, the tough 21st century students, the young girl, her insolence, her response to Denise’s friendship, in the drama, helping, her boyfriend with the drums, Denise giving her the hatstand – and her embracing Denise? The possibilities for teachers helping students? The parallel with how Helen had encouraged students, especially Todd?
6.Todd, age, experience, the complaining patients? His meeting with Helen, remembering her? At home, tired, with the children? His love for Denise? His being affirmed by Helen, helping her, doing her chores, the messages? Listening – and Helen explaining to him what listening really meant? Giving away her possessions? Having to build the library? His concern about her absence on the day? The eulogy issue, the minister seeing him? His decision about the celebration, his speech honouring Helen? His being satisfied with his job? Leaving the children with Helen and going on the date with Denise? Bringing romance, space back into his life? The flowers and the gardening?
7.Denise, seeing her teaching, the difficulties, coping at home? Her catering work? Todd on nightshift? Her being too busy to see Helen, Helen coming to the school, Denise being touched? The visits, the children, their bluntness, their warm response to Helen? The effect for Denise, bettering her life, her interaction with Ariel, with the student who walked out, playing the drums? Possibilities for the future?
8.The children, their ordinariness, their response to Helen, blunt talking about their grandparents, her serving as a grandmother figure? The little girl dressing up, the hat? The boy and the spaceship? Inviting Helen in? Their cards for her?
9.The school, the students, surly, response?
10.The hospital, the staff, corporate medicine, impersonal, giving out pills? The complaining patients?
11.The young Helen, her charm, dancing, Charlie, the military, the shared memories, the beach? The last dance?
12.The film and its importance about friendship, having a job that one liked, valuing friendship? The theme of death and detachment, preparation for death, a happy death?
