A PERFECT WORLD
US, 1993, 138 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, Laura Dern, T.J. Lowther, Keith Szarabajka, Bradley Whitford.
Directed by Clint Eastwood.
A Perfect World is a quieter Clint Eastwood story than usual – with quite some humane touches. He made it immediately after his Oscar-winning Unforgiven. He also takes a small role as a pursuing sheriff, leading a manhunt for an escaped prisoner, played by Kevin Costner in one of his best roles. The year after he made Waterworld which led to a downturn in his popularity. Laura Dern is in support as a criminologist expert, the butt of some jokes about women and intellectuals from the rather redneck Texans. The setting is the 1960s.
Most of the film, however, focuses on Kevin Costner and his taking a little boy as hostage, their journey together, the bonds between them, his trying to be a father figure in a way different from the treatment that he received from his own father, and the little boy needing a father figure because his mother was strict Jehovah Witness (forbidding Trick or Treating at Halloween) and his own father was absent. T.J. Lowther is particularly persuasive as the boy and the scenes between criminal and boy are very effective – though interesting in the light of subsequent consciousness about child abuse and adults treating young children. Bradley Whitford, some years before The West Wing, appears as a cold-blooded FBI sniper.
The meaning of the title is given when one of the pursuers talks about what might happen in a perfect world – and Laura Dern replies that this is not a perfect world.
Clint Eastwood presents a variation on his rugged persona but shows great sensitivity in his direction of Costner and T.J. Lowther, a great deal of sentiment which one might not expect from The Man With No Name. The screenplay was adapted by John Lee Hancock who adapted the novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil for Clint Eastwood in 1997 and directed The Rookie and The Alamo.
1.The impact of the film? The manhunt? Police work? The relationship between convict and boy?
2.A Clint Eastwood film, action, police, chase? The humane elements? Clint Eastwood’s presence, the humane perspective?
3.The Texas landscapes, the houses, towns? The musical score?
4.The title, what would happen in a perfect world – but we are not in a perfect world?
5.The introduction to Butch? Kevin Costner’s screen presence? The background, his relationship with his mother, growing up in the dance hall? His father? The postcard from Alaska – and his father reaching out to him? His showing this to Philip? His explaining the story to the black grandmother? In prison, his crimes, his partner? The preparation for the escape, the escape itself? Getting out of the prison, driving? The arrival in the town? Their decisions? Going into the house? The partner and his violence, towards the mother, towards Philip? Butch’s reaction? Taking Philip as hostage? In the car, in the field, the partner and his attack on Philip, Butch shooting him?
6.Philip at home, his mother, strict, no Trick or Treat? His absent father? The children coming to the door and their being rejected? The arrival of the convicts, the attack on the mother? Philip and his shock, Butch’s arrival, taking him as hostage? In the car, Butch treating him well? The partner, his violence, Philip running in the cornfield, hiding? Butch seeing it from the shop, chasing, hiding in the corn, the confrontation with his partner, shooting him?
7.Philip, Butch calling him Buzz? Their going to the friendly shop, the attitude of the women, over-friendly? Butch and his buying supplies, the clothes for Philip, Philip and the attraction towards the Halloween mask and suit? The television, the information? Butch getting the car, avoiding the police, Philip and his taking the suit, hiding it, the aggressive attitude of the women? Butch shooting the window?
8.The police, the FBI, Red and his taking charge, his deputy? Sally’s arrival, her intellectual spiel, Red’s reaction? Her reaction against his taunts? The bargain, the deals? The taking of the van – after the big spiel about how wonderful it was, being seconded for the manhunt? The warning to the driver? The inevitability of the crash – going through the fields, the caravan loose, crashing? The sniper from the FBI, his surly personality, his coming on to Sally and her rejection of him? Red’s taking a stance? The strategies? The contact with the local police? The car pursuits, Sally suggesting why he was going would tell them where? Passing them in the car, turning round, the pursuit?
9.Philip, his personality, passive, his needing a father figure, the various adventures with Butch? The picnicking family, the friendliness, Butch taking their car, stranding them, his promise not to harm the car? Sleeping in the car, the black man and his finding them inviting them into the house? The hospitality, the meal, the grandmother and her kindness, Philip playing with the little boy? The old man realising who Butch was? Getting his grandson away, slapping him? Butch and his breaking out, the gun, his brutality to the old man, making him apologise, saying that he loved his grandson and mean it? The grandmother and her personality, kindness? Their being tied up? Philip and his getting the gun?
10.Philip and his love for Butch, getting the gun, wanting to save the family, shooting Butch? Butch’s reaction to being shot? Saying it was better to be shot by someone he knew? Leaving the family? Going out to the car, Philip throwing the gun away, the car keys?
11.The pursuit, the set-up, Red and his puzzle, Sally and her observations, the local police, Red’s deputy? The sniper at the ready?
12.Butch in the field, his talking to Philip, Philip’s affection for him? The helicopter? His mother arriving? The sniper ready, Red telling him to wait? The conversation between Philip and Butch, Butch and his list of promises from the mother, especially about cotton candy, about Halloween? The mother’s promise? Putting on the mask? Going towards the police? Philip and his running back, embracing Butch?
13.The sniper firing, Butch’s shock, lying in the grass, his life going before his eyes? Philip and his affection? The final rescue? The end, the reactions of all concerned, Red punching the sniper, Sally kneeing him? The reaction of the local police? The deputy saying he thought Butch had a gun? Red saying he didn’t know? Sally and the benefit of this experience for her work?
14.Philip, reunited with his mother, Butch’s death? The long-term effect of this experience on Philip, with his mother, his absent father, the shooting?
