MISS CONGENIALITY

US, 2000, 109 minutes, Colour.
Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine, Benjamin Bratt, Candice Bergen, Ernie Hudson, William Shatner, Heather Burns.
Directed by Donald Petrie.

Miss Congeniality proved a popular star vehicle for Sandra Bullock. During the 1990s she had emerged as a major star with such films as Speed, While You Were Sleeping, Demolition Man.

This is an enjoyable spoof of police thrillers. Sandra Bullock portrays an awkward FBI agent, who disrupts special stings, is prone to accidents – and find herself not attractive to men. She is obliged to go under cover for a beauty pageant which is being threatened by an anonymous killing. She experiences a makeover at the hands of Michael Caine – and entertaining performance by Caine as a gay stylist. Benjamin Bratt is the romantic interest, a fellow FBI agent, and Candice Bergen is the organiser of the fashion show assisted by William Shatner. Ernie Hudson is Sandra Bullock’s harassed boss. Sandra Bullock and Ernie Hudson were to appear in the entertaining sequel, five years later, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Dangerous.

1.A piece of popular entertainment, funny, satiric, serious?

2.The police and FBI thriller? The opening in the bar, the tension, the Russian Mafia, the pretence of the gangster, Gracie falling for it, the botching of the sting, the shooting of the agent, his survival? Her days as an undercover agent numbered?

3. The world of glamour, the Miss America pageant, the talk about it being a scholarship event? The organisers, the contestants? Gracie and her entering? The discussions with Miss Morningside and Stan? Their reluctance to have the undercover agent? Gracie and her meeting with Victor, his dismay? The details of the makeover – walking, hair, style, make-up? The talent quest, the swimsuit pageant, the interviews – and Gracie’s comment about parole sentences and world peace? The dancing? The talent – and her playing the glasses with Doctor Zhivago? Her diving on the suspect, the television interview, the wariness of Harry McDonald? Her collaborating with Eric? The pageant itself, the audience, the compere language, the kitsch aspects? The setting up the scene for the crime – and the bomb in the crown and Gracie trying to indicate this to the agents?

4.The opening with Gracie as a girl, the tomboy, her friendship with the boy, overcoming his bully, his not wanting to be defended by a girl? Her being alone? Her friendship with Eric, with the boss? The Russians and the job in the bar, her skill – and not – as an undercover agent?

5.Kathy Morningside, Candice Bergin’s style? Her being fired? The long service to the pageant, her anger – and the suspicions about her winning in the past? Stan as genial, the assistant? The interviews? Frank and his relationship to Kathy, this not being known, her bossing him about? Her poise – yet a villain? The show, the girls, the revelation of the truth, her anger and crass language?

6.Victor and his style, the stylist, his exasperation at meeting Gracie, his helping her, his success, pride, leaving the pageant, returning, her victory? Enticing her in for the Miss Congeniality award?

7.Eric, his job, promotion, in charge of the squad, the group and their watching the computer and dressing and undressing characters? The boss behind him? The martial arts sequences and Gracie beating him? His work as a detective, the interviews, collaborating with Gracie, watching the events and the dressing room on the monitor? His not being able to support her, leaving, his return? His confrontation with Frank? The final kiss?

8.Gracie and her type, with Victor, her not wanting to go through with the makeover? Harassing the boss, her theories? The interactions with Kathy, suspicions of her? Her bonding with the girls, their discussions, the girl-talk, the pizza, the dancing, the martial arts? The gun? Her diving from her performance with the water glasses? Her being left alone, following the hunch? Her performance, realising the bomb was in the crown, the fight with the winner, saving the day?

9.The personalities of the entrants, their friendship, style, platitudes – sometimes with depth, sometimes not?

10.Gracie and her being Miss Congeniality – her response to the girls and friendship?

11.The success of the formula and its leading to an amusing sequel?