WILLING TO KILL: THE TEXAS CHEERLEADER STORY
US, 1992, 100 minutes, Colour.
Lesley Ann Warren, Tess Harper, Dennis Christopher, Olivia Burnette.
Directed by David Greene.
Willing to Kill: The Texas Cheerleader Story is the dramatisation of actual events in Texas, a mother, living her life through her daughter, wants desperately for her daughter to become a cheerleader and decides to arrange a hit contract on her neighbour of whom she is jealous. She contacted her brother-in-law who contacted the police, taped her soliciting him and her subsequent arrest and court proceedings. Lesley Ann Warren is very good as the obsessed mother. Tess Harper is her neighbour. Headlines indicating such stories seem hard to believe. However, when characters are presented, interactions and motivations dramatised, audiences can gain some understanding of the lives and tensions behind the headlines.
1. Interesting drama? Real life? The American dream and success? Obsessions? Parents living through their children? Violence?
2. The Texas settings, the town, homes, schools, courts? Authentic atmosphere? Texas as larger than life and the setting for this kind of story and behaviour?
3. The title, the focus on Wanda Holloway?
4. The prologue in court, Wanda returning home? The credits and the cheerleaders? The flashback technique? The credibility of Wanda's story? The aftermath of the case, the evidence, her being found guilty? Bail, appeal? Her being released? The final captions with the two women still living close to each other, the two girls at school?
5. The credibility of the plot - mother love, obsessions, competitiveness, jealousies? Violence and angers? The mentality that could think of actually killing enemies? American justice?
6. Leslie Ann Warren as Wanda Holloway: the separation, love for her children, the friendship with Shanna? Meeting Verna, the friendship, driving the children to school? The years passing? The children playing together? Verna and her competitiveness, trophies? Wanda and her wanting good things for Shanna, the possibility of being a cheerleader? School, auditions? Wanda and her jealousy of Verna and Amber? The ice-skating sequence? Verna's mother? The possibility of auditions, Verna going to the school board, Wanda going and arguing that Amber not be eligible? The rules for campaigning - her buying the rulers, handing out voting plaques? The confrontation by the school authorities? Her anger? The practising, encouraging her daughter? The
decision to kill Verna and Amber? Her going to see Terry, the discussions? the money, her earrings? The phone calls, the final decision - her laughter, vindictiveness? The irony of her being taped? The arrest? Shanna's response? Verna and her fears? Shane and his assertion to his mother, being neglected? His support of her? Tony and his visit and wanting custody of the children? Her behaviour in court, attitudes, hardness? Her denials? The television treatment - and her watching it with Shanna? The tension in her relationship with her daughter? Shanna telling her that she wanted her won dreams? Prison, the appeal? Her being released? Going to the cheerleader performance? Her friend and his support, testifying against her in the court? The aftermath and her still being free, the tension with Verna? The importance of the encounter with the counsellor, her looking at what she had done, her saying she was sorry, going beyond morality? Symbolising American mother love?
7. Shanna, ordinary young girl, growing up with Amber? Sharing, school, cheerleader practice, hard work? Her mother's support of her? Her response to her mother's behaviour? Disillusionment? Her recovery, performing, success? The continuing tension with Amber? The contrast with Amber, her successful mother, being groomed, trained, her mother videoing performances, giving her advice? Friendship with Shanna? The final hostility - and their profiles together?
8. Verna, friendly neighbour, supportive of Wanda? Manipulative and competitive? Her belief in competitor? The trophies? Her mother, success, training her daughter? the family tradition? Her husband and his support? Her pushing Amber, Wanda's reactions? Her puzzlement? The news about the plan against her life? Her fears, her angers, upset? The family together and their concern? Television news, interviews? In court? Testimony about friendship. Her bewilderment, phone calls to her mother? Her angers with her children? Her wanting to be forgiving - and Wanda and Verna both being Christian and
church going people? Looking at the interviews with the counsellor, her own interview and wanting to be forgiven? The success of her daughter? The final captions and the continuing tension?
9. Terry, his criminal background, listening to Wanda, going to Tony to ask his advice, leading Wanda on, phone calls? The final interview anal his taping her? The cross -examination in court and his feeling his was crucified? Tory, his advice for Terry to go to the police? His wanting custody of the children and the confrontation with Wanda?
10. Wanda's friend, his love for her, support, joking about a hit man - and Wanda taking it literally? His testimony in the court? Going to the football match with her at the end?
11. The school principal, the staff, the meetings? The regulations, campaigns for voting? The school assistants, secretaries?
12. The police, working with Terry, listening to the tapes? The arrest?
13. The judge, the court, cross examinations? Wanda and her lying in the court? Defending herself? The guilty verdict?
14. The truth of the story - American success, going beyond moral grounds, parents living through their children?
