UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
US, 2003, 117 minutes, Colour.
Kathy Bates, Rupert Everett, Dan Aykroyd, Jonathan Price, Peter Sarsgaard, Meredith Eaton, Lynn Redgrave, Marcia Warren, Richard Briers, Julie Andrews, Barry Manilow, Sally Jessy Raphael.
Directed by P.J. Hogan.
Unconditional Love is the work of husband and wife screenwriting team, P.J. Hogan and Jocelyn Moorhouse. P.J. Hogan achieved celebrity in Australia with Muriel’s Wedding. He went to Hollywood and made such films as My Best Friend’s Wedding and returned to Australia for Peter Pan. Jocelyn Moorhouse herself had won acclaim for Proof and also went to the United States making How to Make an American Quilt and A Thousand Acres.
Unconditional Love received very limited release – and was withdrawn from theatrical release in some areas. It could be considered a kind of folly – but an entertaining one if audiences are prepared to suspend disbelief. It is quite unpredictable – going in all kinds of unexpected directions. It defies credibility – but, with a genial cast, a confidence of the writers that they are enjoying themselves, audiences may get a lot out of the film.
It is a star vehicle for Kathy Bates and she responds particularly well to the challenge of an ordinary housewife whose husband decides to leave her. Her husband is played in a meek and mild way by Dan Aykroyd. However, the housewife is a fan of a celebrated crooner, played with suave charm by Jonathan Price. When he is murdered, the housewife decides to go to England for his funeral – where she discovers that he was gay, meets his long-time partner, played by Rupert Everett, and gets involved in all kinds of shenanigans with his funeral as well as a plan to return to Chicago to discover his murderer.
The supporting cast includes Peter Sarsgaard as a window cleaner, Lynn Redgrave and Marcia Warren as the singer’s two estranged sisters and Meredith Eaton as the housewife’s dwarf daughter-in-law. There is also a comic guest appearance by Julie Andrews as herself – which also has to be seen to be believed as she sings Getting to Know You in the cockpit during a bumpy flight and repeats the act during the pandemonium at the singer’s funeral. The film climaxes on the Sally Jessy Raphael Show and a guest appearance by Barry Manilow.
The film does make a point about its title, the nature of complete and self-giving love – even when one is not loved in return.
1.The work of P.J. Hogan and Jocelyn Moorhouse? Writing and directing? Creativity? Imagination – even to the absurd?
2.The title and expectations, for each of the characters? For the family? The nature of love, love without being loved in return? The final condition for the husband to say that he loved his wife?
3.Chicago, the opening with the fog, the unreality? The apartments? The underground area? The touch of the sinister? The world of television studios and glitz? Bars? The Sally Jessy Raphael Show? The contrast with the United Kingdom, the country town of Lark, the church and the cemetery, the house and the pub? US contrasting with the UK?
4.The range of songs, those in the background? Popular songs commenting on the action and characters? Victor Fox and his range of songs, the visual presentation – culminating in the real Barry Manilow appearing? Julie Andrews and singing Getting to Know You?
5.The structure and the screenplay: unpredictable, improvised as it went along (giving that impression)? The various turns, the comic, then the serious, farce, musical, Vigilante Revenge? The TV show and its glitz?
6.The overall impact – of reality and fantasy, interest and enjoyment, the absurd? Characters, events and twists?
7.The city of Chicago, the opening fog, setting the mood, the garages, the transition to the television studio for the happy ending?
8.Kathy Bates as the housewife, waking up, the meaning of her life, twenty-five years of marriage, her husband talking to her, dropping the news in a phlegmatic way? On the phone for the tickets for Victor Fox’s concert? Listening, hanging up? Her shock? His walking out? The effect on her, the puzzle? The looking at the window cleaner – and the husband talking about him as a risk-taker (and the irony that he was the murderer)? With her daughter-in-law, having coffee, the daughter-in-law’s aggression because she was a dwarf? Discussions, family, possibilities? Her fears? Wanting to come alive?
9.Her ringing for the ticket, pleading? Her waiting, thinking she wouldn’t get it, the delivery, hurrying to the studio? The shock of the announcement of Victor’s death? Going with her daughter-in-law to the site, watching, going into the bar, the bartender explaining where Victor Fox sat, his words about a life without fear, drinking the Guinness?
10.The decision to go to the funeral, the flight, her singing in fear, Julie Andrews sitting next to her, Julie Andrews going to the cockpit and singing Getting to Know You, the passengers all joining in?
11.The strength of the decision to go, the experience of the UK, arriving at the country town, getting information, going to Victor Fox’s house, the boarders, Dirk and his aggressiveness? Kicking her out? The discovery that Victor was gay and the effect on her?
12.The chance meeting with Nola, Lynette and Harriett, the brother-in-law? Having tea, the talk, their grief, the sisters overacting? The discovery of who Grace was? Ousting her? The brother-in-law as the lawyer, suggesting that she could spy for them?
13.Grace’s infiltrating the house, preparing the lavish breakfast, tidying up, mowing the lawn? The reaction of Dirk’s friends, his sending them away? The talk with Dirk, his background as valet, sharing Victor’s life? His explanations, the way people treated him? His being left the house? The bond growing between Grace and Dirk? Going to the pub on the bike – and the fall? Keeping his identity secret – but the tribute of the people in the pub? The tour of the house, Dirk explaining everything to Grace, Victor and his response to his mother, his orientation, school, the sisters’ alienation? His mother’s reaction? Wearing her clothes? The decision to leave, to go back to Chicago to hunt the killer? Dressing the corpse in the chiffon and the tiara? In the airport in Chicago, the television presentation of the funeral – and Nola’s upset?
14.The sisters, their manner, way of talking, mercenary, welcoming Grace, ousting her? The dignity of the funeral? The commotion, Nola’s scream? Julie Andrews at the funeral – going to the pulpit, punching the vicar? The singalong of Getting to Know You? The sisters at the Sally Jessy Raphael Show, forced to give over the house for charity – and their consenting?
15.Jonathan Price as Victor, his style, on television, crooning, the women fans? The pathos of his death? The reality, the relationship with Dirk, his comment about having sex with other men but sleeping with Dirk? Valet, companion? Leaving the house to Dirk? The funeral? His reappearing to dance with both Grace and Dirk? His appearing at the end – with everything at peace?
16.The character of Dirk, Rupert Everett’s style? His housemates, ousting them? His work as a valet, doing everything, the menial tasks? His unconditional love for Victor? His anger, with Grace, his resentment, change of heart, the tributes to Victor, going to the US, getting into the spirit of the avenging of his death?
17.The return, the night together, the daughter-in-law discovering them? The plan, the information about the killer, the police, discovering that he would listen to music, the set-up, the confrontation?
18.The window cleaner, seeing him clean, his appreciation of Grace playing with the grandchild? The truth, his mother, resentment of singing, the accidental killing of Victor, his crossbow, the group singing the song for him, the shoot-out and his death?
19.Max, taking the furniture, the change of heart, wanting to come back, Grace refusing? Going to the studio – and, after saying Grace could not sing, inviting her to sing?
20.The daughter-in-law, the dwarf, her marriage to Andrew, the child, the alienation? Her tough stances? Her helping Grace? The reconciliation?
21.Sally Jessy Raphael and her style, the talk show, the introductions, the audience, each giving an explanation of what they had done? The invitation to sing – and Barry Manilow’s turning up to join them singing his song?
22.Preconceptions about marriage, fidelity, minorities such as dwarfs, the attitude towards gay relationships, orientations? And the meaning of unconditional love?
