THE FRUIT MACHINE

UK, 1988, 103 minutes, Colour.
Emile Charles, Tony Forsyth, Robert Stephens, Clare Higgins, Bruce Payne, Robbie Coltrane, Carsten Norgaard.
Directed by Philip Saville.

The Fruit Machine is the name of a gay club. This film focuses on two teenagers, friends, who witness a murder at the club. The film shows the development of each character, their interdependence, the dangers as they are on the run.

The lead actors had little experience in performance before this film. However, in the background are quite a number of classical British actors including Robert Stephens, Clare Higgins, Robbie Coltrane.

The film was directed by Philip Saville who had a long career in writing and directing from 1960. During the 1960s he made such films as Oedipus the King, The Best House in London. He was still making films at the beginning of the 21st century including the Canadian Gospel of John which utilised the whole text of the gospel with the voice-over by Christopher Plummer.

1.Interesting comedy, drama, thriller? People on the fringe?

2.Britain in the 1980s, London and the suburbs, the clubs? Brighton? Different facets of society?

3.Friendship and bonds, homosexual friendship, love? Mutual dependence, protection? Exploitation? The young men on the fringe? Their sensibilities?

4.How authentic the atmosphere? Reality and fantasy? A movie? Eddie and Michael, the mimicry, the memories? The pursuit – and the discovering of the dolphins, the transition to the concern about the dolphins, dreams and Turtle Diary?

5.Eddie and his background, his mother and her stories, father, taunts, his sensitivity? Friendship with Mick? Knowing himself, accepting himself? His fey manner, yet nice? Mick as a rent-boy? The bonds? The club?

6.Running away? The record, the star? Vincent and Eve? Gatecrashing? Alien yet charming? Michael stealing and Eve holding him? Vincent and Eddie and their discussions?

7.Mick and Eve, Mick and Vincent, the lies? Eddie making the enquiries? Mick and his brutality?

8.Eve and the walk, the dolphins? The campaigner, the beach? The show and the reactions? Visiting the dolphins – and the dream?

9.Annabel and the club, Robbie Coltrane and his style? The strip joint, age, permit, business, the killer?

10.The killer, the brutality, the toys, the pursuit, the attack? Eddie, the dolphins and death?

11.Eddie and his dying, the dream, Mick freeing the dolphins before his death?

12.A blend of realism and symbolism?