HOLY MAN

US, 1998, 114 minutes, Colour.
Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum, Kelly Preston, Robert Loggia, John Cryer, Eric Mc Cormack.
Cameos by: Morgan Fairchild, Betty White, Florence Henderson, Soupy Sales, James Brown.
Directed by Stephen Herek.

1. Title, expectations, tone? The portrait of a good man, in himself, his journey for enlightenment? The religious background? American style?

2. The shopping channels, the studios for these channels, offices, the technical background, producers, management? The critique of the shopping channels – ethos, advertising, personalities? Profit motives?

3. Heightened reality for satire, parody? The advertisements with actual stars guesting?

4. The attitude towards money, Mc Bainbridge and his tough attitude, exploiting people? The exploitation of customers? Getting them to feel with the advertisement, feeling needs they never knew they had – and didn’t need? Examples of the buying, the necklace, the grass mats…?

5. Ricky and his life, working with Mc Bainbridge, his ambitions? Working with Barry as his assistant and adviser? The lack of success, falling ratings? Encountering Kate, her looking down on him? Mc Bainbridge, the threats, the targets? With Kate, in the car, the flat tyre, G. and his offer to help? Kate and her response? Their reversing over him, taking him to the hospital, Ricky paying the expenses? Kate wanting to take him in, Ricky taking him to his apartment, G. sleeping on the floor, the joke about the Orangeade in the morning?

6. Eddie Murphy as G., cheerful, philosophising, his clothes, on his journey, the walk, kissing the ground, wanting enlightenment? His way of speaking, seeing others’ goodness? Patient, humour? The religious motif – as explained by the various commentators from Christianity, Judaism and Islam?

7. G. at the studio, observing, making comments? His response to the staff? going on air, his comments, the effect? His sincerity? Explanations, results? His following? His enjoying the advertising? McBainbridge? wanting a contract and G's own show?

8. Scott, his plans for the network, image? His manner of speaking, clashes with Kate? His being upset with G? The scandal, the woman coming to claim that G. was her husband and the father of the children? G. going to meet her, the press conference? The woman breaking down? Telling the truth, Scott engineering the scandal?

9. Audience reactions to G., the media response to him?

10. Kate, her work, ambitions, wanting to use decent principles? Working with Mc Bainbridge, growing differences? With Ricky, getting to know him, helping with the targets? Her response to G? Her work, falling in love with Ricky, concern about G., wanting him to be let go?

11. Ricky and success, G. telling people to embrace and affirm Ricky? Kate and Mc Bainbridge and the pressures, the show, Ricky and the threats from Mc Bainbridge, the contract? Katie and her urging him to let G. go? Talking with G., Barry and the fake phone call from the doctor? Warning G. against the contract, urging him to go?

12. Kate, her walking out, watching Ricky on television? Hurrying back?

13. Mc Bainbridge, greed, reactions, anger, coming into the show while Ricky was talking, unable to intervene?

14. Barry, assistant, advice, not wanting to go on air, the phone call as the fake doctor, Ricky and the charades to give him the message to give to G?

15. The camera operators, watching, helping, highlighting the products?

16. G. going, the audience response, Ricky and his speech, being genuine, Kate coming back?

17. G. giving Kate and Ricky his blessing and going on his way?