ELECTION
US, 1999, 103 minutes, Colour.
Reese Witherspoon, Matthew Broderick, Jessica Campbell, Chris Klein
Directed by Alexander Payne
When it was first released, Election caught critics and audiences by surprise. Most were not expecting such a successfully biting satire, especially in the high school genre. In retrospect, it is no surprise at all because Alexander Payne and his co-writer, Jim Taylor, have had popular success and Academy Award wins for About Schmidt and Sideways. They write clever, intelligent satire that can be both funny and serious. Payne can also tell his story well and draw strong performances from his cast.
In 1999, Reese Witherspoon was emerging as a star. She was to go on to her daffy but glamorous Elle Wood in the Legally Blonde movies and star in versions of British classics, The Importance of Being Earnest and Vanity Fair. In Election, she embodies perfectly the unscrupulously ambitious and obnoxiously self-absorbed girl, Tracy Enid Trick, who wants to be elected student president. Morals and relationships take a second place to success.
Matthew Broderick also has a good role as Mc Alister, the teacher who is antagonised by Tracy Flick and plots against her in the name of democracy. Chris Klein tends to be a passive screen presence (American Pie, Rollerball) which suits the jock who is nominated to stand against Tracy.
Election is also an uncomfortable movie. In our heart of hearts we want characters to behave well and we can tend to become judgmental when they do not even when the movie is making a moral point. It is a shock to see Tracy’s affair with a teacher (although at the end this might have been one time when she could have been less driven in her ambitions) and Mc Alister’s toying with infidelity to his wife.
In retrospect, Election is interesting to compare with what was to happen a year after the release of the film, the clash between George Bush and Al Gore and the results in Florida. What was satirical in Election had touches of realism in 2000.
1. The success of this film, popular and critical? American satire?
2. The film at the end of the 20th century, reflection of the 90s, anticipation of the elections of 2000 and George Bush’s becoming president?
3. The setting in middle America, ordinary Americans? Ambitions, tactics, strategies? To fulfil the American dream? The culmination for Jim in New York, for Tracy in Washington, DC?
4. The Nebraska setting, the Midwest school, homes? The musical score?
5. The structure: the linear events, the election and what Jim Mc Allister did to sabotage Tracy’s ambitions? The flashbacks? The cumulative effect?
6. The points of view, Tracy and Jim Mc Allister and their particular voice-overs, the subjective assessment of the situations and characters, bias, self-focus? The commentary on the other?
7. The title, the overtones of democracy, candidates, electioneering and campaigns, voting, the results? Dishonesty and elections?
8. Matthew Broderick as Jim Mc Allister, the audience sharing his point of view, his confiding in the audience? His back-story, his love for teaching, history, morality and ethics? A credible teacher? His dealings with the student council? In Nebraska, his home life there? His relationship with his wife, her not becoming pregnant, the visualising of their attempts? Failure? The home life, his work with his colleagues, relationship with the principal, parents? His relationship with Dave, with Linda? The discovery of the affair, the discussion about values? In the principal’s office, Dave being fired? His crossing the line? Jim and his attempts to flirt with Linda, her reactions, his advances and Denise’s reaction?
9. The relationship with Linda, the advances, rejection, his wife reacting against him, leaving, the divorce? The disgrace? In Tracy’s eyes? His own self-recriminations about what he had done, this having a liberating effect? His future in New York City, at the museum, with the children? His going to Washington, the glimpse of Tracy and speculation about what she would be doing? The good man, his downfall, mistakes, consequences?
10. Reese Witherspoon as Tracy, age, experience, the domination of her mother, her mother spoiling her, pushing her? An over-achiever? Always having her hand up, being able to give definitions, the difference between ethics and morality? Her plans, ambitions? Her being the only candidate, setting up her desk, talking with people, putting them down, dominating at meetings? Her awareness of herself, lack of self-awareness? Her criticisms, her causes, living on the surface?
11. The surprise of her affair with Dave, her stances, her dependence on him, his infatuation, talking about being in love, her control, Dave and the session with the principal with him present, his being fired, losing his wife? Tracy in Washington, DC, lonely, yet still ambitious, wistful about her relationship with Dave?
12. Her campaign, talks, discussions with Mr Mc Allister, the rules of the election and voting, her attitude towards Paul, her not having any friends? Her clashes with Tammy and with Tammy’s girlfriend?
13. Jim Mc Allister’s plan, discussions with Paul, persuading him to stand for president? Paul as popular, the jock, slow-witted, taking up the challenge, his campaign, genial?
14. Tammy, Lisa, their friendship, Tammy’s love, refusing to say she was lesbian? Her standing for election? The pressures? The break with Lisa, Lisa going with Paul?
15. The speeches, the three campaigners, the student response? Heckling, the principals’ intervention? The support for Paul? The posters, the campaign techniques, Tracy and her intervention, the removal of the posters, bossy? The temptation of dirty tricks?
16. The voting, the counting, Jim and his concealing the vote? Paul’s election, Tracy devastated?
17. Tracy with her mother, her mother’s comments, her mother’s pressure?
18. The exposure, Jim being called to the principal’s office, Tracy’s mother being present? The truth? The effect on Tracy, on Paul – and his still being able to party? Jim and his disgrace?
19. Tracy’s year as student president, seeing her in action, committees, bossy, the comments, her own assessment, her still being lonely? In Washington, her ambitions, her approach to politicians?
20. A sardonic view of America?
