THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY
US, 1998, 118 minutes, Colour.
Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Lee Evans, Chris Elliott, Lin Shaye, Jeffrey Tambour, Keith David, Markie Post, W. Earl Brown.
Directed by Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly.
When you year the Farrelly Brothers made Dumb and Dumber and Kingpin, you expect to be in for some basic (very basic) comedy, some crass bodily function jokes and some corny slapstick. And certainly, that's all there (and some will find many jokes far too vulgar). It's broad extravert, broad comedy heaven.
But there is actually more here in the way of plot and characterisation. Cameron Diaz is luminous as Mary, a character who is not only nice but ideal. Ben Stiller, gawky at school, is still in love with her and wants to find her (and is a good sport, being the butt of most of the jokes) - with the help of a sleazy insurance investigator played well for comedy by Matt Dillon. And there are several others infatuated with Mary.
The preview audience laughed uproariously (the loudest I have heard in a long time) and sometimes incredulously at the jokes. Decorum suggests that the description of one of the main source of this mirth was the 'hair gel' episode (for those who have seen it). Vulgarity tolerance needs checking.
And that is what the critics did. They wrote serious articles about the nature of vulgar humour, speculated on the limits and implied that they were above that kind of thing even if the vulgar crowd wasn't. But that's a tautology. The Latin word for 'crowd' is vulgus from which 'vulgar' is derived.
A friend, not too keen on the word vulgar, agreed that 'earthiness' might be a better word for humour about ourselves, our bodies, our 'earthy' realities and experiences.
So, humour can be a telling criterion for appreciating the differences between Extraverts and Introverts. The audience for There's Something About Mary created such an atmosphere in the cinema that, even if you were fastidious, the interaction and energy between audience and screen was quite palpable.
1. The popularity of the film? A blend of the nice and the crass?
2. Rhode Island in the 80s? Florida in the 90s? The ordinariness of New England and studies and homes? The flamboyance of Florida?
3. The device of having the singer sing the ballad, continually reappear – be part of the plot and of the jokes?
4. 1985, the focus on Ted, the voice-over, psychological aspects, the crowd, the prom, rescuing Warren, meeting Mary, the possibility of dating her? Ted as the nerd or gawk?
5. The sequence with Warren, the ball, Ted helping, the attraction towards Mary? Walking, carrying? The prom? Their arrival, Warren and the bashing – and the focus on ears? Mary’s parents and their yelling? The toilet sequence, the lovebirds, Ted watching, the impact of the zip scene and his dad? The embarrassment for Ted, awkwardness? The police, the spray, the crowd? The comment on the bleeder – and the ambulance dropping him?
6. The psychologist, out to eat and not listen, homosexuality, red areas, wanting a family?
7. The character of Dom, his advice to Ted, the private investigator, recommending Healy? Pat Healy, Matt Dillon’s style, a sleazy private investigator?
8. Healy, his commission, driving to Miami, his relationship with Sully? The drugs and rehabilitation, drink and going without? Healy spying on Mary, the taping, everybody liking Mary? Mary and the girl talk, Healy listening in?
9. The character of Magda, her tanning, her dogs, friendship with Mary, supporting her, listening to the mobiles?
10. Ted and the report, Healy exaggerating, Ted and his reaction, deciding to move to Miami? The sumo sequence? Golf with Mary, the lies? The dog and its dying – and reviving, electric shock?
11. Ted and Dom, the decision to go, the hitchhiker and the exercise video, arrested, the cops, the murder? Dom driving him, the information about Healy and Mary?
12. Tucker and the crutches, his English background, talking with Healy, Harold and Maude? The visit to the office, to the apartment? The confrontation with Healy, the revelation that he was not crippled, that he was a phoney, an American, a pizza deliverer? His infatuation with Mary and his motivation?
13. Healy, the texting, the phone calls, the kiss, Healy and Warren – and Warren antagonistic towards him?
14. Ted meeting Mary, his contriving the reunion, his seeming innocence, the date? Sexual activity in the bathroom, the hair gel sequence? In good taste – yet audiences finding it funny? The talk about Pat Healy as a killer? Magda, the dog, Hypo, the dog going out the window? Ted and the fight with Tucker? Warren glad to see Ted again, baseball, clothes? The fish hook?
15. The build-up to seeing all Mary’s suitors together, Healy, Tucker, the background of the story of Woogie, Ted? The arrival of Brett and his having been put off by Woogie?
16. Woogie, the hives, the revelation of the truth?
17. Brett, her choice? Ted and his accepting this, wanting Mary to be happy? His leaving, the pratfalls, Mary chasing him? The happy ending?
18. The work of the Farrelly brothers, down to earth, the blend of the crass and the humorous, the nice and sentimental, the blending of all these for satisfying American humour?
