BOBBY

US, 2006, 120 minutes, Colour.
Harry Belafonte, Joy Bryant, Nick Cannon, Emilio Estevez, Laurence Fishburne, Brian Geraghty, Heather Graham, Anthony Hopkins, Helen Hunt, Joshua Jackson, Ashton Kutcher, Shia La Boeuf, Lindsay Lohan, William H. Macy, Svetlana Metkina, Demi Moore, Freddy Rodriguez, Sharon Stone, Christian Slater, Jacob Vargas, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Elijah Wood, David Krumholz.

Directed by Emilio Estevez.

Bobby was presented at the Venice film festival, 2006, as a work in progress. It was very well received by critics and public alike. This led to some editing and a commercial release of the film – and nominations for awards.

The film is a work of devotion from Emilio Estevez. Estevez was a star in the Brat Pack of the 1980s in such films as The Breakfast Club and St Elmo’s Fire. He moved into direction with films like Wisdom, Men at Work, Rated X. For some years he researched the life of Bobby Kennedy and focused on the day of his death. He was inspired by his political campaigner father, Martin Sheen.

The film is structured as one day at a hotel in Los Angeles, the Ambassador Hotel. This was the place where, in the kitchen, on that night, Bobby Kennedy was assassinated. There are references to the film Grand Hotel in the screenplay and the film is a version of a Grand Hotel of the 1960s.

The history of the hotel is explained, the focus on a doorman who had received visitors for forty years (Anthony Hopkins) and other members of the staff (Harry Belafonte). The film has quite a number of subplots interwoven giving an impression of American society in the 1960s. Lindsay Lohan portrays a woman who has promised to marry a young man who has been called up to go to Vietnam so that he will not have to go (Elijah Wood). Two young men (Shia Laboeuf and Brian Gerraty) help as volunteers in the Democrats’ campaign but are more interested in scoring some drugs than going out knocking on doors. They encounter a rather way-out, spaced-out, drug dealer (Ashton Kutcher).

In the meantime, Estevez himself portrays the husband and agent of the star singer at the hotel, Demi Moore, and is clashing with her. She spends some time at the hairdresser’s. She is played by Sharon Stone in a very strong performance, especially in the scene where she confronts Demi Moore. The beautician is married to the manager of the hotel, played by William H. Macy, who is trying to arrange for the Hispanic members of the staff to vote, against the wishes of his staff manager, Christian Slater. He is also carrying on a hidden affair with a telephonist, Heather Graham. A wealthy couple from New York visit the hotel, Martin Sheen and Helen Hunt.

Laurence Fishburne is the chef at the hotel – and has the opportunity to make a lot of comments about racial attitudes in 1968, the assassination of Martin Luther King, the interactions between black Americans and Hispanics. In the kitchen are Freddie Rodriguez as an ambitious young man who wants to be very much an American in contrast with Jacob Vargas who is critical of the attitudes of whites and blacks. Joshua Jackson is in charge of the campaign.

The film works well in the interactions of the characters as well as the intercutting of the stories.

As regards Bobby Kennedy himself, the prologue indicates the political climate of the 1960s, the role of the Kennedys, the death of Martin Luther King. During the film there are various excerpts from Kennedy’s speeches playing on television sets which are watched by the various characters.

The film eventually shows the arrival of Kennedy, the formal dinner in his honour, his speech, his leaving by the kitchen – and his assassination. In the work in progress, a long speech by Kennedy played over the visuals of the characters reacting to the assassination, the confusion, those who were hurt by bullets.

Emilio Estevez has achieved a considerable work in his focus on America, the 60s, and the speculation of how American society would have been different had Bobby Kennedy survived, won the 1968 election instead of Richard Nixon.

1. The impact of the film? As a film and an entertainment, as American history, as a political viewpoint, as a contemporary 60s Grand Hotel?

2. Emilio Estevez and his skill in writing, directing, acting? His personal achievement with this film? The quality of the writing, the performance in the vignettes, the editing? Wit? His personal attitude to Bobby Kennedy from the film?

3. The structure, the prologue with the footage of Kennedy, the 60s, his speeches? The background of Martin Luther King, his speeches, the march on Washington, his assassination in April 1968? The documentary material interspersed throughout the narrative of the film, seen on television, characters listening? The end and Bobby Kennedy’s speeches and values over the images of the aftermath of his assassination? The irony of the day in June being the day of the primary elections in California, the campaigns, his winning the primaries?

4. The impact of the footage, Bobby Kennedy as a figure, as a Kennedy, his past reputation, attorney-general, the association with his brother Jack, the LBJ years? His discussion of rights, equality, the poor? His attitude towards the divisions in the United States, the Vietnam war, bringing the troops home, getting an honourable ending to the war? The sense of humanity, values, unification and reconciliation?

5. The irony of his death, Hubert Humphrey going as the Democratic candidate in 1968, the confrontation with Nixon, Nixon winning, issues of race, the war escalating, going to Cambodia, the experience of Watergate six years after Nixon’s election and the death of Bobby Kennedy?

6. The use of so many stars throughout the film, a distraction or a strength?

7. The Ambassador’s Hotel, as a character, the specific reference to the film Grand Hotel? As a location, the Democratic headquarters, opened in 1921, its grandeur, the staff, the man at the door, the management, the entertainers, the services, the chef and the cooks, the chapel for weddings? The location for the assassination, especially the kitchen (and the film having a lot of the action in the kitchen)?

8. Paul as the manager, his self-presentation, welcoming guests, fixing the problem for Jack and Sam, the issue of the vote, wanting to give all the staff two hours to vote, with pay? Timmons and his not wanting it, his criticism of all the illegals, their lack of English, inability to vote? His wife telling him after listening to his attitudes that he was from the 1920s? Yet firing Timmons for his racist attitudes? The revelation of his affair with the telephonist? Breaking the affair – and this being suggested and not verbalised until afterwards by the telephonist? Discovering his wife, his love for her, her love for him, the effect of the affair? His getting his hair done, her revealing that she knew? Her hurt? Her comment to him of what kind of husband and father he was? His skill in running the hotel? His own attitude, sometimes weary? His confronting Timmons for revealing the affair, punching him? Firing him instantly? The shock of the assassination, Timmons being wounded and his giving him his coat to help him?

9. Miriam, gaudy style, the beauty salon, her relationship with the staff, with the young woman preparing for the wedding, doing her nails, listening to her story about marrying the man so that he would not have to go to Vietnam, the talk about weddings? With Virginia Fallon, discussions, Virginia’s being rude, her being taken aback, especially in the situation of her husband’s affair, Virginia’s apology and her accepting it? Timmons giving her the information? The confrontation with Paul, doing his hair, her strong speech to him about himself, father, as a man? At the reception? The shock of the assassination, her going to her husband, embracing and kissing him? The reconciliation theme?

10. Virginia and Tim Fallon, Virginia continually drinking, Tim and his being tense, having nothing to do, wandering around with the poodle? Virginia sleeping all day, sleeping off the alcohol? The build-up to her performance and introduction of the senator? The agent and his arrival, the booking in Las Vegas during the summer, Tim’s anger and scoffing at it, Virginia and her harsh attitudes towards her husband? His trying to confront her? His wandering, going into the band, their inviting him to play with them? Virginia coming down, with Miriam and the beauty salon, getting her hair done, her being rude about all women being whores? Miriam’s reaction, Virginia coming to her senses, describing herself and her inadequacies, as a bad person, the apology? Ready for the performance, Tim and his stance, leaving her, leaving her alone? Her sitting by herself in the room, watching the television, weeping about the assassination – and her own situation?

11. Timmons, a young man, his work, managing the staff, the kitchen, his racist attitudes towards the Hispanics, America for the Americans, the issues of jobs? His spurning them about the vote? His saying this to Paul, Paul demanding that a notice be put up, his getting Jose to translate it into Spanish, showing his rudeness and limitations? Telling Susan to put it on the noticeboard? His being fired, trying to persuade Paul to take him back? The encounter with the telephonist in the elevator, his realising what was happening with Paul and the affair, going to tell Miriam? His being punched out by Paul, fired instantly? His being shot in the spray of bullets? Paul giving him his coat to help him?

12. Jose and Miguel, the Hispanics working, the low wages, the double shifts? Jose and his wanting to be Latin, Miguel and his angers and saying he was Mexican? The Hispanic issues in 1968? Jose and his tickets, Drysdale and his breaking the 1904 record, the love of baseball, his being really American? Their work and the detail in the kitchen, later with the tables? Timmons and his being the manager? Their fear of him, Jose and the translation of the notice? Their later listening to the baseball – and Timmons listening with them? The chef and his arrival, his pie, a dignified man, talking about angers and the reaction to the death of Martin Luther King, Miguel and his angers, the interplay between amigo and brother? The talk at the table, the other Hispanics listening in? The chef’s theory about letting the whites believe that they were changing everything and improvements in race relationships? Blacks and Hispanics – antagonism? Miguel and his angers, the chef’s explanations, Jose giving him the tickets, no charge? The chef’s response, writing “The once and future king” on the wall – for Jose? The irony of its being on the wall and splashed with Bobby Kennedy’s blood – and Bobby Kennedy as the once and future king?

13. The portrait of the chef, as portrayed by Laurence Fishburne, the voice of the black issues of the mid-1960s, the death of Martin Luther King? The rising problems of the Hispanics?

14. The young girl, her arrival at the hotel, going to get her nails done, her naivety, yet her wanting to do something about Vietnam, willing to marry Edward to save him going to Vietnam, getting a pension, his going to Germany instead? The preparation for the wedding, the chapel, the clash with her parents, their not coming? Edward and his arrival, the issue of Vietnam, his brother in Vietnam, his gratitude to the girl? His being in the chapel, praying, their discussion about prayer, miracles? The bride coming in giggling? His wondering whether he should go through with the wedding, the bonding with the girl, the possibility of love? The ceremony, no visitors? Edward being shot and the girl caring for him?

15. The two young boys, white, volunteers for the campaign, their ineptitude? Their talking with Susan, knowledge of films? Their wanting to get a car to go out campaigning and not go in the bus, not go to the racially difficult areas of Los Angeles? Their going to the drug dealer, his talk about God, explaining LSD to them? Their acceptance, the trip, the weird feelings, their talk to each other, stripping, one imagining Vietnam and the attacks? The dealer himself and his talking to the orange? The irony of the dealer later dealing with the police and his being arrested? The two young men, going back down, still on a high, discussions about The Planet of the Apes on LSD? Talking with Susan, her recognising what had happened, her giving them some food? Their telling David about what happened, his allowing it? Their photographing the reception, their getting shot?

16. David, the manager of the campaign, the volunteers, friendship with Wade, Wade as the black man working for Bobby Kennedy, his own angers? The hard work, their not getting any sleep? The elections, the announcement about Bobby Kennedy winning in California, David letting Wade do the announcing? The impact of the assassination, David having to handle it, Wade and his grief? His having met the woman from the phone room, their talking, his appreciating her for herself, nice together – a possible future?

17. The telephonist, at work on the phones, the switchboard being large, talking about the affair, going up to the room, the encounter with Timmons, the audience seeing the aftermath, the break-up? Her coming back down, not wanting to talk? Her being at the reception, talking Jack and Sam?

18. Jack and Sam, the broker, his wife, their flight, the difficulties with the room, the age difference, their discussion, Sam and her discovering that she had left her shoes behind, his saying that she wanted to go shopping? Their playing tennis? The irony of the two stoned young men on the tennis court at the same time? Their love for each other, sexual relationship? Getting dressed for the function, the comments about the shoes, the happiness, Sam and her being splattered with the blood, Jack comforting her?

19. Casey and his black friend? Anthony Hopkins and Harry Belafonte? Casey working since 1921, retired but unable to leave, the list of guests that he had welcomed to the hotel, their playing chess together, the relationship between black and white? Their talk, the black man going for his nap, returning, their having a Scotch together, Casey and his being able to welcome Bobby Kennedy to the hotel?

20. Susan, her working in the shop, talking with the boys, coming from Ohio, the auditions, ringing her mother, helping the boys, being at the reception?

21. The Czech journalist, the asking for the interview with Bobby Kennedy, David and the comments about her being a communist, Timmons and the same comment? Her saying she was a socialist from a socialist country, earning the interview, Timmons giving her the meal and her being hungry? Her presence at the assassination and her taping the events?

22. The final speech by Bobby Kennedy, over the visuals? The fact that Jose was helping because of the assassination in the kitchen? The reaction of the police? The glimpse of the assassin, his arrival, his confrontation of Bobby Kennedy? His being taken away?

23. The overall impact of spending a day at the Ambassador’s Hotel, the significance of the day, meeting the cross-section of the United States of 1968, the hopes with Bobby Kennedy – and their being dashed.