VALENTINO RETURNS

US, 1989, 90 minutes, Colour.
Barry Tubb, Frederic Forrest, Veronica Cartwright, Jenny Wright.
Directed by Peter Hoffman.

Valentino Returns is the first film by director Peter Hoffmann. It was written by Leonard Gardiner, writer of Fat City (for John Huston). This film is based on his short story, Christ Has Returned to Earth and Preaches Here Every Night.

It is a film about the late '50s, family life in a small California town, a young man emerging from teenage into adulthood, wanting to break out of the life of the small town, but unable to.

Barry Tubb looks a bit too mature for his role as Wayne. However, the film is strong with Frederick Forrest and Veronica Cartwright as his parents. Leonard Gardiner himself has a small role as the family friend, Lyle.

The story has been presented many times - this one is enjoyable in its way.

1. American slice of life? Teenager on the verge of adulthood? The small American town and its life?

2. The California setting, the town, streets and bars, houses and apartments, fields? Re-creation of period? The songs and the musical score?

3. The title and the focus on Wayne's car? The focus on the revival tent and the preaching incident? The hold of revivalism and evangelism?

4. The portrait of Wayne: his age and experience, going to look over the car, his deposit and taking it away? At work, the lunch? The dance? Harry and his urging him on? The encounter with Sylvia, in the barn? Seeing her in the car and being disillusioned? Cruising in the car, showing it to his mother, to his father, joining in the songs at the hotel? Home and tension? The card game with Lyle? The prize fight, out with his father, the meeting with Teresa? His mother's leaving and her note? Helping her move? Harry and his dates, the promise of Inger? Stopping at the revival meeting for some fun, seeing the preacher, the cyclist and his interruption, Sylvia and her testimony? Going to the bar, the divorcee, the stances and the fight, being ousted? The stamping on his car? The cyclist and the race, the car giving out? Talking with the prostitute, jail, his father getting him out? Going to Sylvia, taking her out, the swim? The two men and the fight? His father phoning him, taking Teresa to hospital? Going to her home, the threat by her father? His parents, their all going, threatening Sylvia's father? Walking home together? The meaning of their life, clashes, love? Wayne's future? Getting out of the town?

5. Sylvia, her reputation around the town, her father not letting her have dates, at the dance, the come-on to the boys, with Wayne, the car, promises to the others, tooting the horn twice? At home, clashes with her mother? The egg farm? Going to the revival meeting, her putting on the act, the cyclist? Going out with Wayne, lovemaking, the swim? The return, her fear, the belting from her father? Her act about seeing Jesus? A future for her?

6. Sonny, man about town, the off-key songs in the bar, always coming home late, smooth talk with his wife, the card games, relationship with his wife, with his son? Her leaving, his collapse, the threats? The eating of the spareribs? The restaurant, creating a scene, the ladies' room and the clash? Patricia taking him to her apartment, turning him out? The prize-fight, going to Teresa, the accident, the hospital? The girlfriend at the bar? Drifting? The passing of time? Suited to Patricia? Patricia and her work as a barber, exasperation, getting her own apartment, the encounter in the restaurant, the ladies' room, the night together, her ousting him, the continual reconciliations? Wayne and his suspicions with Lyle present? Her concern about Wayne? At home, the family going together to confront Sylvia's father? Walking home on the road together?

7. Harry, loud, at work, the dance, setting up dates, eager for a fight, talking to the prostitute, in jail, ruining Wayne's car?

8. The two young men, the changing of the tyre, at the dance, the date with Sylvia, the fight by the river?

9. Sylvia's parents, strict, revivalist, going to the meeting, their testimonies for Jesus, the use of Gospel language? Forbidding Sylvia dates, threatening her with the belt? The clash with Wayne's family?

10. The cyclist, his bursting into the revivalist centre, his putting on the act? His racing Wayne in the car?

11. The portrait of the town, the bar, the car salesman and his persuasiveness, the barn dance, religion?

12. A glimpse of a Californian town in the '50s? The changes in the '60s?