Today I am very happy to welcome screenwriter Barry Sandler back to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS. Barry has been on the blog previously speaking about his screenwriting of KANSAS CITY BOMBER, and many other topics; the interview can be found here. Barry wrote the screenplay of groundbreaking movie MAKING LOVE, which was released in 1982, my review is on the following page. It dealt sympathetically with the topic of homosexuality, and the impact of a husband’s decision to leave his wife for another man. In this post, Barry will be discussing his work on MAKING LOVE, and how the movie is of importance to cinema.
Welcome back to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS Barry!
Athan: MAKING LOVE was released in 1982, in a period when other films such as PERSONAL BEST, and PARTNERS, also tackled homosexuality as a subject. What is it that drew you to becoming involved in this project?
Barry: I was at the point in my life, after having written a number of big studio movies that were essentially comedies, mysteries, romances, crime and action movies, that I wanted to dig deeper into more personal and dramatic aspects of my writing. My friend and partner at the time, Scott Berg, suggested I write about my own experiences coming out as a gay man. I resisted at first, knowing it would mean exposing very personal issues, but he pushed me and I finally realized that if I ever wanted to grow as a writer, I would have to go to those internal places. What also drew me to write this movie was the fact that growing up, any movie or tv show depicting gay characters only did so by portraying them as sick, depraved, ashamed, guilt-ridden, predatory, suicidal and pathetic – one reason LGBTQ people grew up with negative self-images and fear of being exposed which forced many of us to live our lives in shame or in the closet. I felt a strong need, perhaps even a responsibility as a gay man proud and happy to live my life as a gay man, to counter that ugly depiction and show the world that you could live a happy and fulfilling life being honest with yourself and owning your LGBTQ identity – an image and statement that had never been made or seen in American films before MAKING LOVE.
One big concern I had before writing the script, that I conveyed to Scott, was spending weeks of soul-searching, gut-wrenching, very personal intensity creating a script that studios wouldn't touch due to the subject matter. I wanted some assurance before writing that a studio would be willing to make the movie if the script were good. I had enough confidence in my ability and Scott's intelligence and instinct in guiding the writing that the script would be good, but less so in Hollywood's courage to deal with homosexuality on screen, particularly in a positive way, as they had never done so before. With that in mind, we pitched the idea to Claire Townsend, head of development at 20th Century Fox and a friend of Scott's, who loved it and took it to her boss Sherry Lansing, head of production and the first woman to run a studio. Sherry was a pioneer and knew this film could be groundbreaking -- she gave us a development deal and when we turned in the script weeks later she immediately gave it a greenlight to production, attaching producer Dan Melnick, who had just signed a production deal with the studio and wanted this as his first film. The film would not have been made were it not for the courage and determination of two women, Sherry Lansing and Claire Townsend (both straight), who believed in the script and felt strongly that its message was one that the public needed to hear.
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Athan: How did it feel to see MAKING LOVE in theaters, and the characters you created come to life on screen?
Barry: It has always been very exciting for me to see characters I've written come to life on the big screen, especially when they're portrayed by great actors like some of those I've worked with – Elizabeth Taylor, Angela Lansbury, Kim Novak, Maggie Smith. Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, James Mason, Goldie Hawn, George Segal, Jill Clayburgh, James Brolin, Anthony Perkins, Kathleen Turner, Diana Rigg, Dean Stockwell, Jodie Foster, Christopher Walken to name a few -- but in the case of MAKING LOVE, I was very actively involved in the actual production and worked closely with Harry Hamlin, Michael Ontkean and Kate Jackson. Michael and Harry being straight looked to me as an out gay man to make sure they were creating characters as honest and realistic as possible. I was thrilled to see them do so on the screen, not only for the excellence of their performances, but I felt it in a more personal way than with actors in other films of mine, having been on set with them and watched them grow into these characters.
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Athan: Is there one character in particular from MAKING LOVE you felt most affinity for not only as a writer, but as a human being, or a number of protagonists?
Barry: I felt an affinity with both the Zack (Ontkean) and Bart (Hamlin) characters, as they both connected with different aspects of my own life – Zack externally, in his coming-out journey, and Bart more internally in his identity as a writer and a sexually-liberated out gay man.
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Athan: Over the years, have you had viewers recount to you how MAKING LOVE made a difference in their lives?
Barry: Over the years I've had hundreds of people write me letters, e-mail me, or simply come up to me in public and tell me how much this movie affected them – that it gave them a sense of pride and self-respect as an LGBTQ person they never felt before from any movie or tv show, that it gave them the strength to accept who they were and no longer hide it, that it gave them the courage to come out to their families and friends, that it gave them the incentive to live their lives honestly.
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Athan: What are you most proud of having achieved with MAKING LOVE?
Barry: What I'm most proud of is to have written the screenplay that created the response I just talked about. To know that as a writer I could have touched someone that deeply and personally to affect their lives in that way is the most gratifying and meaningful achievement a writer could hope for. The film has become a groundbreaking landmark as the first film ever released by a Hollywood studio to present a positive portrayal of an LGBTQ character – not only was it hailed and embraced by the LGBTQ community at the time it was released, but it has endured over the years, found new audiences, and has had 20-year, 30-year, 35-year and two years ago a sold-out 40-year anniversary screening by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the new Academy Museum in Los Angeles, followed by a panel discussion with Scott Berg, Harry Hamlin and me. The film has a legacy for which I'm honored and proud.
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It has been a pleasure having you again on the blog Barry, and I thank you for taking the time to elaborate on your contributions to MAKING LOVE, and its impact on cinema, and the world. You are always welcome to return whenever you wish.
Synopsis: A Los Angeles doctor leaves his television producer wife for his patient, a man.
Within a film history context: Movies about a husband who is gay, but married to a woman, began to appear from the late 1960s in cinema with the gradual relaxation of film censorship. One of the first major examples was Gregory Ratoff's OSCAR WILDE (1960). When playwright Oscar Wilde launches a suit against his male lover's father, his homosexuality becomes public knowledge, despite being married to a woman in this drama. INSIDE DAISY CLOVER (1965), directed by Robert Mulligan, contained the small part of a gay husband who leaves his movie star wife. John Huston's REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE (1967), was another look at a gay husband. A married Major residing at a military post with his adulterous wife has a clandestine passion for a Private, but his feelings may, or may not be reciprocated here. A gay husband, and father, has his private life exposed, his daughter finding this reality hard to accept, in ANGEL, ANGEL, DOWN WE GO (1969), directed by Robert Thom.
In Ken Russell's THE MUSIC LOVERS (1971), the life of Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was dissected, with his shaky marriage to a mentally unstable woman, and his desire for a Count, prominently featured. THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971), directed by Peter Bogdanovich, had a married high school basketball coach who in one scene was implied as being gay. One of the segments in Herbert Ross' CALIFORNIA SUITE (1978), was of a British married couple staying at a Grand Hotel, and how the husband's homosexuality caused issues for them. With Michael Caine, and Maggie Smith as the couple, it was a convincing portrait of marital discord. On the other hand, A DIFFERENT STORY (1978), directed by Paul Aaron, was about a gay man, and a lesbian, finding love, and marrying, but their problems are many. MAKING LOVE was the most intensive study of a gay husband until its time.
In the majority of the movies with a gay husband protagonist, he was the central character, aside from INSIDE DAISY CLOVER, THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, and ANGEL, ANGEL, DOWN WE GO. These were supporting characters where the focus was on the wife of the gay husband. Additionally, these were discreet depictions of homosexuality rather than overt. Coach Popper in THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, for example, is shown striking the backside of a basketball player, which speaks volumes without showing anything further. The focus was on wife Ruth Popper's loneliness, and mental issues, which have been caused by her husband's lack of attention to her. The husband in CALIFORNIA SUITE had a larger role here, but was part of a segment in the movie, rather than standalone. MAKING LOVE had the closest affinity to A DIFFERENT STORY in examining its gay husband, but the latter film differed from the former as Albert was established as being gay from the beginning of the film. He later goes through a transition from gay to heterosexual, marrying a lesbian, and having an affair with a woman, rather than a man, before returning to his wife.
Matters are different in MAKING LOVE for its gay husband character. MAKING LOVE's Zack takes matters in the opposite direction to Albert from A DIFFERENT STORY. Being married to a woman, Zack is seemingly happy as a heterosexual man, but his desires for men make themselves felt. He has an affair with a gay man, and this spells the end of his marriage. Both of these films take the time to look at the psychology of their gay lead, but MAKING LOVE is of interest as it contrasts Zack with his out in the open lover Bart. Bart has a substantial place in the narrative of MAKING LOVE, unlike the lovers of Albert, Sills and Roger, in A DIFFERENT STORY, whose presence is ephemeral. Albert is the center of attention in A DIFFERENT STORY, and how he makes a go of his marriage to Stella, where Zack's affair with Bart, split with Claire, and later relationship with Brian, are what drive MAKING LOVE.
In addition, of interest is how both A DIIFERENT STORY, and MAKING LOVE, feature career women as characters. Other films in the category had wives with mental issues, such as in THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, and THE MUSIC LOVERS. MAKING LOVE has the best view of a woman in this respect by presenting her as a person fully in charge of her emotions, but the fact that her husband is gay makes the audience empathize with her. She is not spineless, and finds a way to change her life to what she wanted with her first husband Zack, but with a new husband. In this way, the movie lacks the melodramatic views of a woman prone to weakness, instead offering a portrait of a woman who takes charge of her destiny. This is a progressive, heartening view of femininity that should be applauded. An honest, credible view of a gay husband, MAKING LOVE is a meaningful take on the subject.
Overview: Arthur Hiller was a Canadian director long in Hollywood who made thirty-four films over the space of forty-nine years. His output was varied, consisting of comedies, dramas, romance, action, and biographical movies. Mr Hiller's first picture, THE CARELESS YEARS (1957), was a romance about two young people from different economic backgrounds who want to marry, but encounter obstacles in their mission. Arthur Hiller's profile began to rise with THE WHEELER DEALERS (1963). An educated man whose finances are in dire straits proceeds to New York City to make money, with a young woman he romances, and teams up with to make his dreams a reality. Next came THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY (1964). During World War II, an American Naval Commander's life changes when he meets an English woman, and is sent on a dangerous assignment by the Navy.
In comedy PROMISE HER ANYTHING (1966), a young widow with a child wants to remarry, and determines to do so to a psychologist, but he has an aversion to children. She hides her child with a neighbor, but decides that he might be a better fit for her than the other man after all. Another comedy for Arthur Hiller came in the form of PENELOPE (1966). The various outrageous activities of a lady kleptomaniac were the focus, with Natalie Wood in the lead role. THE TIGER MAKES OUT (1967), was a vehicle for real-life couple Eli Wallach, and Anne Jackson. A postman in search of a mate kidnaps what we believes is a young woman, but this person escapes, and he instead has kidnapped a housewife who gives him more than a run for his money in this comedy. Arthur Hiller rounded out the 1960s with POPI (1969). A Puerto Rican man living in Harlem with his two sons schemes to carve out a better existence for them in a highly original manner. The 1970s was a time of varied movies for Arthur Hiller, with one in particular noteworthy in his oeuvre.
LOVE STORY (1970), was a tale of two young people from opposing backgrounds finding love, the vehement disapproval of the man's father the main obstacle. A blockbuster weepie of its time, it made both Ryan O'Neal, and Ali MacGraw as the central pair, stars. In complete contrast, comedy THE OUT OF TOWNERS (1970), surveyed the life of an Ohio sales executive and his wife moving to New York City for his job promotion, but finding that the Big Apple has its fair share of unexpected challenges. Comedy again was the focus of PLAZA SUITE (1971). Based upon a Neil Simon play, it featured Walter Matthau playing a different character in each of the three acts, with Lee Grant, Maureen Stapleton, and Barbara Harris in support. THE HOSPITAL (1971), was Arthur Hiller's attempt at comedy satire, with black humor. The personal, and professional trials and travails of a chief doctor at a training hospital were seen in great detail here, with George C. Scott in the lead role, accompanied by Diana Rigg, Barnard Hughes, and Richard Dysart. In THE CRAZY WORLD OF JULIUS VROODER (1974), a Vietnam War veteran is admitted to a mental health facility, also living in a bunker, and causes problems at the hospital in this comedy, with Timothy Bottoms in good form as the eponymous Julius.
In the mid-1970s came THE MAN IN THE GLASS BOOTH (1975). It was the story of a Jewish-American man accused of being a Nazi War criminal, who is then kidnapped by Mossad, with the tragic fallout of this documented. The biopic of W.C. Fields was next on the agenda for Arthur Hiller in W.C. FIELDS AND ME (1976). The biopic of the famous comic actor was not critically well-received, despite having Rod Steiger in the lead part. There was a return to form for the director with SILVER STREAK (1976). When a man on a train believes he has witnessed the murder of a man, he is drawn into a twisted series of events which place his life in peril. One of the biggest financial successes of the year, it starred Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor, and Jill Clayburgh as the central trio of characters. NIGHTWING (1979), was as different as one could get from comedy. The horror tale of killer bats in a New Mexico Indian reservation, and their assorted murderous inclinations, was a departure from Arthur Hiller's usually thoughtful fare, and a box office loss maker. Into the 1980s, Arthur Hiller made equally diverse movies.
It was back to comedy with AUTHOR! AUTHOR! (1982). The hijinks of a playwright coping with his offspring, stepchildren, and simultaneously producing a Broadway play, made up the content of this breezy film. ROMANTIC COMEDY (1983), mined similar material as AUTHOR! AUTHOR! This time, two playwrights' success on the stage with their writing does not translate to their private life. THE LONELY GUY (1984), was yet another comedy for Arthur Hiller. When a man is cheated on by his girlfriend, this leads him on a personal discovery about women and relationships, and writing a book on the topic which is a bestseller. In the case of TEACHERS (1984), the hardships of a high school teacher attempting to assist his students, with adamant opposition to his methods from the school board, are outlined in this comedy-drama starring Nick Nolte, with backup from JoBeth Williams, Lee Grant, Judd Hirsch, and Ralph Macchio. Another box office hit came with OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE (1987). The meeting of two actresses with more in common than first thought, being a man, and the adventure their search for him leads them on, complete with espionage, was a comic vehicle for Shelley Long, and Bette Midler as the two women in question. Next was another comedy, SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL (1989). When the murder of a man is witnessed by two men, one blind, the other deaf, they find themselves in an untenable situation as the new target of the killer. Into the 1990s and beyond, Arthur Hiller's films mainly followed a comic line.
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS (1990), had a businessman on vacation who loses his Filofax, which is found by a criminal, and subsequently has his world turned upside down when the impostor takes on his identity. In MARRIED TO IT (1991), the lives of three couples who meet through a private school fundraiser are contrasted, with their various ups, and downs, highlighted. In contrast, THE BABE (1992), was the biopic of famous American baseball star Babe Ruth, played by John Goodman. This film was not a financial success, and also suffered from critical derision at the time of its release. CARPOOL (1996), detailed the wacky antics of a man who does the carpool for the neighborhood, and becomes caught in some dire situations in this financially unsuccessful comedy. Arthur Hiller's second to last movie, AN ALAN SMITHEE FILM: BURN HOLLYWOOD BURN (1997), was about a film director's struggle to disown a picture he made. The reason why this is so hard for him to accomplish, being that to do this, he has to use Alan Smithee, which already is his name. A movie which sank rapidly into obscurity, it recorded very low results at the box office. NATIONAL LAMPOON'S PUCKED (2006), was Arthur Hiller's last cinematic sojourn. A lawyer's attempts to fund a women's hockey team lead him spiraling into debt, and into the courthouse, in this comedy with Jon Bon Jovi in the lead. MAKING LOVE was Arthur Hiller's twenty-first motion picture, and one of his most thoughtful works.
With MAKING LOVE, Arthur Hiller has crafted an affecting, realistic picture. It is the story of a married couple, with the husband a physician, the wife a television producer, and how his desire for a man comes to the surface, ending their marriage. MAKING LOVE is a movie with a contemplative mood, and a leisurely, nicely paced manner of exploring this issue, and its repercussions on the characters. The sensitive screenplay by Barry Sandler, and story by A. Scott Berg, is rooted on an emotional level, never pandering to prurience or exploitation, which would have been the case if it was in lesser hands. MAKING LOVE does not fall into the trap of showing naked bodies and the like, which very easily might have been the case otherwise, and would have been jarring to witness. There is a single scene of male-male contact, but even this is restrained in its delivery. This attention to detail takes the movie far away from sordidness, and into a realm of understanding for its protagonists. A balance of the points of view of not only the husband, but also his wife, and the husband's lover, exists in the film, which make perfect sense. The viewer feels for the people here, and this is particularly marked at the conclusion. The bittersweet, but satisfying ending recalls the tone of dramas from Classic Hollywood of the 1930s and 1940s, but updated to 1980s sensibilities. A telling work on homosexuality, heterosexuality, marriage, lifestyles, and personal happiness, MAKING LOVE stands tall as one of the best movies on these enduring human topics.
Acting: MAKING LOVE has stimulating performances which successfully propel the aims of the movie. In the lead role of Zack, a man of many emotions, Michael Ontkean does well. An actor with a friendly, guarded disposition, whose Zack could erupt at any moment, an emotional powder keg providing an element of volatility, is direct, and understandable in his actions. As the dynamic Claire, Zack's wife, Kate Jackson is excellent. Bringing all her feelings to the fore, with confusion, doubt, and self-blame just some of many exhibited by her, it is fair to say that her presence leaves the greatest imprint on the spectator. The central trio of characters is rounded out by Harry Hamlin as Bart, Zack's lover. With his low, husky voice, playful manner, and ability to both intrigue, and puzzle, the exotic Mr Hamlin supplies another distinctive portrayal. Four actors in supporting roles are also highly valuable in MAKING LOVE.
Claire and Zack's neighbor Winnie is memorable in the capable hands of Wendy Hiller. With her aristocratic but warm demeanor, and knowledge of people and the world, Miss Hiller adds spice and grandeur to the film. Zack's last partner, Brian, is given a sympathetic edge by John Calvin. An actor who generally plays athletes and jocks with huge chips on their shoulders here is more nuanced, and a contrast to the self-involved Bart. Asher Brauner has a small role as Ted, one of the men Zack encountered somewhere along the way. His jokey attitude conceals many emotions under a plain wrapper, and Mr Brauner conveys this with his customary ease. The last acting of note was by Terry Kiser as Alex, Claire's manager at the television network. A distinctive character actor able to express much without saying a word, his face doing much of the talking, Mr Kiser is another example of the finely-drawn acting tapestry of MAKING LOVE.
Soundtrack: MAKING LOVE has a lean soundtrack, and this works well in terms of allowing what is taking place on screen to stand out. The opening title sequence features a sweeping, beautiful instrumental piece composed by Leonard Rosenman, which aptly sets the pensive atmosphere for the movie. This is also employed sparingly in several other scenes, but most tellingly in the final scene. The closing credits showcase Roberta Flack's 'Making Love', which ends the picture on a thoughtful note.
Mise-en-scene: Great attention to detail has been expended on ensuring MAKING LOVE is a quality product. David M. Walsh's cinematography nicely captures both indoor, and outdoor scenes, the colour muted, but still easy on the eyes. Production design by James Vance, and Rick Simpson's set decoration, are notable. Interiors, such as Claire and Zack's former home, Winnie's apartment, and Bart's home are all excellent, reflecting not only a high socioeconomic level for the characters, but also, their respective personalities. Bart's abode, for example, has a bohemian vibe in keeping with his freewheeling lifestyle. There is a comfort, and warmth in these locations that is welcoming to viewers, and subtly luxurious. Location filming is also of a high standard, with the restaurant where Zack and Bart meet, lovely. Costuming, by Betsy Cox for the female characters, and Bruce Walkup for the male characters, is stylish, and has not dated. The wardrobe for Winnie in particular is glamorous but regal, befitting her status as the wise grande dame of MAKING LOVE.
Notable Acting Performances: Michael Ontkean, Kate Jackson, Harry Hamlin, Wendy Hiller, John Calvin, Asher Brauner, Terry Kiser.
Suitability for young viewers: No. Infrequent coarse language, adult themes, drug use.
Synopsis: A young woman from a troubled family background takes to the road hitchhiking, finding some happiness, but also angst, along the way.
Within a film history context: Films which feature hitchhiking characters have been around in cinema since the silent era. E. Mason Hopper's THE RIGHT DIRECTION (1916), is an early documented example of this. A young woman begins hitchhiking to take herself, and her younger brother, to a better life away from their miserable existence, and finds problems with the family of the man who picks up her and her brother. One of the most famous scenes of hitchhiking can be found in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934), directed by Frank Capra. With Claudette Colbert attempting to gain a ride for her and Clark Gable in a most amusing sequence, it was one of the best ever scenes of hitchhiking to be presented in cinema. William Dieterle's DR. SOCRATES (1935), had a supporting character who was a hitchhiker, in this crime film which starred Paul Muni in the title role. In the overtly titled HITCH HIKE LADY (1935), directed by Aubrey Scotto, a mature woman hitchhikes from New York to California to visit her son, who, unbeknown to her, is in jail. With Leigh Jason's THAT GIRL FROM PARIS (1936), an opera star hitchhikes after leaving her husband-to-be in the lurch, and encounters romance and adventure while hitchhiking. On the other hand, HEAVEN WITH A BARBED WIRE FENCE (1939), directed by Ricardo Cortez, starred Glenn Ford as a young man who hitchhikes across America, accompanied by another man and a woman, to reach his land in Arizona. As with the 1930s and prior, the 1940s also had varied hitchhiking scenarios.
Preston Sturges' SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1941), was the story of a film director who conducts unconventional research as a vagrant for his next movie, finding romance along the way. It featured a lead character, played by Joel McCrea, who hitchhiked as part of his personal journey. DETOUR (1945), directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, was much more dramatic. As with SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS, it also had a hitchhiking male protagonist, this time a pianist who becomes enmeshed in intrigue, taking on the identity of the mysterious man with whom he rode. Tay Garnett's THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946), had a central character who hitchhiked his way into the lives of others in the movie, causing torment. Another film with a shady hitchhiker was THE DEVIL THUMBS A RIDE (1947), directed by Felix Feist. In this tale, an upstanding man takes in a murderous hitchhiker, with many unexpected consequences. Similar to THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, Delmer Daves' DARK PASSAGE (1947), began with a main character who hitchhikes to another life, this time escaping from jail, leading to an intricate set of compelling events. Into the 1950s, there were equally interesting hitchhiking scenarios and characters.
As was the case with the films of the mid to late 1940s with their dark post-war premises, TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY (1951), directed by Felix Feist, followed a couple involved in a crime who hitchhike to evade capture. Dangerous hitchhikers are again presented in Ida Lupino's THE HITCH-HIKER (1953). In this movie, two fishermen make the grave error of picking up a psychotic man who gives them a chilling pronouncement - after they arrive at their destination, he will kill both of them. Equally tense was THE NIGHT HOLDS TERROR (1955), directed by Andrew L. Stone. A wealthy man picks up a hitchhiker who, along with several others, cause mayhem for the man and his family. In a more exploitation, but surprising vein was Charles Saunders' KILL HER GENTLY (1957). A man picks up two hitchhikers who are wanted criminals, but does not turn them over to the authorities, instead, he propositions them to murder his wife. As with other film decades, the 1960s also had diverse hitchhiking themed films.
A benign view of hitchhiking was brought forth by the Elvis Presley vehicle IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD'S FAIR (1963), directed by Norman Taurog. Here, two friends hitchhike to the Seattle World Fair as their mode of transport was confiscated by police, finding romance and fun. Marc Lawrence's NIGHTMARE IN THE SUN (1965), co-starring real life couple John Derek and Ursula Andress in the lead roles, followed a married woman who picks up a male hitchhiker, their affair leading to intrigue and murder. A romantic view of hitchhiking could be found in WILD SEED (1965), directed by Brian Hutton. A young woman runs away from home after discovering her true parentage, and meets a drifter, their fraught relationship blossoming over the course of the movie. In contrast, Dennis Hopper's EASY RIDER (1969), altered the mode of transport from automobile to motorcycle, the bikers in the film picking up a number of hitchhikers on their way across the country. CHASTITY is one of the most serious, measured of the movies about a hitchhiker, in this instance, a woman.
In general, female hitchhikers were not an uncommon presence in the pictures prior to CHASTITY's release. There were quite a few examples of female hitchhikers, beginning with THE RIGHT DIRECTION, and continuing with IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, HITCH HIKE LADY, THAT GIRL FROM PARIS, TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY, and WILD SEED. The scenarios were mainly dramatic in nature, with some comic exceptions such as IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT and THAT GIRL FROM PARIS. CHASTITY was of the dramatic persuasion, with humor not an element in this case. The movie also lacked the obvious suspense elements which permeated many of the films which had a male hitchhiker, instead featuring a slow buildup of events which examined the lead female hitchhiker in detail for the viewer. It was all psychologically motivated and character-driven, without resorting to action and adventure. CHASTITY offered no easy answers for its protagonist, and could be seen as the most realistic, if pessimistic, of entries about a female hitchhiker. It afforded an intensive look into the psyche of Chastity, making her a thoroughly three-dimensional figure. Romance, if anything, was an ephemeral notion in the picture, thus distancing CHASTITY from WILD SEED, with its happy ending. A solemn portrait of a female hitchhiker, CHASTITY offers a candid insight into its subject for spectators.
Overview: Alessio de Paola is an American director with only one motion picture to his credit, being CHASTITY. He does not appear to have any other television or stage credits to his name, therefore, this overview will examine his contributions to CHASTITY. With CHASTITY, Alessio de Paola has made an interesting work. Taking as its focus a young woman hitchhiking across the country, and charting her various adventures, and reactions to situations in which she finds herself, it is a passable movie. The strength of the picture is in its showcasing of a complex protagonist, the eponymous Chastity. A young woman who appears rough and tough at first glance, the film presents narrative situations where her character is slowly unraveled to the audience, and why she projects the world-weary, blunt air she possesses. This is the most satisfying, and fascinating part of the movie, whereby the spectator gains a thorough understanding of its central figure. CHASTITY, though, is not a perfect movie in any sense of the word, despite its compelling lead character.
While it is admirable that the film takes its time with the events it portrays, some scenes are overlong. Chasity's experience in the bordello is one of these instances. It seems to take forever, with some grating moments. The sequence with Chastity and client Tommy is one part that could have been successfully abbreviated. Its slow, repetitive nature rapidly gets on the nerves. The best thing which comes out of the bordello scenes, though, is the appearance of lesbian madam Diana Midnight, a woman of many moods and passions. Aside from Chastity, she is the most entrancing character in the film, but it would have been fruitful to learn more about this individual, provocative personality. In addition, further background to Chastity's personal plight would also have been helpful. The final stretches do answer questions about Chastity which were posed throughout the film, but even more information would have been welcome. A well-intentioned work that unfortunately veers towards unevenness, CHASTITY is a solid attempt at giving depth to its main hitchhiking character, and why she has taken to the road in the first place.
Acting: There are three performances in CHASTITY which stand out. In the lead role of Chastity, Cher is excellent in the best of her early roles. Painting a vivid portrait of a young woman burned by life, trying to find her way despite many difficulties, and living by her wits, she brings emotional force and truth to the picture, making the end of the movie shattering to witness. As Eddie, the student who befriends Chastity along her journey, Stephen Whittaker brings a relaxed charm to the part of a man who is her polar opposite, but manages to smooth some of her rough edges. With his personable ways and comely demeanor, Mr Whittaker makes the audience wish that he can win over the hardened Chastity. On the other end of the moral spectrum is lesbian bordello madam Diana Midnight, played with style by Barbara London. With her quiet authority and subtle mannerisms, Miss London is a distinctive actress, whose presence lends an air of mystery, and glamour, to CHASTITY.
Soundtrack: CHASTITY has a soundtrack which works well accompanying the visuals. The opening scenes have a haunting score composed by Sonny Bono which heightens the drama in this sequence, and the closing scenes. There are variations of this score employed throughout the picture that also emphasize the emotive nature of the material. The use of 'Chastity's Song', performed by Cher, builds a picture of the footloose life of the movie's protagonist, but is not nearly as effective as the score in its stirring nature.
Mise-en-scene: What is presented to spectators on screen in CHASTITY is of a high standard. Cinematography by Ben Colman captures everything beautifully, and with crispness. Both indoor, and outdoor scenes are lovely to witness. Exterior locations have been carefully chosen, with the highway, cafes, shops, and other locations adding realism. The main interior used in the movie, being Eddie's house, reflects a dedicated young man whose life is anything but messed up, contrasting this with Chastity's three sheets to the wind view of life. Sadie Hayes' costuming is also excellent, drawing comparisons between Chastity's modern, minimalist attire, and Diana Midnight's cool elegance as the seductive femme fatale of CHASTITY.
Notable Acting Performances: Cher, Stephen Whittaker, Barbara London.
Suitability for young viewers: No. Brief female nudity, adult themes.
